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
Think about the last time you completed a significant project. Do you remember the feeling? Do you remember the moments when you almost quit? Do you remember the little victories along the way that kept you going? Finally, you arrived at the finish line!
When Israel crossed the Jordan River into the land God had promised them, they were at the finish line of a journey that had taken 40 years and two generations. But because the land was inhabited, Israel would have to drive out the people who lived there. God was punishing the Canaanites and using Israel to do it. He was making sure the land would be a safe place where His people could thrive.
While the Canaanite coalition had been defeated, many of them remained in the land and represented a significant temptation for Israel. So, with his final words Joshua encouraged the people to remember that God fulfilled everything He promised them (23:14). They should remain loyal to Him with all their hearts!
He warned them against making alliances with the Canaanites who remained (v. 12). These alliances were often sealed with marriages, which meant Israelite families would be merged with Canaanite families. Often this meant that the people of God would worship the gods of the Canaanites. The result of this behavior would be that Israel would not enjoy the land (v. 13).
As the curtain closed on the book of Joshua, the nation stood at a crossroad. Their next steps were critical. Would they follow through on the victories that had brought them control of the land by remaining faithful to God, or would they give in to the temptation and ally themselves with the Canaanites?
Go Deeper Why was the entry into the promised land such a significant crossroads for Israel? What is the danger for us when we experience victory? How can we avoid letting our guard down at those moments?
Extended Reading
Joshua 21:43
Joshua 23:16
Pray with Us Almighty God, thank You for the encouragement from Joshua, which resonates in our hearts centuries later: “Not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed” (Joshua 23:14).
Matthew 5 This week’s lessons on the Beatitudes teach us that true happiness comes by living in a way that is contrary to the world and even to our natural way of thinking.
Theme
Hungering after and Practicing Righteousness
The fourth beatitude encourages a hunger and thirst after righteousness. It stands at the center of them all. Righteousness is what we most lack, and, therefore, our greatest problem is how we as sinful men and women become right before God. We can deal with other problems. We can find partial solutions. But if we are not right before God we have missed the only thing that matters ultimately. Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36). You can have possessions, friends, a good reputation, and worldwide fame. But if you are not right before God, you have sold your soul for a mess of earthly pottage.
If I could put what Jesus recommends here in the form of an outline, I would say that it has three parts. First, we must desire righteousness. The world does not desire righteousness; it desires sin. Second, the righteousness we desire must be God’s righteousness. It is not the righteousness of which we are capable. Third, we must desire God’s righteousness with intensity. This is the meaning of “hunger and thirst.” How many of us really hunger or thirst even for food or drink? We miss lunch once in a while and get hungry. On a hot day we get thirsty. But we do not really know much about what these words mean. Jesus was speaking to people who lived in an age and place where they did not always have enough food or drink. They knew what hunger and thirst were. So when He said, “I want you to hunger and thirst for righteousness,” He meant, “I want you to hunger after righteousness like a person who is starving, and thirst after righteousness like someone who knows he is going to die, unless he gets a drink.”
In the next beatitudes, we see attributes that characterize the Christian life. Notice the progression so far. First, there was humility before God. Second, sorrow for sin. Third, meekness that comes from contact with God. Fourth, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, which leads to justification. Finally, now that we have found justification, there come the characteristics of God expressed in the lives of His children: mercy, because God is merciful; purity, because God is the holy one; and a desire and ability to make peace, because God is the one who makes peace with us through the work of Christ.
We talk about mercy, but how often are we merciful? We may be kind to people who do not need mercy, but mercy involves kindness to those who do not deserve it and who, in fact, deserve the opposite. We are not often merciful to such people. Purity? Perhaps the greatest failure in our lives is that, although we know that sin is an offense to God, we still do not desire purity very much. We desire impurity.
So far as peace is concerned, we are better at making war. It is hard for us to make peace. However God has made peace with us. And simply because God has made peace with us, we must be peacemakers.
Study Questions
What three parts further explain what it is to hunger and thirst after righteousness?
What three characteristics of God follow after the need to hunger and thirst for righteousness?
Review the progression of the Beatitudes up to this point.
Application
Application: In what ways do you need to increase in demonstrating the virtues of mercy, purity, and peace?
For Further Study: To learn more about how the Bible governs the life of the Christian, download and listen for free to James Boice’s message, “Walking by God’s Word.” (Discount will be applied at checkout.)
For the several ages and conditions of men, as they stand in need of mercy and grace.
For those who are young and setting out in the world.
Lord, give to those who are young to remember their Creator in the days of their youth; Ecclesiastes 12:1(ESV) that thereby they may be kept from the vanity which childhood and youth are subject to, and may be restrained from walking in the way of their heart and in the sight of their eyes, by considering that for all these things God will bring them into judgment. Ecclesiastes 11:9(ESV)
Lord, make young people self-controlled; Titus 2:6(ESV) and let the word of God abide in them, that they may be strong and may overcome the evil one. 1 John 2:14(ESV)
From the womb of the morning let Christ have the dew of your youth; Psalm 110:3(ESV) and let him be formed in the hearts of those who are young. Galatians 4:19(ESV)
Keep those who are setting out in the world from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire; 2 Peter 1:4(ESV) and give to those who have been well-educated, to hold fast the pattern of sound words, 2 Timothy 1:13(ESV) and to continue in what they have learned. 2 Timothy 3:14(ESV)
For those who are old and of long standing in profession.
There are some who are old disciples of Jesus Christ; Acts 21:16(KJV) Lord, give them still to bear fruit in old age, to declare that the LORD is upright, that he is their Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Psalm 92:14-15(ESV)
Now the evil days have come and the years of which they say, “I have no pleasure in them”; Ecclesiastes 12:1(ESV) let your consolations cheer their souls. Psalm 94:19(ESV)
You have said, “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you.” You have made them, Lord; I beg you, bear, yes, do carry and save them. Isaiah 46:4(ESV)
Those whom you have taught from their youth up and to whom you still proclaim your wondrous deeds, now, also, when they are old and gray headed, forsake them not; Psalm 71:17-18(ESV) cast them not off in the time of old age; forsake them not when their strength is spent. Psalm 71:9(ESV)
Let every gray head be a crown of glory to those who have it, being gained in a righteous life, Proverbs 16:31(ESV) and give them to know whom they have believed. 2 Timothy 1:12(ESV)
With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.
Mark 4:33
This verse presents one great rule of revelation: God only reveals as much as they could understand. Jesus teaches people only as they can take it. This is the rule upon which God works with us. He does not show us everything at once. If He did, He would destroy us.
One man who attended a pastors’ seminar held at Peninsula Bible Church was a great big man. He was drinking in all that was given to him, and at our closing meeting it was amusing to watch him. He was like a child around a Christmas tree, so turned on by all he had discovered that he was just glowing, going around hugging everyone he met. He told me, Oh, this has been so great! I’d like to go home and take my Bible and get into it and find so much more of this. Then he stopped himself and said, But I suppose if I did, it would kill me! I just couldn’t handle it. And he was right; he could not have handled it. It would have been too much. And God knows that and does not show you any more than you are able to handle.
That is the glory and the wonder of the Scriptures. They are put together in such an amazing way that it takes both the Word and the Spirit to understand the Bible. You can read the Word, and if you are not ready for them and open to them, those words will not say a thing to you. But if you are open, you will learn something from them. The next time you can come back, read the same words, and learn something more. Each time you will learn something more. It never ceases to refresh your spirit and instruct your mind and to open and expand your capacity to receive from God. That is the way God teaches us truth–as we are able to bear it.
And this is true also of His revelation to us about ourselves. One of the things about Scripture is that it shows you who you are and who you have been all along. God is gracious to us that way. He does not just rip the veil off, and suddenly you see the whole ghastly thing. If He did, we would be wiped out. But He lifts it little by little. You shake and tremble and say, Is that the way I’ve been? You are aghast at the way you have been treating people, and you think, Thank God that’s over! The next week He lifts it a little higher. You shake and tremble and go through it again and say, At last we got to the bottom! Then God lifts it high enough for you to see more, and you are wiped out again. But you handle it, little by little. Because, along with the revelation of yourself, He also reveals Himself and His adequacy to handle your inadequacies.
Is it not wonderful that He understands us that way and deals with us like that? If He revealed the glories of heaven to us suddenly, everyone of us would be running out to jump into the ocean, to get there as fast as possible. But He lifts the veil only a little at a time, as we are able to bear it.
Open my eyes, Father, that I may see glimpses of truth you have for me. Help me to under stand what I read and to search out what I do not understand.
Life Application
Are we willing to accept God’s timing as He brings us to mature understanding of His will and ways? Are we perhaps pushing for instant maturity or avoiding the process?
