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
For the healing of our unhappy divisions and the making up of our breaches.
For the divisions that are among us, there are great searchings of heart; Judges 5:16(ESV) for there are three against two and two against three in a house. Luke 12:52(ESV) But is the breach as vast as the sea, which cannot be healed? Lamentations 2:13(ESV) Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored? Jeremiah 8:22(ESV) Lord, repair the breaches of our land, for because of them it totters. Psalm 60:2(ESV)
I beg in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that there may be no divisions among us, but that we be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10(ESV)
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant us to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 15:5-6(ESV) and promote the common salvation. Jude 1:3(ESV)
Lord, keep us from judging one another and despising one another, Romans 14:10(ESV) and give us to pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding; Romans 14:19(ESV) that living in love and peace, the God of love and peace may be with us. 2 Corinthians 13:11(ESV)
Let nothing be done from rivalry or conceit, but in humility let me count others more significant than myself; Philippians 2:3(ESV) and grant that my reasonableness may be known to everyone, because the Lord is at hand. Philippians 4:5(ESV)
For victory and success against our enemies abroad who seek our ruin.
Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you, but return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of your Israel. Numbers 10:35-36(ESV)
Grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man. With God let our forces do valiantly; yes, let God himself tread down our foes, Psalm 60:11-12(ESV) and make them like dust with your sword and like driven stubble with your bow. Isaiah 41:2(ESV)
Let us be a people saved by the LORD, as the shield of our help and the sword of our triumph; Deuteronomy 33:29(ESV) and make our enemies sensible that the LORD fights for us against them. Exodus 14:25(ESV)
Those who risk their lives to the death for us on the heights of the field, Judges 5:18(ESV) train their hands for war and their fingers for battle; Psalm 144:1(ESV) give them the shield of your salvation, and let your right hand support them, Psalm 18:35(ESV) and cover their heads in the day of battle. Psalm 140:7(ESV)
John 14 In these lessons we look at some of the final instructions Jesus passed on to His disciples, and see how they are also given to us for living godly lives even in the midst of difficulty.
Theme
Knowing God
In verse 9 Jesus talks about knowing God. He says, “You really can know God, and the way you know God is by knowing me.” It comes out of a question Philip asked. Philip had said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us” (v. 8). When Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me,” I think Philip got the message of Jesus’ departure. Philip thought, “The Father is in heaven; Jesus is going to heaven; He is going home.” So he said, “Lord, I get what you are saying. You are leaving us. But we have come such a small way in our experience of spiritual things. Before you go there is one thing we really want: we want to see God. That is what we want to see.”
What is Jesus’ answer? He replies, “I have been on earth for a long time. I have been with you for three years. I have taught you and am about to go and you still haven’t got it. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. So why do you say, ‘Lord show us the Father’?”
In knowing Jesus Christ we really do know God. God is not a mystery. God is not that supreme being who stands so far behind creation that we cannot even begin to know what He thinks, what He wants, or who He is. God has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. What is God like? He is like Jesus. How do we see Jesus? We see Jesus in the Scriptures.
Several days after this discourse the Lord was walking along a road with the Emmaus disciples. They had left Jerusalem and were on their way home after the crucifixion and resurrection. They had heard about the resurrection, but they had not believed it. After all, they were modern people. Dead men do not rise. It did not make any difference what the women said, and Peter and John did not count either. You could hardly believe them. It was all over. Yet Jesus began to talk to them along the way. It is interesting to observe what He did. If we were writing this as a fictional story, we would have said something like this: “What’s got you so down?”
They would answer, “Well, our good friend Jesus was crucified.”
“Don’t you remember what He said about the resurrection? He said He was going to rise from the dead.”
“Yes, we heard that. But we do not believe it.”
Then what would Christ do? He would say, “Hey, you guys! Look! It’s me!”
They would say, “Jesus, is that really you?”
“Yes. It’s me.” Then He would give them some proof. “Ask me some questions,” He might say. “Ask me what we said when we were sitting under that tree by the Lake of Galilee.” By telling what only He would know, He would convince them that He really was Jesus.
That is not what Jesus did. Instead, He went to the Old Testament, and, as we are told, “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). There is a kind of sequence there. We know Jesus through the Scriptures, and we know God through knowing Jesus. And that knowledge is a real knowledge. Regardless of what transpires in our world, regardless of what kind of conflicting claims we may hear, those who know Jesus really do know God.
Study Questions
How can anyone know God? What is involved in a genuine knowledge of Him?
How did Jesus address the doubts of the Emmaus disciples?
Application
Reflection: How do unbelievers tend to think God is known? How would you answer someone with these opinions?
For Further Study: Download and listen for free to James Boice’s message, “The House on the Rock.” (Discount will be applied at checkout.)
And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Mark 1:4
John announced this great word: that repentance is the way people come to God, and the result is the forgiveness of sins. The greatest blessing people can experience is to have their sins forgiven. This is what the people who streamed out of Jerusalem to listen to John were looking for, and this is what they found. They found forgiveness of sins, and it came by way of repentance.
That is why the prophet Isaiah said John’s message would be like a great bulldozer, building a highway in the desert for God to reach the isolated stranger in the midst of the wilderness. Without a road you cannot drive out into the desert in order to help somebody. You must have a road, a highway in the desert. John was God’s bulldozer to build that highway. You know how roads are built—exactly as Isaiah describes in chapter 40: Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain (Isaiah 40:4). That is what repentance does. It brings down all the high peaks of pride that we stand on and refuse to admit are wrong. It takes the depressed areas of our life, where we beat and torture and punish ourselves, and lifts them up. It takes the crooked places, where we have lied and deceived, and straightens them out. And it makes the rough places plain. Then God is there at that instance of repentance.
John brought people to Christ the only way they can come—through acknowledgment of guilt. When people come this way, God meets them, cleanses them, and forgives them. John demonstrated that by the baptism he performed. But there is a greater baptism—that of the Holy Spirit. And on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of God came, Peter stood up and offered people two things: forgiveness of sins and the promise of the Spirit. From that time on, God has made these things available to any man or woman who will begin at the beginning—the place of repentance.
Have you ever repented? Have you ever changed your mind, stopped defending yourself and trying to blame everything on others, and said, No, Lord, no one else is to blame, only I. This is the way I am—and I need help? That is where God will meet you. He always meets humans at that point, washes away guilt, cleanses, forgives. That is where you will find forgiveness of sins. If you have never repented before, I urge you to do so now. God will meet you right there. In the quiet of your own heart, where God alone hears, you can say to Him, Lord, I repent. Lord, send me the Holy Spirit through Jesus. And He will.
Lord, thank You that You promise to meet me in this place of repentance. I come to You now on that basis.
Life Application
A new year can begin with the liberating gift of forgiveness. Have we understood and embraced the means by which this blessing may be known?
1The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— 3“a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” 4And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The beginning of a story sets the stage for what is to come. It is where we are introduced to the characters and where seeds of conflict are sown. For the first two months of this year, we will do a fast, fly-over study of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. While we cannot cover every moment or book of the Bible at such a fast pace, we hope you gain a broad understanding of the complete story from start to finish.Let’s start in the Book of Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (v. 1). God spoke and the universe came to be. He filled the space with living things, the best of which were humans, male and female, more like Him than the animals. These individuals were “made in the image of God (v. 27), that is to say, they represented Him on earth. They were given authority to rule and enabled to make decisions that would reflect their Creator. To be made in God’s image is a fact that has awesome consequences for the story of the Bible. This passage explains why human beings have such value in God’s eyes. Every person is an image bearer!As the story continues, these image bearers will disobey and suffer devastating consequences (2:11–19). But God will forgive and cover them (2:21) and institute plan to undo the effects of their disobedience. He promised that a future Image Bearer would defeat evil (Col. 1:15). The hope of this promise, made at the very beginning of the Bible, is the thread that binds the entire story of Scripture together. As the scope of humankind’s disobedience is made plain, the scope of God’s plan to restore His relationship with His image bearers becomes even more grand. What a wonderful God we love!
Go Deeper What do you appreciate about God in the first three chapters of Genesis? Start your year of reading the Bible with delight in the God of promise!
Pray with Us From the very first words of the Bible, we face the beautiful image of You, Lord, as Creator, and of humanity as Your image bearers. What a privilege! May we walk worthy of Your image You’ve imprinted on us!
I’m not one to keep track of stats for my blogs, but it appears this one has many readers, and I am truly grateful for you all. This blog began as an emailed newsletter approximately 25 years ago; I had no idea it would continue down through the years. But I praise God for the ministry He has given me and pray to continue.
They will hunger no more, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. (7:16–17)
This comforting promise of further provision is drawn from and almost identical to the words of Isaiah 49:10. As they experienced the horrors of the Tribulation, these sufferers of the Great Tribulation had endured hunger, thirst, and scorching heat as the sun beat down on them, a phenomenon which will occur in the Tribulation (16:9). But all the tormenting physical and spiritual elements of earthly life they will experience no longer, but rather will enjoy eternal satisfaction, for the Lamb in the center of the throne (cf. 5:6) will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. The picture of God as the Shepherd of His people is one of the most beloved and common in the Old Testament (cf. Pss. 23; 80:1; Isa. 40:11; Ezek. 34:23), and Jesus is depicted as the Shepherd of His people in the New Testament (John 10:11ff.; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4). Interestingly, the other three uses of poimainō (shepherd) in Revelation (2:27; 12:5; 19:15; “rule” or “shepherd” in all three cases) reveal Christ in a destroying mode, crushing sinners with a rod of iron, as in Psalm 2:9. The Great Shepherd will guide His flock to springs of the water of life (cf. 21:6; 22:1, 17). He will also wipe every tear from their eyes (cf. 21:4; Isa. 25:8), for in heaven there will be no pain, sorrow, or suffering to cause them. In this age when Christianity is under siege on all sides, seemingly losing its grip on divine truth and apparently headed for defeat, it is comforting to be reassured of the ultimate triumph of God’s saving grace. In the midst of an even worse situation in the future before Christ’s return, God will redeem His people. That thought should bring present-day believers great comfort, and motivate all to praise God for the greatness of His redemptive plan. And ultimately, in the eternal state, all these promises will come true for all believers.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1999). Revelation 1–11 (pp. 233–234). Moody Press.
