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
Many people want power from God, but they do not desire the things that power is for. “You will receive power.” These are Jesus’ words to his disciples as he prepared them for his ascension (Acts 1:8). He was speaking of the coming Pentecost. However, the possibility of receiving power still holds true for believers today, even though there will not be another Pentecost.
There are other places in scripture not referencing Pentecost where we are told that we can be strengthened in power. Paul prays for believers that “[God] would grant you to be strengthened with power, through the Spirit, in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16).
The idea of being strengthened in Power is not foreign to the modern evangelical mind; it is a common feature among the preaching of many televangelists and the like, yet few people seem to understand it or experience it.
I think the primary reason power from on high is not common among many believers is that we often desire power for our own glory. We love to say, “We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us,” but what we really want is to play in the NBA or climb the corporate ladder. Neither of those is what the promise of power is for.
In Acts chapter 1, Jesus tells the disciples that they will receive power “to be witnesses.” One reason many Christians do not experience this power is that they have no desire to be witnesses.
The power of God in our lives has a specific purpose, and if those are not our purposes, then the promises of power are not for us. In Ephesians 3:16, the power is so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to have strength to comprehend the breadth and length, height and depth, of the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. If that is your desire, Paul prays for your strength. If that is not your desire, then it does not apply, and many of us have very little desire to pick up our Bibles.
Finally, some people do have this power, but they do not recognize it—the reason they do not recognize it is that the power from on high usually feels like weakness. When we are weak, he is strong. When the power of God is upon us, everything we think we could offer feels impotent, but that is when his power is made perfect. When you do not feel strong in yourself, that is when you should start paying attention to what the Lord might do.
My prayer for you and me this week is that we will receive power as the Holy Spirit comes upon us, but for that to happen, we need to desire to comprehend the love of God, we need to desire to be his witnesses, and we need to be willing to feel entirely weak in our own strength.
I wonder how many Christians truly desire those things. If that is you, then may the Lord strengthen you for his glory.
I will exalt You, my God and King; I will bless Your name for ever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome works, And I will proclaim Your great deeds. I will express the memory of Your abundant goodness And joyfully sing of Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. (Psalm 145:1–9)
O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens! (Psalm 8:1)
Lord Jesus, You are the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star. (Revelation 22:16)
Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone does wonderful things. And blessed be His glorious name forever; May the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. (Psalm 72:18–19)
Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.
Confession
You were pierced for our transgressions, You were crushed for our iniquities; The punishment that brought us peace was upon You, And by Your wounds we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way, And the Lord has laid on You the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5–6)
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “Return to Me with all your heart, With fasting and weeping and mourning. So rend your heart and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness, And He relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:12–13)
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
Lord, I have heard of Your fame, and I stand in awe of Your deeds. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In our time make them known; In wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2)
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Thank You, Lord, that You have said: For a brief moment I forsook you, But with great compassion I will gather you. In a flood of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, But I will have compassion on you with everlasting kindness. (Isaiah 54:7–8)
Renewal
Lord, renew me by Your Spirit as I offer these prayers to You:
May I keep the commandments of the Lord my God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. May I follow the Lord my God and fear Him; may I keep Your commandments, hear Your voice, serve You, and hold fast to You. (Deuteronomy 8:6; 13:4)
May I know God and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every motive behind the thoughts. (1 Chronicles 28:9)
May I love the Lord my God and serve Him with all my heart and with all my soul. (Deuteronomy 11:13)
May I love my enemies, do good to those who hate me, bless those who curse me, and pray for those who mistreat me. Just as I want others to do to me, may I do to them in the same way. (Luke 6:27–28, 31)
Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
Petition
Father, using Your word as a guide, I offer You my prayers concerning the things of the world.
May these beatitudes be a reality in my life: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3–10)
May I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and all these things will be added to me. (Matthew 6:33)
When I have found one pearl of great value, may I go away and sell all that I have and buy it. (Matthew 13:46)
Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things, And revive me in Your way. (Psalm 119:36–37)
May I keep my life free from the love of money and be content with what I have, for You have said, “I will never leave you, nor will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
May I not be like those among the thorns on whom seed was sown, who hear the word, but the worries of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and pleasures, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it immature and unfruitful. Instead, may I be like the good soil on whom seed was sown, who with a noble and good heart hear the word, understand and accept it, and with perseverance, bear fruit, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundred times what was sown. (Matthew 13:22–23; Mark 4:18–20; Luke 8:14–15)
As a servant of Christ and a steward of His possessions, it is required that I be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1–2)
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. I cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13)
By Your grace, I want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)
Lord, make me to know my end And what is the measure of my days; Let me know how fleeting is my life. (Psalm 39:4)
Teach me to number my days, That I may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us— Yes, confirm the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17)
Pause here to express any additional requests, especially concerning growth in wisdom:Developing an eternal perspective Renewing my mind with truth Greater skill in each area of life
My activities for this day Special concerns
Intercession
Lord, I now prepare my heart for intercessory prayer for my family.
May the Lord make me increase and abound in my love for believers and for unbelievers. May He establish my heart as blameless and holy before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13)
May Your commandments be upon my heart, so that I may teach them diligently to my children and talk about them when I sit in my house and when I walk along the way and when I lie down and when I rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:6–7)
In the spirit of these passages, I pray for:My immediate family My relatives Spiritual concerns Emotional and physical concerns Other concerns
Affirmation
Feed my mind and heart, O Lord, as I affirm these truths from Your word concerning the benefits of salvation:
Having been justified by faith, I have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom I have gained access by faith into this grace in which I stand; and I rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1–2)
Lord, You have said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)
You are the light of the world. He who follows You will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
You are the bread of life. He who comes to You will never hunger, and he who believes in You will never thirst. (John 6:35)
Everyone who drinks ordinary water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water You give will never thirst. Indeed, the water You give becomes in us a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:13–14)
Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.
Thanksgiving
For who You are and for what You have done, accept my thanks, O Lord:
Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities And heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit And crowns you with love and compassion; Who satisfies your desires with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1–5)
I will give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? God is my strong fortress, And He sets the blameless free in His way. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights. (2 Samuel 22:32–34)
I will give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His lovingkindness endures forever. I will give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love And His wonderful acts to the children of men. (Psalm 107:1, 8)
Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.
Closing Prayer
This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are with us. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
Now to Him who is able to establish us by the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and through the Scriptures of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, has been made known to all nations for obedience to the faith—to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 16:25–27)
Boa, K. (1993). Handbook to prayer: praying scripture back to God. Atlanta: Trinity House.
Ver. 6. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.—The foolish way forsaken:— True religion includes two particulars, called in Scripture ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well. I. WHAT ARE THE TWO WAYS MENTIONED IN OUR TEXT—namely, the way of the foolish and the way of understanding?
And with regard to the character of the foolish—whom and whose ways we are to forsake—how different is the estimate of the Word of God from the current opinions of mankind! The world usually account that man foolish who does not make the things of this life, in one or other of its aspects, the great object of his desires. The covetous man thinks him foolish who neglects the pursuit of riches, or is not skilful in obtaining them; the man of pleasure, him who does not endeavour to secure ease and amusement; the ambitious man, him who does not attain worldly honours. But, in the estimate of Scripture, though we had the worldly wisdom of each or all these classes of persons, and had not something infinitely above it, we should be numbered among the foolish. The rich man spoken of by our Lord, whose ground brought forth plentifully, was accounted a fool. And why? Because he was laying up treasures for himself upon earth, and was not rich towards God; because he disregarded the great end and object of his being; because he made no preparation for death. In short, sin of every kind—irreligion, disobedience to God, and carelessness respecting our immortal interests—is called in Scripture foolishness. And can any folly be greater than sporting, as it were, upon the brink of eternity; calling down upon us the anger of our Almighty Creator; rejecting the means which He has provided for our pardon and reconciliation, or perverting the gospel of His mercy to our own destruction?
Such being the way of the foolish, we may easily infer what is the way of understanding. “Behold,” said Job, “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” “The knowledge of the Holy,” says Solomon, in the chapter from which our text is taken, “is understanding”; and “a good understanding,” says the psalmist, “have all they who do His commandments.” II. THE IMPORTANCE OF FORSAKING THE ONE AND GOING IN THE OTHER. “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.”
And let us inquire why we must forsake the foolish, ungodly companions, ungodly practices, ungodly thoughts, ungodly books, everything that is ungodly. It might be sufficient to satisfy our reason to answer, that our Creator has commanded us to forsake them. But, in addition, He is pleased to appeal to our hopes and fears, by promises and threatenings. “Forsake the foolish, and live”; implying that the ways of the foolish are ways of death. Shall we not, then, forsake so dangerous a path, a path beset with thorns and snares.
But, in addition to the command to forsake the foolish, our text adds, “And go in the way of understanding.” These two duties are indeed inseparable; for the first step out of the path of destruction is a step in the path of life; yet it is important that each should be particularly noticed, because we are too apt to content ourselves with a few feeble advances, a few superficial attainments in religion, as if the victory were complete when we are but girding on our armour for the warfare. It is not enough that we have learned that the ways of sin are ways of bitterness and folly; we must, in addition, learn what is the way of understanding: we must walk in the paths of righteousness. And infinitely important is it that we should go in this way of understanding; for by no other path can we arrive at the kingdom of heaven. The language of the text shows us that religion involves active and zealous exertion. There is one path to be forsaken, and another to be discovered and pursued. To forsake means more than careless indifference, or partial reformation, or a temporary suspension of our evil habits. It is a fixed and determined resolution. (The Christian Observer.)
Exell, J. S. (n.d.). Proverbs (p. 219). Fleming H. Revell Company.
6 Wisdom now pictures repentance as changing direction along a way, using the sage’s favorite metaphor of “way” for his teaching (see 1:15; 20–33). Leave your ways (ʿizbû; 2:13) escalates “turn aside” (v. 4). The vocative you gullible (petāʾyim; see pp. 11; cf. 1 Cor. 13:11) makes clear that the brainless (v. 5b) and gullible are co-referential. And live (wiḥeyu; see pp. 104-107) finds its deepest exposition in John 6. The stakes are high in accepting or rejecting Wisdom’s invitation; it is a matter of life and death (see 3:18; 4:13, 22; 5:6, 6:23; 8:32–35). The way of insight implies that Wisdom’s house is an entrance into life and not, unlike the seductress’s, whose house is the way into death (2:19; 7:27). As the negative aspect of repentance is given in 9:6a, matching v. 4, its positive aspect is given in v. 6b, matching v. 5. And proceed on the way (weʾišrû; cf. 4:11, 14–15, 18–19) entails that the gullible will have repented and are on the path of life. “[Life] is associated with progress along a ‘road’ and so it has to do with keeping the right direction and having access to sure guidance. At any and every moment it may be enhanced or diminished, for no man stands still. He must journey on and, if he loses his way, he may lose his life” (see 9:11, 15). The direction of the repentant stands in marked opposition to that of the wicked (see 4:14). Of insight (bînâ; see p. 96) supplies the basic need of “the one who lacks sense,” linking v. 6b with v. 4b even as synonymy with regard to the “gullible” linked v. 6a with v. 4a.
Waltke, B. K. (2004). The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1–15 (pp. 437–438). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
9:6. ‘Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.’ Now, so there is no misunderstanding the metaphorical intent of the banquet scene, the writer makes clear the purpose of this word picture. The demand is to ‘Forsake your folly.’ The word ‘folly’ is an unusual plural of the word ‘naïve’ found in verse 4. There, the invitation is to come to wisdom’s banquet of life. Here, the invitation is turned into a life or death imperative. In this context, the word is often translated ‘simple ways’ (NIV) or, as some suggest and is possible, ‘simple ones.’ The first would suggest the naïve patterns of living and habits of life the simple have adopted and which are counter-productive to a pursuit of wisdom. The latter would suggest that the naïve must break off from their companions in silliness lest they be dragged down to ever-increasing foolishness (Prov. 1:22). Both notions are taught elsewhere in Scripture and either would be appropriate here. However, the translation ‘simple ways’ is probably best, since it maintains the parallelism with the second line of the verse: ‘the way of understanding.’ The call of wisdom brings each of us to a fork in the road of life. Will we ‘forsake’ the way of the simple and ‘proceed’ in the way of understanding? Whose voice will we listen to: the Woman Wisdom (vv. 4–6) or the Woman Folly (vv. 16–17)? The choice is ours to make. The consequences are ours to bear. The desirable option is to choose wisdom and ‘live’ (cf. Prov. 3:2, 18; 4:4; 7:2; 8:35; 9:11; 19:23). To continue the metaphor, such a one will indeed ‘live,’ for the meal has been prepared from a tree of life (Prov. 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4).
Kitchen, J. A. (2006). Proverbs: A Mentor Commentary (p. 204). Mentor.
Old Testament Genesis 12:1–9
Psalm Psalm 121
Epistle Romans 4:1–8, 13–17
Gospel John 3:1–17
Index of Readings
OLD TESTAMENT Genesis 12:1–9
1 And Yahweh said to Abram,
“Go forth from your land,
And from your kin
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
3 And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
4 So Abram went forth as Yahweh had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
5 So Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go forth to the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan.
6 And Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land.
7 Then Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “To your seed I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to Yahweh who had appeared to him.
8 Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to Yahweh and called upon the name of Yahweh.
9 And Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev.
PSALM Psalm 121
PSALM 121
A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
2 My help comes from Yahweh,
Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to stumble;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will not slumber and will not sleep.
5 Yahweh is your keeper;
Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun will not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
7 Yahweh will keep you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
8 Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in
From now until forever.
EPISTLE Romans 4:1–8, 13–17
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God!
3 For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not counted according to grace, but according to what is due.
5 But to the one who does not work, but believes upon Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.
8 “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”
13 For the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith has been made empty and the promise has been abolished;
15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no trespass.
16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the seed, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all—
17 as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”—in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
GOSPEL John 3:1–17
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born 1again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 “That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born 1again.’
8 “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?
11 “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness of what we have seen, and you do not accept our witness.
12 “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13 “And no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;
15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
16 “For God 1so loved the world, that He gave His 2only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary. (2009). Concordia Publishing House.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
OUR GREAT HEAVENLY FATHER, blessed Son, and eternal Spirit, we come to worship You—God in three Persons, one in essence, perfect in every way, the only true God. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the redemption our heavenly Father has furnished for us in Christ the Son and applied to us by the Holy Spirit. Undeserving though we are, You have welcomed us into Your everlasting Kingdom, so that we might be partakers of Your unspeakable glory.
Again, Father, we thank You that in the fullness of Your grace, You loved us and sent Your only begotten Son to redeem us.
Lord Jesus, though existing eternally in the form of God, You did not count that as something to be clung to. You humbled Yourself, took on the form of a servant, and were made in the likeness of men. As a man, You became a servant, being obedient to the Father’s will— even unto death on the cross. That one sacrifice atoned for our sins forever and provided us with a covering such as we needed— the spotless garment of Your perfect righteousness.
Holy Spirit, You too have loved us everlastingly, and now You make Your permanent abode in our hearts, letting Your life and power flow through us, producing abundant fruit and conforming us to the image of Christ.