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. (10:25–31)
But Jesus already had told them plainly who He was (cf. 5:17ff.; 8:12, 24, 58); in fact, He had spent the last three years doing so. Not only that, the works that He did in the Father’s name also demonstrated that He was the Messiah; the Son of God; God in human flesh (cf. vv. 32, 38; 3:2; 5:36; 7:31; 11:47; 14:11; Acts 2:22). The Lord’s twice-repeated declaration, you do not believe, indicates that the problem was not due to any ambiguity in the revelation of the truth, but rather to their spiritual blindness. They lacked understanding, not because they lacked information, but because they lacked repentance and faith. Their unbelief was not due to insufficient exposure to the truth, but to their hatred of the truth and love of sin and lies (John 3:19–21). Anyone who willingly seeks the truth will find it (7:17), but Jesus refused to commit Himself to those who willfully rejected the truth. Had He again given them the plain answer they were demanding, they would not have believed Him anyway (cf. 8:43; Matt. 26:63–65; Luke 22:66–67). From the perspective of human responsibility, the hostile Jews did not believe because they had deliberately rejected the truth. But from the standpoint of divine sovereignty, they did not believe because they were not of the Lord’s sheep, which were given Him by the Father (v. 29; 6:37; 17:2, 6, 9). A full understanding of exactly how those two realities, human responsibility and divine sovereignty, work together lies beyond human comprehension; but there is no difficulty with them in the infinite mind of God. Significantly, the Bible does not attempt to harmonize them, nor does it apologize for the logical tension between them. For example, speaking of Judas Iscariot’s treachery, Jesus said in Luke 22:22, “The Son of Man is going [to be betrayed] as it has been determined.” In other words, Judas’s betrayal of Christ was in accord with God’s eternal purpose. But then Jesus added, “Woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” That Judas’s betrayal was part of God’s plan did not relieve him of the responsibility for his crime. In Acts 2:23 Peter said that Jesus was “delivered over [to the cross] by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God.” Yet he also charged Israel with responsibility for having “nailed [Jesus] to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” God’s sovereignty never excuses human sin. (For a more complete discussion of the interplay of divine sovereignty and human responsibility, see the exposition of 6:35–40 in chapter 20 of this volume.) Repeating what He said in His discourse on the Good Shepherd (see the exposition of vv. 3–5 in the previous chapter of this volume), Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” The elect will heed Christ’s call to salvation and continue in faith and obedience to eternal glory (cf. Rom. 8:29–30). The Lord continued by articulating the wonderful truth that those who are His sheep need never fear being lost. “I give eternal life to them,” Jesus declared, “and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” Nowhere in Scripture is there a stronger affirmation of the absolute eternal security of all true Christians. Jesus plainly taught that the security of the believer in salvation does not depend on human effort, but is grounded in the gracious, sovereign election, promise, and power of God. Christ’s words reveal seven realities that bind every true Christian forever to God. First, believers are His sheep, and it is the duty of the Good Shepherd to protect His flock. “This is the will of Him who sent Me,” Jesus said, “that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day” (6:39). To insist that a true Christian can somehow be lost is to deny the truth of that statement. It is also to defame the character of the Lord Jesus Christ—making Him out to be an incompetent shepherd, unable to hold on to those entrusted to Him by the Father. Second, Christ’s sheep hear only His voice and follow only Him. Since they will not listen to or follow a stranger (10:5), they could not possibly wander away from Him and be eternally lost. Third, Christ’s sheep have eternal life. To speak of eternal life ending is a contradiction in terms. Fourth, Christ gives eternal life to His sheep. Since they did nothing to earn it, they can do nothing to lose it. Fifth, Christ promised that His sheep will never perish. Were even one to do so, it would make Him a liar. Sixth, no one—not false shepherds (the thieves and robbers of v. 1), or false prophets (symbolized by the wolf of v. 12), nor even the Devil himself—is powerful enough to snatch Christ’s sheep out of His hand. Finally, Christ’s sheep are held not only in His hand, but also in the hand of the Father, who is greater than all; and thus no one is able to snatch them out of His hand either. Infinitely secure, the believer’s “life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). The Father and the Son jointly guarantee the eternal security of believers because, as Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one” (the Greek word one is neuter, not masculine; it speaks of “one substance,” not “one person”). Thus their unity of purpose and action in safeguarding believers is undergirded by their unity of nature and essence. The whole matter of security is summarized in our Lord’s own words in John 6:39–40:
This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.
Incensed by what they accurately and unmistakably perceived as another blasphemous claim to deity by Jesus, the Jews, self-righteously exploding in a fit of passion, picked up stones again to stone Him—the fourth time in John’s gospel that they had attempted to kill Him (5:16–18; 7:1; 8:59). Though the Romans had withheld the right of capital punishment from the Jews (18:31), this angry lynch mob was ready to take matters into its own hands.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11 (pp. 441–443). Moody Press.
Christ, the Calvinist
John 10:27–29
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
One time, after I had preached a sermon from John touching on some of the main points of the Reformed faith, I found a copy of that week’s bulletin on which someone had scribbled his opinion of the message: “I’m sick of Calvinism in every sermon.” The message did not particularly bother me. Notes like that seldom do. But I found it surprising that the person who wrote the note somehow regarded Calvinism as a system of thought that could well be dispensed with while, nevertheless, as he assumed, still preserving Christianity. In other words, this person, like many others, somehow regarded the doctrines that go by the name of Calvinism as at best an addition to the pure gospel and at the worst a system that is opposed to it. Is this true? Are the doctrines of grace wrong? One proof that they are not is seen in the verses to which we come in this chapter.
Historic Calvinism
The verses I have in mind are those in which the Lord Jesus Christ spoke plainly to his enemies, saying that those who do not believe on him do not believe because they are not his sheep, that those who are his sheep believe and follow, that this is true because they are given to him by the Father, that these who are given to him by the Father inevitably come to him and, finally, that these who come will never be lost. This is a message of man’s complete ruin in sin and God’s perfect remedy in Christ, and it can be expressed in the distinctive points of Calvinistic theology. Before we look at these points in detail, however, we should see that far from being an aberration or addition to the gospel, these truths have always belonged to the core of the Christian proclamation and have been characteristic of the church at its greatest periods. To begin with, the doctrines of grace that have become known as Calvinism were most certainly not invented by Calvin, nor were they characteristic of his thought alone during the Reformation period. As we shall see, these are the truths taught by Jesus and confirmed for us in Scripture by the apostle Paul. Augustine argued for the same truths over against the denials of Pelagius and those who followed him. Luther was a Calvinist. So was Zwingli. That is, they believed what Calvin believed and what he later systematized in his influential Institutes of the Christian Religion. The Puritans were also Calvinists; it was through them and their teaching that both England and Scotland experienced the greatest and most pervasive national revivals the world has ever seen. In that number were the heirs of John Knox: Thomas Cartwright, Richard Sibbes, Richard Baxter, Matthew Henry, John Owen, and others. In America, thousands were influenced by Jonathan Edwards, Cotton Mather, and George Whitefield, all of whom were Calvinists. In more recent times the modern missionary movement received nearly all its direction and initial impetus from those in the Calvinistic and Puritan tradition. The list includes such men as William Carey, John Ryland, Henry Martyn, Robert Moffat, David Livingstone, John G. Paton, John R. Mott, and many others. For all these the doctrines of grace were not an appendage to Christian thought but were rather that which was central and which most fired and gave form to their preaching and missionary efforts. This, of course, is precisely why I am reviewing this history—to show that the doctrines known as Calvinism are not something that emerged late in church history but rather are that which takes its origins in the teachings of Jesus, which has been found throughout the church in many periods, and which has always been characteristic of the church at its greatest periods of faith and expansion. It follows from this that the church of Jesus Christ will again see great days when these truths are widely proclaimed, and proclaimed fearlessly. Jesus is our example. We sometimes think of these doctrines as household doctrines; that is, as truths to be proclaimed only to those who already believe. But this was not Jesus’ procedure. He taught them also to his enemies. In this case, they had come to him with the implication that he was responsible for their failure to believe; they had said, “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” He answered this, not so much with a statement concerning his identity as the Messiah (although he did say that his words and works authenticated him), but much more importantly by a full statement of man’s utter inability to choose God and of the necessity for divine grace in each step of salvation. Did they want it told plainly? Well, this is the truth told plainly: “You do not believe because you are not my sheep.… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (vv. 26–29).
State of the Lost
First of all, Christ’s words reflect the desperate state of the lost; that is, the state of all men as they are apart from Christ. The teachings on this point are not so much direct as indirect. Still they underlie the positive points made in this passage. In reference to man’s desperate state apart from Christ, these verses show that he has lost spiritual life; otherwise it would not be necessary for Christ to speak of it as a gift. Originally, man had life. When the first man and woman were created by God they were created with that life that shows itself in communion with him. Consequently, we learn that they communed with God in the Garden in the cool of the day. When they sinned, this life was lost, a fact evidenced by their hiding from God. This has been the state of people ever since. Consequently, when the gospel is preached, those who hear it turn away unless God intervenes to do a supernatural work of regeneration in their hearts. Moreover, the desperate state of people apart from Christ is suggested by the fact that no one can recover this life except as a free gift from God. Jesus calls it a gift, for it is undeserved and unearned. If it were earned, it would be wages; if it were merited, it would be a reward. But eternal life is neither of these. It is a gift, which means that it originates solely in God’s good will toward men. As a last thought on this subject, it is also true, is it not, that men and women will perish except for this gift. Jesus says of those to whom he gives life that “they shall never perish.” But since he makes this promise, it must be because we will perish if he does not intervene. We are sinners. Sin makes us heirs of God’s wrath. If God does not intervene, we stand under divine judgment, without hope, facing the punishment due us for our own sins. According to these verses, we cannot even come to Christ, for we are not of his sheep and so lack the ability to hear his voice and turn to him.
Grace
This brings us to the next thought. For while it is true that in ourselves we cannot come to Christ and so lie under God’s just condemnation, the main point of these verses is that God has nevertheless acted in grace toward some. Earlier this was expressed by saying that Christ died for the sheep; in other words, by the doctrine of a particular redemption (v. 11). In this section we are told that Jesus has given eternal life to the same people (v. 28), and that these are those whom God has given him (v. 29). You cannot trace the origins of our salvation farther back than that. In this, as in all things, the origins are to be found in God. Some say, “But surely God called them because he foresaw that some would believe.” But it does not say that. Others say, “He chose them because he knew in advance that they would merit salvation.” It does not say that either. What it does say is that the initiative in salvation lies with God and that this is found, on the one hand, in God’s electing grace whereby he chooses some for salvation entirely apart from any merit on their own part (which, of course, they do not have) and, on the other hand, in Christ’s very particular atonement by which he bore the penalty for the sins of these people. I need to say also, however, that there are aspects of the death of Christ that apply to the world at large. I am not denying that. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ is a revelation of the nature of God. It is a revelation of his hatred of sin in that Christ died for it. It is most certainly a revelation of God’s love, for love lay behind it. It is an example to the race. These things are true. But in addition to these there is also a sense in which the Lord Jesus Christ died particularly and exclusively for his own, so that he literally bore the penalty for their particular sins, that they might be forgiven. These truths do not make us proud, as some charge. Rather they increase our love for God who out of pure grace saves some when none deserve it.
