The Office of Teacher

"The elders who direct the affairs of the church are worthy of double honor" (1 Timothy 5:17a)

The word 'teacher' is used in the New Testament primarily with reference to Jesus, but it occurs elsewhere as well. One of the most revealing places is John 3:10, where Jesus calls Nicodemus a “teacher” and makes it clear that a teacher is someone who understands the Bible and theology and is professionally involved in teaching. The New Testament office of teacher is that of pastor-theologian.

In the Bible, the teacher and the rabbi are accorded a great deal of respect. The disciples of the teacher, and of the prophet in the Old Testament, waited on him and took care of all his needs. In ancient Israel, people rose up when a teacher entered the room or the synagogue. And in the Christian church (in most place outside of America), teachers and pastors even today are accorded such ceremonial respect.

1 Timothy 5:17 says that elders who direct the affairs of the church are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. This implies that some elders have a special task of teaching and others do not. This distinction in some branches of the church underlies the difference between “teaching elders” (pastors) and “ruling elders” (men who oversee the people and govern the work of the church). In addition, many branches of the church ordain men who are not functioning as elders in a local church to be teachers in Christian schools, colleges, seminaries, and other special ministries.

Ephesians 4:11 says that the ascended Christ gave to the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor/teachers. This is a list of four types of men, the last of which is given two names (pastors and teachers). We know that the apostles were only for the period before the Bible was completed, and it is generally agreed that the same is true of the prophets, since the Bible is the completed prophetic Word of God. Some have held that the office of evangelist was also temporary, but it is more common to find that the office of evangelist is that of “church planter.” After the evangelist plants the church, the pastor-teacher comes to lead it, assisted by the elders, deacons, and deaconesses.

Showing respect for the teacher in the church is a way of showing respect for the teaching. It is the office, not the person, that is due such respect. Think how you can communicate that respect to the teachers that labor in your church. Encourage others in your fellowship to do the same.

God's Mercy

 The Lord is merciful (Jonah 4:2). God’s mercy is His kindness to a person in misery (Matt. 9:27). The apostle Paul wrote, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). Notice the order. God is first the Father of Jesus Christ, and then our Father if we are in Christ. Christ has everything first, and we receive all from Him. He is the first Son, and we are sons. He is the first beloved of God, and we are beloved in Him. He is filled first with all grace, and we are filled from Him (John 1:16).

 God must first be the Father of Christ, and then our Father through faith in Christ, so that He may be “the Father of mercies” to us. God’s mercy must see God’s justice satisfied. One attribute must not devour another in God (Ps. 85:10). God cannot wrong His own justice, but it must be satisfied by Christ (Rom. 3:26). Christ took our nature to die for us (Heb. 2:14, 17), so that God could be our Father despite our sins, for He has punished our sins in Christ, our surety (Heb. 7:22). Thus God, out of His heart of mercy, found a way that He might do good to us and bring together His mercy and justice. God is holiness; we are a mass of sin and corruption. But Christ died for us, and God is the Father of mercies to all who are in Christ. Since God’s justice has been satisfied for sin, the obstacle is removed and the stream of God’s mercy runs freely.

 God is merciful by nature. The sea is not more naturally wet, the sun does not more naturally shine, fire does not more naturally burn, and gravity does not more naturally pull weights down, than God naturally shows mercy when His justice is satisfied. God’s attributes, such as His wisdom and power, would terrify us apart from His mercy. But if we know Him as the Father of mercies, then all His attributes becomes sweet to us. His wisdom will plan good things for us. His power will free us from our enemies. His justice will vindicate us against those who wrong us.

 God glorifies Himself in showing mercy. God is merciful before we are converted. He delays His wrath and does not punish the sinner immediately. God is merciful in forgiving all sin, punishment, and guilt when we trust in Christ. God is merciful in correcting some of the sins of His children (Heb. 12:6), while passing over many sins, and moderating His correction with gentleness and perfect timing. He is merciful in continuing our daily blessings. If we have comfort, it is mercy. If we have strength, it is mercy. His mercies do not fail but are new every morning (Lam. 3:22–23). Everything that comes from God to His children is dipped in mercy.