17 We now have a beautiful pastoral figure—that of the Lamb shepherding his people (cf. Jn 10:1–8; Heb 13:20; 1 Pe 2:25). It is not through some perfect environment but through the presence and continual ministry of the Lamb that their sufferings are forever assuaged. Whereas on earth their enemies may have tormented them, now the Lamb guides them: “He will lead [hodēgēsei, GK 3842—the same verb used of the Holy Spirit in Jn 16:13] them to springs of living water.” In contrast to the burning thirst experienced in their tribulation, now they will enjoy the refreshing waters of life. Thus in the future life the saints will not know stagnation, boredom, or satiation (Ps 23:1–3; Jer 2:13; Eze 47:1–12; Zec 14:8). Finally, even the sorrowful memory of the pain and suffering of the former days will be mercifully removed by the Father: “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (cf. 21:4). Tribulation produces tears. Like a tenderhearted, devoted mother, God will wipe each tear from their eyes with the eternal consolation of glory itself. Never again will they cry out because of pain or suffering. Only through the resurrection can all this become real (Isa 25:8; 1 Co 15:54).
Johnson, A. F. (2006). Revelation. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 667). Zondervan.
17. “Because the Lamb at the center of the
throne will shepherd them,
and he will lead them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes.”
John’s mind is fixed on the Old Testament Scriptures, particularly a passage that speaks of the restoration of God’s people. “They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has Compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water” (Isa. 49:10; compare 4:5–6). God’s people knew the deprivation of food and water when they had to travel through the deserts that bordered their land. This Old Testament passage refers to the return from Babylonian captivity to the land of Israel. God told his people that they would be neither hungry nor thirsty. He would supply them with the basic necessities of life to still their hunger and quench their thirst at oases. There he would shield them from the heat of the sun and the scorching wind of the desert. Further, this passage, taken from a chapter that depicts the Servant of the Lord, that is, the Messiah, predicts the restoration of Israel (Isa. 49). The Messiah will sustain God’s people with spiritual and material blessings in this life and in the life to come. Here is a description of sustenance and solace for all the saints who put their trust in God. Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matt. 5:6). a. “Because the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them.” The Lamb of God who was slain to redeem his people stands at the center, near the midpoint, of God’s throne. He is between God, seated on the throne, and the four living beings. No being is closer to God himself than the Lamb, who is now given the role of Shepherd. This role change, like so many in the Apocalypse, should be understood symbolically. Peter meditates on the concept of the sacrificial Lamb when he quotes Isaiah 53:9, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). Then he notes that the Lamb’s wounds healed his readers. “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Pet. 2:25). During his earthly ministry, Jesus revealed himself as the Shepherd of his people He called himself the Good Shepherd and instructed Peter to shepherd his sheep (John 10:11, 14; 21:16). And in turn Peter calls Jesus the Chief Shepherd, while he and fellow elders serve him as shepherds of God’s flock (1 Pet. 5:1–4). These portrayals are taken from agricultural Israel. So David composed Psalm 23 and the prophet Ezekiel transmitted the word of God to his people, “I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd” (Ezek. 34:23). Jesus the Good Shepherd protects his sheep from danger and from harm, leads them to green pastures, and finds streams of refreshing water for them. b. “And he will lead them to springs of living water.” The Lamb who is now the Shepherd leads the sheep to springs of living water. The imagery is a clear reminder of the Samaritan woman who asked Jesus for living water so that she would no longer be thirsty and have to keep coming back to Jacob’s well (John 4:15). Water symbolizes eternal life (Isa. 55:1; John 7:38, 39). Near the end of the Apocalypse, Jesus refers to himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Then he offers to all those who are thirsty to drink freely from the spring of water of life (21:6; 22:17). c. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” If there is one text in Scripture that comforts the saints, it is this verse. Here we meet the infinite tenderness of our God, who is able to remove from our eyes every tear caused by suffering, death, and sorrow. John again quotes from the Old Testament, where God is saying to his people that he will swallow up death forever and will wipe away the tears from all faces (Isa. 25:8; see Jer. 31:16). And in John’s vision of the new Jerusalem, God dwells with his people and as their God will wipe every tear from their eyes. “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Rev. 21:4). This is eternal bliss that can be portrayed only in pictures borrowed from this earthly scene—God bending down as a parent to wipe tears from the faces of his children. The last line in this verse is a picture of joy and happiness, of deliverance from sin and guilt, of salvation full and free. It is a scene of life in the fullest sense of the word—to be forever in the presence of our covenant God, who dwells in the midst of the glorified saints. It is Paradise restored.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, pp. 260–262). Baker Book House.
Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. (Matthew 20:7)
Yes, there is work in Christ’s vineyard for old bodies. It is the eleventh hour, and yet He will let us work. What grace is this! Surely every old man ought to jump at this invitation! After men are advanced in years nobody wants them as servants; they go from shop to shop, and employers look at their gray hairs and shake their heads. But Jesus will engage old people and give them good wages, too! This is mercy indeed. Lord, help the aged to enlist in Thy service without an hour’s delay.
But will the Lord pay wages to worn-out old men? Do not doubt it. He says He will give you what is right if you will work in His field. He will surely give you grace here and glory hereafter. He will grant present comfort and future rest; strength equal to your day and a vision of glory when the night of death comes on. All these the Lord Jesus will as freely give to the aged convert as to one who enters His service in his youth.
Let me tell this to some unsaved old man or old woman and pray the Lord to bless it for Jesus’ sake, Where can I find such persons? I will be on the lookout for them and kindly tell them the news.
There is no other book that was compiled over such a lengthy period, boasts that many authors, that many locales, and still carries within it one central and unified message. The Bible is truly unique in this regard.
How many authors does the Bible have? One? Many?
The answer to this question is “yes.” In one sense Christians believe the Bible’s claim to be “God-breathed.” We believe what the apostle Peter said when he tells us: “no prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”. Yet, we also believe that God used several human authors to perfectly accomplish His will in writing the Scriptures.
So, how was the Bible written? When we realize how the Bible came to be it is truly marvelous.
How Was the Bible Written?
I suppose it would be good for us to begin by defining “the Bible.” When I use the term “Bible” I mean 66 books—39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. These 66 books are diverse and yet all tell one foundational story—the story of Jesus.
These books were originally written in three different languages. A majority of the Old Testament was written in biblical Hebrew with a bit of Aramaic (Ezra and Daniel). The New Testament was written in Koine Greek. We would be remiss to not also mention the pivotal role that the Septuagint (LXX) played in the writing of the New Testament. The LXX is the Greek translation of the Old Testament. It was often a source for New Testament writers’ quotation of the Old Testament.
These 66 books also span a time period of around 1500 years (This is an encouragement to any of us authors who think our books are taking forever to complete). But it’s actually difficult to nail down when the book was actually “written” as much of the material likely survived through oral tradition. It’s possible that a book like Job is as old as the time of Abraham but wasn’t actually given pen to paper until a much later date. Most would place the oldest books to at least 1500 BCE and the last book of the New Testament written perhaps as late as 96AD.
Unless your author is Methuselah, if a book takes over 1500 years to compile you can imagine that it has many different authors. Some would say that there aren’t multiple authors but multiple communities which wrote these books. Even if you take a single author approach there are still over 35 different authors of the Bible spanning many years, different life situations, different locales. The most prolific authors in the Old Testament were Moses, Ezra, Jeremiah, and perhaps Samuel. In the New Testament, Paul wrote a majority of the books—but Luke actually has written the most words.
It is also astonishing to think of all the ways in which the Bible was preserved. It began, quite likely, as oral tradition but eventually was given a written record. Some were scratched on potsherds, others used wax tablets, as well as stone, wooden, or clay tablets. The most common writing material was parchment and papyrus.
There is no other book that was compiled over such a lengthy period, boasts that many authors, that many locales, and still carries within it one central and unified message. The Bible is truly unique in this regard.
How Were the Authors Chosen?
A question like this can mean a couple of different things. If one is asking why God picked Paul to write Scripture, then that answer is not revealed to us. He picked Jeremiah, Moses, or any other prophet because that is what he determined to do. There does not seem to be any sort of job description in the Scriptures for the type of person that God determines to use to speak His words.
Likely, a question like this is asking why the writing of Paul to the Galatians was considered to be Scripture but the writing of the Shepherd of Hermas didn’t make the cut. One myth that has refused to die is that spun by John Pappus in the early 1600s. This myth is that at the Council of Nicea the men in charge placed all the books side by side on a divine table in the house of God, and “as they prayed, entreating the Lord that the divinely inspired books might be found upon the table, and the spurious ones underneath.” According to this legend that is exactly what happened and that is how we have our books of the Bible.
That story doesn’t hold much water. For one, the Council of Nicea met to discuss other theological issues; which books should be considered canonical was not part of that particular conversation. In reality, a council did meet in the 4th century but they only recognized what had been practiced in the churches for many years prior. They did not make anything Scripture. They only received that which was Scripture. In other words, this council did not make something the writing of God, but rather they acknowledged the fingerprint of God on these particular writings.
