The Beauties of Heaven

"The city does not need the sun … for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp" (Revelation 21:23)

Nowhere in the New Testament are we given a clear, precise description of heaven. We get glimpses of what heaven is like, but we don’t see a detailed picture. Most of what we are given is visionary, highly symbolic, figurative, and full of imagery. This is because of the utter newness of heaven. 

Heaven is like a glorified version of the good things of this world, so we can have some idea of what it will be like. Because of the transcendent newness of heaven, however, we would not be able to understand a literal description of it.

We get one of these visionary glimpses in Revelation 21–22. We are told that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. While some believe that the present heaven and earth will be destroyed, most believe that they will be redeemed and transformed into the new. Just as we get glorified, resurrection bodies, so this old world will be renewed and transfigured. Revelation 21 also tells us that there will no longer be any sea. In the Old Testament the sea is often an image of death.

The next image is that of a New Jerusalem, replacing the old one that will be destroyed. John saw this city as a bride, an image of God’s people prepared for Him. As she came, John heard a voice saying that God’s tabernacle is with men and He will dwell with them. This is imagery drawn from the Old Testament, where the tabernacle was always pitched at the center of the camp of Israel. John 1:14 says that Jesus is the tabernacle who dwells with us.

John also sees the shekinah glory that shone in the Old Testament around the person of God Himself. He sees the glory manifesting itself as a precious jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal—symbols that focus on the idea of light radiating through transparent and translucent materials. The city is described as huge, 1,400 miles on each side, and as symmetrically balanced, the perfect edifice built by the Ultimate Architect.

We don’t have to wait for the New Jerusalem though. In the Spirit, we are already seated in the heavenlies and must now continue to invite others to come in that they may be healed (Ephesians 2:6; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 22:2, 17).

The greatest aspect of heaven is the presence of God. Our worship should serve as a brief taste of the glories of being in His presence. Remember as you go to public worship this Sunday that you are entering the glorious presence of the High King of the universe.

Video: Holy Spirit Seminar - Lesson 3 - The Deity of the Holy Spirit

Matthew Dowling, lead teacher for Strengthened by Grace Ministries, offers Lesson 3 of the Holy Spirit Seminar. The lesson is titled "The Deity of the Holy Spirit."

The Awful Reality of Hell

"They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:42).

The doctrine of eternal punishment, though unpopular and frightening, is found as a part of the confession of every branch of the Christian church. It has only been in the last century that under the influence of liberalism some have denied the reality of hell. There was a time when preachers proclaimed that “man is very bad and God is really mad.” In those days there was revival, and the church was strong and influential. Then in the nineteenth century it was decided that “man is not so bad, and God surely is not mad.” We reap the rewards of this spineless “Christianity” in society today.

The fact is, however, that virtually every statement in the Bible concerning hell comes from the lips of Jesus Christ. We cannot take Jesus seriously without also taking seriously what He said regarding everlasting punishment. There is very little about hell in the Old Testament, and very little in the epistles. It is almost as if God decided that a teaching this awful would not be received from any lesser authority than that of His own Son. Also, just as we have the fullest revelation of salvation in Jesus Christ, so also we have the fullest revelation of damnation from His lips.

Jesus chose the most dreadful images in creation to describe the reality of hell. One is the image of darkness, which emphasizes separation from God. Another is that of fire, or a lake of fire. The lake of fire is almost certainly a symbol, pointing to a reality far, far worse. The wicked who are now experiencing the wrath of God would do anything to jump into a mere lake of fire. The reality is much worse than the symbol.

It is difficult, even as Christians, to accept the reality of hell. For the most part, we would rather stand with our wicked fellow men than rejoice in the vindication of God’s righteousness and justice. That is because as Christians we still have far more in common with wicked criminals than we do with Jesus Christ. We are not consumed with the righteousness and holiness of God, and we are still bound up by much unresolved inner guilt. Thus, it is easier for us to sympathize with sinners and excuse them than it is for us to sympathize with the Judge of all the earth.

Hell’s primary purpose is to punish sinners. While that does not apply to believers, there are still at least two reasons to study the doctrine. First, the better we grasp the horrors of hell the more we appreciate God’s grace. Second, such an understanding should motivate us to seek the lost. Make that a priority in your life.

Who is the Antichrist?

"[The man of lawlessness will] set himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4b)

Second Thessalonians 2:3–4 speaks of a coming “man of lawlessness” who will set himself up in God’s temple and proclaim himself to be God. Revelation 13 tells of a coming “beast” who will wear out the saints of God and be known by the number 666. The epistles of John warn of “antichrist.” Who are these people, or are they all the same person?

As always in the area of prophecy, there are a variety of views. The older historicist approach usually identified the beast (“out of the sea”) as the Roman emperor, while the second beast (“out of the land”) of Revelation 13, together with the false prophet of that chapter, were associated with the papacy. The man of sin was also the pope, for he sat in the temple (the church) and exalted himself.

Modern futurism links the man of sin and the beast, and says that this is a man who will arise in the future just before Christ returns. He will be the false Christ, the antichrist, and will unite the world in a new tower of Babel against the remnant of the faithful.

Preterists usually see 666 as a symbol for the name “Nero Caesar,” and thus they identify the beast as Nero, while the second beast and false prophet are identified with the Sanhedrin and Judaizers who sought to stamp out the early church. The man of sin is taken by some to be Nero, and by others identified as the high priest, who literally sat in the temple and opposed Christ.

Modern futurism tends to have a very political understanding of this figure. Beast/antichrist/man of sin is a world leader, not an ecclesiastical opponent of the faithful. The older views (preterist and historicist) focus attention more on the church. The greatest enemies of the faith, they say, are in the church, as the serpent was in the Garden.

What about the antichrist? Here there is a different kind of question. Did John intend for us to envision some particular person as the antichrist, or did he mean that any self-conscious opponent of the faith is an antichrist (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7)? One thing we can be sure of: There will always be political beasts and ecclesiastical antichrists who seek to oppose the truth, and we must always be on our guard against them.

Read the verses cited above in John’s epistles. How were you antichrist before you believed? What antichrists do you see operating both nationally and locally today? Practically speaking, what can you see in John’s letters that indicates how you should respond to such people?

The Rapture Question

"After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them [the dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever" (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Believers are positioned in union with Christ. United to Him, we have died, we are raised, and we have ascended in the Spirit to heaven and are seated with Him in His rule (Ephesians 2:6). This is already true of the “inner man,” and it will someday be true of the “outer man” also. The future ascension of the saints into heaven is spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

This verse, however, has been used to teach a curious doctrine called “the Rapture,” which is less than 200 years old. To understand it, we have to look at four ways of understanding New Testament prophecy. 

The first way is called preterism. Preterism says that most of the predictions in the New Testament found their explicit fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and in the fall of Rome. The preterist says that the principles still apply, but the events are past. Preterism was common among Reformed theologians a century ago and is experiencing a revival today.

Historicism, once the most common view, says that New Testament prophecy predicts all the major events of the gospel age. Historicists see the fall of Rome, the tyranny of the popes, the advance of Islam, and the rise of the Enlightenment all predicted in the book of Revelation. Now that Christianity has spread well beyond Europe, this Europe-centered approach has largely been abandoned.

Futurism, which is currently in favor in most churches, says that most New Testament prophecy concerns events immediately prior to the final return of Jesus Christ to the earth. For most futurists, the Great Tribulation spoken of in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation does not refer to the fall of Jerusalem or to the continuing problems of the church in all ages, but is a period just prior to Christ’s return, usually of seven years in duration.

The Rapture doctrine says that Christ will “rapture” His saints from the earth before the outbreak of this seven-year tribulation, or at least before the last three-and-a-half years of it. Christ will not let His people go through these events. The problem with this popular opinion is not only that 1 Thessalonians 4 says nothing about such a tribulation as the context for the ascension of the saints, but also the fact that many Christians have suffered horribly in the past without being “raptured.”