O God—one God yet three Persons—we praise You and thank You for mercy so undeserved, and for grace beyond measure. Your lovingkindness is inexhaustible; Your mercies endure forever; Your faithfulness extends to all generations; Your glory is seen in all Your works; and Your steadfast love is our song. We come to You, the triune God, enthroned in our lives, presiding over the universe, and we humbly ask for You to strengthen us where we are weak, beginning with our acts of worship. You who spoke the universe into existence with but a word are the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. How we thank You again for commanding salvation on our behalf!
Lord, we come before You in prayer to bring You our praise. Set our lives in order before You, and renew our commitment to love and obedience, usefulness and faithfulness. Be honored through our lives, we pray, in the name of Christ. Amen.
MacArthur, J. (2014). A Year of Prayer: Growing Closer to God Week After Week (pp. 55–57). Harvest House Publishers.
God asks that we practice love, justice, kindness and humility (Mic 6:1–8). We are to be truthful, not slander others, protect the innocent and do what is right (Ps 15). God shows his strength through what the world considers weak or despised, so that he might be glorified (1 Cor 1:18–31). Thus, he calls “blessed” the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn, and the persecuted (Mt 5:1–12).
OPENING PRAYER: Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
Since this fountain, this source of life, this table surrounds us with untold blessings and fills us with the gifts of the Spirit, let us approach it with sincerity of heart and purity of conscience to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. Grace and mercy be yours from the only-begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; through him and with him be glory, honor and power to the Father and the life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever. Chrysostom
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Micah 6:1–8
Sin Not Redeemed by Our Burnt Offerings. AMBROSE: For what is asked of you, O man? Only that you fear God: seek for him, walk after him, follow in his ways. “With what shall I win over the Lord? Shall I win him over with burnt offerings?” The Lord is not reconciled, nor are sins redeemed, with tens of thousands of young goats or thousands of rams or with the fruits of unholiness, but the grace of the Lord is won with a good life. Flight from the World 6.33.
Love of God and Neighbor. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Forget about burnt offerings, countless sacrifices and oblations of firstborn, he is saying. If you are concerned to appease the divinity, practice what God ordered you in the beginning through Moses. What in fact is that? To deliver fair judgment and decision in all cases where you have to choose better from worse, to continue giving evidence of all possible love and fellow-feeling to your neighbor, and be ready to put into practice what is pleasing to God in every way. He means, in short, “You will love God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul, and you will love your neighbor as yourself,” as was said of old through Moses. Do this, he is saying, as something preferable to sacrifices in God’s eyes. Commentary on Micah 6.6–8.
The Lord Requires the Self. AUGUSTINE: You ask what you should offer: offer yourself. For what else does the Lord seek of you but you? Because of all earthly creatures he has made nothing better than you, he seeks yourself from yourself, because you have lost yourself. Sermon 48.2.
PSALM OF RESPONSE: Psalm 15
NEW TESTAMENT READING: 1 Corinthians 1:18–31
REFLECTIONS FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS
A Divine Defense Against the Devil. ORIGEN: Who was capable of destroying the plague of ignorance, darkness and destruction? Not a prophet, nor an apostle, nor any other righteous man. Rather there had to be a divine power coming down from heaven, capable of dying on behalf of us all, so that by his death there might be a defense against the devil. Commentary on 1 Corinthians 1.6.8–12.
God’s Wisdom Confounds Human Reasoning. AMBROSIASTER: When Paul speaks of the “foolishness of God,” he is not implying that God is foolish. Rather he is saying that since God’s way of reasoning is in accord with things of the spirit, it confounds the reasoning of this world. It is wiser than human reasoning, because spiritual things are wiser than carnal ones. Spiritual things do not exist through carnal ones, but the other way around. Therefore carnal things are understandable in relation to spiritual ones. Similarly, what belongs to heaven is stronger than what belongs to earth. So what seems like the weakness of God is not really weak at all. Christ appeared to be defeated when he was killed, but he emerged as the victor and turned the reproof back on his persecutors. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Worldly Standards. CHRYSOSTOM: The man who is wise according to the standards of this world is really very foolish, because he will not cast away his corrupt teaching. A little learning is a dangerous thing, because it makes those who have it unwilling to learn more. The unlearned are more open to conviction, because they are not so foolish as to think that they are wise. Homilies on the Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians 5.2.
The Harm of Boasting. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Boasting, even if it is of good works, harms the soul of the boaster. Anyone who boasts of worldly achievements is highly worldly himself. Pauline Commentary from the Greek Church.
Our Redemption. AMBROSIASTER: Christ did what he did in order to strengthen believers, for no one can redeem something which did not originally belong to him. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
GOSPEL READING: Matthew 5:1–12
REFLECTIONS FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS
The Blessed Poor, Rich in God. CHROMATIUS OF AQUILEIA: We know many poor people, indeed who are not merely poor but blessed. For the necessity of poverty does not produce blessedness in each of us, but a devout trust sustained through poverty does. Some, having no worldly resources, continue to sin and remain without faith in God. Clearly we cannot call these people blessed. We must inquire just who are these blessed of whom the Lord says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus means that those persons are truly blessed who, having spurned the riches and resources of the world to become rich in God, desire to be poor in the world. Indeed, such people seem to be poor in the sight of the world, but they are rich in God, needy in the world but wealthy in Christ. Tractate on Matthew 17.2.1–2.
A Greater Blessedness. ANONYMOUS: Those who mourn their own sins are indeed blessed, but blessed in a less wonderful way than those who mourn the sins of others. Those who mourn the sins of others are less likely to have sins of their own to mourn. These are the ones who should be called teachers. They are with the Lord on the mountain. Incomplete Work on Matthew, Homily 9.
Imitating the Lord’s Meekness. CHROMATIUS OF AQUILEIA: The meek are those who are gentle, humble and unassuming, simple in faith and patient in the face of every affront. Tractate on Matthew 17.4.1–2.
Mercy Toward Enemies. ANONYMOUS: The kind of compassion referred to here is not simply giving alms to the poor or orphan or widow. This kind of compassion is often found even among those who hardly know God. But that person is truly compassionate who shows compassion even to his own enemy and treats the enemy well. Incomplete Work on Matthew, Homily 9.
Where Peace Is. AUGUSTINE: There is in the inner person a kind of daily quarrel; a praiseworthy battle acts to keep what is better from being overcome by what is worse. The struggle is to keep desire from conquering the mind and to keep lust from conquering wisdom. This is the steadfast peace that you ought to develop in yourself, that what is better in you may be in charge of what is worse. The better part in you, moreover, is that part in which God’s image is found. This is called the mind, the intellect. There faith burns, there hope is strengthened, there charity is kindled. Sermon 53A.12.
Weigh Earthly Disturbance Against Heavenly Glory. ANONYMOUS: One who desires what is in heaven does not fear reproaches on earth. He does not care about what people say about him but rather how God judges him. But one who rejoices in the praise of others and how much they praise him is saddened when he receives no praise. He feels sad at other’s reproaches. But a person who is not lifted up by others’ praise is not lowered by their reproach. Wherever any one seeks his own glory, just there he also fears reproach. A person who constantly seeks glory on earth constantly fears troubles on earth. But a person who seeks glory only with God fears no disturbance except for God’s judgment. Incomplete Work on Matthew, Homily 9.
CLOSING PRAYER
O Lord, from whom all good things do come; grant to us, your humble servants, that by your holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by your merciful guiding may perform the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Gelasian Sacramentary
Oden, T. C., & Crosby, C., eds. (2007). Ancient Christian Devotional: A Year of Weekly Readings: Lectionary Cycle A (pp. 57–61). IVP Books.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (PSALM 23:4 ESV).
In the Middle East a shepherd carried only two tools—a rod and a staff. The rod became an extension of the shepherd’s right arm as he guarded his sheep. He would drive pieces of metal into the knob, and he could use that rod as a club to kill bears and snakes and to drive off wolves. Whenever the sheep saw the rod in the shepherd’s hand, they knew he was guarding them. The shepherd also had a staff bent on one end to form a hook. That hook would be just perfect for reaching around the chest of a lamb or around the neck of a larger sheep. The staff was used to guide sheep as they walked along a dangerous path. The shepherd could gently press the staff to a sheep’s side or he could reach out with the crook and pull him back into the fold. If a sheep slipped over a steep ravine or stumbled into a rocky creek bed, the shepherd could lift it up and restore it to the flock. The rod guarded the sheep, the staff guided them. One protected the sheep; the other directed the sheep. Nothing was more comforting to the sheep than the sight of the rod and the staff. The shepherd would make sure his sheep got safely through the valley and all the way to the top of the mountain. 52 Weeks Through the Psalms
Fear is universal. We all fear something. Perhaps it’s loss, sickness, financial ruin, terrorism…or perhaps the most common fear of all: public speaking. Death is also a common fear—and death is, of course, also universal. One day we will pass from this earth. We will go through the valley of the shadow of death and emerge on the mountaintop that is heaven. While we are assured of heaven, we still shrink in fear at the idea of losing this earthly life. It’s ironic that we should fear death at all, knowing that in passing away from this life we enter into the presence of our shepherd. Though we have experienced his goodness in this life, and though we have been kept safe by his rod and staff, we have yet to meet him face to face. Death, however, is the gateway into this ultimate experience of living in God’s presence for eternity. It’s the one fear that we should most easily discard. If we can trust him with our life, we can also trust him with our death.
Merritt, J. (2019). 52 Weeks Through the Psalms Devotional: A One-Year Journey of Prayer and Praise. Harvest House Publishers.
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your lovingkindness and truth. (Psalm 115:1)
It is good to give thanks to the Lord And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High, To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness at night. (Psalm 92:1–2)
Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear You, O Lord, And glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed. (Revelation 15:3–4)
O sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all people. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. (Psalm 96:1–6)
Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.
Confession
This is the one You esteem: He who is humble and contrite of spirit, And who trembles at Your word. (Isaiah 66:2b)
Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive me my sins and purify me from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
The Lord does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Thank You that You have said: Come now, let us reason together. Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red as crimson, They shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
Renewal
Lord, renew me by Your Spirit as I offer these prayers to You:
By Your grace, I want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)
May I be careful to lead a blameless life. May I walk in the integrity of my heart in the midst of my house. May I set no wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away; May it not cling to me. (Psalm 101:2–3)
With regard to my former way of life, may I put off my old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of my mind; and may I put on the new self, which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22–24)
May I consecrate myself and be holy, because You are the Lord my God. May I keep Your statutes and practice them, for You are the Lord who sanctifies me. (Leviticus 20:7–8)
Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
Petition
Father, using Your word as a guide, I offer You my prayers concerning dedication to You.
Since I have been raised with Christ, I should seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. May I set my mind on the things above, not on the things on the earth, for I died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is my life appears, then I also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1–4)
In view of God’s mercy, may I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is my reasonable service. May I not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove that the will of God is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1–2)
May I cast down arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of You, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
He who does not take his cross and follow after You is not worthy of You. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for Your sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38–39) May I take my cross and lose my life for Your sake.
May I trust in the Lord and do good; may I dwell in the land and feed on Your faithfulness. When I delight myself in the Lord, You will give me the desires of my heart. I will commit my way to the Lord and trust in You, and You will bring it to pass. You will bring forth my righteousness like the light, and my justice like the noonday. (Psalm 37:3–6)
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life And loves many days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are attentive to their cry. (Psalm 34:11–15) May I learn the fear of the Lord.
Show me Your ways, O Lord, Teach me Your paths; Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation, And my hope is in You all day long. Remember, O Lord, Your compassions and Your mercies, For they are from of old. (Psalm 25:4–6)
O Lord my God, may I fear You, walk in all Your ways, love You, and serve You with all my heart and with all my soul. (Deuteronomy 10:12)
Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come; Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give me today my daily bread, And forgive me my debts as I also have forgiven my debtors. And lead me not into temptation, But deliver me from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. (Matthew 6:9–13)
Pause here to express any additional personal requests, especially concerning growth in Christ:Greater desire to know and please Him Greater love and commitment to Him Grace to practice His presence Grace to glorify Him in my life
My activities for this day Special concerns
Intercession
Lord, I now prepare my heart for intercessory prayer for churches and ministries.
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and has given us eternal consolation and good hope by grace, comfort our hearts and strengthen us in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)
We should bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
Confess your sins to one other and pray for one other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much. (James 5:16)
In the spirit of these passages, I pray for:My local church Other churches Evangelism and discipleship ministries Educational ministries Special concerns
Affirmation
Feed my mind and heart, O Lord, as I affirm these truths from Your word concerning salvation:
You are the resurrection and the life. He who believes in You will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in You will never die. (John 11:25–26)
I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus my Lord. (Romans 8:38–39)
By grace I have been saved through faith, and this not of myself; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one can boast. For I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand for me to do. (Ephesians 2:8–10)
Your sheep hear Your voice, and You know them, and they follow You. You give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of Your hand. The Father, who has given them to You, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand. You and the Father are one. (John 10:27–30)
The Father has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. For He has rescued me from the dominion of darkness and brought me into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:12–14)
Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.
Thanksgiving
For who You are and for what You have done, accept my thanks, O Lord:
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; My soul will be joyful in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation And arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
My soul silently waits for God alone; My salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my stronghold; I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1–2)
I will both lie down in peace and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God is my rock; I will take refuge in Him, My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge— My Savior; You save me from violence. (2 Samuel 22:2–3)
Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.
Closing Prayer
Satisfy us in the morning with Your loyal love, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90:14)
The God of all grace, who called me to His eternal glory in Christ, after I have suffered a little while, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish me. To him be the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10–11)
To You who are able to keep me from falling and to present me before Your glorious presence faultless and with great joy—to the only God my Savior, through Jesus Christ my Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all ages and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24–25)
Boa, K. (1993). Handbook to prayer: praying scripture back to God. Atlanta: Trinity House.
When you become callous about life, and see ending it as compassionate, then how can you object when death becomes popular? And why wouldn’t you want “same day delivery“? And why wouldn’t you offer “compassion” to newborns too?
You can only object if you have some basis for morality and human worth. And God is the only basis for that. So, Church, we need to object to evil, but never stop at that – we must witness to the God Who gives us clarity!
ARPA Canada offers up three Reformed thinkers on the question. A couple of things they all agreed on is that the government is under God’s reign even when it doesn’t recognize Him, and the Church is to glorify Him in the public realm even when God is not welcomed there.
The US government recently cut their involvement with 66 international organizations. I can’t attest to how bad or good all 66 were, but the United Nations Population Fund and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change were among the biggest recipients of US funds. The first pushed a “population bomb” narrative that treated children as a curse on the planet, and not the blessing that God says they are (Ps. 127:3, Prov. 17:6), and the second did much the same, though more as a carbon-footprint curse.
In a related note, RP’s March selection for our Bucket List Book Club – which you can join here! – is Necessary Endings, about how sometimes the best way forward is by halting what just isn’t working.
Sports gambling isn’t harmless fun for anyone involved.
Many lose big – one study found “nearly 15% of bettors have used personal loans to fund wagers, while 12% have turned to high-interest payday loans.”
And if you win? That might be worse yet. Your money comes directly from someone else’s misery. You only win by someone else losing – it is a zero sum game. That’s why God wants us to have no part of gambling. We are to be productive – to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28) – creating wealth, and not simply “redistributing” the wealth of poor idiots into our own pockets.