An Effective Call
The third of the reformed doctrines presented by Jesus is the effective call: that is, that God’s call of his people is accompanied by such power that those whom he calls necessarily come to him, believing on Christ and embracing Christ for salvation. Jesus expresses this by saying: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (v. 27). It is a mark of the sheep that they both hear and follow their shepherd. In the Puritan era it was the habit of many preachers to play on these two characteristics, calling them the marks of Christ’s sheep. In days when there were many flocks of sheep it was necessary to mark the sheep to distinguish them. In our day, at least on cattle, this is done by branding. On sheep it was often done by cutting a small mark into the ear. “Well,” said the Puritans, “each of Christ’s sheep has a double mark—on his ear and on his foot. The mark on his ear is that he hears Christ. The mark on his foot is that he follows him.” This is true, of course. It leads us to ask, “Do we hear? Do we follow?” How many of those who come to church on a typical Sunday morning really hear the voice of Christ or have ever heard it? They hear the voice of the preacher; they hear the voices of the members of the choir. But do they hear Christ? If they do, why are they so critical of what they hear? Why are their comments afterward so much more about the Lord’s servant than the Lord? Those who are Christ’s hear Christ. And they follow him. But how many who come to church are really following? Most seem to make good leaders—in their own cause—but they are poor followers. They make good critics—of the Bible and of Christ’s people—but they are poor disciples. They make respectable wolves, for they ravage the flock, but they do not have the traits of the sheep and would even be contemptuous of them if they had an understanding of what those traits are. Do not presume on your relationship to Christ. You are not his unless you hear his voice and follow him. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). He said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7).
Never Lost
Finally, notice that these verses also speak at length of God’s perseverance with his saints. That is, they teach us that none whom God has called to faith in Christ will be lost. Indeed, how can they be, if God is responsible for their salvation? Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (v. 28). “But,” says someone, “suppose they jump out of their own accord?” “They shall never perish,” says the Lord. “Never?” “No, never,” says Jesus. “They shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” This does not mean that there will not be dangers, of course. In fact, it implies them; for if Jesus promises that no one will succeed in plucking us from his hands, it must be because he knows that there are some who will try. The Christian will always face dangers—dangers without, from enemies, and dangers within. Still the promise is that those who have believed in Jesus will never be lost. We may add that the Christian may well be deprived of things. He may lose his job, his friends, his good reputation. Still he will not be lost. The promise is not that the ship will not go to the bottom, but that the passengers will all reach shore. It is not that the house will not burn down, but that the people will escape safely. Do you believe this promise, that you are safe in Jesus’ hands, that you will never be lost? Are you able to trust God for this as you have for other truths? I suppose there is a way of explaining away almost everything, but I must say that I do not see how the opponents of eternal security can explain away this text. Am I Christ’s? Then it is he who has promised that neither I nor any who belong to him shall perish. If I do perish, then Jesus has not kept his word, he is not sinless, the atonement was not adequate, and no one in any place can enter into salvation. I wish that all God’s children might come to know and love these truths. I wish that many might be saved by them. We live in a day that is so weak in its proclamation of Christian doctrine that even many Christians cannot see why such truths should be preached or how they can be used of the Lord to save sinners. This was not always so. It was not always the case that these truths were unused by God in saving sinners. Did you know that it was these doctrines, particularly the doctrine of God’s perseverance with his people, that God used to save Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers who ever lived? Spurgeon was saved when he was only fifteen years old, but before that time he had already noticed how friends of his, who had begun life well, made shipwreck of their lives by falling into gross vice. Spurgeon was appalled by such things. He feared that he himself might fall into them. He reasoned like this: “Whatever good resolutions I might make, the probabilities are that they will be good for nothing when temptation [assails] me. I [will] be like those of whom it has been said, ‘They see the devil’s hook and yet cannot help nibbling at his bait.’ I [will] disgrace myself.” It was then that he heard of the truth that Christ will keep his saints from falling. It had a particular charm for him and he found himself saying, “If I go to Jesus and get from him a new heart and a right spirit, I shall be secured against these temptations into which others have fallen. I shall be preserved by Him.” It was this truth along with others that brought Spurgeon to the Savior. I wish it might be the same with you! I do not preach a gospel that has a shaky foundation. I do not proclaim a religion of percentages and probabilities. I proclaim the message of Christ, Paul, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and all others who have found God to be their pure hope and salvation. It is the message of man’s complete ruin in sin and of God’s perfect remedy in Christ, expressed in his election of a people to himself and his final preservation of them. God grant that you might believe it wholeheartedly.
The Hands of God
John 10:28–29
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
If you have ever watched a carpenter do rough construction work, you may have seen him do something that will illustrate what the Lord was doing as he was speaking these words to the disciples. Since he had been a carpenter Jesus may have done this same thing himself. Sometimes in rough carpentry a workman will drive a long nail through a thinner board so that the point sticks out the back. Then with a blow of his hammer he will drive the point of the nail over sideways, embedding it in the wood. This is called clinching the nail. It makes the joint just a bit more firm since the nail cannot work itself out from this position.
Two Nails, Four Hands
In a sense this is what Jesus did in these verses. He was so interested in getting the doctrine to stick in his disciples’ minds that he not only drove one nail, he drove two, and clinched them both. This is what I mean. First, he taught that those who are his own have been given eternal life. This alone makes the truth fast; for eternal life is life that can never be lost. If it could be lost after a few years or even after many years, it would not be eternal. Nevertheless, Jesus knew that there would be many who would find this difficult to accept and who would attempt to explain it away by saying perhaps that eternal life is a quality of life rather than a life of unending duration. Lest they succeed in doing that, he went on to drive the nail over sideways, thereby clinching it into the wood. “They shall never perish,” he said. “I give them eternal life”—that is the nail. “They shall never perish”—that is the clinch by which the doctrine is reinforced and made fast. One nail, however well fastened, does not always make a good joint. So Jesus went on to drive a second nail and clinch that. His second nail is found in the phrase “no one can snatch them out of my hand.” The clincher is this—“My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” It is hard to see how anyone can be safer or any doctrine clearer than that. Moreover, there is the matter of the hands. First, Jesus says that we are secure in his hand. We can imagine ourselves as a coin around which his fingers have folded. That is a secure position for any object, but especially for us, considering whose hand it is that holds us. But then, lest we think that this is not enough, Jesus adds that the hand of God is over his hand so that we are enclosed in two hands. We are therefore doubly secure. If we feel insecure, we should be reminded that even when we are held in this manner, the Father and Son still have two hands free to defend us. I wish that all Christians might enter into an assurance of that security. “They shall never perish,” says Jesus. Believe it! Believe it, too, when he tells us that no man will ever pluck us out of those hands. “But,” says someone, “it may be true, but to teach it is dangerous. If people believe that nothing can ever snatch them from Christ’s hand, then surely they will feel free to sin. If I thought so, I would sin.” Would you? If so, I feel sorry for you. I even doubt that you know the Lord, for my experience indicates that it is a knowledge of the love and grace of God that, more than anything else, keeps a believer from sinning. “Even if there is a possibility of these truths encouraging sin, would it not be better not to preach them? Would it not be better to tell Christians that they might be overcome by sin and so perish?” No, it would not! Moreover, how could I tell what I do not believe? Shall I slander God with falsehoods? Let me put it in terms that you will surely understand. Shall I come to your house and tell your children—little Mary, just two years old, or Michael, just six—that if they disobey you they will cease to be your children and that you will throw them out into the streets? If I were to do that, you would be angry, and rightly so. Rather, you would want me to say, “Children, do you not know that your father loves you, that he will never stop loving you? Therefore, do not disappoint him. Love him and do what he says.” Do you understand that illustration? If so, do not impute lesser motives or lesser love to God. Believe these truths, and allow them to become a great incentive to godly conduct in your life. Moreover, do not be afraid to have them preached, and do not fear to share them with other believers.
Hands of the Father
Let us be specific about the words of our text, particularly about the hands. Jesus said that we are secure in his hand and in the hand of the Father. What do we know about these hands? We recognize, of course, that to talk in this way is at least in part to use poetic language. But the truths are not less true because they are expressed poetically; and in the case of the Lord Jesus Christ the reference to the hands is not even primarily poetic. His hands were real hands. So what do we know about them? And what do we know about the hands of the Father? Well, the hands of the Father are creative hands, for one thing. These are the hands that made the world, that formed man from the earth’s dust. The Book of Genesis says: “The LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). In biblical thought three truths are closely tied up with this teaching. First, God knows us. He knows us because he made us. So nothing that is within us ever surprises him. That is what David had in mind when he said, “For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). We do not need to fear that something in us will suddenly rise up to startle God and cause him to change his attitude toward us. Second, the fact that we have been made by God means that we have been made for a purpose and that it behooves us to realize that purpose. To realize God’s purpose is to find fulfillment and joy, not to find misery. Moreover, it is not for us to question the purpose any more than a pot should question the shape it has been given by the potter. This image is used by the apostle Paul in Romans in order to justify the ways of God in his dealings with Israel. Third, the fact that we have been made by God means that we should acknowledge that and worship him thankfully. One of the Psalms says: “Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Ps. 95:6–7).