 When God is severe with sinners in His justice, it is their fault. His heart is merciful (Lam. 3:33). He is good in Himself. We provoke Him to be severe in justice. But in His own nature, “he delighteth in mercy” (Mic. 7:18). Therefore He will be merciful to all who repent of their sins and take hold of Christ by a true faith. This is the name by which God wants to be known, “merciful and gracious” (Ex. 34:6). The Psalms tells us the same thing, again and again (Ps. 86:15; 103:8, 13; 111:4; 116:5; 145:8–9).

 God’s promises are promises of mercy. Whenever a sinner repents, regardless of how many or how bad his sins may be, God will forgive them all (1 John 1:7). The Bible says to the guilty soul, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7). We are vindictive, quick to be offended and seek revenge. Our thoughts of mercy are poor and narrow because we are so unmerciful. But God’s thoughts are above our thoughts, and His ways above our ways (Isa. 55:7–8). God’s mercy is infinite!

Sunday Sermon: "Kindness" (Galatians 5:22-23; Luke 10:25-37)

Matthew Dowling, preaching minister at the Plymouth Church of Christ, delivered a sermon message titled "Patience" from Galatians 5:22-23 and Luke 10:25-37. The September-October sermon series is "The Fruit of Our Faith."

The Call to Service

"Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain" (1 Timothy 3:8)

The Greek word diakonia, from which we get the word deacon, was used in the ancient world for the work of a household servant who waited on tables. These waiters did much more than waiters today. The job involved not merely serving the meal but also arranging the house, helping the guests in any way, preparing the food, and everything else connected with any special meal.

Jesus said that among the heathen, those who rule are considered great, but that in the church, it will be those who serve others who will have His esteem (Mark 10:42–45). Indeed, Jesus Himself came “not to be served, but to serve.”

We see Abraham acting as a deacon when he prepared a meal for the three strangers who visited him in Genesis 18. We see Lot doing the same in Genesis 19. Neither knew initially whom his guests were. Picking up on these stories, Hebrews 13:2 says that we should show hospitality to all men, “for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

Service is the first and foremost outward duty in the kingdom of God. There is only one thing more important, and that is to listen to the Word of God and receive it. But after we have been like Mary, and have “amened” the Word of God, we must go out and be like Martha and serve others (Luke 10:40–41). Both are critical to building the kingdom.

In Acts 6, the apostles set aside some men to “wait on tables.” This was the beginning of the New Testament diaconate. These men would not only help distribute the Lord’s Supper in worship, but outside of worship, they would oversee the care of the helpless. Because service is not a ruling function, it is also possible to have deaconesses to help women with their needs.

There are four preeminent tasks of service the New Testament identifies, and these apply not only to deacons but to all of us: feeding the hungry; housing the homeless and clothing the naked; visiting the sick and imprisoned; and caring for widows and the fatherless. According to Matthew 25:34–46, those who don’t do these things are not in the kingdom of God.

Are you involved in any of these activities? If not, you need to be. If you don’t know how to begin, get with the deacons in your church and ask them to help you get started. If they cannot help, look around for opportunities. You will find them soon enough.

The Duty of the Overseer/Elder

"Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task" (1 Timothy 3:1)

The word translated as “overseer” in 1 Timothy 3:1 is also translated as “bishop.” Most scholars agree that the bishop and the elder in the New Testament are the same person. It is the same office, given two different titles that stress two different aspects of the duty. The word elder calls attention to the age, wisdom, and respect that this man is to have. The word overseer describes his duty: He is to oversee the work of the church.

In congregationalism, the overseer only works in a local congregation. In the Presbyterian tradition, the overseer also has a duty to watch over the larger church as a member of a presbytery, classis, synod, or general assembly. In the evangelical Episcopal tradition, there are ranks of elders above the local level who oversee larger areas of the church: bishops, archbishops, and the like.

The idea of oversight is related to the idea of visitation. In the Old Testament, the Lord was the Overseer of the congregation, and from time to time He would visit the people and inspect them. Such events were called “the Day of the LORD.” Paul exercises such a function when he writes to various churches that they can expect a visit from him. On a day-to-day basis, the overseers in the local church keep an eye on things.

The duty of the overseer is closely related to the duties of the priest and the prophet in the Old Testament. The priest prayed with the people, bringing their concerns to God, while the prophet brought God’s word to the people. Too often, officers in the church try to preach the Word of God without first being priests to the people. People will not listen to our prophetic warnings unless they come to trust us first.