Scott Shambaugh didn’t want AI writing for his outfit… and one autonomous AI agent didn’t like it and, without any human instructions to do so, wrote and posted an article to the ‘Net attacking Shambaugh.
I was recently asked this question by one of my children, shortly before I was asked to speak at a Valentine’s Brunch. A few days later I was asked to speak in our school’s elementary chapel. With this question in my head and Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I definitely knew my topic.
We talk about love a lot in our home. On the wall of our old home, we had Deuteronomy 6:5-7 as a wall decal, visible right as we walked in the front door and right before we could walk up the stairs to our bedrooms:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
We want the love of God to be the primary focus as we do everything we do as a family. This focus on loving God governs how we deal with sibling squabbles as well. We remind them of what the two most important commandments were, as Jesus answered the lawyer in Matthew 22:37-39:
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Thus, we ask our kids if they were loving their sibling when they did {whatever unkind act or word}. No. Our follow-up question is always, Then were you loving God?
All that to say, this brings up a lot of conversation about loving God when you live in a home with 4 kids (and 2 sinful adults as well!). So, when my child asked me this question, my first thought was to send her to the book of 1 John.
This letter was written by the apostle John, who also wrote the Gospel of John, along with 2 & 3 John. In his Gospel, John calls himself 5 times the apostle “whom Jesus loved.” What better person to write to others about loving God than the one who had experience firsthand the love of Jesus! He saw Jesus, touched Jesus, and heard the message Jesus proclaimed. He had fellowship with Jesus, and he wanted his readers to know the same love, message, and fellowship. I love reading this book, because I feel like John was talking like I do to my kids begging them to love God, encouraging them to look to Christ, and exhorting them to obey.
Without delving too deeply into the entire book, here are a couple of points, highlighting what John says about loving God.
We Must Know Who God Is.
God is Light.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).
Darkness is the opposite of light. In the next few verses, John describes what it means for people who claim to walk in the light, but actually walk in darkness. He describes them as liars who do not walk in the truth. He describes those who walk in the light as being cleansed from all sin.
So, in context, God’s being light is his sinless perfection. There is no darkness or sin in him at all. The first step in our loving God is recognizing the sinlessness of God. John places God’s light, his sinlessness, in stark contrast with our sin. In recognizing the sinlessness of God, we also must acknowledge our own sinfulness.
To deny our sinfulness is to deceive ourselves and to call God a liar—quite the opposite of loving him. To deny our sinfulness also in reality denies our need for a Savior, the very essence of how God showed his love for us.
God is Love.
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:8-10).
If someone is struggling with love for others and love for God, the real cause is that person’s lack of knowing God and knowing God’s love.
What John is calling people to do is to acknowledge their sin and the wrath that God has against it. As we do so, we can recognize the greatness of God’s love in sending his only Son to die for us so we can live (instead of die in our sins as our just punishment). Jesus gave himself up to be the propitiation—the appeasement of God’s wrath—for our sins. Herein is love!
If we know who God is—his sinless “light” and his sacrificial love—and if we believe that he died to take the penalty for the sin that we acknowledge is deserving of God’s wrath, how can we love him back?
We Must Obey Him.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are (1 John 3:1).
In loving us savingly, God makes us his children. Children should look like their Father. John exhorts believers to obey and not to sin repeatedly throughout the book. In fact, this is one of John’s very purposes in writing:
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin (1 John 2:1a).
But in the same breath (and same verse), he points us to hope for when we do sin:
But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1b).
In chapter 3, when he tells believers that they—the loved of God—are children of God, he calls us to make a practice of righteousness, like our advocate Jesus Christ the righteous. Again, he gives us hope for our failures:
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3:2-3).
We are going to fail in our obedience and our love; we are not now going to look like our Father as we should. But one day, when we do see him face to face, we will be like him. This very hope spurs us to purify ourselves.
This passage reminds me so much of my pleas with my own children. The encouragement and hope we have in Christ are mixed with the strong exhortations to persevere and obey:
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother (1 John 3:5-10).
John moves from this obedient practice of righteousness as evidence for knowing and loving God to another related evidence, loving other believers.
We Must Love Others.
John reminds his beloved readers that the message that we should love one another is nothing new. Cain is the prime example of lack of love for his own brother, and Cain showed his hatred by murdering his brother. John is very strong on this point.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (1 John 3:14-15).
To not love is to hate, and to hate is to be on the same level as a murderer. There is no middle ground. In contrast to the negative example of Cain and his hatred that led to taking a brother’s life, John gives us the positive example of Jesus and his love that led to giving up his own life for his brothers’.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers (1 John 3:16).
We must love our brothers to the point of death if need be. But as John so practically explains, love is often seen in simply giving of the world’s good that you have to a brother in need (cf. 1 John 3:17). This is how we love others and show God’s love to them. This is how we show the tangible love of an invisible God (cf. 1 John 4:12).
John calls us on us to love one another, because love is from God. If we struggle with loving others, it’s because we don’t know God (cf. 1 John 4:7-8). Or perhaps it’s because we’ve momentarily forgotten the extent of God’s love for us. When we are struggling to love others, we need to be motivated not by the worthiness of the person we are trying to love, but by the love of God for us:
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:9-11, emphasis added).
Knowing God. Believing in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Obeying God. Loving others. This is how we love God. May we better know the love of God for us in Christ Jesus so that we may love him better and love others like he loved us.
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Holly Huffstutler serves with her husband David, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Troy in Troy, MI. She has a master’s degree in Biblical Ministries and blogs with him here where this post first appeared. Holly is a homemaker, raising and putting her four children through school.
Each season has a lesson for us according to God’s design. Winter represents a period of rest as hidden growth takes place beneath the surface. Spring reveals renewal, long-awaited hope sprouting in our hearts once again.
If you’re winter weary, in need of rejuvenation, here are 4 spiritual lessons spring reveals about renewal.
1. It’s Time to Sow Righteousness
“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.” (Hosea 10:12)
Hosea 10:12 is one of those verses tucked in the middle of a passage that speaks of hard times. It offers a glimpse of renewal and gives specific actions to take:
-Sow in righteousness
-Reap the fruit of unfailing love
-Break up unplowed ground
-Seek the Lord
Those who garden know that the ground must first be turned over and debris removed before anything can be planted. Nutrients must be added to enrich the soil for growth. Only then will seeds sprout, take root, and produce fruit.
Spiritually, we are renewed by:
-Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
-Breaking up the fallow ground of poor habits and unhealthy routines
-Removing distractions such as social media and fruitless entertainment
-Adding nutrients to the soil of our minds through worship and the Word
-Planting the Scriptures in our hearts through repetition and memory
-Reaping the fruit of God’s unfailing love and sharing it with the world
Spring parallels our Christian walk, offering lessons in diligence, patience, and perseverance. Isn’t it time to seek the Lord in hard places? To break up the unplowed ground of our hearts to prepare for growth? Let’s continue to seek Him until He comes and showers righteousness on us.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)
I recently heard a social media influencer say she would do everything she could to stop the aging process. She mentioned Botox, surgeries, creams, and supplements, determined to find the fountain of youth.
However, we know how this story ends. We still grow old, our bodies wear down, and the fountain of youth remains a myth. The true fountain of youth is found only in the inner workings of the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Our bodies eventually waste away, but our inner selves are renewed day by day. As Paul said to the Corinthians, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV)
Before we see new life springing from the earth, many processes take place beneath the surface. But if we’re too focused on the visible, we might inadvertently destroy the hidden parts of growth. It’s wise for us to heed the lessons of spring, ensuring the deeper parts of us are cultivated more than outward appearance.
Here are a few Scriptures highlighting the importance of inner renewal:
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV)
“Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” (1 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV)
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30)
Prayer: Lord, my spirit yearns for renewal day by day. Please fill me anew and strengthen the inner parts of me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
During the winter months, some of us slip into a dormant state of mind, causing us to feel listless and depressed. Our thoughts spiral into negative cycles, often perpetuated by what we see in the world.
Paul warned the Christians in Rome not to conform to the patterns of the world, but instead, be transformed by the renewing of their minds. Though they weren’t lured by social media or the entertainment industry, they were tempted by cultural norms just as we are.
The lesson here is to refocus our attention on what matters most: God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will. Here are some questions to consider:
-What is God’s will for my life?
-With what has He gifted me to share with the world?
In every area of life, God has a plan, and it’s a perfect one. But often, we’re too distracted to determine what His will is. This spring, refocus your attention on what God desires. Spend time inquiring of Him. Ask: Where should I go? What should I do? What is Your purpose for me in this season? Recenter your attention on what matters most and find the renewal you seek.
Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for all the distractions that have captured my focus. I choose to silence them now and realign my heart with Your will. Speak, Lord, for I am listening. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord, my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord covers Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain. (Psalm 104:1–2)
Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies submit themselves to You. All the earth will worship You And sing praises to You; They will sing praise to Your name.” (Psalm 66:1–4)
The Lord is righteous in all His ways And gracious in all His works. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, And all flesh will bless His holy name for ever and ever. (Psalm 145:17–21)
Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.
Confession
Remember, O Lord, Your compassions and Your mercies, For they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; According to Your loyal love remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in His ways. The Lord guides the humble in what is right And teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth For those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. (Psalm 25:6–11)
O God, You know my foolishness, And my guilt is not hidden from You. May those who hope in You not be ashamed because of me, O Lord God of hosts; May those who seek You not be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel. (Psalm 69:5–6)
O Lord, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You. (Psalm 41:4)
Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; Save me, and I will be saved, For You are my praise. (Jeremiah 17:14)
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
I will cleanse them from all their iniquity they have committed against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities which they have committed against Me, and by which they have transgressed against Me. (Jeremiah 33:8)
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts, And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23–24)
Renewal
Lord, renew me by Your Spirit as I offer these prayers to You:
I am the Lord’s servant; let Your will be done in me according to Your word. (Luke 1:38)
Since the day of the Lord will come like a thief, what kind of person should I be in holy conduct and godliness as I look for and hasten the coming of the day of God? But according to His promise, I am looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, since I am looking for these things, may I be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless. (2 Peter 3:10–14)
May I not love with words or tongue, but in deed and in truth. By this I will know that I am of the truth and will assure my heart before Him; for if my heart condemns me, God is greater than my heart, and knows all things. If my heart does not condemn me, I have confidence before God and receive from Him whatever I ask, because I keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. (1 John 3:18–22)
Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Purify my mind and my heart; For Your lovingkindness is ever before me, And I have walked in Your truth. (Psalm 26:2–3)
Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
Petition
Father, using Your word as a guide, I offer You my prayers concerning my spiritual walk.
Since I live in the Spirit, may I also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)
May God fill me with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that I may walk worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power according to His glorious might, so that I may have great endurance and patience; joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. (Colossians 1:9–12)
The Lord my God, the Lord is one. May I love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4–5)
May I have no other gods before You. May I not make for myself an idol in any form. May I not take the name of the Lord my God in vain, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name. May I honor my father and my mother. May I not murder. May I not commit adultery. May I not steal. May I not bear false witness against my neighbor. May I not covet my neighbor’s house, my neighbor’s wife, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to my neighbor. (Exodus 20:3–17; Deuteronomy 5:7–21)
My struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, I will put on the full armor of God, so that I may be able to resist in the day of evil, and having done all, to stand. I will stand firm, having girded my waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod my feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace; above all, taking up the shield of faith with which I will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. I will take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition, I will pray always in the Spirit, and to this end I will be watchful with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13–18)
May my love abound more and more in full knowledge and depth of insight, so that I may be able to approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ—having been filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9–11)
As one who has been chosen of God, holy and beloved, may I put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with others and forgiving others even as the Lord forgave me; and above all these things, may I put on love, which is the bond of perfection. Let the peace of Christ rule in my heart, to which I was called as a member of one body, and let me be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in me richly as I teach and admonish others with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in my heart to God. And whatever I do, whether in word or in deed, may I do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:12–17)
Since I have a great cloud of witnesses surrounding me, may I lay aside every impediment and the sin that so easily entangles, and run with endurance the race that is set before me, fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. May I consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that I will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1–3)
May I consider all things loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. (Philippians 3:8–10)
I have not been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. I do not consider myself yet to have attained it, but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and stretching forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12–14)
May the proving of my faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, even though refined by fire, be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:7)
Pause here to express any additional requests, especially these personal concerns:Spiritual warfare The world The flesh The devil Growth in character Personal disciplines Physical health and strength
My activities for this day Special concerns
Intercession
Lord, I now prepare my heart for intercessory prayer for world affairs.
Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come; Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9–10)
The end of all things is near; therefore we should be clear minded and self-controlled for prayer. (1 Peter 4:7)
In the spirit of these passages, I pray for:The poor and hungry The oppressed and persecuted Those in authority Peace among nations Current events and concerns
Affirmation
Feed my mind and heart, O Lord, as I affirm these timeless truths from Your word:
“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I can be content in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)
No temptation has overtaken me except what is common to man. And God is faithful, who will not let me be tempted beyond what I am able, but with the temptation will also provide a way out, so that I may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to Him must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)
If I cry for discernment And lift up my voice for understanding, If I seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures, Then I will understand the fear of the Lord And find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice And protecting the way of His saints. (Proverbs 2:3–8)
Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.
Thanksgiving
For who You are and for what You have done, accept my thanks, O Lord:
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; With my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that Your lovingkindness will be built up forever, That You will establish Your faithfulness in the heavens. (Psalm 89:1–2)
Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring forth from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven. (Psalm 85:10–11)
I will watch in hope for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)
Blessed be the Lord, For He has heard the voice of my prayers. The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart greatly rejoices, And I will give thanks to Him in song. (Psalm 28:6–7)
Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.
Closing Prayer
May we rejoice, become complete, be of good comfort, be of one mind, and live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with us. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us. (2 Corinthians 13:11, 14)
Blessing and glory and wisdom And thanksgiving and honor and power and strength Be to our God for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 7:12)
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and has given us eternal consolation and good hope by grace, comfort our hearts and strengthen us in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)
Boa, K. (1993). Handbook to prayer: praying scripture back to God. Atlanta: Trinity House.
43 The statement “the LORD gave Israel” emphasizes God’s sovereign action. Israel’s obedient participation was essential, but it was always secondary. The land was God’s gift to Israel. All of Canaan was not yet in Israel’s possession, nor were all the enemies destroyed; nevertheless Israel was in control of “all the land.” It was securely in their hands. The promise of the land is a prominent theme in the history of the Patriarchs beginning with the call of Abraham (Gen 12:1–7). God’s oath to Abraham had now been fulfilled. The words “they took possession of it and settled there” speak of the fulfillment of the hopes and aspirations of God’s people. It is appropriate that the account of the Conquest and the division of the land begins (1:6) and ends on this note.
Madvig, D. H. (1992). Joshua. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, p. 353). Zondervan Publishing House.