How was the Bible written by God? With any piece of literature, you allow the “author” to speak for himself/herself. Scripture claims to be the Word of God and therefore must be treated based upon this claim. God is the only adequate witness to Himself and so only God can identify His Word. It may seem (and even be) a bit circular in reasoning but you test Scripture (and any other book claiming to be written by God) by Scripture itself. It is self-attesting, and we are convinced of the truthfulness of this claim by the internal witness of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture itself claims to be “breathed out by God.” What does that mean? And what are the implications of this? Another term for “God-breathed” is inspiration. I’ve found Millard Erickson’s definition of inspiration one of the most helpful:
“By inspiration of the Scripture we mean that supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit upon the Scripture writers which rendered their writings an accurate record of the revelation or which resulted in what they wrote actually being the Word of God.”
But how did this happen? How exactly did God inspire the authors to write Scripture? When I teach this, I use a continuum from left to right and place my own position at the very end (I am indebted to Robert Plummer in his 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible for much of the language here).
On the far left is the intuition theory. According to this view, the writers of the Bible have a “natural religion intuition. This really is not much of a theory of “inspiration” because the more conservative of this view simply believe that the writers of Scripture had great artistic ability and religious insight. But Moses, Luke, John, Paul, etc. are qualitatively no different than Plato, Mohammed, Buddha, or any other religious author. Sum: Moses had special religious insight.
Closely akin to this view is the illumination theory. This view does hold that the Spirit of God did work on the minds of the authors but not in any way different than how he communicates with the rest of humanity. The degree of the spirits influence is different, but not its kind. Sum: Out of his own spiritual life and understanding Moses writes about his experience.
Now moving further right is the dynamic theory. This is sometimes called the concept theory—because this view holds that God gave “definite, specific impressions or concepts” to the biblical authors but allowed them to communicate these concepts in their own words. The phrasing of the Bible is human but the overall message is determined by God. Sum: God gave Moses ideas and Moses wrote them in his own words.
On the far right is what is known as the dictation theory. This is sometimes called the mechanical or type-writer theory because it believes that God dictated the exact words to the human authors. The authors of Scripture exercised no human will in the composition of their writings. Sum: God told Moses what to write, and he wrote it exactly.
The view that I hold is what is known as the verbal plenary theory. That is a pretty fancy way of saying “God inspired the complete text(s) of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, including both historical and doctrinal details. This view holds to dual authorship of the Scriptures. The authors of the Bible wrote as “thinking, feeling, human beings” but God “mysteriously superintended the process that every word written was the exact word he wanted to be written—free from all error.” Sum: Supernaturally, Moses freely wrote exactly what God wanted him to.
This helps us answer the broader question of ‘how was the Bible written.’ If we believe that the Bible is divinely inspired, so that the biblical authors wrote exactly what God wanted them to, then it has implications for how we interpret the Scriptures. For one, the meaning and context of the biblical authors do matter. But it also helps us to understand that the Bible is telling a unified story written by one divine Author. As such our doctrine of Scripture is also tied to our view of God. Do we believe that an omnipotent and omniscient God is able to accurately convey His message to fallen humanity? Do we believe that these are God’s words? If so, do we believe that God always speaks truth?
Conclusion
The Bible is an amazing book. But it is far more than an amazing book, it is the very Word of God given to humanity to tell us the way of salvation. From Genesis to Revelation, it testifies of the fullness of Jesus. Every page testifies to Him as our Rescuer and Redeemer.
Far from being stale or a magical book, the Bible is the greatest story ever told.
Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He is also the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the author of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. His writing home is https://mikeleake.net and you can connect with him on Twitter @mikeleake. Mike has a new writing project at Proverbs4Today.
Church is supposed to be a place where you can go to be discipled and built up in your walk with the Lord. Some have even called it a hospital for the hurting. If this is true, and church should be a place of healing, the last thing you would expect to happen in church is that you would end up in an abusive environment. However, this happens in church, and maybe it happens more often than we want to admit.
Sadly, the type of abuse is not typically physical, but spiritual, mental, and emotional. The effects of this abuse have caused some to walk away from the church altogether, and others to even walk away from the Lord. While these things are tragedies, I believe it is possible to spot an abusive church and, hopefully, when you do, you would run from that type of church and do it quickly. I must be clear that all churches are not abusive, but there are some rotten apples in the bunch. My simple prayer is that you would recognize the signs of an abusive church, because if you are in one, they are hurting you more than you may even realize.
Here are nine signs of an abusive church:
1. Authoritarian Leadership
One major sign of an abusive church is when there is one leader who is in full control. Typically, in these types of churches, there are no checks and balances. What the pastor wants, the pastor gets. In fact, many times you are made to feel as if you are there to serve the whims and needs of the pastor instead of the pastor serving you. These types of leaders don’t have servant hearts, and their character rarely reflects the heart and compassion of Jesus. Many times, in these churches, the pastor is treated as if he is on a higher plane spiritually, and he has a relationship with God that no one in the congregation can ever approach or replicate.
Authoritarian leaders have a way of making you feel diminished or small if you don’t see things the way they do. God forbid you would disagree with “the man of God,” My friends, these are big red flags and should tell you something is wrong. Even though leaders have greater responsibility, that should also come with greater humility.
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28
Another sign of an abusive church is one that stifles your gifts. This becomes more recognizable when the pastors and leaders are aware of your gifts. However, instead of encouraging you to grow in your gift, these churches may suppress it. It is further exacerbated when there are pastors who are fearful of people who may be more gifted than they are in a specific area. This can create insecurity because the pastor may worry about people who could “steal their shine,” so they do everything they can to stifle them. An environment like this is not empowering, and it is a form of mental abuse. People who find themselves in these situations often end up discouraged and frustrated and usually leave the church.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
Spiritual manipulation happens when a leader attempts to use spiritual “tactics” to get you to do things they want. This may apply when they are trying to get you to give, serve, or anything else. Sometimes they will use language like, “The Lord told me..,” or “The Holy Spirit says….” They often feel if they cloak it in this language, there is no way you would ever question it, and you would feel more compelled to do what they want.
Many years ago, I went to a church where the pastor said God showed him there are ten people in the room who are supposed to give $1000 tonight. That alone is manipulative. He then said if you are one of those ten people, stand up. When he said this, only four people stood up. Clearly, he was not satisfied with that because he reminded the crowd that God told him ten people. After waiting a little longer, he said, “I know there are ten and don’t let me get a word of knowledge and call you out…” Once he said that, a few more people stood up, and he got his ten people. This “pastor” (I hate to even call him that) used the threat of using a spiritual gift to manipulate the people into giving. If any leader in any church manipulates you into doing anything, that is abuse, and you should get out of there.
“Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 25:17
Another indicator of abuse is when the church tries to control your personal life. When this happens, the leadership of the church oversteps their bounds. They may try to tell you who to marry, where to work or live, or attempt to exercise control over many personal decisions you make. Rather than praying with you to help you determine how God is leading you, they will tell you what to do because it aligns with what they want. There is little consideration given to what God wants.
Yes, the church should instruct you on how to live a godly life and even make wise decisions. I would add it is biblical and wise to get godly counsel when you are considering some life decisions. However, blindly following someone just because they said this is what you should do is not biblical or wise. Even if they say, “thus saith the Lord.”
I had a pastor tell someone God was calling him to be a worship leader. The guy had no musical ability. He could not sing on key and had shaky rhythm at best, and I am being polite. The sad part is the guy believed him without questioning and tried to be a singer and failed miserably. What the pastor really wanted was for him to stay in his church, and he used this as the means of controlling him. This is shameful, but when it happens, you know you are in an abusive environment.
“Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
Many times, abusive churches lead with fear. They are usually legalistic, judgmental, and present God as an angry judge, ready to strike you down the first mistake you make. To maintain this culture of fear, which is another form of control, they may tell you things like, “There is no other church like this one,” or “You won’t be able to fulfill your calling if you leave this place,” or “We are the only place that will tell you the truth.” My favorite one of all is “If you leave this church, you are leaving your covering.”
None of these things are true. God does not just have one church in one location, but there are plenty of churches where people are seeking God and doing his will. Any pastor who uses fear to control the people is not operating in the Holy Spirit, because God has not given us a spirit of fear.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
Another practice of abusive churches, which mixes well with the culture of fear, is isolation. They simply don’t want you to have fellowship with people outside the group. This is a big red flag not just of an abusive church but of cultish behavior. If you are part of the body of Christ, you should find joy in fellowshipping with all members of the body, regardless of who they are or where they worship. Churches that don’t encourage this or who isolate or insulate themselves will usually become extreme and, sometimes, even dangerous.
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
Abusive churches lack transparency. You will rarely know how decisions are made and the power is usually in the hands of one or a few. As a member, you don’t know how much money is coming in, where it is going, and who decides that. As much as a church is a spiritual entity, it is also a legal one as well. If you are contributing to a church, which is a legal charitable entity, you have a right to know how those dollars are being spent. When churches get a little shady with sharing that information, that is usually not a good sign.
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17
In some circles, the church is nothing more than the family business. It seems a little suspicious to me when the entire family of the pastor works at the church. It could be the pastor, the pastor’s wife, their children, the spouses of their children, their grandchildren, and on and on. I will call this “opportunity abuse” because people who have better qualifications may get overlooked because they don’t have the right last name. While God can call people from the same family into ministry, just because you grow up in the same house or share the same last name does not mean you are automatically called.
“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT)
9. Care More for Your Service Than Your Spiritual Development
9. Care More for Your Service Than Your Spiritual Development
SLIDE 8 OF 9
The last sign to share with you is when churches only care about how much you can serve. These churches try to convince you that the needs of the church should be the most important priority in your life. It doesn’t matter that you serve in five different ministries, that you are in the building six days a week, or that you neglect other responsibilities in your life. This is all good because the needs of the church come first. They give little concern to your spiritual development or your relationship with Jesus because as long as you are in the building and serving, everything is alright. These are the types of churches that will often use you until you have nothing left to give. Once you are all used up, they spit you out to make room for the next person. Sadly, this cycle never ends.