Loving Hands
The hands of the Father are creative hands, then. But they are also loving hands. That is, they are hands that continue to care for and provide for that which they have made. My favorite picture of this is found in Hosea. It is of God, as a literal father, caring for Israel, pictured as a child who is just learning to walk. The child can also represent ourselves in spiritual infancy. God says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.… It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.… How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?” (Hosea 11:1, 3–4, 8). God says that he has been as a father to us, teaching us to walk. His hands have held us up while we were learning and have caught us when we were about to fall down. Moreover, he tells us that this is proof of his love and that he will not give up on those who are his true children.
Angry Hands
Finally, we need to see something that is not so pleasant to contemplate. God’s hands are creative hands. They are caring hands. But they can also, so says the Scripture, become angry hands. They are hands by which judgment can be administered and by which it will be administered to all whose sin is not covered by the blood of Christ and who are therefore not among the company of God’s people. John the Baptist spoke of this, saying that when Christ came it would be with fan in hand and that he would thoroughly purge his floor (Matt. 3:12). John was thinking of the way by which, in Mediterranean lands, wheat was separated from the chaff. Usually this was done by tossing the two into the air so that the wind could blow the lighter chaff away. If the wind did not blow, the winnowing would have to be postponed. However, in Christ’s day, says John, Christ will provide his own wind; he will use his fan to separate the righteous from those who will not have him as Savior. It is of the same judgment that the author of Hebrews writes, saying, “The Lord will judge his people,” and then adding by way of stern warning, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:30–31). There is a progression at this point. The hands of God are hands that have created. The hands of God are hands that have loved and cared. But man in general has despised the creation and turned from God’s love. There is therefore nothing ahead for such men but God’s righteous anger and judgment. This thought so possessed Jonathan Edwards that he preached often upon it. In fact, his best known sermon is on precisely this theme. It is “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” a title taken from the text that I have just mentioned. The text of the message is Deuteronomy 32:35—“in due time their foot will slip.” The point of the sermon is that nothing withholds a man who will not have Christ from God’s judgment except God’s sovereign will, by which for a time he withholds punishment. I am told that such truths cannot be preached today, that such teaching will drive listeners away. That may be. At any rate, I am sure that at least one of three things will happen. Either these truths will drive the people away, or the people will drive the minister away, or there will be a great awakening, as there was under Edwards’s preaching. Some say, “Where is revival today?” I say, “Where are the faithful teachers of God’s Word?” I say, “Let the angry God be proclaimed, as well as the God of love, and men’s hearts will be stirred to repentance. They have been before. Do it, and many will flee out of a true sense of need to the Savior.”
The Hands of Jesus
Look now at the hands of the Son. What do we know about these hands? Well, first, they are the hands of a workman; they are rough hands. These hands know labor; they understand toil. He is not remote, this Jesus. He understands us and feels with us in our infirmities. Moreover, I see this truth and then turn to a text like John 14:2–3 and find an even greater truth there. We are told: “I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Jesus tells us that he has gone to prepare a home for us. Well, then, I will not worry about the condition of that home or even whether it is going to be finished by the date of occupancy, for the greatest carpenter that ever lived is going to build it for me. In the same way, I do not worry about the condition of my resurrection body. For Paul tells us that if our earthly body “were destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven not built by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1). The hands of Jesus are also outstretched hands. I see the outstretched hands of Jesus everywhere in the New Testament. They are outstretched in healing, for example. I see him reaching out to touch and heal the leper when no one else would touch him (Matt. 8:3). I see him reach out to heal Peter’s mother-in-law when she lay sick of a fever (Matt. 8:15). I see him reach out to restore life to the young daughter of the ruler, recorded in Matthew 9 (vv. 18–26). He touched the son of the widow of Nain to restore his life (Luke 7:11–18). His outstretched hands restored sight to the man who had been born blind (John 9:6–7). Christ’s hands also are outstretched to save such as are floundering. I love the story of Peter walking on the water toward Christ. The disciples were in the boat on the Sea of Galilee when they saw Jesus. He was walking toward them on the water. When Peter saw it he concluded rightly that if Jesus could do it, then by the power of Jesus he could do it also. So he said, “Lord, can I come?” When Jesus agreed, Peter started out. But soon he took his eyes from Jesus, looked at the water instead, and began to sink. “Lord, save me,” he cried. Immediately, we are told, “Jesus reached out his hand and caught him” (Matt. 14:31). Sinking into the waves? That seems to be a picture of losing salvation. But then we see the outstretched, saving hands of the Lord Jesus. Peter’s faith failed, but Jesus did not fail to save Peter. These hands are stretched out also in blessing. We see the Lord blessing the children, even when the disciples in a fit of self-importance wished to keep them away (Matt. 19:13–15). We find the same thing at the end of Luke’s Gospel, in the last picture we have of the Lord Jesus while on earth—“When he had led them out to Bethany he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven” (Luke 24:50–51).
Wounded Hands
The last thing we need to see is, in some respects, the most obvious truth of all. The hands of Jesus are also wounded hands. The imprint of the nails of the crucifixion is in those hands, and it is for us that they were wounded. God told us that they would be. It is prophesied in Psalm 22, in which the crucifixion of the Lord is presented: “A band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet” (v. 16). Isaiah wrote: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:5). Zechariah foretold that this would be a sign by which the true prophet, the Messiah, would be recognized (Zech. 13:6). It is by this that we recognize him. Thomas is our pattern. Thomas had not been present on that first occasion when Jesus appeared to his disciples. The others told Thomas about it afterward, but Thomas replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25). A week later Jesus appeared again, Thomas being present, and offered to fulfill the conditions of Thomas’s test. But the mere sight was enough for Thomas. Thomas fell at Christ’s feet and worshiped, saying, “My Lord and my God” (v. 28). Is that sight not clear enough for you also? Are Jesus’ wounded hands not evidence enough for you of his love? God says that his action in Christ is perfectly clear, so much so that there is no excuse for a failure to believe it. In fact, he says that the way of salvation in Christ has been “made known” (Rom. 3:21). The way of salvation has been made as clear as a striking hand or a blow to the face. Today it is the hand of a gracious God who holds out the way of salvation to you. If you reply that you cannot see it, he asks you to look at the hand itself; for it is a wounded hand, one bearing the print of the nail received by Jesus in dying for your salvation. By faith you may put out your hand and touch that wound. You may know that it is evidence, irrefutable evidence, of God’s great love for you. That hand was struck for you. The one extending that hand died for you. Allow him to enclose your hand, to enclose you, and to bring you into that great company of those who possess eternal life and who shall never perish.
Boice, J. M. (2005). The Gospel of John: an expositional commentary (pp. 777–788). Baker Books.
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
It is not meet that the man who will not forgive should be forgiven, nor shall he who will not give to the poor have his own wants relieved. God will measure to us with our own bushels, and those who have been hard masters and hard creditors will find that the Lord will deal hardly with them. “He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy.”
This day let us try to give and to forgive. Let us mind the two bears-bear and forbear. Let us be kind, gentle, and tender. Let us not put harsh constructions upon men’s conduct, nor drive hard bargains, nor pick foolish quarrels, nor be difficult to please. Surely we wish to be blessed, and we also want to obtain mercy: let us be merciful, that we may have mercy. Let us fulfill the condition, that we may earn the beatitude. Is it not a pleasant duty to be kind? Is there not much more sweetness in it than in being angry and ungenerous? Why, there is a blessedness in the thing itself! Moreover, the obtaining of mercy is a rich reward. What but sovereign grace could suggest such a promise as this’. We are merciful to our fellow mortal in pence, and the Lord forgives us “all the debt.”
John 11:35 – “Jesus wept” – is the shortest verse in the entire Bible. Because it’s brief, you may quickly move past it to get what comes soon after it, when Jesus performs the miracle of resurrecting his friend Lazarus from the dead. But if you take time to consider these two words, you can discover that they’re one of the Bible’s most comforting verses. They can completely change your perspective on who God is. The words “Jesus wept” show you that God knows the pain of living in this fallen world and that he cares very much about human suffering here. This short Bible verse highlights how God is close to you whenever you’re suffering. God sees what you’re going through, he understands how painful it feels, he cares, and he wants to help you.
Here are five reasons why “Jesus wept” is one of the Bible’s most comforting verses.
1. It validates your grief and gives you permission to be honest about how you feel.
1. It validates your grief and gives you permission to be honest about how you feel.
SLIDE 1 OF 5
Grief can make people feel uncomfortable. Some believers may pressure you to stop being sad and cheer up because they think it’s inappropriate togrieve too much. They may make you feel guilty for your tears. “Jesus wept” destroys that guilt. Consider the context. Jesus is the Son of God. He has perfect faith. He has never sinned. He is in constant communion with the Father. And yet, standing before the tomb of his friend Lazarus, surrounded by the wailing of Mary and Martha, the text tells us simply yet significantly that Jesus cried. If Jesus, who has perfect faith, wept, then grief can’t be a sin.
Sorrow over someone’s death is not a sign of a lack of faith; it’s an expression of love. When you see Jesus weeping, you’re seeing God himself validating the human experience of sorrow. Jesus doesn’t ask Mary and Martha to stop crying. Instead, Jesus joins them in their sorrow. This gives you tremendous freedom. You don’t have to hide your tears from God, and you don’t have to sanitize your prayers. You don’t have to pretend everything is okay when your world is falling apart. As Isaiah 53:3 describes him, Jesus was a “man of suffering, and familiar with pain.”