43 This verse first of all recalls God’s promise that he would give the land to Israel, one of the leading motifs of the book (1:2–3, 6, 11, 13, 15; 2:9, 24; 5:6; 6:2, 16; 8:1, 7; 10:8, etc.). This giving of the land was in keeping with the oath sworn by God to the forefathers (1:6; cf. Gen. 24:7; 26:3; 50:24). This oath is also recalled in other books of the Pentateuch (Num. 11:12; 14:16, 23; Deut. 1:8, 35; 6:10, etc.). The view of a completed conquest and settlement in the land which God had given must also be seen against the background of the patriarchal stories which first mention the oath made to the forefathers. These patriarchs could not call any part of the land that God promised them their own except a grave or two in which to bury their beloved dead. Compared to that, how rich the fulfilment of the promise now appeared!
Woudstra, M. H. (1981). The Book of Joshua (p. 314). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
21:43 This verse must be read in the light of other Scripture. It does not mean that Israel occupied all the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates; instead, it means that the land which Joshua divided was in fulfillment of God’s promise that He would give them every place that the sole of their feet walked upon (Josh. 1:3).
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (A. Farstad, Ed.; p. 255). Thomas Nelson.
Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! —Psalm 100:2
As spring draws near, it is as though all creation bursts into life. Flowers bloom, trees blossom, grass grows, and weeds shoot up like they have been fertilized. Thus, it is time to break out the weed-eater, which soon leads to firing up the blower. These gas-powered instruments for beautifying the yard, however, cannot crank with just one tug on the pull cord. The engine requires priming, which involves pushing a small pump to deliver fuel, making the engine ready for combustion. Our hearts are like those cold engines. To be ready for worship, fired in our souls to give God the praise due His name, we need shots of truth, heart-focusing facts about the greatness of the Lord and His grace, so that our cold hearts would be roused to action. Psalm 100 can be such a primer for us.
Psalm 100 is the climax of a collection of psalms focused on the Lord as King. From the declaration of Psalm 93:1, “The Lord reigns,” to the reminder in Psalm 99:1, “The Lord reigns,” the psalmist has fixed the believer’s heart on the fact of the Lord’s present enthronement and future glory. These psalms are laden with gospel hope because they depict all the earth singing to the Lord (Ps. 96:1), and all the earth seeing the revelation of His righteousness (Ps. 98:1), which previews Paul’s declaration about the gospel in Romans 1:16–17 as the revelation of God’s righteousness.
But Psalm 100 is specifically a psalm for giving thanks, whereby those saved by the Lord now serve Him with gladness. Service, the very service given to God as we corporately come into His presence (and that is why we rightly call it a worship service), is the only appropriate action in view of the Lord’s saving mercies. But that action also requires a certain attitude: gladness. It’s the gladness associated with liberation seen in Isaiah 35:10: “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
It is obvious to us that we have not yet reached the day when sorrowing and sighing vanish. Nevertheless, King Jesus has brought everlasting joy with His redeeming mercies, and those who have been awakened by the Spirit of Christ must necessarily sing, make melody in their hearts, and give thanks (Eph. 5:18–20). It is our joy to be called before the living God to sing in His presence. However, if we are to prepare ourselves for this action, service, with this attitude, gladness, on what truths do we need to think?
The psalmist highlights eight things. First, “Know that the Lord, he is God” (Ps. 100:3). Move past an intellectual assent to God being God and know Him, set the eyes of your faith on who He is, see and embrace the truth about Him. He is the Lord, the covenant God, Yahweh. He is self-existent, independent, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. He is steadfast in His commitments. He’s not a man that He should lie (Num. 23:19). He is not weak, ignorant, limited, flawed, or confined to our thoughts of Him. He is sovereign. He is incomprehensible. He is the only living and true God. He triumphs over all so-called deities. There is none like Him. Know this fact and rest your soul in His prevailing rule as the promise-keeping King.
Second, know that “It is he who made us” (Ps. 100:3). He created us. He knit us together in our mother’s wombs. He designed everything about us. He formed our bodies. He is “the Father of spirits” (Heb. 12:9); the very one who breathed life into us giving us a soul. All that we are we owe to Him. Indeed, there is nothing we have which is not derived from Him. What do we have that we have not received (1 Cor. 4:7)? As the Maker, we thereby depend totally on Him. What power this declares to us! What boundless creativity! Each of us are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14), shaped by the master potter. And though the Lord stands over us as the transcendent Creator, He yet calls us to come into His presence. Marvel over this fact!
To be ready for worship we need shots of truth, heart-focusing facts about the greatness of the Lord and His grace.
Third, know that “we are his” (Ps. 100:3). He owns us by virtue of creation. He has a right to our service, our thanksgiving, our loyalty. He has enlivened us. He has directed us by His will. He has formed us for His glory (Isa. 43:7). And, while His creation right over us demands our devotion, His saving mercies all the more so! We are not our own. We have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19–20). Precious blood has been spilled, better blood than bulls and goats, the blood of His beloved Son. We come to serve with gladness as those freed from our sins by Jesus’ blood and made a kingdom and priests to God (Rev. 1:5–6).
Fourth, know that “we are his people” (Ps. 100:3). Our God is our ruler, and we have been designated by grace as His subjects. He is our King, our Judge, our Lawgiver. We are citizens of His kingdom bound to follow His directions for life. Moreover, He’s identified Himself with us. The great covenant declaration throughout the Scripture is “I will be your God, and you will be my people” (Gen. 17:7; Ex. 6:7; Lev. 26:12; Ezek. 36:28; Rev. 21:7). We’ve been drawn into a covenantal relationship, one filled with lavish grace. We are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” that we may proclaim his excellencies (1 Peter 2:9).
Fifth, know that we are “the sheep of His pasture” (Ps. 100:3). In choosing us, drawing us to Himself with cords of steadfast love, the Lord has stooped to take us under His tender care. It is not simply that He has made us and functions as our King. He is our Shepherd. He carries us near to His heart, gently leading the weak (Isa. 40:11). We are the objects of special affection, and He gives us all kinds of good things to enjoy. He feeds us, nourishes us, and protects us, and that protection will go beyond our farthest comprehension when the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). We are precious to the Lord, a crown of beauty, a royal diadem (Isa. 62:3), and as the Lover of our souls, He has given us refuge under the shadow of His wings (Ps. 17:8).
Sixth, after giving more commands to enter His gates, to give thanks and bless Him (Ps. 100:4), the psalmist says we should do so “for the Lord is good” (Ps. 100:5). Who can begin to describe the goodness of the Lord? He is good in Himself—namely, He’s kind (Titus 3:4), tender-hearted (Ps. 34:18), full of compassion (Ex. 34:6), boundless in mercy (Ps. 25:6; Eph. 2:4), lavishing grace (Eph. 1:8), and great in love (Eph. 2:4). This is who He is, and goodness is likewise what He does, as seen in Psalm 119:68: “You are good and do good.” The goodness of God’s works are seen in creation, providence, and redemption, and a sight His mercy over all He has made (Ps. 145:9), should compel believers to bless Him.
Seventh, a particular evidence of His goodness is that “his steadfast love endures forever” (Ps. 100:5). The Lord Himself is the fountain of living waters, and therefore all He is as a God of steadfast love can never run dry. His covenant loyalty, His dogged affection, can never wear out. His love is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him (Ps. 103:17). Even when hard providences come, when our hearts are heavy with grief, when the fiercest afflictions strike, still His steadfast love is new every morning (Lam. 3:22–23). How can that fact fail to fire your soul for worship?
Finally, in connection to His steadfast love, “his faithfulness [endures] to all generations” (Ps. 100:5). Not one word of all His good words will fall to the ground (Josh. 21:45; 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56). While everything we experience in this life fails us—flowers fade, offers expire, contracts run out, men prove unreliable—the Lord’s Word stands forever (Isa. 40:8). He will not renege on a promise. He is trustworthy. Therefore, when we come to worship, even if the darkness of a cursed world aims to pull us into despair, we have a future and hope, and these things resting on God’s faithful promise can never wear out. Oh, what gladness should erupt from our hearts! If we would give our Lord the thanks owed to Him, let us prime the pump of our heart with these truths from Psalm 100. Let us ready ourselves to resound with praise to our great God.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 4, 2022.
How great You are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that I have heard with my ears. (2 Samuel 7:22; 1 Chronicles 17:20)
O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven? Are You not the ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one is able to withstand You. (2 Chronicles 20:6)
For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. (Psalm 36:9)
O come, let us sing to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout for joy to Him with psalms. The Lord is the great God, The great King above all gods. O come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. He is our God and we are the people of His pasture And the sheep under His care. (Psalm 95:1–3, 6–7)
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be pleasing to Him; I will be glad in the Lord. (Psalm 104:33–34)
Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.
Confession
Out of the depths I have called to You, O Lord. O Lord, hear my voice, And let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. (Psalm 130:1–4)
You have been just in all that has happened to me; You have acted faithfully, while I did wrong. (Nehemiah 9:33)
I return to the Lord my God, For I have stumbled because of my iniquity. I take words with me and return to the Lord, Saying, “Take away all iniquity and receive me graciously, That I may offer the fruit of my lips.” (Hosea 14:1–2)
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness. God will not always strive with us, Nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve Or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His love for those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on His children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. You know how I am formed; You remember that I am dust. (Psalm 103:8–14)
Renewal
Lord, renew me by Your Spirit as I offer these prayers to You:
Who is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he comes. (Matthew 24:45–46)
May I watch and pray so that I will not fall into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
May I abide in Christ, so that when He appears, I will have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. (1 John 2:28)
May I be ready, for the Son of Man will come at an hour when I do not expect Him. (Matthew 24:44; Luke 12:40)
Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
Petition
Father, using Your word as a guide, I offer You my prayers concerning my need for wisdom.
May God grant me, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And may I, being rooted and grounded in love, be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16–19)
If I have found grace in Your sight, teach me Your ways, so I may know You and continue to find favor with You. (Exodus 33:13)
Whatever I do, may I do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
May I not let Your word depart from my mouth, but meditate on it day and night, so that I may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then I will make my way prosperous, and I will act wisely. (Joshua 1:8)
May I meditate on Your precepts And consider Your ways. May I delight in Your statutes, And not forget Your word. Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes that I may see Wonderful things from Your law. (Psalm 119:15–18)
Let me be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19–20)
May I guard my heart with all diligence, For out of it flow the issues of life. May I put away perversity from my mouth And keep corrupt talk far from my lips. May I let my eyes look straight ahead, And fix my gaze straight before me. May I ponder the path of my feet So that all my ways will be established. May I not turn to the right or to the left But keep my foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:23–27)
Let my light shine before men, that they may see my good deeds and praise my Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13–16)
May I do all things without complaining or arguing, so that I may become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom I shine as a light in the world, holding fast the word of life. (Philippians 2:14–16)
May I clothe myself with humility toward others, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. May I humble myself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt me in due time, casting all my anxiety upon Him, because He cares for me. (1 Peter 5:5–7)
Pause here to express any additional personal requests, especially concerning family and ministry:Family Ministry Sharing Christ with others Helping others grow in Him Career
My activities for this day Special concerns
Intercession
Lord, I now prepare my heart for intercessory prayer for missions.
Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men, for not all have faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1–2)
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, I will pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into His harvest. (Matthew 9:37–38; Luke 10:2)
In the spirit of these passages, I pray for:Local missions National missions World missions The fulfillment of the Great Commission Special concerns
Affirmation
Feed my mind and heart, O Lord, as I affirm these truths from Your word concerning my hope as a follower of Christ:
I do not lose heart; even though my outward man is perishing, yet my inner man is being renewed day by day. For this light affliction which is momentary is working for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while I do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are unseen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16–18)
Peace You leave with me; Your peace You give to me. Not as the world gives, do You give to me. I will not let my heart be troubled nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)
Those who wait for the Lord Will renew their strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary; They will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
I am always of good courage and know that as long as I am at home in the body, I am away from the Lord. For I live by faith, not by sight. I am of good courage and would prefer to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6–8)
Since I am a child of God, I am an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ, if indeed I share in His sufferings in order that I may also share in His glory. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to me. (Romans 8:17–18)
Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.
Thanksgiving
For who You are and for what You have done, accept my thanks, O Lord:
I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. (Psalm 9:1–2)
We give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. (Revelation 11:17)
I will sing of Your strength, Yes, I will sing of Your mercy in the morning, For You have been my stronghold, My refuge in times of trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises, For God is my fortress, my loving God. (Psalm 59:16–17)
Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.
Closing Prayer
Teach me to number my days, That I may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold From those who walk in integrity. O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You! (Psalm 84:10–12)
To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. (1 Timothy 1:17)
Boa, K. (1993). Handbook to prayer: praying scripture back to God. Atlanta: Trinity House.
Salt of the Earth and Light of the World (5:13–16)
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (5:13–16)
In these four verses the Lord summarizes the function of believers in the world. Reduced to one word, that function is influence. Whoever lives according to the Beatitudes is going to function in the world as salt and light. Christian character consciously or unconsciously affects other people for better or for worse. As John Donne reminds us, “No man is an island.” An ancient Greek myth tells of a goddess who came to earth unseen but whose presence was always known by the blessings she left behind in her pathway. Trees burned by forest fires sprouted new leaves, and violets sprang up in her footprints. As she passed a stagnant pool its water became fresh, and parched fields turned green as she walked through them. Hills and valleys blossomed with new life and beauty wherever she went. Another Greek story tells of a princess sent as a present to a king. She was as beautiful as Aphrodite and her breath was as sweet as perfume. But she carried with her the contagion of death and decay. From infancy she had fed on nothing but poison and became so permeated with it that she poisoned the very atmosphere around her. Her breath would kill a swarm of insects; she would pick a flower and it would wither. A bird flying too close would fall dead at her feet. Andrew Murray lived an exceptionally holy life. Among those on whom his influence was the greatest were his children and grandchildren. Five of his six sons became ministers of the gospel and four of his daughters became minister’s wives. Ten grandsons became ministers and thirteen grandchildren became missionaries. Woodrow Wilson told the story of being in a barbershop one time. “I was sitting in a barber chair when I became aware that a powerful personality had entered the room. A man had come quietly in upon the same errand as myself to have his hair cut and sat in the chair next to me. Every word the man uttered, though it was not in the least didactic, showed a personal interest in the man who was serving him. And before I got through with what was being done to me I was aware I had attended an evangelistic service, because Mr. D. L. Moody was in that chair. I purposely lingered in the room after he had left and noted the singular affect that his visit had brought upon the barber shop. They talked in undertones. They did not know his name, but they knew something had elevated their thoughts, and I felt that I left that place as I should have left a place of worship.” Many years ago Elihu Burrit wrote, “No human being can come into this world without increasing or diminishing the sum total of human happiness, not only of the present but of every subsequent age of humanity. No one can detach himself from this connection. There in no sequestered spot in the universe, no dark niche along the disc of nonexistence to which he can retreat from his relations with others, where he can withdraw the influence of his existence upon the moral destiny of the world. Everywhere his presence or absence will be felt. Everywhere he will have companions who will be better or worse because of him. It is an old saying, and one of the fearful and fathomless statements of import, that we are forming characters for eternity. Forming characters? Whose? Our own or others? Both. And in that momentous fact lies the peril and responsibility of our existence. Who is sufficient for the thought? Thousands of my fellow beings will yearly enter eternity with characters differing from those they would have carried thither had I never lived. The sunlight of that world will reveal my finger marks in their primary formations and in their successive strata of thought and life.” In Matthew 5:13–16 Jesus talks about the influence of His people on the world for God and for good. In His high priestly prayer Jesus said to His Father, “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.… As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (John 17:15–16, 18). John wrote, “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). Christ’s kingdom people are not to reflect the world but they are to influence the world; they are to be in it but not of it. When we live the life of the Beatitudes some people will respond favorably and be saved, whereas others will ridicule and persecute us. In the words of Paul, we will manifest “the sweet aroma of the knowledge of [Christ] in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life” (2 Cor. 2:14–16). In either case our lives have profound effects, and even persecution is not to alter our function in the world. We “are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). Though Jesus was speaking before a great multitude of people on the hillside, His teaching about kingdom life was primarily for His disciples, for those who believed in Him. His concern was for the all of the multitude, and in hearing His teaching on godly living many of them may have been drawn to faith. But the principles He teaches here are appropriate only for believers, for they are impossible to follow apart from the power of God’s own Spirit. Here is a mandate for Christians to influence the world. The Beatitudes are not to be lived in isolation or only among fellow believers, but everywhere we go. God’s only witnesses are His children, and the world has no other way of knowing of Him except through the testimony of what we are. The figures of salt and light emphasize different characteristics of influence, but their basic purpose is the same. They will both be studied from the aspects of the presupposition of the world’s corruption and darkness, the plan for believers’ godly dominion in the world, the problem of the danger of failure, and the purpose of glorifying God.