“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” Mark 6:30-31
There’s just something about the beginning of a new year that brings with it a yen for getting a fresh start. We think back over the past year, evaluate what we’ve spent our time and efforts on – or what we should have spent our time and efforts on – and, invariably, there’s a desire to make this year better.
Lots of people make lots of resolutions on January 1: to lose weight, to stop smoking, to exercise more. And by mid-February, some 80% of those people will have failed and given up on their resolutions.¹ Why? Partly because (statistically speaking) most of those people are lost and the flesh is exceedingly hard to tame by sheer “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” willpower. Even Holy Spirit-indwelt Believers can testify to the pull of the flesh.
Should we, as Christians make New Year’s resolutions? Is it OK to set a goal to get a certain area of our lives under better control? Sure, there’s nothing wrong with that. But, is it possible there’s a bigger picture we need to take a look at?
Should we, as Christians make New Year’s resolutions? Sure, there’s nothing wrong with that. But, is it possible there’s a bigger picture we need to take a look at?Tweet
The Christian life is not one of putting out fires via resolutions. We don’t tackle one problem, get it under control and then move on to each of the other five problems that popped up while we were working on the first one. It’s more like fire prevention. We get up every day and hose down the house and yard by resting in Christ, communing with Him through prayer and the Word, and seeking to obey Him throughout the day. Sanctification is not mainly reactive, it’s proactive. And it doesn’t come by our own outward effort and striving, but by Christ growing us, changing our hearts, and enabling us to obey Him from the inside out.
Sanctification is not mainly reactive, it’s proactive.Tweet
And guess what? Along the way as Christ is conforming you to His image, you’re going to fail. You’re going to give in to temptation, and you’re going to sin against your Master. But here’s what biblical sanctification offers you that New Year’s resolutions cruelly withhold:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
You don’t just get a fresh start once a year. You get a fresh start every time you confess your sin, repent, and receive Christ’s cleansing and forgiveness. You get the mercy of Christ, the grace of God, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to move forward in submission to God’s Word. You get the steadfast, never ceasing love of the Father who is out for your good rather than the unfeeling “do more, try harder, be better” taskmaster of New Year’s resolutions.
So, bearing all that in mind, how might God be trying to grow you in Christlikeness this year? What are some ways you can get up each day and proactively rest in, and obey Christ? Let’s prayerfully consider the following aspects of our walk and ask God to sanctify us and help us submit our will to His as we follow Him in this new year.
Growing in the Word
1. Daily personal Bible study. Do you set aside daily time for the personal study of God’s Word? Have you ever read the Bible from cover to cover? Have you considered, maybe just for this year, putting away all of the Bible study books and materials authored by others and using only the Bible during the next 365 days of your personal study time? Evaluate your daily time in God’s Word. Here are some resources you might find helpful:
2. Scripture memorization. This is something God got a hold of me about several years ago. It’s important to store up God’s Word in our hearts as a weapon against temptation, for comfort, for prayer, and to encourage others. Try starting with verses you’re already somewhat familiar with. Many find it easier to memorize Scripture in song form, or by typing it out. If your pastor is preaching through a certain book, memorize a verse or passage out of each chapter as he comes to it. I’ve found it helpful to recite my verses in my head in bed at night. It helps me fall asleep faster, and there’s actually research that shows retention is improved if you study right before bed.
3. Daily prayer time. Of course we should be talking to the Lord throughout the day as we go about the routine of life and work, but that’s not a substitute for having a daily block of time set aside for focusing all of our attention on communicating with God. Jesus set this example for us, and we should follow it. Do you have a daily time of prayer? Do you know how to pray in a way that’s pleasing to God and helps you grow in Christ?
4. If you don’t have a solid church, find one. Physically gathering with the Body of Christ for worship, teaching, fellowship, prayer, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, giving, serving – and so much more – is not optional. It’s vital to your growth in Christ.
5. Faithful church attendance. At a minimum, Christians should be at Sunday morning worship and Sunday School/Bible study class/small group every week unless Providentially hindered (circumstances beyond your control: illness, emergency, the rare out of town trip, occasionally having to work). That’s not legalism, that’s loving the Bride of Christ and having your priorities in line with Scripture. Contrary to popular metrics, habitually missing Sunday worship twice or more a month (when you could be there if you made it a priority) is not faithful attendance. If you’re lackadaisical in church attendance, examine your heart. What’s going on in your spiritual life that’s keeping you from wanting to gather with your brothers and sisters in Christ? (And if it’s a problem with the church itself, see #4.)
6. Don’t just “go to church,” invest yourself in it. Are you serving your church in some capacity? Do you regularly and fervently pray for your church, your fellow church members, and your pastors, elders, and teachers? Have you poured yourself into personal relationships with others at church for fellowship, care, and discipling? Do you regularly, sacrificially, and joyfully give offerings? Are you sharing the gospel with the lost? As with anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. God loves you and wants you to invest yourself in His Bride for His glory and for your joy.
How might God want to conform you more to the image of Christ this year? Could it be in one of these areas? Maybe another area? New Year’s resolutions are often about how you want to shape your life. Sanctification is about how God wants to shape your life. Not just for the new year, but for eternity.
New Year’s resolutions are often about how you want to shape your life. Sanctification is about how God wants to shape your life. Not just for the new year, but for eternity.Tweet
The beginning of the new year is a great time to reflect upon our walk with the Lord over the past twelve months and set new goals. As such, I issued a prayer challenge to Christians last year, consisting of three parts. Those steps were to pray for one hour in one sitting each week, determine a pattern of prayer for the other six days, and find someone who could encourage us or hold us accountable in the challenge.
Those who successfully took up the challenge and faithfully met their goals each week would have spent a total of 6,250 minutes in prayer over the year. Here it becomes clear that a little commitment to prayer practiced every day, coupled with one day of a longer duration, leads to significant results over time – much more prayer taking place than if we had no plan, discipline, or structure.
This recap brings us to this new year and an encouragement to dig even deeper. We don’t want this past year to be a one-off cycle in an otherwise sickly life of prayer. Rather, we want this past year to be a launching pad to a lifetime of consistent, fervent, and effective prayer. As we think about this new year and the topic of prayer, I want to draw our attention to a particular passage in 1 Timothy (1 Timothy 4:7-8). I love this passage because the link it draws between physical and spiritual fitness.
On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
We understand the importance of training for anyone who wants to be a successful athlete. People who train physically understand this work entails several key components, involving consistency (even when we don’t feel like it), great effort, self-denial, and a goal. For these efforts to be meaningful and successful, we must know why we are training and make progress toward that goal.
By using the image of physical exercise and training, Paul says all things true of physical exercise are necessary in the spiritual realm as well – we must train spiritually. In our spiritual training, we need consistency. Spiritual discipline will require great effort, self-denial, and a goal. This goal was one of the greatest strengths of the first prayer challenge, that there was a real, tangible goal and observable results.
Now, Paul also gives Timothy a goal, namely, godliness.
Our spiritual workouts have a very specific goal, which is to become more like Jesus Christ, having our hearts and lives conformed to the ways and character of God. At the end of the year, the goal was not ultimately a quota of time or reading plan but becoming more like Christ. It’s important we realize this is what the challenges are about. If we want to be more like Christ, grow in holiness, walk closer with Him, and know Him more, then we must discipline ourselves and consistently aim at this goal.
Then, Paul gives Timothy some motivation for putting in the efforts. Our motivation as believers is because godliness is profitable now and forever (verse 8). Bodily disciplines are of a little profit in what matters in the whole scheme of eternity because the value is only temporary. However, the results of spiritual discipline and exercise (godliness) are profitable in all things. Godliness benefits us now as we grow in our knowledge of Christ, and the fruit of that relationship lasts throughout eternity. That truth motivated Timothy, and it should motivate us to discipline ourselves for godliness, because we know the eternal benefits of doing so.
What, then, does Paul have in mind as spiritual training? Earlier in the passage, Paul notes there are twin sanctifying tools we have at our disposal: God’s Word and prayer. If we would discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness, we must devote ourselves to these tools. It is amazing how often the New Testament commands us to devote ourselves to prayer. It’s modeled for us in Acts and commanded throughout the epistles (Romans 12:12, Colossians 4:2-3, 1 Peter 4:7, Jude 20-21). We see, too, the prayers of the saints are honored as they appear as incense before God’s throne (Revelation 5:8). So, when Paul says to Timothy, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness,” he undoubtedly means that Timothy will devote himself to prayer, make prayer a regular part of his life, and seek to grow in godliness by growing in prayer.
So, how can we grow in our prayer lives this year?
The theme of this new prayer challenge is simply this: dig deeper. Our challenge is to identify and grow in those areas, which can be even more difficult than just establishing a regular pattern of prayer. There are three parts to this new challenge.
First, we should improve one area where we fell short last year – one, not several areas. Maybe we did the prayer challenge but really struggled with consistency in prayer. So, we can look to be consistent. Maybe we never quite reached an hour that other day. Perhaps we return to the challenge and redo it then. Or maybe we had weak prayer partner accountability. If our relationship with our prayer partners was less than it should have been, we should work on that step. Another area might be an imbalanced use of the different prayer aspects. If we notice we neglected some biblical aspect of prayer (i.e. intercession, petition, praise, confession, etc), we can attempt to work on including that one more consistently.