Jesus isn’t offended by your sadness; he’s familiar with it. He knows what it’s like to feel so sad that he wept. When you weep, you’re not showing a lack of faith. You’re actually allowing your heart to break over the things that break God’s heart. John 11:35 invites you to bring all the messiness of your grief to God honestly, without any guilt, and with the confidence that God understands exactly how you feel because he has grieved too.
2. It shows that God isn’t distant or unemotional.
2. It shows that God isn’t distant or unemotional.
SLIDE 2 OF 5
Some people think of God as a distant being who’s detached from humanity and doesn’t really feel emotions. This verse shows that God is closely connected with you and feels the same emotions you do. When God incarnated as Jesus, he took on the full human experience. He didn’t insulate himself from the emotional cost of living in a fallen world. If Jesus had remained stoic at Lazarus’ grave, you might wonder if God really gets how you feel when you’re grieving. Because Jesus wept, you know that he gets it. God doesn’t shout down from heaven for you to cheer up. Instead,God is with you, here and now, and cries along with you.
Hebrews 4:15 points out: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin.” The word “empathize” in that verse means to “feel with.” When you’re grieving, Jesus isn’t just watching you grieve; he’s remembering his own grief over the death of Lazarus, a friend he loved. So, you’re never crying alone. Even if other people aren’t with you, God is with you, and he’s close to you, too.
Psalm 34:18 promises: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Jesus is closely connected to you, and he empathizes with what you’re going through.
3. It shows Jesus’ righteous anger at the world’s brokenness.
3. It shows Jesus’ righteous anger at the world’s brokenness.
SLIDE 3 OF 5
When you read the context for the “Jesus wept” verse in John chapter 11, John 11:33 says that when Jesus saw Mary crying, he was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled”, which indicates that Jesus was angry. Why would Jesus be angry? He wasn’t angry at Mary and Martha for crying, and he wasn’t angry at the crowd. It seems to be that Jesus was angry at death itself. Part of Jesus’ grief was that he was angry that death existed. Death wasn’t a part of God’s original design for the world. It’s a reality in this fallen world because of sin that broke the perfect design for creation that God intended.
When Jesus stood before Lazarus’ grave, he saw the pain death causes his beloved people, and he hated it. Jesus’ tears came from a mixture of sorrow for his friends and anger against the “last enemy,” which is death (1 Corinthians 15:26). This is wonderfully comforting because it means God cares very much about the brokenness in this world. God cares about what’s wrong, andhe’s not silent about injustice.
When you feel a sense of injustice about a young person dying too soon, or a marriage falling apart, that sense of how it’s not right lines up with God’s own feelings. God grieves over the brokenness in this world. After Jesus wept about death, he went to the cross to defeat death through his sacrifice for sin and resurrection to new life. Jesus’ tears can remind you that he hates the suffering you’re going through even more than you do, and that he can help you overcome it.
4. It reveals that God’s love for you is personal, not just general.
4. It reveals that God’s love for you is personal, not just general.
SLIDE 4 OF 5
It’s easy to believe that God loves the world in general, but it takes more faith to believe that God loves you personally. Unfortunately, many people don’t see themselves as God sees them, and they may not think they’re lovable. But God not only loves every person, but he loves every person completely and unconditionally. John 11:35 can help you see how much God cares for everyone – including you – personally. Jesus wept because he personally missed his friend Lazarus, and because he personally cared about the suffering that his friends Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters, were going through.
In John 11:36, the people in the crowd recognize this: “Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” The people didn’t talk about Jesus’ love for the world in general; they pointed out how Jesus loved Lazarus personally. This verse can comfort you because it assures you that you’re much more than just a number in a heavenly database of God’s creations. Jesus knows your name and your story. Just like Jesus had a personal, affectionate friendship with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha,Jesus wants to be friends with you. He calls you friend (John 15:15), and when you’re hurting, Jesus is there for you personally.
Psalm 56:8 describes how God keeps a record of our suffering: “Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll – are they not in your record?” Some translations say: “put my tears in your bottle.” God treasures your tears. He notices every single one. When you feel like your problems are too small for a big God, remember Jesus crying at Lazarus’ grave. He gave Lazarus’ family personal attention, and he’ll do the same for you.
5. It reminds you that grief and hope can coexist.
SLIDE 5 OF 5
A part of this story that can be confusing is that Jesus wept even though he knew he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus knew that the story would end well. So, why did Jesus cry? Jesus shows you that knowing something good is coming doesn’t erase the pain of going through hard times. You can have real hope in the future and real sadness in the present, both at the same time.
As a Christian, you already know that because of Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, you can see your loved ones again in heaven. But that doesn’t erase the pain you feel from missing them right now. Jesus knew Lazarus was coming back, but he still wept over the reality of death and the pain of his friends. This gives you the permission to experience both grief and hope. You don’t have to choose between grieving and believing. You can cry at a grave and still believe in the resurrection. You can weep over a lost dream and still trust God has a plan.
“Jesus wept” reminds you that while your faith is worthwhile, living in this fallen world is still painful. Jesus stands in that gap with you. He doesn’t rush you through the pain just because he knows the solution. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, but he’s also the Man of Sorrows, and he walks with you through the valley of the shadow of death until you reach the other side.
In conclusion, the verse “Jesus wept” is more significant than it seems at first. Try not to rush past it. Take time to really think about how it can comfort you when you’re going through a hard time, like when you’re grieving. The fact that Jesus wept shows you that God understands your suffering, and he cares!
Have you ever felt forsaken? Somebody you counted on turned their back on you? You were forgotten, left out, left alone, abandoned.
Jesus sure did. You may remember when he hung on the cross, he cried out:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46, NIV throughout)
It is one thing to be forsaken by a stranger, but your father … that is another thing altogether.
A View From the Lower Story
I was taught the moment Jesus took all our sins upon himself, the Father turned his face away from him. God, I was told, can’t look upon sin.
There is a beautiful hymn that reinforces this idea:
How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns his face away As wounds which mar the chosen One Bring many sons to glory.
This is how it appeared from the Lower Story.
What Are the Upper and the Lower Story?
What is the Lower Story?
The Lower Story reveals the here and now of daily life, the experiences and circumstances we see here on earth. In the Bible there are the individual stories of people like Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, David, Esther, Jesus, Paul, and Peter. The Lower Story is how things appear from our perspective — horizontal and limited.
But God has a higher agenda than our individual stories of survival and comfort. When we rise above the here and now, look beyond the daily grind, and view each of these stories in the Bible from God’s perspective, we see something much bigger — vertical and unlimited.
This is the Upper Story.
As we view the Bible through this lens, we see that God has been up to something amazing from the beginning. He has a vision, a big idea, and it is all good news for us.
A View From the Upper Story
Now let’s take a look at what Jesus said on the cross from the Upper Story. Here we discover something very different going on.
There is a teaching technique used among Jewish rabbis called remez that exposes what Jesus was really doing on the cross. The rabbi basically gives the student the first line of a section of scripture to help jar their memory and get them started.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1)
Jesus wasn’t crying out to God but leading the people back to Psalm 22. The people would have been prompted to say the second line of this petition:
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (Psalm 22:1)
This would have led them deeper into the psalmist’s lament. See if you recognize any of them and how they mirrored what Jesus was experiencing on the cross.
Psalmist
Gospels
All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. [Ps. 22:7]
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads. [Mt. 27:39]
“He trusts in the Lord”, they say, “Let the Lord rescue him.” [Ps. 22:8]
“He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now.” [Mt. 27:43]
“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” [Jn. 20:25]
They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. [Ps. 22:18]
And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. [Mk. 15:24]
Jesus is pointing us to the Psalm that was written nearly one thousand years prior that has described everything that has just happened to him. In the Lower Story the Jews and Romans have come together to kill Jesus. In the Upper Story, this was God’s plan all along. He is fulfilling prophecy.
But the Psalm doesn’t end here. There is a declaration of praise for deliverance. Listen carefully:
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. — Psalm 22:24
But before they could do anything about it, Jesus declared with one more thrust of air through his worn and beaten frame,
“It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)
The Jewish audience knew how Psalm 22 ended.
They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! — Psalm 22:31
“He has done it!” Sound familiar? In Hebrew it’s just one word as well, “hasah” and it means “accomplished/finished.” Jesus begins Psalm 22 with the first line and then finishes Psalm 22 with his last breath.
Jesus was not forsaken by the Father. Out of his deep love for us, even in intense anguish and pain, the rabbi is teaching us, showing us the way to the new garden.
The Challenge
When we are reading the Bible, we need to view it with a dual lens — the Upper and the Lower Story. These two storylines are unfolding from the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter in Revelation.
Lower Story wisdom and application give us practical counsel to live our lives.
The Upper Story draws up above to see how God is weaving all our Lower Stories to tell his one grand story.
Next time you open the Word, be sure to look for both Lower Story application and Upper Story inspiration.
In this 52-week Bible study from Randy and Rozanne Frazee — designed so that you can start it at any point in the year — you’ll learn how to see and appreciate the Bible through two main lenses:
The Lower Story — reflecting the human experience.
The Upper Story — revealing God’s divine perspective and ultimate plan.
It’s the perfect Bible study for all those who have craved a deeper understanding of the Bible and wondered how its stories and teachings connect to one larger testament of God’s love.
Using The Twilight Zone’s “The Masks” as metaphor, the essay warns against judging by appearances. Outward beauty, kindness, or smiles can conceal evil. Christians must discern teachers by fruit and doctrine, not charm.