THE PRESUPPOSITION: CORRUPTION AND DARKNESS
The world needs salt because it is corrupt and it needs light because it is dark. G. Campbell Morgan said, “Jesus, looking out over the multitudes of His day, saw the corruption, the disintegration of life at every point, its breakup, its spoliation; and, because of His love of the multitudes, He knew the thing that they needed most was salt in order that the corruption should be arrested. He saw them also wrapped in gloom, sitting in darkness, groping amid mists and fogs. He knew that they needed, above everything else, … light” (The Gospel According to Matthew [New York: Revell, 1929], p. 46). The biblical world view is that the world is corrupted and decayed, that it is dark and darkening. “Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived,” Paul warns (2 Tim. 3:13). The world cannot do anything but get worse, because it has no inherent goodness to build on, no inherent spiritual and moral life in which it can grow. Year after year the system of evil accumulates a deeper darkness. A college student told me his professor had recently told the class that marriage was on the decline because man was evolving to a higher level. Marriage was something that man needed only at the lower stages of his evolutionary development. Now that man had ascended farther up the evolutionary scale, marriage was falling off just as his prehensile tail had done millions of years ago. Any person who knows the history of mankind, even the history of the past hundred years, and thinks that man is evolving upward is “deceiving and being deceived,” just as Paul said. Man has increased in scientific, medical, historical, educational, psychological, and technological knowledge to an astounding degree. But he has not changed his own basic nature and he has not improved society. Man’s knowledge has greatly improved, but his morals have progressively degenerated. His confidence has increased, but his peace of mind has diminished. His accomplishments have increased, but his sense of purpose and meaning have all but disappeared. Instead of improving the moral and spiritual quality of his life, man’s discoveries and accomplishments have simply provided ways for him to express and promote his depravity faster and more destructively. Modern man has simply invented more ways to corrupt and destroy himself. Many philosophers, poets, and religious leaders at the end of the last century had great optimism about man’s having come of age, about his inevitable moral and social improvement. They believed that Utopia was around the corner and that man was getting better and better in every way. The golden age of mankind was near. Wars would be a bad memory, crime and violence would disappear, ignorance would be gone, and disease would be eradicated. Peace and brotherhood would reign completely and universally. Few people today hold to such blind, unrealistic ideas. It was not many generations after the Fall that “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Because wickedness was so great, God destroyed every person but eight—and they were far from perfect. A few generations after that, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah became so rotten from the offspring of those eight that God destroyed them with fire and brimstone. Another day of judgment is coming when God will again rain fire on earth, but that destruction will be a holocaust such as men have never dreamed of. “The present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men … the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:7, 10). Man is infected with the deadly virus of sin, which has no cure apart from God. Yet unlike their attitude toward physical diseases, most men do not want their sin cured. They love their decadence and they hate God’s righteousness (cf. John 3:19–21). They love their own way and they hate God’s. Man’s knowledge is increasing by quantum leaps, but his increased knowledge is mechanical knowledge, inanimate knowledge, lifeless knowledge, knowledge that has no bearing on the inner man (cf. 2 Tim. 3:7). His knowledge does not retard his corruption but rather is used to intensify and defend it. Bertrand Russell devoted most of his 96 years to the study of philosophy. Yet at the end of his life he acknowledged that philosophy proved to be a washout, and had taken him nowhere. Nothing he had thought or had heard that other philosophers had thought had changed the world for the better. He felt that the basic causes of man’s problems, not to mention the solutions, had evaded the best minds of every age including his own. Some scientists have proposed that by surgery or careful electronic stimulation of the brain, a person’s bad impulses can be eradicated, leaving only the better part of his nature. Others propose that the ideal, crime-free, problem-free person will be developed by genetic engineering. But every part of every man is corrupt. He has no inherent, naturally good traits that can be isolated from the bad. His total nature is depraved. David knew that he was sinful from the moment of his conception. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Ps. 51:5). There is no good part in man from which a better can be constructed or from which his corrupt part can be isolated. Isaiah said, “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint” (Isa. 1:5), and Jeremiah labeled the heart as “more deceitful than all else” and as “desperately sick” (Jer. 17:9). We go on from war to greater war, from crime to greater crime, from immorality to greater immorality, from perversion to greater perversion. The spiral is downward, not upward (see Rom. 1:18–32). Despair and pessimism reign in our day, because the honest person knows that man has not been able to retard his descent. He hopes that he can just live out his own life before someone pushes the button that blows mankind into oblivion. A leading news magazine reported a few years ago that Americans tend to see themselves as potential saints rather than real-life sinners. Another leading magazine reported, “Today’s young radicals in particular are almost painfully sensitive to … wrongs of their society, and they denounce them violently. But at the same time they are typically American in that they fail to place evil in its historic and human perspective. To them evil is not an irreducible component of man; it is not an inescapable fact of life, but something committed by the older generation, attributable to a particular class or the establishment and eradicable through love or revolution” (Time, 5 December 1969). Just as every person is affected by the sin problem, every person also contributes to the sin problem.
THE PLAN: THE DOMINION OF HIS DISCIPLES
The church cannot accept the world’s self-centeredness, easy solutions, immorality, amorality, and materialism. We are called to minister to the world while being separated from its standards and ways. Sadly, however, the church today is more influenced by the world than the world is influenced by the church. In both verse 13 and verse 14 the pronoun you is emphatic. The idea is, “You are the only salt of the earth” and “You are the only light of the world.” The world’s corruption will not be retarded and its darkness will not be illumined unless God’s people are its salt and light. The very ones who are despised by the world and persecuted by the world are the world’s only hope. The you in both verses is also plural. It is His whole body, the church, that is called to be the world’s salt and light. Each grain of salt has its limited influence, but it is only as the church collectively is scattered in the world that change will come. One ray of light will accomplish little, but when joined with other rays a great light is created. Some years ago a magazine carried a series of pictures that graphically depicted a tragic story. The first picture was of a vast wheat field in western Kansas. The second showed a distressed mother sitting in a farmhouse in the center of the field of wheat. The accompanying story explained that her four-year-old son had wandered away from the house and into the field when she was not looking. The mother and father looked and looked all day but the little fellow was too short to see or be seen over the wheat. The third picture showed dozens of friends and neighbors who had heard of the boy’s plight and who had joined hands the next morning to make a long human chain as they walked through the field searching. The final picture was of the heartbroken father holding his lifeless son who had been found too late and had died of exposure. The caption underneath read, “O God, if only we had joined hands sooner.” The world is full of lost souls who cannot see their way above the distractions and barriers of the world and cannot find their way to the Father’s house until Christians join together as salt and light and sweep through the world in search of them. Our work is not simply as individual grains of salt or as individual rays of light but as the whole church of Jesus Christ. Are stresses being rather than doing. Jesus is stating a fact, not giving a command or request. Salt and light represent what Christians are. The only question, as Jesus goes on to say, is whether or not we are tasteful salt and effective light. The very fact that we belong to Jesus Christ makes us His salt and light in the world. Christ is the source of our savor and of our light. He is “the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9). “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world,” He said (John 9:5). But now that He has left the world His light comes to the world through those whom He has enlightened. We shine forth the reflected light of Christ. “You were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord,” Paul tells us; “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). We are God’s salt to retard corruption and His light to reveal truth. One function is negative, the other positive. One is silent, the other is verbal. By the indirect influence of the way we live we retard corruption, and by the direct influence of what we say we manifest light. Both salt and light are unlike that which they are to influence. God has changed us from being part of the corrupted and corrupting world to being salt that can help preserve it. He has changed us from our own darkness to be His agents of giving light to others. By definition, an influence must be different from that which it influences, and Christians therefore must be different from the world they are called to influence. We cannot influence the world for God when we are worldly ourselves. We cannot give light to the world if we revert to places and ways of darkness ourselves. The great blessings emphasized in verses 3–12 lead to the great responsibilities of verses 13–16. The blessings of heaven, comfort, inheriting the earth, being filled with righteousness, being given mercy, being called God’s children, and being given heavenly reward bring the responsibility of being His salt and light in the world.
BEING SALT
Salt has always been valuable in human society, often much more so than it is today. During a period of ancient Greek history it was called theon, which means divine. The Romans held that, except for the sun, nothing was more valuable than salt. Often Roman soldiers were paid in salt, and it was from that practice that the expression “not worth his salt” originated. In many ancient societies salt was used as a mark of friendship. For two persons to share salt indicated a mutual responsibility to look after one another’s welfare. Even if a worst enemy ate salt with you, you were obliged to treat him as a friend. Salt was frequently used in the ancient Near East to bind a covenant, somewhat in the way an agreement or contract is notarized in our day. When the parties to a covenant ate salt together before witnesses, the covenant was given special authentication. Though no particulars are given in the account, we learn from 2 Chronicles 13:5 that God made a covenant of salt with David. God prescribed that all sacrificial offerings in Israel were to be offered with salt “so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking” (Lev. 2:13). In numerous ways Jesus’ hearers—whether Greek, Roman, or Jewish—would have understood salt of the earth to represent a valuable commodity. Though most could not have understood His full meaning, they knew He was saying that His followers were to have an extremely important function in the world. Whatever else it may have represented, salt always stood for that which was of high value and importance. Many suggestions have been made as to the particular characteristics of salt that Jesus intended to associate with this figure. Some interpreters point out that salt is white and therefore represents purity. As the “pure in heart” (v. 8), Jesus’ disciples are to be pure before the world and are to be God’s means of helping purify the rest of the world. Their glistening white moral and spiritual purity is to contrast with the moral discolor of the world. Christians are to exemplify the divine standards of righteousness in thought, speech, and actions, remaining “unstained by the world” (James 1:27). All that is certainly true; but it does not seem to the point, because saltiness, not the color of salt, is the issue. Others emphasize the characteristic of flavor. That is, Christians are to add divine flavor to the world. Just as many foods are tasteless without salt, the world is drab and tasteless without the presence of Christians. Someone has even said, “We Christians have no business being boring. Our function is to add flavor and excitement to the world.” Christians are a means of God’s blessing mankind, including unbelievers, just as He sends His sun and rain on the righteous and unrighteous alike. There are certain senses in which that principle is true. An unbelieving marriage partner is sanctified by a believing spouse (1 Cor. 7:14), and God offered to spare Sodom for the sake of only ten righteous people, if that many could be found within it (Gen. 18:32). The problem with that view, however, is that, from the earliest days of the church, the world has considered Christianity to be anything but attractive and “flavorful.” It has, in fact, often found the most spiritual Christians to be the most unpalatable. In the world’s eyes, Christians, almost above all others, take the flavor out of life. Christianity is stifling, restrictive, and a rain on the world’s parade. After Christianity became a recognized religion of the Roman Empire, the emperor Julian lamented, “Have you looked at these Christians closely? Hollow-eyed, pale-cheeked, flat-breasted, they brood their lives away unspurred by ambition. The sun shines for them, but they don’t see it. The earth offers them its fullness, but they desire it not. All their desire is to renounce and suffer that they may come to die.” Oliver Wendell Holmes reportedly once said that he might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen he knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers. Sometimes the world is turned away from the church because Christians are hypocritical, self-righteous, judgmental, and truly boring by any standard. But even when the church is faithful—indeed, especially when it is faithful—the world does not value whatever taste or aroma it sees in Christianity. Paul reminds us that Christians are an “aroma from life to life” and “a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved,” but are an “aroma of death to death” among “those who are perishing” (2 Cor. 2:15–16). Because salt stings when placed in a wound, some interpreters believe that Jesus meant to illustrate just the opposite characteristic to that of flavor. Christians are to sting the world, prick its conscience, make it uncomfortable in the presence of God’s holy gospel. That analogy also has merit. The church frequently is so concerned with trying to please, attract, and excuse that its witness against sin is obscured and all but lost. We may be so concerned with not offending others that we fail to confront them with their lostness and their desperate need to be saved from their sin. A gospel that does not confront sin is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some years ago a young couple who came to me to be married said they knew the Lord had brought them together and given them to each other. The woman claimed to have been a Christian all her life, but her concept of salvation was that of trying to please God by doing the best she could. She admitted that, although she had filed for divorce because her husband had been unfaithful, she was still married to him. On further questioning, she admitted that she had been committing fornication with the young man she now wanted to marry. The young man claimed to be born again, but he saw no great wrong in their relationship and no reason why they should not be married in a Christian service. I told them that God could not possibly have brought them together because they were living contrary to His revealed will—and worse, trying to justify it. At that point they both got up and angrily stormed out of the office. The church cannot stand for the Lord if it does not stand for His Word, and when it stands for His Word its witness will often sting. Salt also creates thirst. Partly because it increases the body’s craving for water, salt tablets often are given to those who do hard work in excessive heat. Without proper intake of fluids, dehydration and even death may result. God intends for His people so to live and testify before the world that others will be made more aware of their spiritual dehydration and danger. A person may see our peace in a trying circumstance, or our confidence in what we believe, and thereby be persuaded to try our faith. I believe that all of the foregoing analogies have some validity. Christians are to be pure; they should add a certain attractiveness to the gospel; they should be true to God’s Word even when it stings; and their living should create a thirst for God in those who do not know Him. But I believe the primary characteristic Jesus emphasizes is that of preservation. Christians are a preserving influence in the world; they retard moral and spiritual spoilage. When the church is taken out of the world at the rapture, Satan’s perverse and wicked power will be unleashed in an unprecedented way (see 2 Thess. 2:7–12). Evil will go wild and demons will be almost unbridled. Once God’s people are removed it will take only seven years for the world to descend to the very pits of hellishness (see Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6–19). Until that day Christians can have a powerful influence on the welfare of the world. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes, “Most competent historians are agreed in saying that what undoubtedly saved [England] from a revolution such as that experienced in France at the end of the eighteenth century was nothing but the Evangelical Revival. This was not because anything was done directly, but because masses of individuals had become Christians and were living this better life and had this higher outlook. The whole political situation was affected, and the great Acts of Parliament which were passed in the last century were mostly due to the fact that there were such large numbers of individual Christians found in the land” (Studies in the Sermon on the Mount [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971], 1:157). As God’s children and as the temples of His Holy Spirit, Christians represent God’s presence in the earth. We are the salt that prevents the entire earth from degenerating even faster than it is. Helen Ewing was saved as a young girl in Scotland and gave her life completely to the lordship of Christ. When she died at the age of 22 it is said that all Scotland wept. She had expected to serve God as a missionary in Europe and had become fluent in the Russian language. But she was not able to fulfill that dream. She had no obvious gifts such as speaking or writing, and she had never traveled far from home. Yet by the time she died she had won hundreds of people to Jesus Christ. Countless missionaries mourned her death because they knew that a great channel of their spiritual strength was gone. She had risen every morning at five in order to study God’s Word and to pray. Her diary revealed that she regularly prayed for over three hundred missionaries by name. Everywhere she went the atmosphere was changed. If someone was telling a dirty story, he would stop if he saw her coming. If people were complaining, they would become ashamed of it in her presence. An acquaintance reported that while she was at Glasgow University she left the fragrance of Christ wherever she went. In everything she said and did she was God’s salt.