Second, we should grow in one aspect of prayer. Here we are saying we will commit to growing in one of the ten areas of prayer this year. What this step means is that we grow in our understanding of that aspect of prayer, and we improve at praying in that way. For example, we become more proficient at meditating on Scripture. Or we study how people prayed for one another in the Bible. There are many possibilities, not only because there are nine aspects from which to choose, but because each one also has various layers and possibilities. So then, find one of these aspects of prayer, determine to understand it better, and become more biblical and effective in praying that way. This step doesn’t mean we abandon the other eight, but we really focus on understanding one better and seeing gains in how we pray in that area.
Third, we should commit to corporate prayer. Christians constantly have a front-row seat to see the Lord do mighty things among us. When we commit to pray together, we get the privilege of seeing God working wonders in astonishing ways. This step means, then, that we pray with the church in prayer meetings, small groups, Bible studies, and with prayer partners. Believers should commit to spend time consistently praying with God’s people this year. A great way to grow in prayer is when we hear others pray and pray with other people out loud. For some, this will just be a continuation of what we already do, it will require some self-denial, schedule or priority changes for others.
If we take up this challenge – either challenge – we will find growth in godliness at the end of the year. That will mean that this new year will have been a year that is profitable, not only for this year, but for eternity. All Christians should make this year count for something that will last. May this new year be the year we challenge ourselves, decide what we will do in prayer, commit to do it, and see the results as by grace we seek God in prayer.
Peter … said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the very corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.” Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. (4:8–13)
Instead of being frightened into silence or compromise, Peter displayed great courage and went on the offensive. Submission is not cowardice. He began by indicting them for the incongruity of putting him and John on trial … for a benefit done to a sick man. He thus turned the tables on the Sanhedrin and subtly accused them of injustice—certainly it couldn’t be wrong to heal a lame man. Since they had demanded to know as to how this man has been made well, by what name (or authority) the apostles performed the miracle, Peter told them. He desired them and all the people of Israel to know that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—whom they crucified, but God raised from the dead—the beggar stood before them in good health. In the very citadel of the Sanhedrin’s power Peter put his judges on trial by proclaiming the truth about the living Christ to those responsible for His execution. By pointing out that they executed Jesus but God raised Him up, Peter showed them to be the enemies of God. That approach was frequently employed in Acts (cf. 2:23–24; 3:14–15; 10:39–40; 13:27–30). Peter refused to compromise the gospel by deleting what would offend the Sanhedrin. He spoke courageously because he was devoted to the truth and entrusted the outcome to his Lord. That is an example for all persecuted believers to follow. One of the most formidable barriers to the Sanhedrin’s acceptance of Jesus as Messiah was that He could not prevent Himself from being killed. That did not fit their conception of the Messiah as a political and military deliverer. As he had done on the day of Pentecost, Peter turned to the Old Testament Scriptures to build his case. He quoted Psalm 118:22, applying it to their rejection of Jesus Christ (cf. Mark 12:10–11; 1 Peter 2:4, 6–8). Peter was not leading the Jews away from God but preaching the very truth of the Old Testament as fulfilled in Jesus. He was the stone which was rejected by them, the builders or spiritual leaders of the nation. Although they rejected Jesus, God made Him the very corner stone through His resurrection and exaltation. Again, Peter puts them in opposition to God—they rejected Jesus, but God gave Him the place of preeminence. He is the cornerstone of God’s spiritual temple, the church (Eph. 2:19–22). They were the ones leading the people away from God. In verse 12 Peter gives what amounts to a direct invitation to the Sanhedrin to repent and embrace Jesus Christ to be saved. He had already declared that the healing of the lame beggar had been done in Jesus’ name. Now he goes further and proclaims that there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved. Saved is a form of the same verb (sozō) used in verse 9 to describe the healing of the lame man. Not only was Jesus the source of physical healing, but He is also the only source of spiritual healing. Deliverance from the devastating effects of sin comes only through Jesus Christ. Peter did not invent that truth; he is merely echoing his Master. In John 14:6 Jesus declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” This same exclusivity is claimed by our Lord in John 10:7–8 when He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers.” The exclusivism of Christianity goes against the grain of our religiously pluralistic society. A chapel built at the North Pole in February 1959 by the men of Operation Deep Freeze 4 typifies the prevalent attitude today toward religious belief. The structure contained an altar, over which was hung a picture of Jesus, a crucifix, a star of David, and a lotus leaf (representing the Buddha). On the wall of the chapel was an inscription that read “Now it can be said that the earth turns on the point of faith.” Christians preach an exclusive Christ in an inclusive age. Because of that, we are often accused of being narrow-minded, even intolerant. Many paths, it is said, lead to the top of the mountain of religious enlightenment. How dare we insist that ours is the only one? In reality, however, there are only two religious paths: the broad way of works salvation leading to destruction, and the narrow way of faith in the only Savior leading to eternal life (Matt. 7:13–14). Religious people are on either one or the other. Sadly, the Sanhedrin and all who followed them were on the broad road to hell. Peter’s impassioned plea failed to soften the hardened hearts of the Sanhedrin. Yet it was not without some effect. They could not help being impressed with the confidence of Peter and John. They were amazed that uneducated (in the rabbinical schools) and untrained men (not professional theologians; laymen) could argue so effectively from the Scriptures. That two Galilean fishermen powerfully and successfully argued their case before the elite Jewish supreme court was shocking, so that they were marveling. The explanation slowly dawned on the Sanhedrin, as they began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. No doubt it came back to their memories that the two apostles had been with Jesus in the temple and at His trial (John 18:15–18). What triggered the Sanhedrin’s recognition was the realization that the apostles were doing what Jesus did. Like the apostles, Jesus had boldly and fearlessly confronted the Jewish leaders with His authority and truth (cf. Matt. 7:28–29). He, too, had no formal rabbinic training (cf. John 7:15–16). Yet in His sure handling of the Old Testament Scriptures He had no equal (cf. John 7:46). Jesus had performed many miracles during His earthly ministry. Peter and John were on trial largely because of a miracle they had performed. The attempt by the Sanhedrin to suppress the apostles’ teaching had given them a priceless opportunity. They boldly seized it and proclaimed the gospel to the highest officials of the nation. That is how to handle persecution—face it with the boldest proclamation of the truth.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1994). Acts (Vol. 1, pp. 134–136). Moody Press.
No Other Name
Acts 4:1–12
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you completely healed. He is
“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.’
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:8–12
In the fourth chapter of Acts we have a record of the first persecution. I do not know if on this occasion Peter remembered what the Lord Jesus Christ had said about persecution. But it might be that when he was dragged before the Sanhedrin he recalled that Jesus had prophesied persecution for all who followed him:
You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:9–11
Peter may not have been thinking about these or similar words on the occasion of this first persecution, but he may have been. At any rate, everything Jesus foretold earlier was now fulfilled, and it was going to be fulfilled in similar situations even more as the church expanded.
The Force against Christians
I am sure that as Luke thought about this first persecution he was impressed with the great power arrayed against the disciples. The church was not strong. There were very few disciples, perhaps 3,100 or 3,200. These were the early days; the gospel had not expanded far. There were few leaders; none of them had much experience as leaders. They were a small band when measured against the total numbers of the Jewish people, and they were very weak—powerless actually—when measured against the rulers of the day. I am struck by the way Luke lists those who were of the opposition. In verses 1–6 he lists no fewer than eleven different individuals or categories of individuals who were opposed to Christianity. Three of them are in verse 1: the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees. Priests could include the Levites scattered throughout the entire land or the Levites actually in Jerusalem at that time to help with the temple worship. Levites served by rotation, and their turn to minister at the temple would come maybe once or twice in a lifetime. They would serve for about three weeks. However, I do not think Luke had in mind either the entire priestly tribe or the priests who were actually serving in Jerusalem, because in the New Testament “priest” usually refers to the high priest, priests, or their specific families. These men were not like the Levites who lived in the villages and who only came up to Jerusalem once in a while. They were the established priestly caste, and they were powerful. I suspect, because Luke is thinking of those who were specifically opposed to the Christians, that this is whom he had in mind. Next he mentions the captain of the temple guard. He is probably referring to the captain of the temple guard along with the temple guard itself. These were not Roman troops. The captain was not a Roman officer. Still this was a force to be reckoned with. These were the soldiers who had arrested Jesus. The captain of the temple guard was the second most powerful person in Jerusalem, apart from the Roman governor and army. First, there were the Romans; second, there was the high priest; third, there was the captain of the guard. So Luke’s mention of the captain of the guard is significant. He also mentions the Sadducees. The Sadducees were not a terribly numerous party, but they were the upper class and a powerful, monied class at that. The Sadducees had recognized early on that if the Jews were going to survive the occupation, they would have to get along with the Romans. So they had established close ties with the authorities. Here, then, we have the high priests and their families, the police force led by the captain of the guard, and the Sadducees, who because of their special relationship to the Romans were the most influential people in the land. It was a formidable opposition. But it is not only these who were involved. In verse 5 Luke lists three more categories: the rulers, the elders, and the teachers of the law. Teachers of the law probably were those we call scribes, those whose task it was to know and copy the Scriptures. Elders were the distinguished older men who lived in Jerusalem and had great influence. Rulers probably were people in various positions of authority, the heads of government departments and committees. This gives us six categories. But there are still more, because in verse 6, Luke also refers to individuals. There was Annas the high priest. He was the true high priest. The Romans had deposed him years before; they had installed Caiaphas, his son-in-law, in his place. But in Israel the high priest was a high priest for life. So in the minds of the Jewish people Annas would still have been the true high priest, regardless of what the Romans had done. Then there was Caiaphas, the acting high priest. These two men had conspired in the trial of Christ, Jesus having appeared before each of them. Finally, says Luke, there were John—not John the apostle, but a John in the priestly family—Alexander, and other men of the high priest’s family. These were all present, and all of them were arrayed against the two apostles. When I look at that list and realize how powerful these men were, I think of Thomas Kelly’s hymn (1806) that goes:
Zion stands by hills surrounded,
Zion, kept by pow’r divine;
All her foes shall be confounded,
though the world in arms combine.