The overseer must be intimately aware of what is going on in the lives of the people he is watching over. It is sad when a church member goes into the hospital and nobody visits him because nobody is watching over him. Elders need to keep in touch with people and have good relations with them. If we want people to listen to us, we must spend time with them, pray with and for them, and let them see that we care for them.

In a less formal way, each of us must be a spiritual overseer. Think of your Christian friends. How can you be an overseer to them? Do any of them have needs you can meet? Do any of them need a kind rebuke from you. Is your relationship sufficiently priestly for you to be able to exercise such a prophetic role?

The PreacherCast (Episode: September 26, 2020)

Welcome to The PreacherCast for September 26, 2020. I round up the news and take a look at what's happening in the Christian world.

Church Government

"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." (Hebrews 13:17)

The Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) lead us into a consideration of church government that will occupy our attention until the end of this month. Most of us don’t like to think of the church as an organization because that seems cold, bureaucratic, and legalistic. We’d rather think of her as an organism, warm and alive.

No organism can exist without organization, and the Bible is deeply concerned about the church’s structure. If church government is this important to God, then it needs to be important to us as well. Church government is the context and framework in which the church grows and thrives. Apart from it, she languishes.

The Bible as a whole and the New Testament in particular make the fundamental rule of church government plain: The church is to be overseen by elders. Throughout church history, however, elders have been ordered in a variety of ways. The first form of government is called episcopacy, from the Greek word for overseer or bishop. There are “higher elders” who are the actual rulers of the church, overseeing several congregations in a geographical area (diocese). In monarchical episcopacy, the bishop has a free hand in his diocese, while in conciliar episcopacy, the bishop must work closely with the pastors under him and with other bishops.

The second system is called presbyterianism, from the Greek word for elder (presbyter). In this system, there is no one bishop over a diocese, but the corporate body of elders oversees a geographical area called a presbytery. Sometimes a superintendent functions as a kind of bishop-advisor to the churches, always under the oversight of the presbytery as a corporate whole.

Finally, there is congregationalism. In this system, the local church is supreme, and associations among churches are seen not as a larger form of the church (diocese or presbyter) but merely as voluntary fellowships. Rule is by elders, but elders have no power or authority outside their own local churches.

Church government is another area over which the body is all too often divided. Sadly, we often affiliate with the denomination of our forefathers without any investigation into proper church government. Make a study of your denomination’s understanding of church government and compare it with Scripture.

Five Things for Friday

Here are five things which have been on my mind this week:

1) Mercy

What is mercy? Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matt. 5:7). I've been thinking about what it means to be a merciful person and how to act on this in practical ways. I've boiled it down to six things:

1. to listen
2. to encourage
3. to comfort
4. to forgive
5. to understand
6. to pray

What would happen this week if you showed mercy in these six ways to someone else?

2) Compassion

I've been thinking about compassion this week and how it's becoming a thing often lost, increasingly rare, and desperately needed. That's the point of this TED TALK with Krista Tippett. Check it out:

3. Fireproof Novel

I finished reading the Fireproof novel based on the movie of the same name by the Kendrick Brothers. It was excellent!

4. Patience

Of the nine fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, I believe 'patience' is the one most difficult to come by. I preached over this virtue last Sunday and it has been on my mind this week:

5. Pumpkin Spice for Keto people

Here in Michigan, the trees are changing color and the mornings are cool in the 50s - meaning, Fall is here and so I am excited to bring on the hot drinks! I love my morning cup of coffee and recently wanted to add pumpkin spice to the equation. Problem though - I am keto/zero carb and needed something to make this work. Enter zero carb pumpkin spice coffee syrup: Jordan's Skinny Mixes Syrups/Sugar Free Pumpkin Spice Coffee Syrup! You can get it here.

The Church in Crisis

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days" (2 Timothy 3:1)

Acts 28:30 reveals that Paul lived in Rome in his own rented quarters while awaiting his hearing before Caesar. But when Paul describes his imprisonment in Rome to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:16–17 and 2:9, he speaks of chains. It seems that this is a later imprisonment, after a fourth missionary journey, just before Paul’s death (2 Timothy 4:6–8).

This was in the mid to late A.D. 60s, a time when the Romans began to move against Jerusalem, and also a time when Nero moved against the Christians in the Roman Empire. It was a time when many fell away from the church. In 2 Timothy, Paul speaks of the “last days,” and some scholars have argued that the “last days” refer not to the end of the Christian era but to the last days of the old covenant. Whatever the case, times of tribulation have come upon the church more than once in history, and in such times the “last days” scenario has become relevant.