On old TV show The Twilight Zone one of the most famous episodes was The Masks (1964). In New Orleans during Mardi Gras, a dying millionaire father calls his brutish, oafish, vain, greedy family to his side one last time before he dies. They arrive by train from Boston, giddy at the notion of inheriting millions but not caring their dad was dying. Dressed to the nines and looking lovely, the family gathers to the father’s side.
He said that he has a special evening prepared. He said that a tradition during Mardi Gras is to wear a mask as many people did during that celebration holiday. The dying dad had special masks made ‘by an old Cajun’ for each of his children and spouses, and instructs the brutish, oafish, greedy, and vain family members to put them on. They decline at first, but he insightfully says that the only reason they traveled all this way to see him is not because they cared about him but they wanted the inheritance. If they do not wear them, or if they take them off before midnight, they get nothing except train fare back to Boston. So they do it.
Donning the masks, the family is OK at first but as time goes on they cry out that they have become unbearable and beg to take them off. Not till midnight, the millionaire says. As the clock strikes midnight the family cries out in triumph but the dying millionaire has one last word- these family members are caricatures of human beings. Their inner unsavory qualities have ruined them. He breathes his last. As the four take off their masks they realize to their horror, their previously lovely faces have conformed exactly to the ugly mask they were given. They now look like subhuman animals reflecting their worst inner quality. They gaze at each other in shock and horror, realizing that their inner negative qualities are no longer hidden, they are on display on their faces for all to see. Forever.
It’s an episode that stays with you.
I was reading Twitter/X and someone compared two prominent Christian women (both who are false teachers). One, they said, was an unattractive mocking gossip who taunts everyone who doesn’t fit her idea of perfection, while the other woman was truly kind, encouraging, godly, and beautiful.
No. Actually, both ‘Bible’ teachers are exactly alike; unsaved, evil, and unrighteous. It’s just that one had a prettier face than the other and speaks more kindly.
It got me thinking about when evil is hidden by outward beauty, or kindness in good deeds, or even just lots of smiles ( i.e. Joel Osteen) ,how few people discern. I hear so often that so-and-so cannot possibly be a false teacher because she is so kind…nice…joyful.
No.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).
We must do better, look deeper. We look at the fruit. Not solely the outward behavior. Saul was wanted because he was tall and handsome. He looked like a King to the People. David was not considered because he was short and young. We should not look only at the outward body. We need to take time to assess and observe, because fruit takes time to ripen. And remember that a false teacher’s veneer is just a veneer. Once you discern that she is false, you see past the veneer to her masquerade.
2 Corinthians 11:13 says the false teachers disguise themselves. They wear a mask, masks of kindness and helpfulness. They utter pleasant words, but words of only pretending to love Jesus and obey Him. Insincere, false words. But when uttered fervently from a beautiful visage, many fail to discern their inner quality.
Romans 16:18 says, For such people are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
False teachers hide their inner qualities from the unwise and undiscerning. It would be so much easier if God created the countenance of the false teacher to display outwardly what their inside motivations and desires are like in the Twilight Zone episode. But since God didn’t, we rely on the instructions in His word.
In many places in the Bible, Jesus stressed the importance of assessing the teaching of those who occupy the position of teacher or leader. We cannot rely on their smile, the seeming deeds of kindness, or even their repeated claims of loving Jesus. The Bible says the false wear a disguise (2 Corinthians 11:14-15), and of course the disguise will be kindness, smiles, and helpful words. They ‘pretty up’ themselves and wear good deeds and good words as their mask (Matthew 23:27-28). They wear clothing to blend into to Christianity, sheep’s clothing, but are wolves (Matthew 7:15).
Biblehub.com explains from the Topical Bible, “The theme of masquerade in the Bible serves as a reminder of the spiritual battle between truth and deception. It calls believers to be vigilant, discerning, and committed to living in truth and authenticity. The Scriptures emphasize the importance of inner transformation and the rejection of outward appearances that do not align with one’s true spiritual state. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians are equipped to discern and resist the masquerades of the enemy, standing firm in their faith and commitment to God’s truth.”
There is wickedness that can be more easily identified, as it can be in that one ‘Bible’ teaching lady, or it can be hidden by beauty and smiles, as it is in the other ‘Bible’ teaching lady- who is equally wicked. The Lord sees the heart. Since we don’t, we are told to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16).
Patience is a virtue, they say, and it is a virtue Paul urges us to pursue: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Col. 3:12). Paul probably uses a clothing metaphor in this verse. We are to “put on” patience like a new set of clothes. Here, I explore where we got these new clothes (the origin of patience), what the clothes are made of (the substance of patience), and how they look on us (the result of patience).
The Origin of Patience
Where did these new clothes come from, or if we don’t have them, how can we get them? We must first recognize that these are not our own clothes but rather the clothes of Christ. I’m sure most of us can recall times in which we have not exhibited patience toward other people. We have shown ourselves to be what Paul calls, in this context, the old self or the old man (Col. 3:9)—that is, who we are in Adam. As children of Adam, we have participated in the evil of fallen humanity. But as believers in Christ, Paul says, “you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Col. 3:10). That is, we have put off who we were in Adam and put on who we are—and who we are becoming—in Christ.
So, have we already put on the clothes of Christ, or do we need to still put on the clothes of Christ? Paul’s answer is “yes.” Here we see one of the best examples of what New Testament scholars call the “indicative and imperative” in Paul. Paul will sometimes speak of the same thing paradoxically as both an indicative reality and an imperative command: “you . . . have put on the new self” (Col. 3:10); “Put on then . . .” (Col. 3:12). So it is true both that believers have put on the clothes of Christ and that we must therefore put on the clothes of Christ by pursuing patience.
My point, though, is that we must recognize that these clothes do not belong to us. To put it in modern terms, Paul is not calling us to be the best version of ourselves. He’s calling us to renounce ourselves—to take off our own clothes and to put on the clothes of Christ. The wonder is that believers can do this because we are united with the crucified and risen Christ by faith. This means we can now live out his new life by pursuing the virtue of patience.
The Substance of Patience
What is this patience we are to pursue? The Greek word Paul uses (macrothumia) is memorably translated “longsuffering” in the King James Version. Paul can use this word more broadly to speak of the patience we must have to wait for our heavenly inheritance: “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col. 1:11, my emphasis). But in Colossians 3:12 the word refers especially to our patience and longsuffering with one another in the church.
This patience is exemplified for us by Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, he is patient with his disciples, he is patient with the crowds, and he is even patient with his enemies. Yes, he was willing to rebuke his enemies when needed, but he reserved his clearest rebuke for the very end of his ministry (Matt. 23:1–36). He was like God, who is “slow to anger” (Ex. 34:6). In fact, his patience was the very patience of God, for he is the very image of God (Col. 1:15). And his patience lingers still, for he has not yet returned to judge the world (cf. Matt. 25:31–46). He is delaying his wrath and righteous judgment to give us an opportunity for repentance (cf. Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).
The patience we must pursue should also look like God’s patience, for in Christ we are being remade into the image of God (Col. 3:10). He is making us into a new creation in Christ, and at the heart of this new creation is patience and forbearance with one another. The clothes that we have been given in Christ are new-creation clothes, and they will look different than the clothes of fallen human society.
Patience is a virtue that can only come from the new-creation clothes of Christ.
The Result of Patience
In Col. 3:13, Paul spells out the results of patience, showing us what this virtue looks like on the ground: “bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” What should the patience of Christ look like in the church?
First, Paul says we must bear with one another. The verb “bearing with one another” can be helpfully translated “putting up with one another” (the Greek word is literally “have up,” anechō). Our fellow believers have many quirks and faults that we must simply put up with. (News flash: so do we.) The patience of Christ enables us to bear with one another. We must bear with one another’s different preferences, like the way that annoying person behind you sings in church. We must also bear with one another’s faults, like that insensitive thing someone said to you in small group. Patience looks like putting up with these things. Paul is calling us to Christian tolerance—not a worldly tolerance of clear sin or false teaching, but a godly tolerance of the quirks and faults of others.
Second, Paul says we must forgive each other. Sometimes believers sin against each other in a clear way, like bearing false witness or committing adultery. The translation “complaint” in Col. 3:13 can be misleading because it might lead us to think Paul is speaking about preferences when he is really speaking about sin. Sometimes a believer has a moral complaint against another because that person has sinned against them. In these cases, we are called to forgive each other, to let go of the moral debt that has occurred. And our model of forgiveness is the Lord Jesus himself: “as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
Some pastors and teachers think that this forgiveness is unconditional. Others think that genuine forgiveness requires repentance on the part of the offender. In my judgment, this latter view better fits Paul’s argument in which the Lord’s forgiveness is our model. The Lord does not forgive unrepentant sinners but repentant sinners. The church, then, must be a place where repentance and forgiveness are patiently pursued and offered in cases of clear moral violation (spelled out for us in God’s law). This is easier said than done. It requires the new clothes of Christ. But even where forgiveness has not occurred, we can still pursue the virtue of patience, for we can wait and pray for it as we also await Christ to come back and make all things right.
Conclusion
Patience is a virtue. But if we try to be the best version of ourselves, all we will have is virtue signaling. Patience is a virtue that can only come from the new-creation clothes of Christ. As we who believe in Christ pursue the virtue of patience, he will enable us to bear with one another and forgive each other, as the Lord has forgiven us. May the Lord continue his new-creation work among us, and may we continue to walk in him!
Kevin W. McFadden (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament at Cairn University in Philadelphia and the author of Faith in the Son of God.
Waiting is not easy, and the strength for patience comes only through trusting in the Lord. Be encouraged by these verses from God’s Word when you’re in a season of waiting.
On good days, the fruit of the Spirit list is an encouraging list—a reminder that the Spirit is at work in you. On bad days, it can be a crushing list—a testimony to how far you have yet to go.