Where is your faith? Is it in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, or is it in a hope that you will be “raptured” out of suffering? Remain confident in Christ’s ultimate triumph, remian willing to take up your cross daily and suffer for your king.

Sunday Worship Video: "The Symbols of Christ's Communion"

It's the Lord's Day! May Jesus Christ bless and keep you all! I would like to invite you participate in a special Sunday on-demand online worship service from the Plymouth Church of Christ! And pray with us: "O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Make sure and join us on Facebook Live at 9:30 EST on Sunday over at the Plymouth Church of Christ page for a 45-minute Bible study.

Rapture Fever

It appears that we are living in a day of Christian paranoia. All too many believers greet each new day with suspicious eyes. Every circumstance of more than passing interest—be it a change of government or a change of the weather—has become for them ominous evidence of doomsday’s early arrival.

Warning us with zealous certainty that the current world crisis is pregnant with eschatological importance, they cite the pandemic, the conflict in the Middle East, problems with Russia and China and Iran as woefully specific signs that we are now living in the “last days.” 

Wars and rumors of wars, famines, plagues, earthquakes, and pestilences—which all seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity—apparently compel them to assert that we have at last arrived at the end times. Surely, they say, the long-awaited dread day of “the Rapture” is nigh upon us. And thus, a kind of resigned pessimism about redemptive activity in the world coupled with a kind of contrived optimism about redemptive escape from the world has become their hallmark.

But in the Olivet discourse (Matthew 24–25) Jesus attempted to redirect such speculative fears. He showed that eschatological pessimism is actually not consistent with genuine faith or kingdom living.

Following His prediction that the temple in Jerusalem would soon be destroyed, His nervous disciples began to ask Him a series of questions:

When will this happen and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age? (Matthew 24:3).

Jesus responded by telling them that they had nothing to fear (24:6). They were instead to be on guard against those who would unduly alarm and deceive them (24:4). In spite of a spate of wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, tribulations, and persecutions, they were to be assured that the end was not yet in sight (24:6–12). In fact, He told them, these signs were just the beginnings of mankind’s long and tortured struggle through history—the very birthpangs (Matthew 24:8).

Instead of focusing on these subjective and often misleading “signs of the times,” Jesus directed their attention to the great task of preaching the Gospel to all nations (24:14).

Although His discourse is indeed filled with specific portending prophesies—as the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. ultimately demonstrated—the primary thrust of Christ’s message was that eschatology is essentially ethical and only secondarily predictive. It is revealed by the good providence of God to provoke His people to uphold their responsibilities—to faithfully carry out the Great Commission, to diligently build up the church, to pray without ceasing, to engage in spiritual warfare, to serve the hurting and meet the needs of the helpless, to walk in holiness, and to live with one another in faith, hope, and love. In short, eschatology is a prod in the hands of God to incite the church to do right when all the rest of the world does wrong.

Like many of us, the disciples had a hard time understanding that—so, Jesus repeated the lesson. It appears that after His ascension into the clouds, they remained awestruck and dumbstruck—staring up at the empty sky. Thus two angelic messengers were dispatched to rebuke them with the now familiar Olivet theme: Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? (Acts 1:11 NKJV).

Jesus had given them a job to do. But there they were, paralyzed with wonder. Jesus had called them to evangelize the world. But they were loitering in recalcitrance. Jesus had promised them power and unction. But they were frozen in the grips of pessimism. Jesus had commanded them to “occupy” the earth until He returned. But they were occupied only with their own remorseful resignation.

Today many Christians are still “looking steadfastly into the clouds” (Acts 1:9). Instead of fulfilling their mandate to win the world with justice, mercy, and humility, they are consumed with rapture fever.

Once again Christ’s Olivet message rings loud and clear:

No need to fret. No need to fear. No need to get caught up in feverish speculation. And no need to resign ourselves to a dismal future of progressive decline. Rather, a genuine understanding of biblical prophecy is but an encouragement to plunge ahead with confidence—to do what God has called us to do—and to be what God has called us to be.

The PreacherCast (Edition: April 24, 2020)

Strengthened by Grace with Matthew Dowling · The PreacherCast (Episode: April 24, 2020)

If it's Friday...it's The PreacherCast! This is the PC for April 24, 2020.

The Millennium: When is it?

"He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:2)

Revelation 20:1–6 mentions a thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints: the millennium. This is the only passage in the Bible that speaks of this, and because it is not obvious what is being spoken of, it has become a matter of controversy down through the ages.

There are two main ways to understand the millennium. Some theologians believe that the millennium is a symbol for the reign of the saints in heaven during the gospel age. Others take it as referring to a reign of Christ with or through His saints on the earth. Here there are three possibilities: Amillennialists (amils) believe that the entire gospel age is the millennium; premillennialists (premils) believe that the millennium comes after Christ’s return but before the Last Judgment and lasts one thousand years; postmillennialists (postmils) believe that the millennium is a golden age (no specified length) of spiritual influence on the earth, captained by Christ ruling from heaven, before His second advent.

There are variations in each view. Some amils put the millennium in heaven, while others include the church on earth. Some premils add other features, such as a rapture and seven-year tribulation period before the millennium starts (this is a feature of dispensationalism). Some postmils say that the millennium is the whole gospel age, but still look forward to a time of prosperity for the Gospel based on other passages.

The three positions generally boil down to a kind of historical pessimism versus optimism. Premils usually believe things are going to get worse and worse until finally a great tribulation breaks out, and then Jesus will return to set up His thousand-year rule. Postmils believe that, in spite of ups and downs, the kingdom of Christ will spread over the world and leaven all of human culture, prior to a final rebellion at which point Jesus will return to end history. Amils see the ups and downs, but don’t see any kind of “golden age.” They stress that Christ could return at any moment, without any preceding signs or events.

Most of the Reformers and the Puritans were postmils. Calvin, though, was an amil, and Dutch Calvinism, after a postmil start, has tended to be amil. Fundamentalism of the last 150 years has tended to be premil. In light of such diverse “biblical” positions, resist the temptation to be dogmatic on this issue. Avoid the scandal of division over doctrinal nuance which is not relative to salvation.

Video Lesson: Mind of Christ Seminar - Lesson 1 - Jesus the I AM

Matthew Dowling, lead teacher for Strengthened by Grace Ministries, offers Lesson 1 of the Mind of Christ Seminar. The lesson is titled "Jesus the I AM."

The Importance of Prophecy

"So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time" (Mark 13:23)

In theology, the study of future things prophesied in the Bible is called eschatology. Both Thessalonian epistles show us that the early church was interested in prophecy, and Paul was as well. Today we have a problem with the subject of prophecy—two problems, really. Among conservative Christians, some brethren have focussed so heavily on prophecy that they have become an embarrassment to the rest of the church. The Rapture has been dated over and over again, and has never yet happened. Thus, many Christians are sick and tired of hearing about prophecy.

The second problem Christians have with prophecy or eschatology stems from the liberalism of the nineteenth century. Liberal theologians were committed to the ideals of the enlightenment—eighteenth-century rationalism. In the interest of “reason,” they sought to eliminate everything miraculous from the Christian religion. Seeking for the “core” meaning of Christianity, they thought to find it in the idea of Jesus as “the supreme moral teacher.” They focussed on the Sermon on the Mount, isolating it from its biblical context and turning it into a set of moralistic ideals.

A scholar named Albert Schweitzer attacked liberalism. Schweitzer demonstrated that Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, was inseparable from His teachings and life. He also showed that it is impossible to isolate Jesus’ moral teachings from His predictions about His forthcoming Kingship over the whole earth. However, Schweitzer also said that Jesus was wrong, and died in despair on the cross crying out to God. Schweitzer himself adopted a kind of Eastern pantheism and left Europe to became a humanistic medical missionary in Africa.