The first three chapters of 2 Timothy describe the scenario of tribulation and exhort Timothy (and the church) to persevere. Then in chapter 4, Paul shows three important aspects of the kingdom that are particularly relevant in such times.

The first is, “Preach the Word!” (4:2). Preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God is important in preparing people for times of tribulation, and there must be no letup when the tribulation comes. As always, it is the truth of the Word of God that builds and sustains the church.

The second is for Timothy himself to be a model of perseverance (4:5). When people see their leaders standing firm, they will be encouraged to stand firm as well.

The third important truth for the church in distress is to maintain community and fellowship—not only within the local church but also with believers elsewhere. Paul shows this in 2 Timothy 4:9–21, where he mentions one person after another as those who either encouraged and comforted the saints, or who abandoned the cause. It is easy to forget how much we need one another, but in times of tribulation we find out how weak we are and how much we need the support of the brethren.

Is it possible that preaching against certain sins, such as homosexual acts, will be outlawed as “hate crimes”? Is it possible that the faithful churches will come under persecution in the near future? As you read 2 Timothy today, ask yourself if you are prepared for a time of tribulation.

Holy Spirit Seminar - Lesson 22- "The Importance of Being a Servant"

Jesus walked up to some fishermen and said, “Follow me, and I will make you fisher’s of men.” They dropped their nets and followed Him. He met a woman at a well and said, “Follow me, and you’ll never be thirsty again.” She dropped her bucket and went to get all of her friends. Jesus still calls out today – to dock workers, CEOs, plumbers, electricians, firemen, homemakers, and even preachers, and they drop what they’re doing to follow Him. How about you — are you being a servant?

Elders, the Church, and Keeping Things on Track in Titus

"Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply..." (Titus 1:12–13)

Unlike Timothy, who was half Jewish, Titus was a Gentile. Paul appointed him to “straighten out” the church on the island of Crete. Unlike the Ephesian church that Timothy pastored, which was relatively healthy, the Cretan church was made up of converts from the degenerate Cretan life-style. Thus, Paul tells Titus to stress the importance of “doing good” (Titus 1:16; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 8, 14).

Paul begins by telling Titus to appoint elders as overseers of the church (1:5–9). These men had to be of good moral character, ready and willing to chastise the morally wayward members of the flock (1:10–16). Paul’s admonitions reveal that the Cretans were attracted by the heresies of the Judaizers. Unstable people, unaccustomed to a disciplined life, are too often drawn to teachers of heresy.

In chapter 2, Paul explains to Titus how to frame his teaching according to the various groups within the church. The older men, Paul says, must set an example of temperance and self-control. The older women must do the same, avoiding gossip and overindulgence in wine. Young men must also learn to practice self-control. Servants must focus on serving their masters well and not stealing from them. And in general, everyone must avoid living by “worldly passions.”

In chapter 3, Paul tells Titus to exhort everyone in the church to submit to God’s constituted authorities in the civil realm. Unstable and immoral people are generally very resentful and rebellious against authority, and this had to be reversed if the church was to become healthy. Paul goes on to tell Titus to stress to these people that having trusted God, they have become new in Christ and must “devote themselves to doing what is good” (3:8). Those who are unstable and seek to be argumentative and divisive should be soundly rebuked, and if they persist, should be cut off from the church (3:9–11).

Finally, Paul says again that these people must learn to provide for themselves and not live unproductive lives (3:14). A large part of the church’s mission in this world is to get people out of a “welfare mentality” and train them for productivity.

You can see sections of modern society that fit the description of the Cretans. How should the church function in such societies? How is this kind of “tough love” regarded by the “politically correct” in society today? Should the church compromise in order to look good to the world, or should she do what Paul told Titus?

Sunday Sermon: "Patience" (Galatians 5:22-23; James 1:2-8)

 

Paul's Spiritual Son, Timothy

If the apostle Paul had ever been married, the New Testament tells us nothing about it. Nor does it say anything about any natural children Paul may have fathered. But Acts and the Epistles are filled with references to Paul’s spiritual children: men and women who had been brought to a saving knowledge of Christ through Paul’s ministry. Paul reminds the Corinthians: “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the Gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15).