BEING LIGHT
Jesus also calls us to be light. You are the light of the world. Whereas salt is hidden, light is obvious. Salt works secretly, while light works openly. Salt works from within, light from without. Salt is more the indirect influence of the gospel, while light is more its direct communication. Salt works primarily through our living, while light works primarily through what we teach and preach. Salt is largely negative. It can retard corruption, but it cannot change corruption into incorruption. Light is more positive. It not only reveals what is wrong and false but helps produce what is righteous and true. In his introduction to the book of Acts, Luke refers to his gospel as “the first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach” (1:1). Christ’s work always has to do with both doing and speaking, with living and teaching. David wrote, “For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light we see light” (Ps. 36:9). “God is light,” John reminds us, “and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:5–7). Light is not given simply to have but to live by. “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path,” the psalmist tells us (Ps. 119:105). God’s light is to walk by and to live by. In its fullest sense, God’s light is the full revelation of His Word—the written Word of Scripture and the living Word of Jesus Christ. God’s people are to proclaim God’s light in a world engulfed in darkness, just as their Lord came “to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79). Christ is the true light, and we are His reflections. He is the Sun, and we are His moons. A free rendering of 2 Corinthians 4:6 could be, “God, who first ordered the light to shine in the darkness has flooded our hearts with His light. We now can enlighten men only because we can give them knowledge of the glory of God as we have seen it in the face of Jesus Christ.” God sheds His light on the world through those who have received His light through Jesus Christ. The Jews had long claimed to have God’s light, and He had long called them to be His light. But because they had ignored and rejected His light, they could not be His light. They were confident that they were guides “to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,” but Paul told them they were blind guides and lamps without light. “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?” he asks (Rom. 2:19–21). They had the light, but they were not living by it. “You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal?” Paul continues by way of illustration. “You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?” (vv. 21–22). We are to prove ourselves “to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom [we are to] appear as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). By its nature and by definition light must be visible in order to illuminate. Christians must be more than the largely indirect influence of salt; they must also be the direct and noticeable instruments of light. Both in the daytime and at night, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. It is exposed for all to see. By day its houses and buildings stand out on the landscape, and at night the many lights shining out of its windows make it impossible to miss. A secret Christian is as incongruous as a hidden light. Lights are to illuminate, not to be hidden; to be displayed, not to be covered. Christians are to be both subtle salt and conspicuous light. God did not give the gospel of His Son to be the secret, hidden treasure of a few but to enlighten every person (John 1:9). Many reject the light and reject those who bring it, but just as God offers His light to the whole world, so must His church. It is not our gospel but God’s, and He gives it to us not only for our own sakes but the entire world’s. True believers are salt and light, and must fulfill that identity.
THE PROBLEM: DANGER OF FAILURE
but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. (5:13b)
Much salt in Palestine, such as that found on the shores of the Dead Sea, is contaminated with gypsum and other minerals that make it taste flat and even repulsive. When a batch of such contaminated salt would find its way into a household and be discovered, it was thrown out. People would be careful not to throw it on a garden or field, because it would kill whatever was planted. Instead it would be thrown onto a path or road, where it would gradually be ground into the dirt and disappear. There is a sense in which salt cannot really become unsalty. But contamination can cause it to lose its value as salt. Its saltiness can no longer function. Jesus is not speaking of losing salvation. God does not allow any of His own to be taken from Him. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand,” Jesus assures us (John 10:27). Christians cannot lose their salvation, just as salt cannot lose its inherent saltiness. But Christians can lose their value and effectiveness in the kingdom when sin and worldliness contaminate their lives, just as salt can become tasteless when contaminated by other minerals. It is a common New Testament truth that although true believers are identified as righteous, godly, and salty, there are times when they fail to be what they are (cf. Rom. 7:15–25), which Peter says leads to loss of assurance (2 Pet. 1:9–10), not loss of salvation. With great responsibility there is often great danger. We cannot be an influence for purity in the world if we have compromised our own purity. We cannot sting the world’s conscience if we continually go against our own. We cannot stimulate thirst for righteousness if we have lost our own. We cannot be used of God to retard the corruption of sin in the world if our own lives become corrupted by sin. To lose our saltiness is not to lose our salvation, but it is to lose our effectiveness and to become disqualified for service (see 1 Cor. 9:27). Pure salt does not lose its saltiness, that which makes it valuable and effective. Christians who are pure in heart do not become tasteless, ineffective, and useless in the kingdom of God. Light, too, is in danger of becoming useless. Like salt, it cannot lose its essential nature. A hidden light is still light, but it is useless light. That is why people do not light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on a lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. The exemplary woman praised in Proverbs 31 does not let her lamp go out at night (v. 18). There was always illumination for anyone in the household who had to get up or find his way home during the night. A light that is hidden under a peck-sized basket cannot even be used to read by; it helps neither the person who hides it nor anyone else. Whether we hide our light because of fear of offending others, because of indifference and lovelessness, or because of anything else, we demonstrate unfaithfulness to the Lord.
THE PURPOSE: TO GLORIFY GOD
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (5:16)
The word (kalos) for good that Jesus uses here does not so much emphasize quality—though that obviously is important—as it does attractiveness, beautiful appearance. Letting our light shine before men allows them to see our good works, the beauty the Lord has worked in us. To see good works by us is to see Christ in us. That is why Jesus says, let your light shine. It is not something we create or make up, but something we allow the Lord to do through us. It is God’s light; our choice is whether to hide it or let it shine. The purpose of letting our light shine and reveal our good works is not to bring attention or praise to ourselves but to God. Our intent should be that, in what we are and in what we do, others may see God in order that they may glorify [our] Father who is in heaven. Jesus’ speaking of the Father emphasizes God’s tenderness and intimacy, and speaking of His being in heaven emphasizes His majesty and holiness, as He is pictured dwelling in the splendor of His eternal holy home. Our good works are to magnify God’s grace and power. This is the supreme calling of life: glorifying God. Everything we do is to cause others to give praise to the God who is the source of all that is good. The way we live should lead those around us to glorify (doxazō, from which we get doxology) the heavenly Father. When what we do causes people to be attracted to us rather than to God, to see our human character rather than His divine character, we can be sure that what they see is not His light. It is said of Robert Murray McCheyne, a godly Scottish minister of the last century, that his face carried such a hallowed expression that people were known to fall on their knees and accept Jesus Christ as Savior when they looked at him. Others were so attracted by the self-giving beauty and holiness of his life that they found his Master irresistible. It was also said of the French pietist Francois Fenelon that his communion with God was such that his face shined with divine radiance. A religious skeptic who was compelled to spend the night in an inn with Fenelon, hurried away the next morning, saying, “If I spend another night with that man I’ll be a Christian in spite of myself.” That is the kind of salt and light God wants His kingdom people to be.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1985–1989). Matthew (Vol. 1, pp. 235–247). Moody Press.
Do You Make Men Thirsty?
Matthew 5:13
In Matthew 5:13 we come to a new section of the Sermon on the Mount. We pass from a basically abstract definition of the Christian to a functional one. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” We all know the difference between an abstract definition of a thing and a functional definition, if we think about it. For instance, almost every dictionary definition of a word is abstract. We turn to the word “hunger” in Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary and read, “an uneasy sensation, occasioned normally by the want of food.” However, we could also define hunger functionally. We could also say, “Hunger is the one and a half billion people in this world who live always on the verge of starvation and who die at the rate of 15,000 daily as the result of malnutrition.” The second definition is anything but abstract. And, of course, it is better. In the same way the dictionary tells us that “justice” is “the principle of rectitude and just dealings of men with each other.” But we could also say that justice is enacting good laws, caring for the poor, raising children properly, and many other things. We have the same thing in the sphere of theology. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question, “What is God?” And it answers, “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.” But it is also true, even more true, that God is Jesus Christ who died for our sin and who rose again for our justification. The second definition in each of the cases I have mentioned gives us an understanding of the term in action; it produces the effect that Jesus produced by his further, functional definitions of the true Christian. “You are the salt of the earth.” “You are the light of the world.” By these definitions Jesus was saying that while it is true that the Christian is to be poor in spirit, mournful for sin, meek, thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, and disposed to make peace, nevertheless he is never to be these things in isolation from a very real and sharply antithetical world. He is to manifest those characteristics in the world. And what is more, he is to practice these things in a way that will affect the world positively, as salt affects the medium to which one applies it.
A Decaying World
This is of great significance for our understanding of the nature of true Christianity, especially in our present day. Jesus was saying, “Those who are my disciples should affect the world positively by the way in which they live.” But as I view the world today, there is not nearly enough of this positive action for good in the world by Christians, even though many people are aware that something of this nature is precisely what the world needs. At the end of the nineteenth century there was a feeling of confident optimism in the western world, based on the belief that an ongoing biological and philosophical evolution would eventually solve all man’s troubles and lead to something closely akin to the Greeks’ “Golden Age.” The idea was that all of human life was advancing and rising upward. Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes perceptively of this age, “It is indeed pathetic to read the prognostications of the thinkers (so-called), the philosophers and poets and leaders, towards the end of the last century.… Wars were going to be abolished, diseases were being cured, suffering was going to be not only ameliorated but finally eradicated. It was to be an amazing century. Most of the problems were going to be solved, for man had at last really begun to think. The masses, through education, would cease giving themselves to drink and immorality and vice. And as all the nations were thus educated to think and to hold conferences instead of rushing to war, the whole world was very soon going to be paradise. That is not caricaturing the situation; it was believed confidently.” Today, however, there are not many people who think like that. Where there was once a confident optimism, there is now real pessimism and acute despair. Even the ones who are still confident in some areas express their more limited optimism guardedly. There is an awareness that something more than a theory of progress is necessary, that there must, in fact, be something akin to a new life embodied in a new breed of men. This is what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers. And yet, what do we find? Instead of the active, permeating, preserving, and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ always operating in the world through all Christians, too many Christians are sitting on the sidelines without the “savor” provided by the Lord Jesus Christ and fit only—if we are to take Christ’s words literally—“to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” I am well aware that there are good historical reasons why an evangelical church that once gave fuel and impetus to the greatest social movements the world has seen has come to be outdistanced by others and at times even to be hostile to the applications of the gospel to the contemporary world. Daniel O. Moberg, author of the book, Inasmuch, lists ten reasons in his historical study of the neglect of the social aspects of the faith by evangelicals: a preoccupation with valid theological battles, a misinterpretation of the prophecies that in the last days things on this earth will get worse to mean that they will never in any circumstances get better, a belief that social concerns are antithetical to a concern for the salvation aspects of the church’s message, a concern for personal piety, the idea that politics are intrinsically “dirty,” a growing conformity to the world’s standards in business and political life by Christians, and other things also. But the explanation does not excuse the situation in which we find ourselves today. Nor does the situation itself negate the moral imperatives of Christ’s teachings. According to Jesus, the Christian is clearly to influence his society. And this must be true wherever the principles of the gospel impinge upon the religious, political, economic, or social issues of the Christian’s community.
Uses of Salt
All this falls into a much clearer focus when we consider the actual uses of salt, particularly those that were most valued in ancient times. First, in Christ’s day and for many centuries thereafter (in fact, until nearly modern times), salt was the most common of all preservatives. There were no refrigerators in ancient times, no deep-freeze units. The Mediterranean world was largely tropical. In such a climate and in the face of such conditions, salt was used to keep things from going bad and becoming rotten, particularly meat. It was able to resist spoilage and keep putrefaction at bay. When Jesus said that those who followed him were the salt of the earth, therefore, he was teaching that the world apart from God is rotten because of sin, but that through his power his disciples were able and actually obliged to have a preserving and purifying effect upon it. Do you see this clearly? If you do, the principles involved in this statement will keep you from the two opposing errors that have always gone along with programs to express the Christian’s social responsibility. The first error is the thought that the world is basically good and will gradually become better and even perfect through Christian social action. In opposition to this understanding, Christ says that the world is basically rotten. This means that even though it may appear healthy for a time, it is dead spiritually. It means that the life has gone out of the body and that the microbes of sin will eventually (if left to themselves) reduce it to a stinking, unapproachable carcass. The other error is the view that because this is so, because the world is rotten, the Christian should try to disassociate himself from the world as much as possible, retreating to a monastery or to one of our white (or black), middle-class, self-protecting churches. And he should let the world go to hell. The answer to this error is that the Christian is to be a preserving force in the world wherever God has placed him. The salt never did any good when it was sitting on one shelf and the meat on another. To be effective, the salt had to be rubbed into the meat. In a similar way, Christians must allow God to rub them into the world. And this means that they must be Christians at work, Christians in politics, Christians at home, Christians everywhere else that a normal life in their own society would take them. “Oh,” someone says, “that would mean that I would have to be taken out of the salt shaker and spread around, and I might get dirty and even seem to dissolve or disappear!” Yes, that is what it means. But God is the One who provides the flavor, and the flavor does not disappear when the salt is dispensed or dissolved. In fact, there is even a sense in which the salt must dissolve if the flavor is to be released, and for this reason God sometimes shakes the salt shaker through persecutions so that the salt will fall out and let this happen. Sometimes it will mean that we shall have to dissolve to our own interests, that we shall have to extend ourselves in areas of the world where we do not see many Christians. We shall feel lonely and even depressed, but that is where the salt is active. I should add a fact that is well known to the medical world. If a body does not give off salt through perspiration, what happens? It retains water, and it becomes bloated. In the same way, the church will become bloated and desperately unhealthy if the salt is not dispersed in this work of preservation.