The hope of the gospel is Christ. The Father has accomplished our redemption and reconciliation through his Son in order to present us blameless at the final judgment.
for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. (6:7b)
In its literal, physical sense, that rudimentary law of agriculture is self-evident. It is absolutely universal, applying equally to every farmer and gardener in every time and place—to the young and the old, the experienced and the inexperienced, the wise and the foolish, and the saved and the unsaved. It is as impartial, predictable, and immutable as the law of gravity. There are no exceptions, and the person who plants the seed makes no difference at all in the law’s operation. Whatever he sows, this he will also reap. On arriving home after vacation, our family discovered a large, strange plant thriving in the garden. It proved to be a giant sunflower, which, as it was later discovered, had been planted there by a friend as a practical joke. Despite our perplexity, however, the idea never entered our minds that the plant could somehow have sprung up from a carrot, cucumber, or squash seed. Before we had any idea as to how the plant came to be in the garden, we knew it had grown from a sunflower seed and no other kind. In the natural world men never question the law of sowing and reaping. But the principle is just as true in the moral and spiritual realms, although men’s sin and self-deception often prevent them from seeing or acknowledging it. God’s Word is clear. “Those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble harvest it” (Job 4:8). Those who spurn God’s way “shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them, and the complacency of fools shall destroy them. But he who listens to [God’s wisdom] shall live securely, and shall be at ease from the dread of evil” (Prov. 1:31–33; cf. 11:18). The wicked “sow the wind, and they reap the whirlwind,” whereas those who “sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness” (Hos. 8:7; 10:12). To a great extent, a person’s character is the product of seeds planted in his early life. A child brought up to have his own way will grow into an adult who wants his own way. One English writer observed, “What strikes me more and more each day is the permanence of one’s early life, the identity between youth and manhood. Every habit, good and bad, of those early years seems to have permanently affected my whole life. The battle is largely won or lost before it seems to begin.” That observation does not surprise the person who knows Scripture. “Train up a child in the way he should go,” it teaches, and “even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). The law of sowing and reaping is just as valid in the spiritual as in the physical and moral realms. The frustration and hopelessness of humanistic psychology, psychiatry, and counseling can be traced, among other things, to their refusal to consider the immutable spiritual law of sowing and reaping. A person’s character cannot change until his nature is changed, and that can happen only through the new creation that comes from trust in Jesus Christ. “Be sure your sin will find you out,” God warned ancient Israel (Num. 32:23). “Thou hast placed our iniquities before Thee, our secret sins in the light of Thy presence” (Ps. 90:8), the psalmist confessed. In the spiritual world a person sows what he reaps. “There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, … but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good” (Rom. 2:9–10). The law of sowing and reaping is not contradicted by the gospel of grace. The law of salvation in Jesus Christ is, in fact, the ultimate demonstration of that law. Jesus Christ sowed perfect righteousness and reaped eternal life, which He gives to those who trust in His finished work. The believer reaps eternal life because, in faith, he is united with Christ and with what He has sown and reaped on man’s behalf. But the believer is not thereby exempt from all the consequences of his own sowing. He will never reap the ultimate consequences of sin, which are death and judgment, because his Lord already reaped those consequences for him. But he continues to reap the earthly heartaches, wounds, shame, and pain of his sins and foolishness. God’s law of cause and effect still operates in the lives of His children. A genuine feeling of guilt reaped from sin is a believer’s ally and friend. It is God’s warning that something is wrong. When heeded, true guilt is purifying, because it prevents a person from committing a sin or, after he has committed it, will lead him to repentance—in light of which the Lord “is faithful and righteous to forgive [his] sins and to cleanse [him] from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1983). Galatians (pp. 186–188). Moody Press.
7 The special advice of v. 6 is now enlarged to benevolence in general, and the principle that ties everything together is stated. What a man sows he reaps. This is an immutable law of God, which the phrase “God cannot be mocked” emphasizes. Consequently, though a man may fool himself (by sowing little but expecting much), he cannot fool God and the results of his poor sowing will be manifest.
Boice, J. M. (1976). Galatians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, p. 504). Zondervan Publishing House.
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that also will he reap.… This rule holds not only for church-members; it holds for everybody. God is not mocked. He does not permit anyone to make light of his gospel or of the exhortations that are implied in it. To sneer at him, thinking, “God is dead,” will not go unnoticed. On the contrary, every person will be rewarded according to his works (see on verse 5). This also means, of course, that the manner in which anyone reacts toward the present letter, in which the doctrine of justification by faith apart from law-works is defended against its detractors (be they legalists or libertines), does not escape Gods notice, and will definitely be taken into account.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of Galatians (Vol. 8, p. 236). Baker Book House.
New MAHA food guidelines: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has flipped the food pyramid on its head, which aligns with his goal of motivating Americans to eat real food rather than ultra-processed food. The new HHS guidelines promote healthy fats, protein, dairy, vegetables, and fruits as the bulk of what people should eat, in contrast to the old model of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. “Today our government declares war on added sugar,” RFK declared in yesterday’s announcement. “The new guidelines recognize that whole nutrient-dense food is the most effective path to better health.” This is the first time since 1980, when it was created, that a major change has been made to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The American Medical Association agrees with the change, stating, “The Guidelines affirm that food is medicine and offer clear direction patients and physicians can use to improve health.”
Trump’s housing solutions: With housing affordability likely playing a major role in the midterm elections, Donald Trump on Wednesday announced an upcoming action to address the issue. “For a very long time, buying and owning a home was considered the pinnacle of the American Dream. It was the reward for working hard, and doing the right thing, but now, because of the Record High Inflation caused by Joe Biden and the Democrats in Congress, that American Dream is increasingly out of reach for far too many people, especially younger Americans,” Trump wrote. “I am immediately taking steps to ban large institutional investors from buying more single-family homes, and I will be calling on Congress to codify it.” The legality of Trump’s idea is questionable, despite the appeal of protecting family homes for individual private ownership rather than allowing corporations to buy up homes and drive up costs.
Mamdani stooge’s housing hypocrisy: Meanwhile, in New York City, new socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top housing official, Cea Weaver, has a radically different proposal to address the issue of housing affordability: the elimination of home ownership entirely. In a series of social media posts and video statements over recent years, Weaver has called homeownership a “weapon of white supremacy” and “racist” in advocating for “impoverish[ing] the white middle class.” She wants to expand rent controls with the goal “to have the housing actually be worth less.” The irony is that Weaver’s own parents own multiple properties, with her mother owning a house in Nashville valued at $1.6 million. When Weaver was questioned about this, she broke down in tears and ran away.
U.S. bolts international orgs: In implementing his America First agenda, Donald Trump is clearly determined to reset U.S. foreign policy by reestablishing American sovereignty over and against the leftist Eurocentric globalism. Thus, on Wednesday, the White House announced that the U.S. will be withdrawing from 66 international organizations, 31 of which are associated with the UN. The U.S. funds many of these organizations that “operate contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty,” the White House explained. “Many of these bodies promote radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs that conflict with U.S. sovereignty and economic strength.” Included among the organizations slated for withdrawal are the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Global Forum on Migration and Development, and the UN Population Fund, which is the main agency promoting so-called “reproductive rights” globally.
House to vote on expired ObamaCare expanded subsidies: The House will vote today on a Democrat bill to renew the recently expired ObamaCare enhanced subsidies. Democrat and Republican legislators are trying to take action due to the expiration of the subsidies, which no longer mask the doubled costs for 22 million people. The bill is expected to pass the House but is unlikely to pass the Senate, where legislation is being held up by President Trump’s correct insistence that subsidies paid directly to insurance companies should not be supported by Republicans, although he may support a temporary extension to enable a future deal. Trump wants any subsidies to go directly to individual healthcare accounts. States’ use of subsidies to fund abortions has run afoul of the Hyde Amendment, and Republicans are withholding support until those loopholes are closed.
Longtime Dem Rep. Hoyer announces retirement: Maryland Democrat Rep. Steny Hoyer, who has been in Congress since 1981, will officially announce his retirement today. The 86-year-old rose to the second-highest leadership position in the House Democrat caucus, serving as whip behind Rep. Nancy Pelosi both when she rose to the speakership and when she was minority leader. In 2022, Hoyer stepped back from his leadership position to allow for younger leadership. His congressional district, which consists of the eastern suburbs of Washington, DC, is considered safe for Democrats to retain.
House finds Biden admin’s alcohol study was biased against drinking: Alcohol consumption comes with risks. Nevertheless, it has been a constant feature of nearly every human society since the invention of farming. Despite its historical nature, a Biden-era policy developed last year by a group of American and Canadian scientists concluded that even one drink a day increases health risks and that “no amount” is healthy to consume. House Republicans on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee now say that the “Alcohol Intake and Health Study” was biased and intended to bring the U.S. into compliance with Canadian guidelines. The Committee says, “All six study group members are anti-alcohol advocates.” Members of the study have pushed back, saying that some of their studies have concluded that one drink a day actually reduces diabetes risk in women.
LEO deaths fall again:The Patriot Post is a staunch supporter of law enforcement officers, and we believe that 111 line-of-duty deaths nationally is 111 too many. Still, when the number shows a 25% decrease from the 148 on-the-job deaths in 2024 and represents the fewest deaths in 80 years, there is some reason to celebrate. Of the 111 fallen officers, 102 were men and nine were women. Just 44 deaths were firearm-related, 34 were traffic-related, and 33 fell into the “other” category. Having a presidential administration that firmly and vocally stands behind law and order has certainly increased LEO safety.