Two groups answered Schweitzer. Neo-orthodoxy decided that history is not important. Jesus’ claims and His resurrection are only symbols of God’s “encounter” with man. Conservative, orthodox Christian theologians insisted that the historic Christian faith is correct. History, they said, is very important. Jesus’ predictions did indeed come true in the first century. He did become King, as was shown positively on Pentecost and negatively at the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Prophecy is important. It shows God’s control over history, in that what He predicts does come to pass. Take care not to “throw the baby out with the bath water” when rightly rejecting the fantasies of some prophecy teachers today.

Video Lesson: The Personality of the Holy Spirit (Part 1)

History and the Christian Faith

"So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

Several decades ago the liberal skeptic Rudolph Bultmann wrote that “the question of meaning in history has become meaningless.” While it is easy for any but the most skeptical to see significance in the momentous geopolitical changes of recent months and years, many today would still generally agree with Bultmann’s assertion.

Neither the Christian faith nor the book of 2 Thessalonians, however, would agree. One thing that sets Christianity apart from most other systems of belief is that the Scriptures clearly show history is meaningful since there is a plan, a goal toward which everything is inexorably moving. This, of course, stands in stark contrast to the more common paganistic views that all history is cyclical and chaotic with no rhyme or reason.

When Paul wrote of the end of history to the young Thessalonian church, he was not expounding systematic doctrine in an academic vacuum. He was addressing a real situation in the local church, answering questions that were related to what people were facing day to day. The concerns in this second letter were basically threefold.

First, the Thessalonian believers continued to suffer persecution (2 Thess. 1:4). Probably at this point they were asking Paul why they were suffering and how long it would endure. The short answer Paul gave was that God is just and eventually, even if not in this life, He will make things right (1:5–10).

The second issue they faced was the presence of false teachers. Such people had tried to lead the people astray from their roots with false documents purportedly from Paul (2:1–2). Paul’s response was unequivocal: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way” (2:3a). After explaining in more precision the answer to their question, he emphasized that they should hold to what they were taught in the beginning and not follow new contradictory schemes (2:13–17).

Finally, the church was dealing with “idlers” (3:6–15). Paul expanded beyond his brief mention in the first letter (1 Thess. 5:14) to admonish all in the church to work tirelessly for the kingdom, not taking advantage of others’ efforts.

As they did in the First Century, three great problems exist in the church today. Determine to stand strong in the face of persecution. Beware of false teachers—be discerning whom you follow. Resist the temptation to be idle. Pray that when the kingdom comes you will be found faithfully working the field God has given you.

Answers for the Thessalonians

"Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you..." (1 Thessalonians 5:1)

Paul had only spent a few weeks in Thessalonica, and one of the things he had taught them was that Jesus would return soon to bring wrath upon the apostate Jews. He also taught them that Jesus would return in person to end history and inaugurate the eternal kingdom of God. Timothy reported to Paul that the Thessalonians were a bit confused about this. They were not the last to confuse these two events. Confusion continues today, and while Paul’s letter may have helped the Thessalonians, it has sparked debate among interpreters down to the present day.

It seems clear that 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is speaking of the final coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells them that all who died in Christ will be raised to life again when He comes. He will come visibly, on the clouds, just as He ascended on the clouds. We are to encourage one another with this truth when we face persecution.

For some scholars, 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 seems to have more the destruction of Jerusalem in mind. Paul had already told them that wrath to the uttermost was about to fall upon the apostate Jews (2:16). He than told them that this destruction would come upon the Jews at a time when they thought they were at peace (5:3). In fact, the Romans surrounded Jerusalem at a time when the city was bursting with people who had come to celebrate Passover, which reminded them that God have given them “peace and safety” in Egypt. Paul told them that they need not worry about these event. Those who would feel the wrath were those who were asleep, and who refused to wake up to the Gospel. Believers were not appointed to this wrath.

Other scholars believe 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 continues the theme of the final coming of Jesus at the end of history. Without taking sides today, we can say that the destruction of Jerusalem is a picture of the coming destruction of the entire wicked world. If this passage applied first to A.D. 70, it continues to be relevant to us today. Just as the Jews were asleep when their destruction came, so the wicked sleep today, and God today brings crises and judgments into history. On the last day we shall see the greatest fulfillment of this prophecy.

As an exercise, read 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 three times. Read it first as if the destruction of Jerusalem, near at hand, is in view. Read it second as if it refers to every crisis in history, when God deals with nations and cultures. Read it lastly as if it refers to the Second Coming. In terms of how you are to live today, what is the value of this reflection?

Sunday Sermon, "The View of Christ's Cross" (Luke 23:44-49)

A Letter to the Thessalonians

"So when we could stand it longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens" (1 Thessalonians 3:1)

Before he went to Athens, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to strengthen the church there (1 Thess. 3:2). From Athens Paul moved on to Corinth (Acts 18:1). There he was rejoined by Timothy, who reported on the Thessalonian church, and Paul wrote a letter back to them to encourage them (1 Thess. 3:6).

The Bereans may have been “more noble,” but the Thessalonians had developed into a very healthy local church. Paul had no words of correction or criticism for them. He answered questions brought to him by Timothy, and he encouraged them in their faith—after all, the Jews were actively persecuting them, and so were the unconverted Gentiles (1 Thess. 2:14–16).

Paul praised them for standing firm. Their faith had become a model for other churches, and their witness had gone to neighboring cities (1 Thess. 1:7–8).

One thing that stands out in this letter is Paul’s loving concern for these people. Modern liberal Christians often accuse Paul of being harsh, strict, and narrow. After all, he said women should not be preachers. According to them, he was clearly an egghead intellectual with no affection for ordinary people.

How different is the picture of Paul that emerges from this epistle. He prayed continually for the Thessalonian people (1:2–3; 3:9–10). He suffered for them (1:6). He worked at making tents so as not to be a financial burden to them (2:9). He encouraged, urged, and comforted them like a father (2:11–12). He longed to see them again (2:17). When he could not stand it any longer, he sent Timothy to find out how they were doing (3:5). This is not a picture of a cold intellectual.

Rather than expose the Thessalonians to persecution, Paul fled to Berea and then to Athens (3:1). He let others continue his work. We see in this a real humility, for many people would find it hard to walk away from a prospering work. Paul realized that in the providence of God, the joy of laboring with the Thessalonians would be given to someone else. So he sent Timothy. He was willing to look like a coward in order to protect and prosper the church.

Paul loved the Thessalonians so much he shares not only the Gospel of God but his very life as well (2:8). How much of yourself have you given away to your local church out of love for the people? It is a risk, but follow Paul’s example and strive to be more generous relationally with others, financially, and in the use of your time.

Online Worship for Sunday, April 19th

Plymouth Online Worship Service for Sunday, April 19th from Plymouth C/C on Vimeo.


Order of Worship
Call to Worship - Jim Calkin
SONG: Come, Now is the Time to Worship
SONG: Our God, He is Alive
Communion - Jim Calkin
Sermon: "The View of Christ's Cross" (Luke 23:44-49) Matthew Dowling
SONG: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
SONG: Amazing Grace

An Overview of 1-2 Thessalonians

The letters to the Thessalonians are among the earliest of the New Testament writings. In them we do not yet see the full development of the great ideas we find in such a letter as Romans. But the great Christian doctrines are there and these letters show that the essential Christian message was preached from the first.

Eight times in these two short letters Paul refers to “the Gospel.” The term means “good news,” and Christians used it for the good news of salvation in Christ, good news about what God had done for sinners. Three times Paul calls it “the Gospel of God,” twice “the Gospel of Christ” (or “the Lord Jesus,” and once Paul refers to “our Gospel.” All three ways of putting it are important.