Source of Flavor
There is a second thing that salt is good for, and that is to provide flavor. The Christian, through the life of Jesus Christ within and the verities of the gospel, is to lend flavor to a flavorless, insipid world. The pleasures of the world are unsatisfying without Jesus Christ. They fill for a time. But they are rather like a Chinese dinner, and the person is soon left empty again. Consequently, those who pursue them are doomed to a constant and relentless search for that which will never satisfy the true hunger and desire of their soul. Christians are to be present as those who know something different and whose satisfaction in Christ can be seen and known by their unbelieving contemporaries. Unfortunately, it often has been the other way around. Non-Christians have looked at Christians and have said, “What an insipid bunch of people; I would never want to be like one of them.” The nineteenth century poet and critic A. C. Swinburne wrote of Jesus: “Thou hast conquered, O pale Galilean; the world has grown grey from thy breath.” Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers.” And the poet and author Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote in his diary, as if he were expressing an exceptional fact, “I have been to church today, and am not depressed.” Those are honest remarks by people who have seen an insipid Christianity. And if they or their followers are to see something different, they must see it in the only place it can or will be seen—in us. They must see it in you and in me. Do you go around with a long face as if the world and everything you know are depressing? Or do you go about as one who bears within the Spirit of the living God? The second is your true responsibility. It is by doing that, that you show forth the flavor of Christ and Christianity.
Thirst of the Soul
The third thing that salt does is to make one thirsty. And this leads us to ask: Do you make anyone thirsty for Jesus Christ? The non-Christian tends to feel self-satisfied even if he is not, and he naturally goes through life telling himself that circumstances are wonderful. But when a Christian comes into his sphere of vision, there should be that evidence of joy, satisfaction, and peace that makes him look up and say, “That’s what I want; that is what I want to be like!” Can that be said of you? Do you make men thirsty for Jesus Christ? In ancient times during the Feast of Tabernacles in the city of Jerusalem it was the custom for the priests to go to the pool of Siloam each day and to return bearing large containers of water that were then emptied upon the altar in the temple. This happened for seven days during the feast. On the last day the ceremony was repeated seven times. On that day, during the Feast of Tabernacles in the year that he attended, Jesus Christ stood up and cried in a loud voice, “If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37–38). It is true, Jesus Christ can satisfy the great thirst of the human soul. Your responsibility is not to satisfy the thirst yourself, but to point men to Jesus Christ. If you do that, out of you will flow his life and character, and others will see him and be satisfied.
A Common Substance
I am sure you already have anticipated the last point of this study, for you have doubtless recognized that salt is one of the most common things of life. It is found everywhere. And hence, when Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth,” he was saying, “I delight to use little things.” He did not say, “You are the gold of the earth.” He did not say, “You are the uranium of the earth.” He did not even say, “You are the lead,” although Christians sometimes resemble lead far more than we like to admit. He said, “You are the salt”—a common substance. It is from the common things—from the weak, the foolish, the despised, the things that are not (1 Cor. 1:26–29)—that God brings the greatest glory to his name. We see that throughout Scripture. When God made man in the Garden of Eden, what did he use? Gold? Silver? Iron? No, he used dust. But he breathed into the dust the divine breath of life. When God spoke to Moses in the desert to call him to come forth to be the deliverer of the people of Israel from Egypt, how did he reveal himself? In a dazzling theophany? In thunder and lightning? In an overpowering vision? No, he revealed himself in a burning desert bush. When God called David to deliver the Israelites from the Philistine tyranny, did he make use of Saul’s armor? No, he used a sling and a few small stones. And when Jesus Christ was born, God did not allow him to be born in the courts of the Caesars or of a woman of noble ancestry and great culture. He chose a peasant girl, who was probably illiterate, and she gave birth to Jesus Christ in a stable. God uses the small things and the small people. God uses you and me that he might do his work in the world. As a matter of fact, the smaller you can become, the more effective his work in you will be. Do you know what we are to be? We are to be picture frames within which Jesus Christ is to be seen. God is not interested in its being a gold frame or a beautifully carved frame. He is just interested in its being an empty frame, because he knows that when you come to him with that, he can put Christ there. And when people look at you, they will see Jesus.
Boice, J. M. (2002). The Sermon on the Mount: an expositional commentary (pp. 61–66). Baker Books.
As to salt, Jesus says: 13. You are the salt of the earth. Though salt has many characteristics: whiteness, pungency, flavor, preservative power, etc., it is probably especially the last quality, the potency of salt as an antiseptic, a substance that prevents and retards decay, upon which the emphasis falls here, though the subsidiary function of imparting flavor must obviously not be excluded (see Lev. 2:13; Job 6:6; Col. 4:6). Salt, then, has especially a negative function. It combats deterioration. Similarly Christians, by showing themselves to be Christians indeed, are constantly combating moral and spiritual decay. How often does it not happen that when a believer suddenly steps into a crowd of worldly individuals the off-color joke by which someone was about to entertain his companions is held back, the profanity is left unspoken, the wicked plan remains unexecuted? To be sure, the world is wicked. Yet God alone knows how far more corrupt it would be without the restraining example, life, and prayers of the saints (Gen. 18:26–32; 2 Kings 12:2). Salt acts secretly. We know that it combats decay, though we cannot see it perform its task. Its influence is very real nonetheless. Continued: but if the salt becomes tasteless, what will make it salty again? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown away and trampled underfoot by men. The salt from the marshes and lagoons or from the rocks in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea easily acquires a stale or alkaline taste, because of its mixture with gypsum, etc. It is then literally “good for nothing” but to be thrown away and trampled underfoot (cf. Ezek. 47:11). Jesus, as he walked on earth, saw many Pharisees and scribes, people who advocated a formal, legalistic religion in the place of the true religion proclaimed by the ancient prophets in the name of the Lord. Thus by and large the salt had lost its flavor in the religious life of Israel. Many “sons of the kingdom” would be cast out (Matt. 8:12). The implication is clear. Just as salt having lost its flavor cannot be restored, so also those who were trained in the knowledge of the truth but who then resolutely set themselves against the exhortations of the Holy Spirit and become hardened in their opposition are not renewed unto repentance (Matt. 12:32; Heb. 6:4–6). Therefore, let that which is named salt be salt indeed! Ever so many people who never read the Bible are constantly reading us! If in our conduct we are untrue to our calling our words will avail very little. We have seen that in the main salt has a negative function and acts secretly. Light, on the other hand, has a positive function and shines openly, publicly. The two metaphors therefore complement each other. As to light Jesus says: 14a. You are the light of the world. Light in Scripture indicates the true knowledge of God (Ps. 36:9; cf. Matt. 6:22, 23); goodness, righteousness, and truthfulness (Eph. 5:8, 9); joy and gladness, true happiness (Ps. 97:11; Isa. 9:1–7; cf. 60:19). It symbolizes the best there is in learning, love, and laughter, as contrasted with darkness, that is, the worst there is in dullness, depravity, and despair. When light is mentioned, sometimes one quality—for instance, revealed knowledge—is emphasized; then again another, depending on the context in each case. In certain instances the meaning of the word “light” may even be broader than any one quality would indicate. It may be sufficiently comprehensive to include all the blessings of “salvation” (cf. Ps. 27:1; Luke 1:77–79). So, perhaps, also here in 5:14. The statement, “You are the light of the world” probably means that the citizens of the kingdom not only have been blessed with these endowments but are also the means used by God to transmit them to the men who surround them. The light-possessors become light-transmitters. Collectively believers are “the light.” Individually they are “lights” (luminaries, stars, Phil. 2:15). Both ideas may well have been included in the words as spoken by Jesus, though the emphasis is on the collective. However, Christians are never a light in and by themselves. They are light “in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8). Christ is the true, the original “light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:35, 36, 46; 2 Cor. 4:6; cf. Ps. 27:1; 36:9; 43:3; Isa. 49:6; 60:1; Luke 1:78, 79; 2:32). Believers are “the light of the world” in a secondary or derived sense. He is “the light lighting” (John 1:9). They are the light lighted. He is the sun. They resemble the moon, reflecting the sun’s light. Apart from Christ they cannot shine. The electric bulb does not emit light all by itself. It imparts light only when connected and turned on, so that the electric current generated in the power-house is transmitted to it. So also as long as Christ’s followers remain in living contact with the original light they are a light to others (cf. John 15:4, 5). Now since it is the business of the church to shine for Jesus, it should not permit itself to be thrown off its course. It is not the task of the church to specialize in and deliver all kinds of pronouncements concerning economic, social, and political problems. “The great hope for society today is in an increasing number of individual Christians. Let the Church of God concentrate on that and not waste her time and energy on matters outside her province.” This is not to say that an ecclesiastical pronouncement revealing the bearing of the gospel upon this or that not specifically theological problem is always to be condemned. There may be situations in which such an illuminating public testimony becomes advisable and even necessary, for the gospel must be proclaimed “in all its fulness” and not narrowly restricted to the salvation of souls. But the primary duty of the church remains the spreading forth of the message of salvation, that the lost may be found (Luke 15:4; 1 Cor. 9:16, 22; 10:33), those found may be strengthened in the faith (Eph. 4:15; 1 Thess. 3:11–13; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18), and God may be glorified (John 17:4; 1 Cor. 10:31). Those who, through the example, message, and prayers of believers, have been converted will show the genuine character of their faith and love by exerting their influence for good in every sphere.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Vol. 9, pp. 282–285). Baker Book House.
The title of this article is certainly provocative. Why is it provocative? Where do we begin? The universe, of course. The world would say it’s common sense that the sheer size of the universe HAS to have life on other planets, DUH!
There are billions and trillions of stars and galaxies throughout the universe. To think we are the only ones here seems ludicrous, almost laughable to the world. That’s the way you think when you do not recognize there is a Creator God. They deny the Supernatural and try to force everything to be natural, including the universe through the Big Bang.
So, let’s examine the universe. The Bible tells us Creator God created it. The world says it created itself through the Big Bang and that all life finally began after trillions of years. Let’s stop right here and bring up two things that are so IMPOSSIBLE in the natural that no one can honestly deny them.
One, it is impossible for something to come from nothing, period. It takes something to create something else. Everything “visible” was created by a creator, whether it is the universe or a chair.
Two, it is impossible for nonlife to create life. The universe is composed almost completely of dark energy, dark matter, and ordinary matter, all of which are nonlife. The world has to go out on a mighty long limb to think the Big Bang came from “nothing” and that a nonlife universe can create “all life” – especially human beings who have body, soul, spirit and a past, present and future.
The truecommon-sense answer of how the universe came into being is by a Supernatural Creator God versus a natural universe on its own. Creator God has always existed, no matter how difficult it is for us to understand that. He not only created the universe but also created all LIFE in the universe.
This article is about biblical verification that there is no alien life in the universe. The world thinks otherwise, and there is a pretty good reason for that. For the past several decades, there has been an ever-increasing number of UFO sightings, now called UAP sightings – unidentified aerial phenomena. There have been hundreds of books, movies and TV shows all about aliens throughout the universe.
The most logical explanation for many of these sightings has to be they are aliens from other planets. However, assuming they exist, a more reasonable explanation is that they are beings from a different dimension, a spiritual dimension, versus another planet.
Genesis 6 tells us about some fallen angels who somehow were allowed to come to Earth and actually mate with women. They produced hybrid human beings known as the Nephilim or “giants.”
The Bible indicates they were so pervasive on Earth that they polluted the bloodline of the human race. Because of this corruption, God brought the flood to start over again with Noah and his family who had not been polluted with the fallen angels’ bloodline.
I bring this up to show these “beings” were here during the days of Noah, and Jesus says in Matthew 24:37-51 NIV, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. [Jesus’ Second coming] For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Jesus is saying that similar to what was going on in the days of Noah, so it shall also be in our day right before His Second coming.
It’s interesting that most of us know that we are living in the last of the last days. Many people feel that the rapture, tribulation and Jesus’ Second coming are very near. Over the past few decades, we have seen a proliferation of these UAP sightings. Spiritual beings make more sense than aliens from other planets.
To understand why the Bible shows there are no aliens on other planets, we first need to set the stage. Establishing a proper context helps clarify the answer.
To understand the mystery of the universe, we have to know ONE THING – WHY did God create the universe in the first place? The good news is God gives us that answer in His Word of God Bible.
Genesis 1:1 NIV says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” It also tells us that God’s first creation was His angels. Lucifer, who was God’s highest angel, wanted to be worshipped like God and rejected what God had established. One-third of the angels chose to rebel alongside him and fell as well.
God is eternal and dwells inside eternity. God has no beginning or end. Eternity has no beginning or end. GOD DID NOT CREATE ETERNITY. This means God and eternity are “linked together.” You could also say God “is” eternity through this connection.
There is no sin in God’s eternity. There is no death. Because there is no death, there is no “atonement” for the fallen angels where a sinless life could die to pay the price for their sin.
What happens in eternity stays in eternity. This explains why there is no redemption for the fallen angels. For those of you who follow near death experiences, one of the common comments from many of them is there is a “barrier” they could not go beyond or else they would not be able to return. That barrier is eternity. There is no revolving door between God’s eternity and the universe.
The Bible shows following the fall of one-third of God’s angels, God decided to create the human race. Now we are beginning to understand why God had to create the universe.
Because God knows the future, He knew what would happen after creating the human race through Adam and Eve. He knew they would disobey Him and sin by eating the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. The Bible shows us that God’s plan is to spend eternity on EARTH with us human beings, beginning with Adam and Eve. Eve blamed the serpent Satan for deceiving her and causing her to eat the fruit. Adam blamed Eve for giving him the fruit. They played the blame game.
God then had a conversation with Satan in Genesis 3:15 NCSB, where He said, “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.”
This is where our sin nature comes from. There are only two seeds needed to create a human being – the seed from the man and the seed from the woman. God just told Satan He is going to come between YOUR SEED (Satan’s) and her seed (woman’s). God has just said that man’s seed has become Satan’s seed following Adam’s sin, which explains why we are born with a sin nature from “only” Adam’s seed, not woman’s seed. Adam was God’s “original creation,” and thus, He alone is responsible for the original sin. God made Eve from Adam.
This also explains why Jesus could not have a biological sinful human father or He, too, would have been born with a sin nature like everyone else. But with the Holy Spirit God as His biological Father, He could be born from a woman with a sin nature and still be born without sin due to God being His biological Father.
So, God knowing all of this in advance, brings us back to His creation of the universe. Remember, God dwells in “sinless” eternity, and there is no way He could ever allow human beings who are born with a sin nature to be born “inside” eternity or we would all be lost forever with our sin nature inside eternity at birth. Don’t forget, what happens in eternity stays in eternity.
So God does something He’s never done before. He creates the universe. Why? Solely for us human beings. God now needs to create a “place” outside of eternity that can “accommodate sin” as well as life and death, good and evil, etc. Think of the vast universe as a small bubble outside of eternity. One of the main purposes of the universe is to create TIME as well as life and death. God knew that He needed a “place” where His Son, God Jesus, could come to and actually die to save the human race.
God also knew that human beings would need TIME after birth to come to know Him. He understood that they would need the opportunity to enter into a personal and intimate relationship with Him. This relationship would be made possible through Jesus, who sacrificed His life on the cross to pay the price for the sins of mankind. Jesus loves everyone. Those who love Him in return – by repenting of their sins and inviting Him to be their Lord and Savior – are saved. He paid the price for all their sins – past, present, and future.
Remember, only no sin is allowed into God’s eternity in heaven. At death, those who belong to Jesus enter eternity free from sin. Those who do not belong to Jesus enter eternity still in sin, which separates them from God. They will spend eternity in hell, a place of torment.