The most prominent of Paul’s many spiritual children was Timothy. The apostle wrote two letters to him and mentions him twelve other times in his letters (Timothy also appears in six verses in Acts and once in Hebrews). Three times Paul calls him “my son” (1 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; and note the comparison in Philippians 2:22), indicating not only their close relationship but also Paul’s role in Timothy’s conversion. We can assume that it was on Paul’s first missionary journey through southern Asia Minor (modern Turkey) that Timothy, from the city of Lystra, became a Christian (see Acts 14:8–20). Paul’s preaching of the crucified Messiah found fertile soil in Timothy’s heart because his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice had taught him the Scriptures from his birth (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15). This grounding in the Word could come only through Timothy’s mother because his parents’ marriage was a mixed one. While his mother was a Jewess, his father was a Greek. Timothy’s mixed parentage created a problem when Paul recruited him for his missions team about three years later (Acts 16:1–3). Timothy, though reared with an understanding of the Old Testament and by Jewish law considered a Jew because of his mother, had not been circumcised. Paul therefore circumcised him “because of the Jews who lived in that area” (Acts 16:3).

Timothy quickly became an important member of Paul’s missions team. He helped Paul plant churches in the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea (Acts 16:16–17:15; see 17:14–15). He was separated from Paul while the latter went to Athens to escape persecution, but caught up with him in Corinth (Acts 18:5), bringing information from Thessalonica that led Paul to write to that church (1 Thessalonians 3:1–6). Indicative of Timothy’s importance and close relationship to the Thessalonians is Paul’s inclusion of him (along with Silas) in the letter’s opening (1 Thessalonians 1:1; see also 2 Thessalonians 1:1). Paul spent much of his third journey in Ephesus, using the city as a center from which to reach the surrounding area. When problems with the church at Corinth began to surface, Timothy’s close relationship with the Corinthians qualified him to act as Paul’s emissary to them (Acts 19:22; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10; see 2 Corinthians 1:1, 19). After the riot in Ephesus forced Paul to leave the city, he traveled through Philippi again, and Timothy was probably left to minister there as Paul moved on to Corinth (Acts 20:1–2). Paul then picked up Timothy there on his return trip to Palestine (Acts 20:3–4).

Paul’s evangelizing of Gentiles had made him a controversial figure, and upon his arrival back in Jerusalem, he was imprisoned by the Romans because of disturbances over him among the Jews. This imprisonment dragged on for two years (Acts 24:27). We know nothing about Timothy’s movements or activities during this time, but when Paul’s appeal to Caesar led to his being sent to Rome, Timothy probably accompanied him. At least we know that Timothy was with Paul during some of his two-year Roman imprisonment, for he is mentioned in letters written during that time (Colossians 1:1; Philemon 1; Philippians 1:1; 2:19). Timothy again worked with Paul after the latter’s release from confinement in Rome; he was left in charge of the church at Ephesus for a time (1 Timothy 1:3) and was probably still in that area (though not in Ephesus) when Paul wrote his last letter to him (2 Timothy 4:9–13). Significant of their relationship is the fact that Paul, in the shadow of martyrdom, sent this last letter to Timothy, his “dear son” (2 Timothy 1:2).

What made Timothy so dear to Paul and so valued a co-worker? The texts suggest three traits: solid training, availability, and love for others. Timothy’s early life was molded by his training in the Scriptures, and we are reminded that parental teaching can be one of the strongest foundations for a lifetime of ministry. But all the training in the world will not help if a person is unwilling to go where the Lord calls. Timothy was willing. He left his home and family to spend fifteen years traveling all over the Mediterranean world—sometimes with Paul and sometimes at Paul’s request. A conservative estimate of Timothy’s mileage during his journeys with Paul and the side trips Paul sent him on is 10,000 miles. Some of those miles came in the bowels of uncomfortable sailing vessels; most came on foot or on horseback. But what finally made Timothy so valued an associate in ministry was his genuine concern for others. Paul tells the Philippians that he is planning to send Timothy to them, because “I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare” (2:20). Putting others first was something Timothy did in imitation of his Lord (Philippians 2:5–11). He is a model for us who seek to serve the risen Lord and His church.

Establishing the Church

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone" (1 Timothy 2:1)

Early church writers like Eusebius and Clement of Rome tell us that Paul was released from imprisonment in Rome and made a trip to Spain as well as many of the churches he had earlier planted in Asia Minor. It seems that the letters of 1 Timothy and Titus were written during this fourth missionary journey.