That last part, “Though the world in arms combine,” is what was happening to Peter and John in these early days of church history. All the forces of the land were getting together against the early Christians. Yet, as the first part of the hymn says, clearly Peter and John were kept by God’s power, as we are going to see.
Why Were the Rulers Upset?
What is it that disturbed these powerful rulers so much? We are told in verse 2. They were disturbed because the apostles were “teaching the people” and “proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.” That they were teaching the people was itself naturally disturbing to the priests, Sadducees, rulers, elders, and teachers of the law, because these men were teachers, and teaching by others was a threat to their authority. This was one thing that had bothered them about Jesus Christ. He had not gone to their rabbinic academies. Nevertheless, he had an intrinsic authority. People marveled at it and flocked to him. Once they sent the temple guards to arrest Jesus, but his teaching was so powerful that it stopped the guards cold. They went back to their leaders and explained their failure, saying, “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (John 7:46). These rulers had killed Jesus. But now they suddenly had this entirely new group of people to contend with, and they were like him. They had not been to the rabbinic schools either. They were just fishermen and tax collectors, simple, untaught people. But here they were teaching as Jesus had taught—with authority—and the people were listening to them. A second matter disturbed them even more. These men were teaching about Jesus, and the central point of their teaching was that God had raised him from the dead. If the disciples had been teaching about the resurrection only, perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad, because, after all, the Pharisees also believed in the resurrection. The Sadducees did not, but the Pharisees did. On a later occasion Paul used that doctrine to divide the Sanhedrin (see Acts 23:6–9). But the disciples were not just teaching about the resurrection generally, that there is going to be a resurrection at the last day, they were teaching about the resurrection of Jesus. That changed everything. If it was true, it proved that Jesus was who he claimed to be, namely, the unique Son of God. It also proved the nature and value of what he came to do.
The Weapons of This World
The authorities used the world’s methods in their offensive against the disciples. That is, they used their power, because naked power is the only weapon the world really has. Sometimes it is the power of wealth; people who have wealth will often use it to control, exclude, or oppress others. The government will use the courts, policemen, guns, and eventually the army, because in the last analysis this is the only power it has. The first thing the Jerusalem authorities did was attempt to intimidate the disciples. In the Greek there is an emphasis that does not come across as strongly in English but indicates that when the priests, the captain of the guard, and the Sadducees came upon Peter and John, they came upon them suddenly. That is, they did not just meander up out of the back of the crowd and begin to talk to them. One moment Peter and John were there teaching earnestly. The next moment, there were the soldiers. They must have said, “Enough of this,” grabbed them, and taken them away. They were declaring: We have the power. If you are allowed to preach, as you have been preaching, it is because we have permitted you to do it. If we decide that you are no longer to be permitted to do that, well then, you can’t do it anymore. Anytime we want, we can arrest you and carry you off to jail. Throwing them in jail was also intimidation. The leaders did not have to arrest the disciples at this point. They could have picked them up the next morning. Peter and John were not hiding. The leaders must have said, “Let’s just throw them in jail overnight. Let them cool their heels there. That will dampen their spirits. Then we’ll see how they function in the morning.” Peter and John had courage in spite of this intimidation, and that impressed the authorities (Acts 4:13). Intimidating the disciples didn’t work, but that is what the authorities were trying to do all the same. The world continues to operate this way, and that is one reason why the witness of Christian people often fails or is given in an ineffective way. If Christianity is true, it is the greatest message in the world. Yet we are afraid to proclaim it, and the major reason is the world’s intimidation. We fail to speak because we are afraid someone might laugh at us or harm us. The Jerusalem authorities also used threats. Verse 21 says so explicitly: “After further threats, they let them go.” If there were further threats, there must have been earlier threats. And I suppose this is what is being suggested in verse 18, where it says, “They called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.” They must have said, “If you speak about Jesus in public again, we are going to beat you and put you in jail. It will be decades before you see daylight again.” Or they might have said (maybe as Peter and John were going out the door, perhaps in a whisper), “And don’t forget what we did to Jesus.” I think Luke shows a sense of irony at this point, though the situation is hardly funny and perhaps it is only the irony of the situation itself that I notice. But here these men were, trying to intimidate the apostles, threatening them. Yet even before they give their witness, Luke records in verse 4 that “many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.” The last figure we had concerning the size of the church was from the days immediately following Pentecost, when it was said there were about three thousand (Acts 2:41). At this point, not very long afterward, a couple of weeks or so at the most, there were five thousand. It was an increase of 60 percent. The world thinks that it can stop a spiritual movement by threats, force, imprisonment, and death, but it cannot. A good idea, especially a true spiritual idea, will always spread. I do not think you can stop any good idea, even a good secular idea, by threats. A good idea will always thrive and eventually permeate a culture. Perhaps you can slow it for a time. Maybe some good ideas have been stamped out temporarily by harsh rulers. But most have not been, and certainly you cannot stamp out Christianity. The rulers were trying to stamp it out. But what we discover in Acts, which we also find in later church history and see in our day too if we just look around, is that the more the church is oppressed, the more the gospel spreads. Justin Martyr said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”
The Christian Offensive: Peter’s Testimony
We have seen the forceful methods arrayed against these early preachers of the gospel. Now we are going to see the force of God and the methods the people of God use. The force on the side of God’s people is the Holy Spirit. It says that when Peter began to speak he was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 8). When we were looking at the account of Pentecost I pointed out that in Acts, on every occasion, what follows specific mention of a person being filled with the Holy Spirit is strong verbal testimony to Jesus Christ. When people are filled with the Holy Spirit they always speak about Jesus. That is how you can know whether you are filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter gave a formal reply. He had been arrested because of events growing out of the miracle of the healing of the lame man. So he began by speaking to that issue:
Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people in Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Acts 4:8–10
This was a wise reply. Peter was basically saying, “The only thing you can possibly have arrested us for is this miracle—for doing good to that poor lame man. Doing good is no crime. But if you also want to know by what power or in what name we did it” (that is the question they had asked in verse 7), “then you need to know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” In your Bible you will find a comma at that point. It is a significant comma because so far as the accusation was concerned, Peter had by that point given a perfectly good answer. There could be a period. He did not need to go further. They had said, “By what power or what name did you do this?” and Peter had replied, “By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” Question. Answer. End of the defense! Yet Peter was not merely trying to defend himself. He did what Paul later did in Rome (see 2 Tim. 4:17). He used the opportunity to witness to Jesus Christ. This is why I think Peter may have had in mind the prophecy with which I began, the prophecy in which Jesus said, “On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.” Peter may have remembered those words and thought to himself, Here is a great opportunity to witness to governors about Jesus. If he had been intimidated he would have been trying to save his skin. He would have said as little as possible, “taken the fifth,” and refused to incriminate himself. But he wasn’t intimidated. He was a servant of the living God, and he had the greatest message in the world. So he thought to himself, In all my life I have never had a chance like this; I may never have a chance like this again. Look at this audience: the priests, the captain of the temple guard, the Sadducees, rulers, elders, teachers of the law, Annas, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the other members of the high priest’s family. I will never do better than this again. Why, if we had put on a great advertising campaign, we could never have gotten all these important people to come. But here they are. So let’s preach Jesus. And that is what Peter did. There were four points to his sermon.
They were guilty in crucifying Jesus. The Jesus about whom Peter was speaking was the Jesus they had put to death. Verse 10 says, “the one whom you crucified.” And it would not have done any good for them to have said, “Well, you know, we didn’t actually do it. The Romans did it.” It did not do Pilate any good to have washed his hands of the matter either. The washing did not excuse Pilate, and these words would not have excused the Jewish rulers. They were guilty, along with others. The first thing Peter did was remind them of that. What courage! No wonder verse 13 mentions the courage of Peter and John. They needed courage to remind this august body of leaders of the crime they had committed.
Jesus rose from the dead. In verse 10 Peter calls Jesus “Jesus of Nazareth … whom God raised from the dead.” The message of Jesus’ resurrection proves everything that is essential about Christianity. It proves that Jesus is God, that he is the Savior, that death is not the end for anyone, and that there is a resurrection. Furthermore, Peter says that God is the one who has done this, the very God they claimed to worship. They killed his Son, but God vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead.
The purpose of God was established in spite of opposition. In verse 11 Peter says, “The stone you builders rejected … has become the capstone” (quoted from Psalm 118:22). When Luke quotes from the Old Testament, he almost invariably quotes from the Septuagint, the translation of the Old Testament used among Greek-speaking people, since he was writing to Greek-speaking people. But in quoting from the Septuagint at this point, Luke varied the quotation slightly, adding the word “you.” The Septuagint says, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.” But Luke changes it to say, “The stone you builders rejected …” (italics mine). Why? Undoubtedly because that is the way Peter spoke it. Peter added the word “you” to reinforce what he had been teaching. He had spoken of the leaders’ guilt. Then he took an impersonal Old Testament text and made it pointed. There are lots of things about the gospel that the world does not like. It does not like to hear about human guilt. It does not like to hear about the resurrection. But of all the things the world does not like, probably the greatest is that God always accomplishes what he wants in spite of our opposition. But God does accomplish it. He is going to accomplish it with you. You may fight him to the end. But in the end, it will be his will rather than yours that will be done. We do not like that, because the essence of sin is thinking and saying, “I can do without God. I can resist God. I do not have to do what God wants.” Unfortunately for that point of view, we are not our own masters. We are God’s creatures. Therefore, it is always God’s purposes and not ours that will be established.