“The Gospel of God” brings home the truth that the Christian message takes its origin in none less than God. God took the initiative and “chose” the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:4; 2:13). The Gospel cannot possibly have better credentials.

It is “the Gospel of Christ” because Christ has the central place in it. The good news is that the Son of God has come to this earth to bring salvation to sinners. That means His atoning death on the cross (1 Thess. 5:10), a death that took away our sins. And it meant His resurrection in triumph over death, for the Christians did not worship a dead Savior but a living Lord.

When Paul speaks of “our Gospel” (2 Thess. 2:14) he is bringing out the truth that believers have made it their own. It is the good news of the Savior who has saved them. It is good news by which they live and which they proclaim both by what they say and by the kind of lives they live.

Paul emphasizes that the Gospel is not simply a matter of words. It came to the Thessalonians “with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction” (1 Thess. 1:5). Paul goes on to draw attention to the kind of lives the preachers lived as they sought to commend the Gospel, and to the kind of lives the converts lived as they imitated the preachers and their Lord (1 Thess. 1:5–6). The salvation of Christ meant that both the preachers and their converts lived lives that demonstrated the reality of their salvation.

In these letters it is plain that Jesus is Lord. There are but seven short chapters and the word Lord occurs forty-six times. Paul emphasizes that salvation does not mean license. The saved are brought into the service of their loving Lord with all that that means. But we are not to see this lordship as oppressive; Jesus is “the Lord of peace” (2 Thess. 3:16).

We should not miss the fact that evil will in the end be judged and evildoers punished. “God is just,” Paul writes, and at the end of this age He will defeat and punish all evil (2 Thess. 1:5ff.). The final triumph of good means the ultimate defeat of evil.

In both letters Paul has significant references to the return of the Lord Jesus to this earth at the end of time. Evidently some Thessalonians had misunderstood the teaching about the Second Coming. When some of their number died they thought they had missed all place in the events of that great day. Paul assures his readers that “the dead in Christ will rise first.” Then believers who are still alive will be “caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thess. 4:17), a magnificent description of what our ultimate salvation means.

The subject evidently puzzled the Thessalonians, and some had accepted teaching that the Lord had already come (2 Thess. 2:2). Paul assures his friends that much will happen before the Lord’s return. Specifically, there will be a tremendous upsurge of evil headed up by “the man of sin” (KJV; in NIV this is translated “the lawless one”). But Jesus will overthrow this powerful being “with the breath of His mouth”; He will destroy him “by the splendor of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:8).

Paul does not develop the theme of Christian service in these letters, but he says a number of things that make it plain that the salvation Christ brings means that the saved live saved lives. They are to live in love (1 Thess. 1:3; notice the conjunction of faith, love, and hope). Indeed they do that (1 Thess. 3:6; he joins faith and love again in 5:8), and Paul prays that they will do so more and more (1 Thess. 3:12). Right doctrine issues forth in right living.

Opposition at Thessonalica

"When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up" (Acts 17:13)

After leaving Philippi, Paul and company came to Thessalonica. Paul went first, as always, to the synagogue, and for three Sabbaths he preached out of the Old Testament, showing the Jews and God-fearers that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Some Jews and many God-fearers became Christians.

The majority of the Jews, however, rejected the Gospel. They hired some of the town thugs (what the Old Testament calls “sons of Belial”) and formed a mob, fomenting a riot. They sought to capture Paul, but only succeeded in dragging a new convert named Jason before the officials. They accused this man of troubling the city, but the officials did nothing more than make Jason post bond. That night, Paul and Silas were spirited out of the city and sent on to Berea (Acts 17:1–9).

The Bereans “were of more noble character than the Thessalonians” (Acts 17:11). They not only received Paul with eagerness but studied the Old Testament daily (not just on the Sabbaths) to see if his message was true. Here we find that many, not just a few, of the Jews believed, as well as many God-fearers.

The Jews in Thessalonica, however, imitated the behavior of Saul before he became Paul. They sent a delegation to Berea to stir up trouble there. Silas and Timothy remained in Berea, but the Bereans escorted Paul to Athens (Acts 17:10–15).

During the years A.D. 30–70 the greatest enemy of the Christian church was not the Romans but the Jews. There are two things we need to bear in mind about this. First, the opposition of the Jews at this time is the same as the opposition of liberal and dead orthodox people to any revival of Christianity. They resent the excitement, commitment, and holiness of those who are being revived. They reject the call to repent, and become bitter enemies of the revival. This has happened over and over in church history, and it will happen again.

Second, the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 ended the generation of Jews that opposed the early church. We are not to regard Jews since that time as anything other than one mission field among many.

The Jews opposed the early Christians for the same reason that Rome opposed the Reformers, and compromised liberals oppose uncompromising evangelicals today. The greatest enemies of the true church are always found within the church. Pray for strength in the face of all enemies of the Gospel.

Recent Appearance on the "Alameda Family Talk" Podcast

Earlier this week, I was in an engaging podcast talk with Rusty Tugman about COVID-19 and other topics, such as why does God allow something like this to happen? and tips on how to deal with grief during this time. If you have 30 minutes, I think the discussion will be a blessing. You can access it here.

Summary of Ordinances and Sacraments

We have been created as bodily creatures from the dust of the earth (Gen. 2:7). We have not only minds but also five senses: hearing, sight, smell, touch, and taste. The God of the Bible is the God who addresses our entire person, including our senses. The Word of God addresses the ear when read aloud and the eyes when read silently. In both the OT and NT, God communicates in ways supplementing the spoken and written word. Ancient Israel had its annual feasts (e.g., Passover) and its sacrificial system centered in the temple at Jerusalem (e.g., burnt offerings). In the NT era, the body is not neglected. We have the gospel word dramatized—preached to our senses, as Augustine noted—in the ordinances or sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The term “ordinance” draws attention to how both practices are commanded by the Lord Jesus. They are not church inventions. The term “sacrament” draws attention to these two practices as means of grace. This is classically defined as an “outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace” (1662 Book of Common Prayer).

Baptism

The NT describes a variety of baptisms. John the Baptist performed baptisms at the river Jordan, as did his disciples, and so too did the disciples of Jesus, even before the Great Commission was given (John 4:1–2). John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance (Mark 1:4), in preparation for the Messiah; it was not Christian baptism. Both Jesus and John the Baptist spoke of a coming baptism with the Spirit that would happen on the day of Pentecost (Luke 3:16; Acts 1:4–5). Jesus taught that baptism is part of being a disciple and making disciples (Matt. 28:18–20). Peter commanded baptism (Acts 2:38), and Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch with Christian baptism in water when he came to faith in Jesus (Acts 8:35–38). The symbolism of baptism identifies and unites the subject with the death and resurrection of Christ, as the apostle Paul taught the church at Rome (Rom. 6:3–4). It symbolizes dying to an old life and turning to a new. It signals a change of mind and a change of direction. It also symbolizes entry into a new sphere of divine influence, just like baptism with the Spirit does. It is done once (Eph. 4:5).

In Acts we read of whole households being baptized in response to the gospel, as in the cases of Lydia and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:14–15, 30–34; cf. 1 Cor. 1:16). Whether infants and children were baptized on such occasions is much debated among Bible-believing Christians. Those holding to believer’s baptism point to the NT evidence that people were baptized after believing the gospel. They regard baptism as the means by which people publicly confess Christ. Emphasizing the newness of the new covenant, they see no clear indication that the household passages included infants. They also hold that the words for baptism mean immersion and insist on that mode of baptizing believers. Those holding to infant baptism agree that pagan believers, such as we find in Acts, are to be baptized upon profession of faith. They view the household baptisms from the perspective of the OT and assume that Jewish Christians would apply to their infants the sign of the new covenant, even as Jews did in the OT. In principle they regard sprinkling, pouring, and immersion as valid modes of baptism, although in practice they usually prefer sprinkling.