In these letters, we see Paul’s concern to establish an order in the church. A study of 1 Timothy shows us what Paul regarded as the essentials of a healthy church. First, in chapter 1, Paul tells us that we must be on guard against heresies. The two kinds of heresies mentioned are false doctrine and opposition to biblical law. The church is grounded in truth and obedience, and without these, nothing else can stand.

Second, the most important activity of the church is prayer, and Paul discusses prayer in chapter 2. The church is to be constant in corporate prayer for all sorts and conditions of men. Men are to lead in prayer in corporate worship because God has given this task to men and not to women.

Third, the church must be governed because she is a true society (chapter 3). The church has overseers, who govern her life, and deacons, who serve the church by carrying out the tasks given them by the overseers. Ordinarily, those who rule as overseers should be elders, that is, older men. Timothy, spiritually mature while relatively young, had to be careful not to cause anyone to think he was arrogant in his youth (4:12–13; 5:1).

Fourth, Paul returns to the all-important theme of guarding against heretics in chapter 4. This theme recurs here because Paul has discussed the overseers, and he now says that they are the ones who must keep the wolves away from the flock.

Fifth, in chapter 5, Paul further discusses the structure of ministry in the church, pointing out the place of the company of widows (an important aspect of early church life that is overlooked today) and the importance of the work of elders. Finally, in chapter 6, Paul discusses the problem of money and how to handle it because the church as God’s new society would soon need to deal with money.

Modern evangelical Christians often despise the importance of order and structure in worship and in the life of the church. But a healthy church is more than a conglomeration of people who love Jesus. It is a new society, a manifestation of the kingdom of God on earth. Is your church a model of order and charity?

Peace if Possible, Truth at all Costs

"Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” After [Paul] said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves" (Acts 28:28–29)

Yesterday we saw the Roman centurion and his people learn to put their trust in Paul. In Acts 28, we find Paul and his shipmates wrecked on the shores of Malta. While there, Paul healed many of the sick, and the natives of the island came to him in droves. We can be sure that Paul preached the Good News to them and left a church behind (Acts 28:1–10).

Then Paul arrived in Rome, and according to God’s pattern, he went “to the Jew first.” Calling them together, he explained the Gospel to them. While some believed, most refused the Gospel. Citing the words God gave to Isaiah, Paul condemned those who turned away God’s offer: “This people’s heart has become calloused” (Acts 28:26–27; Isaiah 6:9–10). Leaving the Jews to argue among themselves, Paul announced he was going to the Gentiles, and that they would listen.

So ends the book of Acts, which recounts how God gave a second chance to the Jews, how some of the Jews received the Gospel, how most of them rejected it, and how the Gospel went to the Gentiles.

Theologically, the book of Acts brings us down to the final destruction of the Jewish nation in A.D. 70, an event predicted by Jesus and frequently alluded to in the Epistles. By A.D. 70, the remnant of God-fearing Jews had transferred their membership to the church, and there was nothing left in the old church of Israel but apostates.

The New Testament does not tell us anything more about Paul than that he taught for two years in Rome. Did Paul leave Rome for one more trip? Early church tradition says he did, and there are hints in the Pastoral Epistles that he may have done so. Tradition has it also that Paul returned to Rome and there was put to death.

The book of Acts has an important lesson for church politics. Martin Luther did not immediately leave the papal church when he saw the light of the Gospel, but instead went “to the Jew first” in seeking to reform the old church. Only when many years had gone by, and the old church establishment had refused to hear, did the Protestant Reformers set up new churches. Luther, in fact, did nothing to create a new church until he was expelled from the old.

Our church is fragmented yet sadly uncommitted to truth. It is a difficult balance to keep in the church between truth and peace. Both ideals are important and worthy of our deep commitment. Strive, however, to mirror the view of Luther who said, “Peace if possible, truth at all cost.”

3 Minutes to a Stronger Faith - Ep. 20 - "What does it mean to contend for the faith (Jude 3)?"

 

The New and Better Ship

"But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed" (Acts 27:22).

In most cultures of the world, the ship is a symbol for the body politic, the “ship of state,” and in the Bible we find this as well. Paul was being transported to Rome on a ship of the Roman Empire, and en route, the ship put in at the port of Fair Havens. Paul warned that if they went further they would meet with disaster, but the Roman centurion did not listen to Paul, and the ship set sail again.