Jesus is the one and only way of salvation. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (v. 12). Oh, how the world hates such statements! If you want to be laughed at, scorned, hated, even persecuted, testify to the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ. Say that Jesus is the only Savior, that only by believing in him can one escape hell. The world will fight you to the death, because nothing is so offensive to the natural man as teaching that we cannot save ourselves, that we cannot choose our own way of salvation, and that if we are going to be saved it must be by God in the way he has appointed. Why did Peter insist on this fact? He was an intelligent man. He knew he was saying these things at the risk of his life. Why would he take such a chance? He was saying it because he knew there is nobody else like Jesus Christ. There is no man who is God except Jesus, no one who could die for the sins of others. That is why Peter could proclaim him fearlessly. You may say, “But that sounds so narrow.” Yes, it is narrow. “But it sounds so exclusive.” Yes, it is exclusive. “But it sounds intolerant.” Yes, in a sense it is intolerant. But it is also true. And any man or woman who turns his back on what is true is simply foolish. When the authorities began to interrogate Peter and John, they said, “By what power or what name did you do this?” Peter and John answered, “Jesus.” That was correct. But when Peter got to the end and summed it all up, he threw their question right back at them and said, in effect, “It is not only the lame man who was healed by the name of Jesus. That name is the only name by which anyone can be healed. What needs to happen to you is what happened to the lame man. You too must be saved by Jesus.” Everett F. Harrison had it exactly right when he wrote: Salvation was the supreme concern of this prince of apostles (Acts 2:40; 5:31; 15:11; cf. 1 Peter 1:5, 9, 10). It is found exclusively in Christ and “no one else,” and it is an imperative need for sinful men (they “must be saved”). What had happened to the physical condition of the cripple, in that he had been made whole (literally, saved), was a parable for the healing of the whole man by the power of Christ.
In your sin you are as helpless in the sight of God as that lame man. You cannot save yourself. Only Jesus can heal you. You need to believe that and place all your faith in Jesus Christ, the only Savior.
Boice, J. M. (1997). Acts: an expositional commentary (pp. 71–78). Baker Books.
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” We make these observations: a. Salvation proclaimed. “Salvation is found in no one else.” This text is among the well-known and cherished passages in Acts. Peter challenges his immediate audience but at the same time speaks to all people who seek salvation. He addresses learned and influential men in the Sanhedrin whose work consisted of showing the people of Israel the way of salvation. They did so by telling the Jews to perform works that would earn them salvation. But Peter preaches that salvation can be obtained in no way other than through the name of Jesus Christ. The salvation he preaches comprises both physical and spiritual healing. They see the evidence of physical healing in the man who used to be a cripple. But they must understand that spiritual well-being includes forgiveness of sin and a restored relationship with God. No one in Peter’s audience is able to point to any person who grants salvation, because everyone needs salvation himself. Hence, they should realize that they can have peace with God only through Jesus Christ. b. Name given. “There is no other name under heaven given among men.” The name Jesus reveals the task of the Savior, because the name means “he will save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). That is, he heals people physically from the effect of sin, but more than that, he removes sin itself so that people can stand before the judgment seat of God as if they had never sinned at all. Jesus makes them spiritually whole by restoring them in true relation to God the Father. Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father but through me” (John 14:6). No person but Jesus has the ability to provide remission of sin. “Through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins” (10:43). Peter resorts not to an overstatement but rather to a descriptive idiom when he says that there is no other name under heaven than the name Jesus. Nowhere in the entire world is man able to find another name (i.e., person) that offers the salvation Jesus provides. Religions other than Christianity fail because they stress salvation by works and not by grace. The name Jesus has been given to men by God himself to show that salvation has its origin in God. c. Believers saved. “[No other name] by which we must be saved.” The Greek text is specific. It does not say that we can be saved, for this would indicate that man has inherent ability to achieve salvation. Nor does it say that we may be saved, for then the clause would convey uncertainty. The text is definite. It says: “by which we must be saved.” The word must reveals a divine necessity which God has established, according to his plan and decree, to save us through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, this word signifies that man is under moral obligation to respond to the call to believe in Jesus Christ and thus gain salvation. He has no recourse to salvation other than through the Son of God.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol. 17, pp. 155–156). Baker Book House.
In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins answers a vital question at the heart of Christian living: What does it mean to have a biblical worldview?
In a culture filled with confusion, shifting morals, and competing ideologies, every person looks at the world through a lens—a worldview. For the Christian, that lens must be shaped by the unchanging Word of God, not by feelings, headlines, or public opinion.
Genesis 1:1 — God as Creator of the heavens and the earth, the foundation for understanding reality.
Colossians 1:17 — Christ before all things; in Him all things hold together.
Psalm 119:105 — God’s Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Romans 12:2 — Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Episode Highlights
Every person lives with a worldview, whether they have named it or not.
A biblical worldview answers life’s biggest questions according to Scripture: Who am I? Why am I here? What is wrong with the world? How can it be made right?
Genesis 1:1 confronts atheism, humanism, evolutionism, and relativism by declaring that everything begins with God.
A biblical worldview is centered on Christ and the gospel, not just for Sunday, but for every area of life.
Scripture is our final authority, so we interpret culture through the lens of God’s Word, not the other way around.
A biblical worldview helps us resist compromise and live consistently with what we confess.
Christians are called to disciple others, helping them see the world clearly through the Word of God.
Full Article
All right, everybody, welcome back to the Contending for the Word Q&A podcast. I’m Dave Jenkins, and today we’re answering a question that lies at the heart of Christian living: What does it mean to have a biblical worldview?
We live in a culture filled with confusion, shifting morals, and competing ideologies. The way we see the world shapes everything about us how we think, what we value, and how we live. Every person has a worldview, even if they’ve never stopped to define it. A worldview is the lens through which you interpret life. It answers questions like: Who am I? Why am I here? What’s wrong with the world? How can it be made right?
For the Christian, our worldview cannot be formed by feelings, headlines, or public opinion. It must be shaped by the Word of God. A biblical worldview means that we answer life’s biggest questions according to the truth of Scripture, not according to how we feel or what our culture celebrates. God’s Word becomes our foundation for understanding reality, from creation to eternity and everywhere in between.
1. A Biblical Worldview Begins with God as Creator
Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That one verse dismantles atheism, humanism, evolutionism, and relativism. Everything starts with God. He defines truth, purpose, morality, and identity. To have a biblical worldview is to recognize that God is the Creator, the Sustainer, and the ultimate authority over all things. We are not simply adding God to our existing worldview; we are building everything on Him.
2. A Biblical Worldview Centers on Christ and the Gospel
Colossians 1:17 says of Christ, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” The gospel is not just a message for Sunday morning; it is a framework for how we see all of life. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we see the world as fallen yet redeemable. Every vocation, every relationship, and every decision is to reflect the reality that Jesus is Lord over everything—over all of life and over all the cosmos.
3. A Biblical Worldview Submits to Scripture as Final Authority
Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” When Scripture governs our thinking, we no longer interpret the Bible through the lens of culture; we interpret culture through the lens of the Bible. That means we let God’s Word define truth about marriage, justice, identity, morality, and eternity, even when those truths are unpopular or countercultural.
4. A Biblical Worldview Leads to Transformed Living
Romans 12:2 calls us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. A biblical worldview is not merely intellectual; it is deeply practical. It shapes how we love our neighbors, steward our resources, and engage a fallen world with both truth and grace. Sound thinking must lead to sound living. That is how Christians bear faithful witness before a watching world.
Why This Matters
We need to think biblically about everything. Every issue personal, political, cultural, or ethical must be measured by the Word of God. A biblical worldview helps us guard against compromise. It keeps us from adopting worldly ideas dressed up as truth. It also calls us to live consistently, so that our beliefs and our behavior align with Scripture. Otherwise, our worldview becomes fractured and hypocritical.
A biblical worldview also compels us to teach and disciple others. We are called to help fellow believers see the world through the clarity of God’s Word. Having a biblical worldview is not about escaping culture, but about engaging it faithfully under the Lordship of Christ.
In the end, a biblical worldview is simply this: seeing life through the lens of Scripture and living in light of the gospel. It means thinking God’s thoughts after Him, loving what He loves, hating what He hates, and trusting what He has revealed in His Word. When you stand on the authority of Scripture, you will not only understand the world more accurately; by God’s grace, you will live in it more faithfully.
I pray this episode helps you think more biblically. Share it with a friend or your small group, and keep digging into the Word so that your mind and life are continually shaped by the truth of God.
Takeaways & Reflection Questions
Where have you recognized cultural ideas shaping your thinking more than Scripture?
How does Genesis 1:1 reshape the way you view your identity, purpose, and responsibility before God?
In what practical ways can you submit more of your daily decisions to the authority of God’s Word?
How might you help a fellow believer grow in developing a biblical worldview?
Stay Connected
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For more resources to help you grow in grace, knowledge, and truth, visit our page for Contending for the Word Q&A at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.
Strong M6.0 earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 14:26 UTC on December 31, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 19 km (11.8 miles).
Is A Revolution In Iran Part Of The Plan? Is it just a coincidence that a massive protest movement has erupted in Tehran at the same time that the U.S. and Israel are warning that new military action against Iran may be needed soon? Without a doubt, the Islamic radicals that are ruling Iran are one of the most oppressive regimes on the entire planet, and so it is perfectly understandable that people that live under that regime would want to go out into the streets and protest. But what we have been witnessing in Tehran this week doesn’t feel spontaneous to me. Could it be possible that starting a revolution in the capital is part of the overall plan for the next stage of the war with Iran?