Knowing all of these things the Word of God Bible tells us, it should start to bring about a new understanding of how the universe is designed to fit into God’s plan for the human race.
So, how does this prove there is no alien life anywhere else? Does the Bible say there is no alien life anywhere else? Maybe God created life in other parts of the universe and simply did not tell us about it in the Bible. IF there was life on – say one thousand other planets – it would have to be life that God created. Would that mean Jesus would have to go to those one thousand planets and die on a cross for them, too? Is that possible? NO, it is not possible for a couple of good reasons, which the Bible directly and indirectly shows us.
First, the Bible DIRECTLY tells us that God’s plan is to spend eternity on Earth with us humans alone and not aliens from other planets. Many believe His plan is delayed for around 7,000 years due to the sin of Adam. The Bible tells us that following Jesus’ Second coming and His one-thousand-year millennial reign, the human race will come to an end following God’s great white throne judgment, and there will be no more human beings and no more sin.
It is at this point that God will create ANOTHER new heavens and earth with NO SIN. God then no longer needs a universe that can accommodate sin, and this is why He creates a new heavens and earth without sin.
We now get to the INDIRECT reason there are no aliens in the universe. Since God is going to destroy our current universe and earth in the future, if there was alien life elsewhere throughout the universe, that would mean they all would be destroyed when God destroys this universe. Does that sound like something God would do? That is a rhetorical question.
Of course, all of these answers come from God’s Word of God’s Bible, which the world at large rejects. The Bible has proven and verified itself as the only book ever written by God. It contains hundreds, if not thousands, of prophecies written in advance of future events. Yet the world largely ignores and rejects these prophecies, doing so at their own peril.
I personally think God created the universe to seem infinitely vast, as it is to show beyond a shadow of a doubt He exists and there is NO excuse for not knowing Him. Scripture verifies this. Romans 1:20 NIV says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
God’s whole plan is to connect us to Himself through the Holy Spirit. The goal is for us to become His bride as we await Jesus. Soon, in the rapture, He will take us back to heaven for our wedding celebration and feast.
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This information and much more is covered in my book – God’s Plan for Heaven, Eternity and the Universe Explained – Conversational Style. It is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Google it for reviews. Thank you.
According to David, the greatest thing we can ask of God is to gaze upon His beauty: “One thing I have asked from Yahweh, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Yahweh and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4, LSB).
The new heavens and earth will provide the eternal answer to David’s prayer. There will be no temple there, because we will always have direct access to God. To see God will be to know Him, and then to see ourselves, and all other people and events, through His eyes.
As I share in this video, we will spend all of eternity learning more about our magnificent God:
Jesus said to His disciples, “Learn from me” (Matthew 11:29). On the New Earth, we’ll have the privilege of sitting at Jesus’ feet as Mary did, walking with Him over the countryside as His disciples did, always learning from Him. In Heaven we’ll continually learn new things about God, going ever deeper in our understanding.
Consider the Greek words ginosko and epiginosko, translated “know” in 1 Corinthians 13:12, used of our present knowledge on Earth and our future knowledge in Heaven: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” Ginosko often means “to come to know,” and therefore “to learn” (Matthew 10:26; John 12:9; Acts 17:19; Philippians 2:19). Epiginosko also means “to learn” (Luke 7:37; 23:7; Acts 9:30; 22:29). That we will one day “know fully” could well be understood as “we will always keep on learning.”
Consider Ephesians 2:6-7: “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace.” The word show means “to reveal.” The phrase in the coming ages clearly indicates this will be a progressive, ongoing revelation, in which we learn more and more about God’s grace.
We will spend eternity worshipping, exploring and serving our great God, seeing His breathtaking beauty in everything and everyone around us!
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God, Because praise is pleasant and beautiful. (Psalm 147:1)
Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. He changes the times and the seasons; He raises up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. (Daniel 2:20–22)
O God, You are my God; Earnestly I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My body longs for You, In a dry and weary land Where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary And beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods, And my mouth will praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You through the watches of the night. Because You have been my help, I will rejoice in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:1–8)
The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock of my salvation! (2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 18:46)
Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.
Confession
O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger Or chasten me in Your wrath. Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in distress. My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord, how long? (Psalm 6:1–3)
Woe to me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 6:5)
There is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good And never sins. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
Truly I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. (Joshua 7:20)
If I claim to be without sin, I deceive myself, and the truth is not in me. If I confess my sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive me my sins and purify me from all unrighteousness. If I claim I have not sinned, I make Him a liar and His word is not in me. (1 John 1:8–10)
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
I will sing praises to the Lord And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, But His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:4–5)
Renewal
Lord, renew me by Your Spirit as I offer these prayers to You:
May I love the Lord my God, obey His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is my life and the length of my days. (Deuteronomy 30:20)
May I be holy to You, for You the Lord are holy, and You have set me apart to be Your own. (Leviticus 20:26)
I have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. Therefore, may I put away all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. (1 Peter 1:23; 2:1)
Since I call on the Father who judges each man’s work impartially, may I conduct myself in fear during the time of my sojourn on earth. (1 Peter 1:17)
Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
Petition
Father, using Your word as a guide, I offer You my prayers concerning these practical exhortations.
May the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give me a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the full knowledge of Him, and may the eyes of my heart be enlightened, in order that I may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of His power toward us who believe. God’s power is according to the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:17–21)
May I rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for me in Christ Jesus. May I examine all things, hold fast to the good, and abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, 21–22)
I will consider it all joy whenever I fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of my faith produces endurance. And I will let endurance finish its work, so that I may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. If I lack wisdom, may I ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to me. (James 1:2–5)
May I be steadfast, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that my labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
May I be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power as I put on the full armor of God, so that I will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10–11)
May I prepare my mind for action and be self-controlled, setting my hope fully on the grace to be brought to me at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As an obedient child, may I not conform myself to the former lusts I had when I lived in ignorance, but as He who called me is holy, so may I be holy in all my conduct, because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13–16)
May I be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let my requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—may I think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Pause here to express any additional personal requests, especially concerning faithfulness as a steward:Of time Of talents Of treasure Of truth Of relationships
My activities for this day Special concerns
Intercession
Lord, I now prepare my heart for intercessory prayer for government.
We should offer petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings on behalf of all men, for kings and all those who are in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and reverence. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1–4)
In the spirit of this passage, I pray for:Spiritual revival Local government State government National government Current events and concerns
Affirmation
Feed my mind and heart, O Lord, as I affirm these truths from Your word concerning the Scriptures:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
The word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12–13)
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)
Like Ezra, I want to set my heart to study the word of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach it to others. (Ezra 7:10)
I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8)
Pause to reflect upon these biblical affirmations.
Thanksgiving
For who You are and for what You have done, accept my thanks, O Lord:
The Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; Strength and joy are in His place. I will ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. I will ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name And worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (1 Chronicles 16:25–29)
Through Jesus, I will continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)
God is my refuge and strength, An ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth boasts over my enemies, For I delight in Your salvation. There is no one holy like the Lord; There is no one besides You; Nor is there any Rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:1–2)
Pause to offer your own expressions of thanksgiving.
Closing Prayer
The Lord will keep me from all evil; He will preserve my soul. The Lord will watch over my coming and going From this time forth and forever. (Psalm 121:7–8)
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you And be gracious to you; The Lord turn His face toward you And give you peace. (Numbers 6:24–26)
The God of hope will fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in Him, so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Boa, K. (1993). Handbook to prayer: praying scripture back to God. Atlanta: Trinity House.
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2:13–14)
Paul’s fifth exhortation to eliminate fear of the future is to understand the great doctrine of salvation. With a few words, the apostle sweeps the reader across the vastness of God’s redemptive plan to affirm the believer’s security in that plan. Again, Paul’s intent is not pedagogical but pastoral. Those who reject the truth that believers are eternally secure cannot look forward with confident hope to Christ’s coming. To believe that Christians living in unconfessed sin when the Lord returns will go to hell can only engender dread and fear—especially since sinless perfection in this life is unattainable (1 Kings 8:46; Ps. 143:2; Prov. 20:9; Eccl. 7:20; 1 John 1:8, 10). But the Thessalonians did not need to fear they had lost or could lose their salvation, because God’s choice of them is irrevocable. Salvation began with God’s loving choice in eternity past and will continue until glorification in the future (Rom. 8:29–30). Jesus emphatically declared the utter impossibility that any of God’s elect should ever be lost:
All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.… 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.… No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:37, 39–40, 44)
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. (John 10:27–29)
That glorious truth caused Paul to always give thanks to God for the Thessalonians, knowing that they were brethren beloved by the Lord. In contrast to the unredeemed, who refuse to love and obey the truth, are those who willingly do both; in contrast to those whom God judges are those He redeems; in contrast to those who believe Satan’s lies are those who believe God’s truth; in contrast to those who follow Antichrist are those who follow Christ. God’s work of salvation began with His sovereign, uninfluenced, undeserved love. That love was the basis for His election of believers (Eph. 1:4–5). God’s electing love is not conditioned on any merit in its recipients, as Moses reminded Israel: “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples” (Deut. 7:7). Flowing out of God’s predetermined love is His sovereign choice of believers, whom He has chosen … from the beginning for salvation. God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4); He “has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9). The redeemed are those whose names were “written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (Rev. 13:8; cf. 17:8). For that reason, the New Testament commonly refers to believers as the “elect” (Matt. 24:22, 24, 31; Mark 13:20, 22, 27; Luke 18:7; Rom. 8:33) or the “chosen” (Matt. 22:14; Rom. 11:7; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1). The doctrine of God’s sovereign, elective love has several practical benefits. It crushes human pride (Titus 3:5), since God gets all the credit for salvation. It exalts God (Ps. 115:1), as He receives praise for His love. It produces joy (1 Peter 1:1–2, 6, 8), as believers rejoice in their salvation. It grants unimaginable privileges (Eph. 1:3). It promotes holiness in the lives of the elect (Col. 3:12–13). Finally, and most relevant to Paul’s purpose in this passage, it provides security (Phil. 1:6). God’s sovereign election of believers becomes operative in their lives through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. Sanctification is the work of the Spirit that sets believers apart from sin to righteousness (cf. Rom. 15:16; 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Peter 1:2). This miracle starts at salvation and includes a total transformation, so that the believer is born again (John 3:3–8) and becomes a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). The sanctification that begins at regeneration does not, of course, mean that believers do not sin (see the discussion above). But it does ensure that those set apart from sin to God will lead lives of progressive sanctification, of increasing holiness toward Christlikeness (John 17:17; Rom. 6:1–22; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 5:16–25; Phil. 3:12; Col. 3:9–20; 1 Thess. 4:3–4; 5:23; 1 Peter 1:14–16; 1 John 3:4–10). The human factor in God’s sovereign, loving election and regeneration is faith in the truth. Salvation is “by grace … through faith” (Eph. 2:8). It is those who “believe in the Lord Jesus [who] will be saved” (Acts 16:31). To the Romans Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10). The truth that salvation is by faith in the true gospel permeates the New Testament (e.g., Mark 1:15; John 1:12; 3:15–16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47; Acts 10:43; Rom. 1:16; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Peter 1:9; 1 John 5:1). The Spirit regenerates those who hear and believe the truth by granting them repentance (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25) and the gift of faith (Eph. 2:8–9). The next element in God’s redemptive plan reaches back chronologically before the third. The apostle’s declaration It was for this He called you through our gospel refers, as always in the New Testament epistles, to God’s effectual call of believers to salvation (e.g., Rom. 1:6, 7; 1 Cor. 1:2, 9, 24, 26; Gal. 1:6; Eph. 4:1, 4). The gracious call of the Holy Spirit is irresistible (Rom. 8:30); the gospel is not merely words and facts but “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). All of those gospel realities lead to the ultimate goal of God’s redemptive plan—that believers may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. 1:10, 12). That firm statement of the security of salvation reveals that God loved, chose, called, and transformed believers for the purpose of eternally reflecting the glory of Christ to them and through them (cf. 1 John 3:1–2; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:42–49; Phil. 3:21). Since no purpose of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2), nothing can separate believers from His saving love (Rom. 8:35–39). Based on this sovereign scheme, there was no need for the Thessalonians to be insecure about their salvation, anxious about the Lord’s return, or fearful that they were in the Day of Judgment of the ungodly. They, like all believers, were not destined for judgment but for glory, for “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2002). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 285–288). Moody Press.
2:13, 14. But we are obliged to give thanks to God always for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth; to which (salvation) he also called you through our gospel, with a view to obtaining the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Over against (note δέ) the damnation which awaits Satan’s followers stands the salvation which is in store for God’s children. This thought is developed in the present passage, which is full of rich concepts. However, as all of these have been discussed before, and some at considerable length, a reference to the place where this material can be found should suffice: For “we are obliged to give thanks to God always for you” see on 2 Thess. 1:3. For “brothers beloved by the Lord” cf. on 1 Thess. 1:4. For “because God chose you” see on 1 Thess. 1:4. For “salvation” see on 1 Thess. 5:8, 9. For “sanctification” see on 1 Thess. 4:3, 7. For “belief” see on 2 Thess. 1:3, 4, 11; 1 Thess. 1:3. For “truth” see on 2 Thess. 2:10, 12. For “calling” see on 1 Thess. 1:5; 2:12; 4:7; 5:24. For “with a view to obtaining” see on 1 Thess. 5:9. For “glory” see on 1 Thess. 2:12. For “our Lord Jesus Christ” see on 1 Thess. 1:1. On the basis of the explanation of these various concepts and of the context here in 2 Thess. 2:13, 14, we can now paraphrase the thought of the present passage as follows: “We—Paul, Silas, and Timothy—cannot do otherwise than ceaselessly thank God for you, brothers in the faith (who are the objects of God’s special love), because in his sovereign, immutable election God from the beginning chose you to salvation—which is negatively, rescue from the guilt, pollution, and punishment of sin; positively, the entrance into the inheritance reserved for God’s children—; a salvation which becomes your possession through the work of the Holy Spirit, that is, through sanctification—a process of causing you to become increasingly detached from the world and attached to Christ until his image is completely formed in you—and through your active, vital consent to the body of redemptive truth revealed in Christ; to which final and complete salvation God also called you, having effectively applied to your hearts the gospel which we preached to you and which we urged you to accept in order that you might one day share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We accept the reading, “God chose you from the beginning” (ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς) and not, “God chose you as first-fruits” (ἀπαρχήν). Both readings are well attested, and the conception of believers as “first-fruits” is entirely Biblical (Jas. 1:18; Rev. 14:4) and even Pauline (Rom. 8:23; 11:16; 16:5; 1 Cor. 15:20, 23; 16:15). However, Paul never uses it in connection with the idea of election or choosing. On the other hand, the idea that God chose his own (or decreed something) “before the ages” (1 Cor. 2:7), “from the ages” (Col. 1:26), “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4) is definitely Pauline. To this would correspond the rendering “chose you from the beginning” (i.e., from eternity) here in 2 Thess. 2:14. Also, the thought here expressed, namely, that God called men to a salvation to which he had before chosen them is both logical and Pauline (Rom. 8:30).
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of I-II Thessalonians (Vol. 3, pp. 187–188). Baker Book House.
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