Shortly after the Day of Atonement, God sent a great storm that threatened to destroy the ship and all within her (Acts 27:9ff.). (In the Old Testament calendar, the Feast of Tabernacles came right after the Day of Atonement and celebrated the ingathering of all nations into God’s kingdom.) The storm was so severe that the sailors first threw the cargo overboard, followed later by the ship’s own tackle and rigging (Acts 27:18–20).

Paul announced to the centurion that the ship would be lost, but that if they listened to him, all the lives would be saved. There was a new ship, so to speak, and if they would forsake the old and get on board the new, they would be saved. The centurion listened to Paul, and forced everyone to obey him (Acts 27:21–32).

Just before the ship wrecked, Paul broke bread and served it to everyone on board. Acts 27:35 reads almost identically to the formula for the Ford’s Supper, and we are thus reminded of it. Those who had united themselves to God’s servant were fed, in a certain sense, at His table. Then the ship wrecked, but all the people were saved (Acts 27:33–44).

This story, told by Luke in great detail, reminds us of the times when storms threatened the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus stilled those storms, but in this case the storm destroyed the ship. Yet, those who trusted Paul and united with him were saved. The Romans came to trust Paul in the midst of the storm because he had the wisdom they needed to get through it. The imagery in this story communicates to us that this world’s ships of state will not be able to weather the storms God sends into history. Rather, all people must ally themselves with God’s new kingdom if they are to be saved. His kingdom cannot be sunk by storms. Indeed, it endures forever and always.

When storms enter your life, to whom do you turn to calm them? Too often we turn to that earthly power, the state. Real, lasting peace, however, comes only from above, from the Prince of Peace. Seek to better understand that your citizenship is in heaven, the eternal kingdom.

Esau's Last Stand

"Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:28)

Because Esau sold his birthright for a mess of red pottage, his name was known as Edom (“Red”) thereafter. The Edomites were a major thorn in the flesh of Israel throughout Old Testament history. The Amalekites, the fiercest of Israel’s enemies, were a subgroup of the Edomites. The book of Obadiah foretells Edom’s doom, as do prophecies in several of the other prophets.

In Greek, the word edom becomes idum (pronounced in Greek “edum”). The Herods were Idumeans who became kings over the Jews. Herod the Ethnarch ruled Judea when Jesus was born and tried to kill Him, just as Esau had sought to kill Jacob (Genesis 27:41–42). Like Jacob, Jesus went into a foreign land for protection.

Herod the Tetrarch, known also as Antipas, was Herod the Ethnarch’s younger brother. It was he who adulterously married his brother Philip’s wife, imprisoned and slew John the Baptist, and heard the Jews’ complaints against Jesus. In A.D. 39, he was denounced by his nephew Herod Agrippa and deposed.

Herod Agrippa is also known as Herod the King. He put James to death and imprisoned Peter, and then for his open blasphemy, he was consumed by worms and died (Acts 12). He left a son, Agrippa, and two daughters, one of whom was Bernice.

Herod Agrippa II was too young to assume the throne immediately, but by the time Paul was on trial he had become king. He had a long-standing incestuous relationship with his sister Bernice, and when Paul preached to him, we can imagine that he was no less uncomfortable than was Herod Antipas when John the Baptist preached to him. Though Paul sought to convert him, Agrippa did not listen (Acts 26:26–30). Unlike the previous Edomite rulers, however, Agrippa could find no fault with God’s servant and was unwilling to do away with him.

The consistent hatred of the Edomites for Israel, and the readiness of the Herods to persecute and kill God’s prophets, is overcome by the providence of God. We see God protecting His spokesman Paul before the face of the worst enemy God’s people had ever known. It was now time for the Gospel to go forth, and not even Edom would stand in its way.

Do you feel a sense of wonder as you see the amazing way God orchestrated history throughout the Bible? Let this instruct you about what God is doing now. As a Christian, do not worry about the future. Be encouraged and thankful, remembering that everything is working out for the good of God’s kingdom.

Jerusalem or Rome?

"After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!” (Acts 25:12)

As we look at Luke 22:66–23:16, we see Luke describe the following events: Jesus is put on trial before the Jews, who condemn Him and bring charges against Him before the Roman governor Pilate. Pilate finds no basis of a charge against Jesus and sends Him to Herod. Herod also can find nothing to charge Him with and sends Him back to Pilate. Pilate declares that he and Herod agree that Jesus should be released.