Company sells for $1.7 billion, divides $240 million in bonuses among employees: In the small town of Minden, Louisiana, the recent sale of Fibrebond to the Eaton power-management company hasn’t resulted in layoffs and a damaged economy. Instead, Graham Walker ensured that when his family-owned company sold for $1.7 billion, 15% of the proceeds, totaling $240 million, would be divided among his 540 full-time employees. Those 540 employees will receive an average of $443,000 in bonuses over the next five years, provided they remain employed at the company. Long-term employees will be rewarded for their loyalty with a bonus significantly above the average. Nearly half a million dollars is a life-changing sum for most Americans, and it’s encouraging to see an employer demonstrate loyalty to his employees. Incidentally, and not at all related, we in our humble shop have been showing extra kindness to Patriot Post publisher Mark Alexander.
Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday when she accelerated her car and struck an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. She had already obstructed ICE agents’ work and traffic on a public street and then refused to comply with another officer’s orders to get out of the vehicle.
“ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers and one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them — an act of domestic terrorism,” said the Department of Homeland Security in a post on X. “An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots.”
It’s a tragedy that Good is dead, but if you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.
Two quick observations about the video. First, the firing officer was impacted by the car and certainly seems to have had a reasonable fear for his life in a split-second decision. He couldn’t wait to see if she veered away, and she might have done so only after seeing the gun and/or being hit by a round or rounds. In fact, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said that the same officer had been struck and dragged by a protester’s vehicle in June, and that Good had been “stalking and impeding” agents all day. Second, the video doesn’t provide the opening context for the confrontation; it only picks up as the officers stop and exit their vehicle to address the woman’s obstruction. Law enforcement indicated that “agitators” had attempted to ram ICE vehicles earlier that day. It’s happened plenty of other times, too, which is part of a pattern of inflammatory rhetoric and violence aimed at ICE.
All in all, it was an outrageous incident that ought to infuriate every American. Citizens should not be obstructing law enforcement officers conducting lawful operations to detain and deport people who committed the crime of entering the United States illegally.
Democrats are instead outraged at ICE.
Knowing that the internet’s armchair quarterbacks — many of whom incited the Summer of Rage after Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin subdued George Floyd until he died of heart failure and drugs — would join them in their fury, Democrats like Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey directed their ire toward law enforcement and the Trump administration.
Frey was vulgar. “I have a message for ICE,” he said at a press conference. “Get the f**k out of Minneapolis.” He called DHS’s claim of self-defense “bulls**t” and declared that ICE is in Minnesota to “literally kill people.”
After praising all those immigrants who’ve “contributed so greatly to our city, to our culture, to our economy” (by stealing billions in social welfare money), Frey declared that Minneapolis residents “are going to meet that hate with love.” Heh.
As an aside, one of those fine Somali immigrants, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, called the incident “state violence.”
Walz, who just announced that he is dropping his bid for a third term because he got caught allowing immigrant corruption to run rampant in his state, marveled, “We’ve never been at war with our federal government.” (As if they are now.) Even before the shooting, Walz raged about ICE’s “war that’s being waged against Minnesota,” and afterwards, he talked about deploying the Minnesota National Guard against “rogue federal agents.”
Remember when Democrats went into hysterics because Donald Trump used the word “bloodbath” to describe bad economic policies and they pretended he was calling for literal violence? Remember when they feverishly insisted that he “incited an insurrection” that was the “biggest threat to our democracy since the Civil War” because he used the word “fight”?
As The Babylon Bee headlined, “Democrats Once Again Threaten Civil War To Stop Republicans From Taking Away Their Slave Laborers.” I thought the Bee was supposed to be satire.
To be fair, Walz urged January 7 protesters to behave “peacefully, as you always do.” (Please. I’m old enough to remember 2020.) But Trump also urged his January 6 supporters “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” Democrats didn’t care.
American citizens have the right to voice their opinions, even when using vulgarity or displaying obnoxious signs on the street. They do not have the right to obstruct or attack law enforcement. Unfortunately, though my conclusion is that the ICE agents were correct and the driver was indeed a threat, many Americans will instead decide that ICE now has far worse than an optics problem.
Emmy Griffin: Trump’s Goal With Venezuelan Oil — Up to 50 million barrels of oil are being transported to the U.S. posthaste, but the long-term renewal of Venezuela’s oil industry depends on how the politics there unfold.
Thomas Gallatin: MN Welfare Scandal Reveals Power of New Media — The fall of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz demonstrates that legacy media outlets failed to either do their jobs or to protect another Democrat.
Sophie Starkova: Michael Reagan, RIP — He continued to carry his father’s torch of Liberty as a “steadfast guardian,” a testimony to his strength of character and love for his country.
Patrick Hampton: Prayer for America in 2026 — May our lives bear witness to God’s love, truth, and justice, and may our prayers be a beacon of hope for generations to come.
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Reader Comments
Editor’s Note: Each week we receive hundreds of comments and correspondences — and we read every one of them. Click here for a few thought-provoking comments about specific articles. The views expressed therein don’t necessarily reflect those of The Patriot Post.
Latest PodcastPopCon #128: ‘If You Didn’t Know, Now You Know’: Maduro and the Monroe DoctrineIn our first episode of 2026, Thomas, Sterling, and Andrew break down the geopolitics, the precedent, and the meme culture explosion that have followed the U.S. operation to extract illegitimate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuelan Immigrant Speaks Out — A Venezuelan who fled Nicolás Maduro’s dictatorial rule in order to save herself and her family explains why she’s happy the dictator has been removed.
Humor: Top Jobs AI Literally Cannot Replace — Wondering about the future of AI and its impact on your career? The Babylon Bee is here to help with this list of jobs safe from AI automation.
SHORT CUTS
Non Compos Mentis
“I have a message for ICE. … Get the f**k out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.” —Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey regarding yesterday’s ICE shooting
“The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city. We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.” —Mayor Jacob Frey
“They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defense. Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly: That is bulls**t.” —Mayor Jacob Frey
“I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine. The state will ensure there is a full, fair, and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability and justice.” —Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
For the Record
“It was an act of domestic terrorism. … A woman attacked [ICE officers] and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle. An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively shot to protect himself and the people around him.” —DHS Secretary Kristi Noem
“This is the direct consequence of constant attacks and demonization of our officers by sanctuary politicians who fuel and encourage rampant assaults on our law enforcement. These men and women who are simply enforcing the law on the books are facing [a] 1,300% increase in assaults against them and an 8,000% increase in death threats.” —DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
Stranger Than Fiction
“Transgender Woman Afraid She’ll Be Deported After Stealing COVID Funds.” —Newsweek headline
Braying Jennies
“Yes, we can all agree [Nicolás] Maduro was an illegitimate president who did horrible things in that country and was corrupt. The way he was removed from that country matters. We are supposed to be a nation of laws. The way we did it was against international criminal law. It’s against the United Nations. We can’t do it.” —”The View” co-host Sunny Hostin
“Maduro is a bad guy. We took him out. So is Kim Jong-un, so is [Vladimir] Putin, so is — what’s that other guy in Hungary? And we’re going to go into all these countries and just kidnap the leaders?” —”The View” co-host Joy Behar
Upright
“The important thing is for Trump to stabilize the situation in Venezuela quickly. If the U.S. intervention leads to chaos and disorder, requiring increasing amounts of American involvement, Trump will face accusations that he has gotten the U.S. into a morass in South America. The sooner Trump can accomplish a ‘safe, proper and judicious transition,’ the better.” —Byron York
“The Venezuelan mission sent a sharp and resounding message to the many points of evil around the world that America is ready to engage.” —Star Parker
Re: The Left
“So, what does the Democrat party prioritize? It is a deranged ideology that is a failed philosophy, a creed of ignorance, and is rooted in hate and envy. They do not prioritize American Independence. Matter of fact, they despise it. They prioritize control, subjugation, and submission.” —Allen West
Belly Laugh of the Day
“The Quality Learing center has permanently closed, making it the only daycare in history to have more TYPOS than KIDS.” —Jimmy Failla
ON THIS DAY in 1790, George Washington delivered the first State of the Union address in New York City. Also on this day in 1815, Andrew Jackson routed the British at the Battle of New Orleans, effectively ending the war.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Vice President Vance are scheduled to hold a press briefing at 1:00 pm ET. Tune in for more from the White House! Join RSBN LIVE at 12:00 pm EDT on January 8, 2026
The intense protests continue in Iran, where dozens have lost their lives, and Iran’s judicial and military leaders are accusing the U.S. and Israel of fueling the chaos; but amid the unrest and violence, the Gospel is spreading across the country, and Hormoz Shariat of Iran Alive Ministries tells CBN’s The Global Lane about how these protests are different from others in the past, and how Iran’s Christians are holding up; Chris Mitchell talks about the ongoing revival in Iran, what Christian ministries who are in contact with believers in Iran are hearing, the latest on the protests, what the Crown Prince of Iran has told the protesters, and what analysts and others say President Trump could do to help the protesters; here at home, a possible fight among Republicans over taxpayer-funded abortion; and we hear from Chance Con, the son of imprisoned pastor Hyun-Bo Son in South Korea, as some say this is a case of religious freedom, because they believe he’s being held for his stands for Biblical truth.
Democrats are running on improving affordability, but they are the party that makes everything unaffordable in most states. An example of that can be seen in California, a high-tax, high-regulation state that oppresses its residents.
U-Haul data is in on California, and it suggests that it’s not only billionaires planning to move out. It’s also the regular people who are leaving. Houses in California cost 57.8% more than the national average.
U-Haul data shows California leads the nation in net out-migration for six consecutive years, with Arizona, Nevada, and Texas attracting the most residents. […]
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