Importantly, in the apostle Paul’s mind preaching the gospel took priority over the practice of baptism. In fact, according to him, preaching the gospel was his apostolic task: “Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Cor. 1:17). Some churches believe that, ordinarily, water baptism is necessary for a person’s salvation. This is true of some holding to infant baptism, including Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches, and some holding to believer’s baptism, including Churches of Christ and Christian Churches. If this were so, it is hard to understand Paul’s words to the Corinthians where, as we have just seen, Paul claims he was sent to preach, not baptize, and where he also states he could not remember at first whom he baptized (1 Cor. 1:14–16).

The Lord’s Supper

Jesus not only left his disciples with a message (the gospel) and a mission (make disciples); he also left them with a meal (Luke 22:19–20). Unlike baptism, the Lord’s Supper is repeated (1 Cor. 11:25). The practice draws attention to the sacrifice of Jesus on behalf of his people. Paul describes it in preaching terms (1 Cor. 11:26). The practice is retrospective, looking back to the cross, and also prospective, proclaiming Christ’s death until he returns.

In the early church, Augustine believed that the risen Christ preaches to our senses in the Lord’s Supper. It was the Word made visible, as it were. But as the Reformers of the sixteenth century pointed out, without scriptural explanation the practice becomes a dumb ceremony (as Thomas Cranmer argued). What is clear from the NT witness is that abuse of the practice is not to be tolerated and carries a sober warning. Gluttony and lack of love at the Lord’s Supper at Corinth were severely reprimanded by Paul. Some became weak and ill, and some even died, because in dining in gluttony and lack of love, they had ignored the body of Christ (1 Cor. 11:30). Incidentally, the first Corinthian letter shows that the Lord’s Supper was part of a bigger meal. The letter also shows how early Christians like Paul prized the actual words of Jesus (11:23–25).

Debate continues to surround what Paul means when he refers to discerning the body of Christ (1 Cor. 11:29). Does he mean that the presence of Christ is somehow mysteriously to be found at each celebration of the Lord’s Supper in connection with the bread and wine? Or does he refer to how some believers were ignoring the needs of other members of Christ’s body? Or is it some combination of both? On the second view, failing to discern the body is not a sacramental issue but an ecclesial one. For Paul, the Lord’s Supper makes the unity of believers visible, or at least it should. The bread and cup are a spiritual participation, a sharing, in Christ’s body and blood (10:16). The most profound meaning of Communion is thus union with Christ and partaking of him. From this vertical union flows horizontal union between believers (10:17). Divisions at the Supper were alarming to Paul and draw his condemnation (11:17–22).

Over time, the meal has come to be known by one aspect or another of NT testimony. It is a Eucharist or thanksgiving (1 Cor. 11:24). It is a Communion (10:16). It is the Lord’s Table (10:21), and he is the Host. There is no indication in the NT as to how often such a meal is to take place or at what time of day. Nor is there any suggestion in the NT as to who might preside over it. There is no indication that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper needs a priest of some kind. That idea came later. What is clear is that the Lord’s Supper took place in an intentional meeting of believers: “when you come together as a church” (11:18). It was no afterthought. For that reason, many churches make it a weekly practice.

Historically speaking, evangelicals have not always agreed about what happens in the Lord’s Supper when it comes to the details. For some, the accent has fallen on obeying a dominical ordinance in an act of remembrance. This is the memorialist tradition, often found in nonliturgical churches. For others, usually in liturgical churches, the emphasis falls on the Supper as a sacrament and therefore a means of grace. Lutherans, for example, argue that in a mysterious way Christ’s body and blood are in, with, and under the bread and wine (consubstantiation). This was a dividing line between two great Reformers of the sixteenth century. Zwingli took the memorialist approach, whereas Luther argued for a real presence of Christ in the Supper. For Anglican evangelicals, the Supper is an effectual sign used by the Spirit to edify God’s people. Those in the Reformed tradition have viewed the Supper as a means of grace too: the Spirit makes Christ real to the communicant through the proclaimed Word and the table. Evangelicals have rejected any notion that the bread and wine miraculously become the body and blood of Christ, as in Roman Catholicism’s mass (transubstantiation). For evangelicals of all stripes, the Lord’s Supper is a special time of fellowship with Christ and one another. In it we remember the sufferings of our Lord, proclaim the gospel, and anticipate his return.

Baptism and Entrance by Cleansing

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19)

Jesus commanded that all members of the new covenant be baptized with water. What are some of the dimensions of this ordinance or sacrament? 

First of all, baptism signifies a person’s entrance into the visible new covenant community - it is a sign of the salvation which has come to the person being baptized. This is why it is so important to hear a person's conversion testimony ahead of applying the sign of baptism. Those who personally profess repentance toward God and faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ are the only proper subjects of this ordinance (Mark 16:16; Acts 8:36, 37; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12; Acts 18:8). There are, of course, people who are baptized into the visible church who are not really and finally saved, just as there were people circumcised into Israel who were not faithful to the old covenant, but the pastor must do his best to discern this ahead of the administration of baptism.

Second, baptism is a sign of entrance into the kingdom of God. Baptism puts us into the visible expression of the kingdom (the church), and symbolizes entrance into the invisible fullness of the kingdom. Since only God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), we should treat each baptized person as part of God’s people unless he gives us strong reason to suspect otherwise.

Third, it is possible for people to be saved and yet not be baptized—though they should be - they really must be. God commands us to join His church. To do that, we must be baptized. But it is possible to enter the kingdom by faith before entering the visible church by baptism. Of course, baptism represents more than just joining the visible church. To those baptized it is a sign of their fellowship with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection, of their being grafted into him, of remission of sins, and of submitting themselves to God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3–5; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:27. Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16. Romans 6:4).

Fourth, baptism represents cleansing. It summarizes all the purification rites of the Old Testament. The reality of cleansing from sin is by the blood of Christ applied to us. This is symbolized by water. Thus, baptism involves a confession of our sinfulness, since only defiled sinners need to be cleansed.

Fifth, water makes us new and clean. Just so, baptism represents (but does not confer) our new birth into the new life in Christ. We are born again by water and the Spirit. Since the Spirit comes down from above (Acts 2), the old covenant baptisms were by sprinkling, not immersion, and the church has usually preferred pouring or sprinkling. We are baptized with the heavenly “waters above,” not into the “waters below” (Genesis 1:6–7).

Finally, cleansing and regeneration are parallel to death and resurrection. Baptism signifies our union with Jesus’ death and our resurrection to a new life in His resurrection. It symbolizes our acceptance of a call to join Christ in His humiliation that we might also join Him in His exaltation.

Read Hebrews 9:13 and 10:22. Now find Numbers 19. Note the relationship between death and resurrection, unclean and clean, and old covenant baptism. What does this chapter teach you about your new covenant baptism? How many times do you need to be baptized with “pure” water?

The Purpose of Sacraments

"Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath" (Hebrews 6:17)

Why do we have sacraments? Isn’t the Bible enough? The answer to the second question is yes and no. Yes, the Bible contains all the truth we need for salvation, but at the same time God has chosen to institute sacraments as additional confirming signs of His truth.

The Reformers sometimes said that the Word of God is primary and the sacraments are secondary. This has been misunderstood, as if the Word is important and the sacraments are not. That was the furthest thing from the minds of the Reformers. By “secondary” they meant the sacraments are effective when done in the context of the Word.

Throughout the Old Testament God always gave physical signs to confirm His words. In this way, God affirmed the goodness of the created universe and used it as a way to reveal Himself. God’s word to Adam was confirmed by a flaming sword. His word to Noah was confirmed by the rainbow. His word to Abraham was confirmed by circumcision.