Germany probes 55 troops over extremism, antisemitic speech The allegations concern 200 offenses, including sexual misconduct at a special forces unit, with several soldiers already dismissed. “German military authorities have dishonorably discharged three special forces troops out of 19 being investigated for far-right extremism and antisemitic rhetoric, an army spokesperson told the DPA news agency on Monday.
In A Desperate Attempt To Stop The Bleeding, A Conspiracy To Force The Price Of Silver Down Is Unfolding Right In Front Of Our Eyes They aren’t even trying to pretend to hide what they are doing. Everyone knows that the meteoric rise in the price of silver in 2025 has put an immense amount of stress on certain financial institutions. Of course nobody is publicly confirming how much damage has been done, but it must be pretty severe if CME Group is taking such extreme measures to force the price of silver down. For the second time in less than a week, CME Group has abruptly raised margin requirements on precious metals futures…
For some today will be a day to recover from a hangover. Too much celebration bringing in the New Year results in headaches and perhaps aches in other areas of the body and no remembrance of how they might have gotten there. Others will awake with a sense of dread and foreboding. Last year was difficult and this year is unknown. What terrible things may await? Still others view this as a fresh start. New opportunities are just around the corner, new relationships will be built, old ones will grow stronger, the career may take exciting new turns, and great things are expected. The reactions to the turn of the clock from one year to the next are as varied as people. The timing of this blog is fortuitous being that it actually falls on New Year’s Day, and I thought I might bring another perspective from another culture into the mix. Jewish people operate by a different cultural calendar for their religious celebrations, and their New Year is called Rosh Hashanah and is more than a simple turning of the calendar from one year to the next by the tick of the clock but had spiritual significance. The focus is on God and one’s relationship to Him. It is a time of introspection and reflection. During the preceding month:
The Yamim Noraim are preceded by the month of Elul, during which Jews are supposed to begin a self-examination and repentance, a process that culminates in the ten days of the Yamim Noraim known as beginning with Rosh Hashanah and ending with the holiday of Yom Kippur.
New Year’s day is then observed as a religious celebration which includes:
Rosh Hashanah has a number of additions to the regular service, most notably an extended repetition of the Amidah prayer for both Shacharit and Mussaf. The Shofar is blown during Mussaf at several intervals. Biblical verses are recited at each point. According to the Mishnah, 10 verses (each) are said regarding kingship, remembrance, and the shofar itself, each accompanied by the blowing of the shofar. A variety of piyyutim, medieval penitential prayers, are recited regarding themes of repentance. The Alenu prayer is recited during the repetition of the Mussaf Amidah.
During the day one prays near natural flowing water which symbolizes having their sins carried away. They may also cast bread on to the water as symbolically casting away their sin. A good part of the day is spent in celebration of Who God is and what He has done in the past and will do in their lives.
As we have prepared for this New Year’s Day we realized, perhaps for the first time, a spiritual significance to the day. We were lost in sin, separated from God with no way to cast it away or repair the rift on our own. The Christmas celebration a week ago is a remembrance of the day when God became man. God the Son incarnated as a newborn babe in a manger in a politically insignificant and conquered nation 2,000 years ago. He did that to live a perfect life that we cannot live and gave His life as a perfect sacrifice and resurrected Himself in order to redeem all who believe. It is a time to reflect on the great cost of our sin paid for by the life of The Son and a time of celebration, for my sin was not carried away by running water, bread cast upon the water, or the blood of bulls and goats but by the blood of His dear Son. It is a sacrifice that keeps on giving for as the Apostle Paul wrote:
…for whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
Call on Him today and really start the year off right.Ω
As seen on CBN’s CBN NewsWatch – January 1, 2026. Want more news from a Christian Perspective? Choose to support CBN: https://go.cbn.com/ugWBn CBN News. Because Truth Matters™
Evangelical Dark Web is a YouTube channel that gets consistent views on most videos it puts out. I use the 10% metric and the overwhelming majority of videos receive 10% subscriber view count ratio, a standard YouTube success gauge. However, the channel is not built on any one video outkicking the channel’s coverage. Instead, it’s a consistent and dedicated audience. This was not a year, like 2024, with multiple flashy scandals like David Platt, Steve Lawson, or Alistair Begg (we broke that story by the way). 2025 was quite the opposite of that, I would say. So, without further ado, here are the channel’s top videos.
10. Andrew Isker Calls Out Tim Keller, Dispensationalism On Tucker Carlson
Andrew Isker plus Tucker Carlson made for a good video, and so does reexamining the legacy of Tim Keller with a fresh perspective of comparison to Rick Warren which was insightful. 3,533 views.
9. Newsboys Rocked By Michael Tait Homosexuality Scandal
Michael Tait won our Fake and Gay award accordingly. This was a risky video for the channel but got 3,556 views, 3000 coming in the first 3 days. Risk can pay off for a channel that doesn’t cover many CCM topics. But I wanted to confront the homosexuality aspect of the story when I knew other outlets would focus more on the pederasty, but I refuse to delineate the two, as this was common gay behavior.
8. The Gospel Coalition Defends JD Greear, David Platt
The Gospel Coalition is good for YouTube, something I had long questioned. Evangelical Dark Web is perhaps the most anti-David Platt channel on YouTube. Combined and providing fresh coverage on a hot story, this video amassed 3,852 views.
7. Jack Hibbs vs Reformed Theology
Jack Hibbs is a major figure and a strong thumbnail led to this video being an instant success. 3,929 views.
6. Steve Lawson Reportedly Repents
Steve Lawson was good for YouTube, put bluntly. But a positive update and conclusion to the scandal was what I wanted to see and was happy to report. 4,424 views.
5. James White Embarrasses Himself In Sermon
I’m surprised at this video’s success, since it was a little more YouTube drama than I’m accustom to making. It wasn’t even my best James White video of the year. I preferred the one where he wants me spanked. (Ironically, I think my next video to ring in the new year will be on James White’s latest crash out.) 5,069 views.
4. Joel Webbon’s Past Sins Become Public
3. Debunking John Hagee’s Christian Zionism
The John Hagee substitute for a livestream was not an instant success, taking 2 days to surpass the median range, starting from the bottom. It garnered 6,141 in 2025 and is credited with 131 new subscribers.
2. JD Greear Is Getting Unmasked By Documentary
Covering the JD Greear scandal garnered 8,667 views in 2025, This video wente hard for the first month before leveling off and steading the view count growth.
1. Kirk Cameron vs Christian Zionism
This video was an instant success that reached the 9th all time video on the channel in just a few months. Total view count stood at 27,899 at year’s end with 26000 coming in the first 15 days.
2024 had more firery stories but 2025 certainly had more variety. Speaking out against Christian Zionism, The Gospel Coalition
“We are witnessing the collapse and implosion of the American empire,” says Cornel West.
Are the predictors of doom correct? Will America collapse like so many civilizations before us?
If we don’t learn from history, says historian Johan Norberg, that might happen.
“It’s a clash within every civilization on whether they should keep going, be open to innovation and progress, or whether they should retreat and decline,” he says in my new video.
His book, “Peak Human: What We Can Learn from History’s Greatest Civilizations,” looks at the “golden ages” of Ancient Athens, Ancient Rome, Song China, the Abbasid Dynasty in Baghdad, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere.
Norberg argues that once people acquire a certain amount of comfort, they say, “‘We want stability, protection, we want someone to take care of us.’ … that’s what leads to stagnation.”
People in power are generally comfortable with that:
“They’ve built their power on a particular system of production, certain ideas, a particular mentality … Whereas trade, innovation, growth, it’s all about change … What sets these golden ages apart is that, for a period of time, they managed to lift themselves above that and give more people more freedoms. That also allowed them to experiment more and come up with better technologies and raise living standards.”
Greece once led the world. Rome, too. Not anymore. Why?
Because people want “safety, stability, protection,” says Norberg. “They slow things down, get that stability, but they also get stagnation and poverty.”
China experienced a golden age during the Song Dynasty.
“They had more freedom than other Chinese dynasties… More openness to new ideas from strange places… (Farmers) were allowed to experiment with new grain, new forms of rice from Vietnam, and to trade with others. They came up with constant innovations. It became a very urbanized society that ushered in incredible experiments with iron, steel, textile, machines.”
The government scrapped laws that had limited what could and couldn’t be sold. They allowed markets to stay open all night (something not allowed before).
“In traditional Chinese society, people had fixed areas where they were allowed to live and where they had to return after having done a day’s work. People did not mingle and meet people from other classes, other professions … Under the Song Dynasty, the walls were torn down … They began to mingle with one another … they could do more business, listen to concerts, go to religious ceremonies. Eventually, Chinese society realized that this is how you make progress. This is how we become wealthier. When more people meet, when more people exchange goods and services and ideas, they prosper.”
But after the Mongols invaded, the Chinese banned ocean voyages and foreign trade. They stifled the experimentation that had made them rich.
“They wanted stability after all this uncertainty and chaos. ‘How do we do that?’ … By regulating everything, telling people to stay in their places … They got stability. They also got 500 years of stagnation, 500 years that turned the richest and greatest civilization on the planet to a desperately poor country.”
If any country is in a golden age today, I would think it’s America, and Norberg agrees.
“I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in human history. We have made such remarkable progress when it comes to expanding freedoms, reducing poverty, increasing life expectancy.”
But the American experiment is now 250 years old. Few golden ages last that long. Once affluent, people want stability, and a government that resists change.
“That then undermines the innovation that we need to keep golden ages going,” warns Norberg. “If we want a golden age to keep going, we have to fight for it.”
How?
“Double down on the institutions of liberal democracy, free markets, and unleash new waves of innovation and of progress. There is still time. We can still save this golden age.”
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Disarmament would “spare Lebanon an Israeli strike” that would “deepen the gap” between Hezbollah and the Lebanese people, an Asharq Al-Awsat report noted.
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