Physical signs were multiplied to Israel in connection with the Mosaic covenant. We find the tabernacle, sacrifices, rituals of cleansing, memorial stones and pillars (Joshua 4). Miraculous signs confirmed the words of Elijah and Elisha; the rebuilding of the temple confirmed God’s promises to the exiles after the Babylonian captivity.

Thus, we find that God has not instituted some merely mental religion. If we despise the world, we despise the works of God. If we take a low view of the sacraments, we ignore the way God has always acted in revealing Himself and His purposes to mankind. Just as Word and Spirit always work together, so in the church, Bible and sacrament are to work together.

Historically, Roman Catholicism has problematically observed the sacraments as rituals not contextualized by the proclamation of the the Word. Sadly, Protestants have generally fallen into the opposite problem, preaching sermons week after week that lack the confirming sign and seal of the sacraments. The Reformers wanted weekly communion because they wanted both avenues of God’s self-revelation clearly and continually set before the people.

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper pull into themselves all the signs and miracles of the old covenant and the early church. Perhaps one reason why so many Christians look for miracles is that we do not appreciate the hidden miracle of the Lord’s Supper, which spiritually feeds us with Christ Himself.

The Importance of Sacraments

"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ" (Galatians 3:27)

When Paul brought the Philippian jailor into the church, he baptized him, and not only him but also his household (Acts 16:33). This brings us to a brief consideration of the nature of the sacraments. 

There has been a renewed interest in the sacraments for several reasons. For one thing, there has been a liturgical revival in the churches in recent years, which draws attention to the nature and function of the sacraments.

Second, during the past 150 years, we have seen the rise of the discipline known as “comparative religion,” which focuses on man as worshiper, as distinguished from the study of God and objective truth. Cultural anthropology, psychology, and sociology have contributed to this discipline. These studies have shown that in all societies there are symbols, gestures, and actions that have special religious or “sacramental” significance.

Third, we have seen a renewed study of signs and symbols in human culture, investigating such questions as: How do gestures relate to language? What is “body language”? What is the impact of architectural space on human life? What images does a society use to create an ideal vision of itself?

Fourth, with this interest in symbolism has come an appreciation of the difference between Greek philosophy, which expresses itself abstractly, and biblical philosophy, which more often than not expresses itself in concrete images. While this contrast can and often is exaggerated, the study of it has highlighted and illustrated the role of symbolism. For instance, the Bible expresses the greatness of God with such statements as: “God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” The Greeks might say, “God is the ineffable Beyond.”

Thus, while our thoughts and verbal expressions are significant to us as human beings, our symbols, rituals, and imagery are absolutely integral to our lives. In the church, there are many such “secondary sacraments,” such as anointing with oil, kneeling for prayer, and the like. The two primary sacraments are those instituted by the New Testament, the rituals of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Perhaps one of the reasons why we have not paid sufficient attention to the sacraments is that Protestants often associate them with the Roman church and arid ritualism. As we continue our study, keep always in mind that these sacraments were given to us by our Lord, and that we are commanded to observe them.

Good Friday Prayer

Christ Jesus, you hung upon a cross and died for me so that I might live for you; Your body was broken and your blood shed so that I might be healed and made whole. You were faithful unto death so that I might be faithful unto life. Your last command was that we might love one another, one family together from every tribe and nation; a new creation united through your sacrifice, redeemed by your blood, healed by your love, united by your covenant of peace. Grant that, in your death I may find life, and in your suffering I may find peace, today and forever. Amen

Transformation Into Glory

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me" (1 Corinthians 13:11)

There is growth in the Christian life. The final end of that growth comes when we are face to face with God and are transformed fully into glory. As Paul writes, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

One of the problems we continually encounter in the evangelical world is an attitude that says, “I don’t want to learn theology. I don’t need to study. I just want to preserve my childlike faith. I want to keep it simple.” This is not an expression of Christian maturity but reflects an orientation toward infantile pursuits. It expresses a false humility.

Childish behavior is totally appropriate for children. If, for instance, a small child has an imaginary friend, that does not concern us. If an adult has an imaginary friend, however, we should be very much concerned. Now, the Bible does indeed call us to be like children in one sense: We are to have a childlike spirit of trust and confidence in our heavenly Father. But there is a great difference between being childlike and being childish. Our Father desires for us to grow in our knowledge and obedience to Him. He wants us to mature.

It takes time for fruit to come to fullness. This is true in the realm of persons and of spiritual growth as well. Today it seems as if everyone wants to hurry through this process. We want “five easy lessons to be an effective Christian,” or “eight quick steps to spiritual victory.” This is simply not possible. Human beings are made in the image of God Himself, and are far too complex for such simplistic and mechanical programs.

For fruit to mature—and ultimately it is we ourselves who are the fruit of the Spirit—there has to be nurture. There is no substitute for the classical biblical way of Christian maturity. It is through gradual growth, nurtured in the context of active participation in the sacraments and community discipline of the church, through study of the Word, and by means of faithful prayer, obedience, and service that Christians mature.

Each aspect of the fruit of the Spirit—that is, each aspect of you as you are transformed—is nurtured through personal relationships. Because Christian character does not develop in a void, take the initiative to become involved regularly in a small group fellowship.

Meekness and Self-Control

"Now Moses was a very humble [meek] man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3)

For most people, meekness means weakness. When we think of Moses, however, we don’t think of a person who was meek, at least not in the modern sense of meekness. There was nothing weak about Moses. He exhibited extraordinary leadership and strength in the face of great difficulties and tests.

There was one man, though, who was even meeker than Moses, and that was Jesus Himself. Remember that He said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble [meek and lowly] in heart” (Matthew 11:29). Yet consider how Jesus dealt with the Pharisees. There was certainly nothing weak about it. On another occasion Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Here we see an association of meekness with leadership.

What is this meekness, that it is so powerful? One alternative translation for meekness is “gentleness.” It requires great strength to be gentle. Gentleness is the opposite of abrasiveness, and it flows from that kind of confident strength that is the opposite of arrogance. The man who is secure in his love for God does not need to intimidate but can be kind and humble in his leadership roles.

The man who is meek before God and has that inner strength that enables him to be gentle before men will not be a violent man. This quietness of spirit will enable him to be temperate. A self-controlled or temperate person is not given to binges of excess, but lives within restraints.

Thus the long-term benefit of the fruit of the Spirit is stability. Honoring God through love for Him causes us to rejoice in Christ’s victory, and that provides us with inner peace. Such peace enables us to endure hard times with patience, and this works into our personalities a spirit of kindness. As this happens, our lives become more beautiful in the sense that goodness is beautiful, and we become more faithful and trustworthy. Such trustworthy people are acquiring the meekness and temperance that indicate stability and a fitness for leadership. When God sees this kind of stability in His people, He will graciously give them positions of responsibility in society.

Today’s lesson puts the fruit of the Spirit into a chain of growth and development. Read the last paragraph again, and then close the book and see if you can rehearse the logic of Galatians 5:22–23. In light of the last sentence in the lesson, why do you think so few Christians have influence in our society today?

Goodness and Faith

"Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge" (2 Peter 1:5)

Goodness concerns the quality of generosity which perhaps is the principle focus of the fruit of the Spirit—at least regarding interpersonal relations. In the Bible, however, good also means “fitting, ordered, beautiful.” We see that used throughout Genesis 1, where each time God made something, He evaluated it as good, and at the end He evaluated the entire ordered cosmos as very good.

Protestant Christians do not seem very concerned with beauty. That is a problem because God is very concerned with it. God is Himself beautiful, and when He appears, He appears in glory. The tabernacle and the temple, built to His specifications, were masterpieces of color, form, balance, and order. God wrote 150 psalms, and other hymns as well, to be sung to musical instruments, and this obviously calls for great artistry, artistry worthy of the texts God has written.

As the Spirit is poured into our hearts, we will more and more appreciate good music, great art, fine literature, good architecture, and proper worship. It is a black mark against evangelicals that our music is so often simplistic and maudlin, our art propagandistic, our literature superficial, our church buildings either shabby or glitzy, and our worship centered on entertainment. The Spirit who hovered over the world and helped build it, who inspired Bezalel and Oholiab to build the tabernacle and David to write the Psalms, should be working in us to appreciate and create great art.

The fruit of faith is basically the fruit of trust. It implies faithfulness. The more we grow in grace, the more faithful to God we shall become. If we really believe God, we will not sin. First of all, we will believe Him when He says He will punish sin. Second of all, we will believe that He has given His law for our own good, and we will trust Him. Thus, the more trusting we become, the more faithful and loyal we become.

As we grow in trust we also grow in trustworthiness. God will entrust more to us, and people will also trust us more. We will also find it easier to trust others, because our confidence in God overwhelms our distrust of other people. Such trust works to build up the church, the community of the Spirit.

What are some practical steps you can take to increase your knowledge and appreciation of beauty expressed through great music and art? What about a class on these subjects in your church? If your church is not interested, what can you as a Christian individual do?

Patience and Kindness

"Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud" (1 Corinthians 13:4)

The fourth fruit of the Spirit, or the fourth aspect of the Spirit’s one fruit, is patience. Christians should not be impatient people, and if the Spirit is active in their lives, they will become more and more patient. We have all seen impatient people who cannot seem to wait for anything, and want everything to happen now. In ordinary life, however, patience is not usually a difficult virtue to manifest.

In the face of suffering, however, patience becomes hard. When Job suffered, the temptation offered by his wife was “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). Job was tempted to commit suicide, so to speak, and thereby end his torment. When we hurt we are impatient for healing, and we need the special blessing of the Spirit to persevere despite the pain.

Probably Galatians 5:22 has reference to patience with other people. Here again, it is when other people cause us to suffer, especially by slander, that we become impatient. We rightly desire vindication, and we are tempted to vindicate ourselves. Unless other people are suffering because of the slander, it is better to remain quiet and let God vindicate us, because He can do it much better and more thoroughly (Romans 12:17–20).

Notice how much easier it is to be patient with people who have money or power. If we want to keep someone’s favor, the favor of someone powerful, we are very patient and long-suffering with their foibles and idiocies. But let someone who is inferior to us get out of line, and we quickly lose our patience. True patience, however, is patient with inferiors, just as Jesus was. He put up with all kinds of slander and nonsense from people, yet showed great patience with them.

Spiritual fruit is also characterized by kindness. How would you like to be known as a kind person, a person who gives others the benefit of the doubt, a person who tries to look on the better side of people’s foibles? Sadly, we often find a sort of pettiness in the church that is opposed to kindness. Since we are picky, we end up magnifying the faults of other people. We are quick to correct the grammar or theology frequently to their embarrassment. We need the fruit of kindness, so that others will see God’s Spirit at work in us.

Consider today’s lesson as a test. As you review it, evaluate yourself in terms of patience and kindness. Are you patient with those who are inferior to you, like your children? Are you as kind and sensitive to other people as you should be? Do you need to claim God’s patience and kindness by faith?

What is Absolutely Essential?

Recent weeks have forced us to define what is essential. What are essential grocery items? What is the “non-essential” travel and contact with others we have to avoid? Much of socio-economic life has coasted to a halt in response to the definition of essential. Countries, communities and individuals may all have different definitions of essential. “Recent events clearly demonstrate that the process of designating ‘essential services’ is as much about culture as any legal-political reality about what is necessary to keep society functioning,” said Christopher McKnight Nichols, associate professor of history at Oregon State University. Some of the readjustment may indeed make us reassess lifestyle and consumption. These microscopic organisms against which we have neither prevention nor cure are paring back a great deal of our culture to the very essentials. But take a step backward and consider the widest possible perspective. What in this world is truly and absolutely essential? It’s easy to miss it.

There are many essential things for maintaining life and preserving our safety and health. We do not want in any way to minimise the practical emphasis given to these aspects of loving our neighbour as our moral duty. Yet the thing that is absolutely essential above all things is studiously ignored by so many, including most of our leaders. Other things are merely temporary and will leave people at some time or other. But this one thing and this only, will stay with them forever if they have it.

This is why there is only one thing absolutely essential and necessary. Jesus Christ has identified this one supremely essential thing (Luke 10:42). Clearly it is related to the eternal good of our souls in relation to God. James Durham (1622-1658) explains further what it is. He speaks of peace with God through Christ and Godward living. This is living in fellowship with God, glorifying and enjoying Him.

1. WHAT CANNOT BE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL

(a) No created or temporary thing can be absolutely essential.

It must be something which cannot be taken away from us, something spiritual, eternal and entirely satisfying.

(b) No mere form of religion can be absolutely essential.

We can be sure that this mere outward profession can and will be taken from us (Luke 19:26; Matthew 7:21).

(c) No particular aspect of religion can be absolutely essential in itself.

Happiness is not promised to only one aspect but to uninhibited godliness and obedience to God’s will in general. Mary sat at Christ’s feet and heard His word (Luke 10:42). She was justly commended by Christ on that account. Yet it is not for that in itself but as it evidenced her love to the Saviour, her respect to godliness and her eager and earnest desire to get her soul saved by Christ.

2. WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL

It can be summarized in the following way: Peace with God through the Lord Jesus with a view to the salvation of our souls. The sincere practice of true godliness, communion, and fellowship with the Father and His Son.

This is not the mere hearing of the Word (though it is our indispensable duty). Rather  it is using the Word as a means of our daily progress in holiness and godliness, and of our peace and reconciliation with God. And therefore this one thing can be nothing else except the life, power and practice of godliness. It is all one and the same thing, whether we call this one necessary thing Christ, religion, or the salvation of the soul. The eternal salvation of our souls is the goal of godliness. Our union and communion with Christ is the means of attaining this. It is always inseparably connected with the practice of sincere piety (1 Timothy 4:8). This one thing then is godliness in its spirit, power, and substance.

This is what the psalmist desired (Psalm 27:4). Not to attend God’s outward appointed worship only but to be lively in religion, to have communion with God in His sacred institutions, and to have the amiable and desirable hope of enjoying God in heaven. This is the one thing, which comprehends many other things, the making of our peace with God, through Jesus our peace-maker and Mediator, and the study of the power and practice of godliness, that our spirits may be saved in the day of the Lord.

3. WHY IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL

This one absolutely necessary thing does not encompass every kind of necessity. Food, drink, clothes, health, strength, and other things are also necessary in their own way. But there is nothing absolutely necessary except this one thing. The believer may lack other things, but cannot be without this.

(a) God commands it

We may please God and have His approval even though we are not rich in worldly goods, or in reputation, or do not have health and strength. We are not commanded to be rich, but we are commanded to be godly, to be at peace with God, to be sincere in fulfilling every commanded duty.

(b) It makes us truly happy

True religion is the one thing necessary to make us happy here and hereafter. There is only one thing absolutely necessary inseparably connected with our welfare and happiness. It is not the many things some are troubled and anxious to obtain. It is this one thing, the practice of godliness and our peace with God, which can make us happy.

The meaning of Luke 10:42 is as though Christ had said, “Martha, your mind is taken up with many things and you are troubled with them. That is all the benefit you get from them. Trouble yourself as you will, to get all things right, they will not be governed by you nor can they satisfy you. But there is one thing necessary for the saving of your soul—namely, the practice of godliness and peace with God. This is absolutely necessary for your blessedness; but the other things you are anxious about, are not.”

There is nothing absolutely necessary for the happiness of men and women, but godliness and peace with God. This is  making sure of our own salvation and holy calling through Christ Jesus.

A person may have all other things but if they lack godliness they cannot be happy. A person may lack all other things but if they are godly and have peace with God, they cannot be miserable. No other thing can mar his happiness. If then the possession of other things cannot make people happy, and the lack of them cannot make them miserable, then surely no other thing is absolutely necessary to promote our welfare but true religion.

It must be spiritual. That which concerns someone’s happiness must be spiritual,  incorruptible and immortal. The soul of man is spiritual and it must have a spiritual source of happiness.

It must be perfect. No imperfect thing can make anyone happy.

It must be eternal and unchangeable. One cannot be happy today and miserable tomorrow. If it is a thing that is subject to change, it cannot make us happy.

All the idols in the world put together have none of these three things. They are not spiritual, and cannot satisfy the soul; they are not perfect, but have some defect. They are merely temporal and not eternal: a man may be taken from them or they from him. 

(c) It ensures our spiritual welfare

Without godliness, a soul will never be well. Godliness is not only commanded, but useful and profitable for all things, and so absolutely necessary. This may commend godliness to you above all other things: it our happiness consists in it, and this cannot be said of any other thing in this world.

The godly man has the most contented and cheerful life and the most joyful and comfortable death (2 Corinthians 6:10; Philippians 4:11-13). Godliness brings God’s favour, friendship and peace. His promise and covenant is that they can lack no good thing or happiness, though they lack the things of the world. All those who are blessed in heaven have perfect happiness without the things of this world.  

CONCLUSION

It would be a great blessing if we were in these times to return to what is absolutely essential; glorifying and enjoying God. This is the essence of true godliness. Perhaps some other things (although perhaps necessary in their own way) have been distracting us from this. Or perhaps we have been content with an outward appearance of godliness while in practice denying its real spiritual power (2 Timothy 3:5). We now have the opportunity to ensure that our primary focus is what is most glorifying to God and for our own true spiritual happiness. Let us not lose it.

Real Joy and True Peace

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peacce and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17)

Because the Bible says that Christians are to be joyful, and because joy is a positive, upbeat thing, many Christians nowadays have fallen into the trap of projecting a superficial kind of “happy-face” that is really rather offensive to serious human beings. It seems insincere. Biblical joy is not superficial but is grounded in a deep and profound reality. It is the joy and celebration of the Bridegroom and the bride. It arises from the happiness of the wedding. It is the celebration of the victory of Christ. Thus, in terms of the order in Galatians 5:22, joy grows from love. The more we love Christ the more we rejoice as His bride. This is a joy that can exist even in the midst of pain and sorrow.

Peace has several meanings in the Bible. In its first sense, peace means peace with God. It means we are no longer at war with God, and He is no longer at war with us. This kind of peace is the same thing as salvation and is the foundation of all our blessings. It is not what Paul is referring to here in Galatians 5:22, however, because peace is something that grows and develops in the lives of those who already have peace with God.

Peace as a fruit of the Spirit refers to living peacefully and harmoniously with others. The more agape love we come to know, and the more joy we experience, the more tension and conflict will leave our lives. We will be more at peace with ourselves, and more at peace with others.

In the fullest sense, peace means we enjoy fellowship with God, the same kind of peace-filled fellowship that the Father enjoys with the Son and the Spirit in eternity. Because we have a fellowship of peace with the three persons of God, we also have it with our brothers and sisters, and as much as possible with our unbelieving neighbors as well.

At the same time, there is a counterfeit peace we must beware of. The false prophets proclaimed, “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace. We can know, objectively, that we have peace when we are living righteously with God. It is not possible for us to be at peace with all men, because many men are at war with God. We strive for peace, but we must never compromise the truth to get it.

If you are a Christian, the Spirit has been poured into your heart, which means joy and peace have been poured into you. If you don’t feel much joy in Christ or peace with others right now, stop and seek these fruit by faith. The Spirit causes us to love Christ and to joy in Him and to have peace with His people.

Love versus Death

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth" (1 Corinthians 13:6)

In his magnificent work Charity and Its Fruits, the great American theologian Jonathan Edwards wrote these words: “What a watch and guard should Christians keep against envy and malice and every kind of bitterness of spirit toward their neighbors, for these are the very reverse of the real essence of Christianity.” This does not mean that a Christian does not struggle against resentment and bitterness. The New Testament repeatedly calls us to lay such things aside, showing that they are indeed problems for believers. The work of the Spirit in our hearts, however, is to overcome all such destructive tendencies.

“All those who hate Me love death,” says the wisdom of God in Proverbs 8:36. God is life and love, and when men hate God, they plunge into death and hatred. They are self-destructive and they are destructive of others. The Christian, because he is imperfectly sanctified in this life, finds to his horror that such death wishes are still powerful in his own life.

How often we Christians find a root of bitterness in our own lives. “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with [bitter against] them,” wrote Paul in Colossians 3:19. It seems that the major thing husbands need to watch out for is bitterness against their wives. When the root of bitterness begins, too often we feed and nurture it, finding fault with everything, stewing in black thoughts. Such horrors are found in the hearts of Christians. It is only with the love graciously shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit of God that we can defeat them.

It is the people we are closest to that often hurt us the most. We expect more from them (though not from ourselves), and we are with them constantly, so that we have many opportunities to collect injustices. This is how conflict builds up in homes and in close-knit churches. We tend to interpret the actions of other people in the worst possible light. They do some little thing that hurts us, and instead of assuming that they did not mean to do it, we assume that they did it with premeditated malice. But when we hurt someone else and they tell us about it, we cast ourselves in the best possible light and say, “I didn’t mean it.”

When someone hurts or offends us, our reaction is usually to assume the worst possible motive in that person. But one application of the law of love is that we should give others the benefit of the doubt. How have you been doing in your relationships? Strive to assume the best possible motive in others.

The Well-Spring of Love

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us" (Romans 5:5)

As we begin a consideration of the fruit of the Spirit, we must start with love. Galatians 5:22 lists love as the first and preeminent fruit of the Spirit, while 1 Corinthians 13:13 magnifies love over faith and hope, and far above all spiritual gifts. God sometimes gives spiritual gifts to those who are not truly His, as we see in the case of Balaam’s prophecies in Numbers 22–24. Unless the gifts and talents are accompanied by the love of God and love for God, they are ultimately worthless.

Love, in the sense spoken of by Paul, is uniquely Christian. The Greek word for it is agape (pronounced “ah-GAH-pay”). Ordinary affection between people is called phileo (“phih-LEH-oh”). In the New Testament, agape love is regarded as a gift, as the accompaniment of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is part and parcel of regeneration, and so every Christian has agape love. Indeed, Romans 5:5 says that agape love has been poured into our hearts. By way of contrast, the unbeliever has not been regenerated by the Spirit, and so does not have any agape love at all.

Agape love is not so much an emotional thing as a theological thing. We accept by faith that God has poured agape love into our hearts. We also accept by faith that the Spirit causes us to love. We can, of course, quench and grieve the Spirit, and thus we can fail to manifest the fullness of agape love. When we repent and claim the gift of love by faith, we can be assured that God is working a true loving spirit in us.

The wellspring of love is the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. The Spirit loves the Father and the Son, and causes us to do so. One sign that we are growing in love is that we spend more time in adoration of God. The Spirit also loves the images of God—human beings—and so another sign that we are growing in agape love is that we are kind and servant-hearted toward others.

Another mark of agape love is respect for God’s Word. If we love God and trust Him, we will love and trust the Bible. When we see people criticizing the Bible and saying that it is merely a record of human religious responses, we must sadly say that they do not give evidence of having agape love.

Sin, ultimately is a failure to love ordinately. Either we fail to love enough, as when we mistreat others, or we love too much, as when we elevate love of God’s gifts above love of God. Seek always to give love to that which love is due, and in due proportion.