As Luke records, God took Paul through a similar series of trials. If you remember, Paul was arrested and given a chaotic trial by the Jews, who brought charges against him before the Roman governor Felix. Felix heard the charges but could not figure out what to do with Paul, so he left Paul in prison for two years. When Felix left Palestine, he was succeeded by Porcius Festus.

In Acts 25:1–12, Festus hears Paul’s defense, and then in Acts 25:13–26:32, Paul speaks before both Festus and Herod Agrippa II. Both agreed that Paul had done nothing wrong and should be set free. Since Paul had already appealed to Caesar, he was sent on to Rome for a final hearing.

Paul’s vindication before Festus is noteworthy, because being new to the governorship of Palestine, Festus wanted very much to curry favor with the Jews. The Jews were one of the most difficult people the Romans had to govern, as Festus well knew. If the Jewish leaders wanted the head of this man Paul, Festus wanted to oblige them (Acts 25:9). Yet, when he asked the Jews for their charges, he found that “they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion” (Acts 25:18–19).

Seeking to please the Jews, Festus suggested to Paul that he go to Jerusalem for another hearing. Paul refused and, instead, pointedly appealed to Rome (Acts 25:9–12). We can see in this the apostle of Jesus Christ rejecting Jerusalem as a seat of earthly government and affirming Rome. This is consistent with the theology of Acts, which displays the apostasy of the once holy city and shows that the Gentiles were far more open to the Gospel.

Why do you suppose God took Paul through the same steps as Jesus? What does this say about what the church can expect if she faithfully follows her Master? Jesus refused to defend Himself, but Paul defended himself because he was defending Christ. When you are wrongly accused, who are you most zealous to defend?

Sunday Sermon: "Peace" (Galatians 5:22-23)

 

Why All Evangelicals Must Believe Christ is God

Surveys of Evangelical belief ought to be straightforward, but Ligonier’s State of Theology research has uncovered a consistent pattern of error and confusion over recent years. The following answers are from those who profess profess core evangelical beliefs about the Bible and salvation in the USA. 62% claim to believe the heresy that “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God”. 30% also agree “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God” with a further 8% unable to reject it absolutely. Other worrying trends are that evangelicals are evenly divided in response to “Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature”. Similar results were found in a survey of UK evangelicals in 2018. If this is even remotely accurate it reveals at the very least catastrophic confusion about core doctrine. Clear teaching cannot be taken for granted. We need to remind ourselves often of the glorious deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and just why it matters so much.

This not a matter of mere theological interest for those who study such matters. It is a matter of eternal life and death; it concerns our salvation. Why indeed is it so important? This is a question that the Larger Catechism asks (Q38). “Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?” The answer is very full, it shows that our salvation depends on it entirely. “It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death; give worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession; and to satisfy God’s justice, procure his favour, purchase a peculiar [special] people, give his Spirit to them, conquer all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation”.

How do we know that Christ is God and how does it affect us? It affects the faith, worship and obedience we owe to God. Knowing and believing that Christ is God are the two vital matters that Francis Cheynell (a member of the Westminster Assembly) helps us to do that in this updated extract. We need first of all to establish clearly from Scripture that the Lord Jesus is truly and eternally God, equal with the Father and Holy Spirit.

1. CHRIST HAS THE SAME NATURE AS THE FATHER

Jesus Christ is over all God blessed forever (Romans 9:5). God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). The blessed and only Potentate, who only has immortality etc and to whom everlasting honour and power are ascribed (1 Timothy 6:16). He is the great God (Titus 2:13). The true God (1 John 5:20).

Which of the saints or angels did God at any time call: my Son, the heir of all things, the illustrious brightness of my glory, and the express image of my person? His throne as God is forever and ever, and all the angels of God worship Him (see Hebrews 1:3-13). These things are so clear and plain, that I am even almost ashamed to write more in arguing this case. Yet I am encouraged and even provoked to proceed. Jesus Christ was the Wonderful Child; a Child, and yet a Father, the Father of Eternity; a Child, and yet a Counsellor, the wisest of all Counsellors, for he is Wisdom itself; a Child, and yet a God, a mighty God (Isaiah 9:6).

The same Godhead subsists in the Lord Jesus, who is equal to the Father because He subsists in the nature of God (Philippians 2:6). The word translated “being” or “existing” in Philippians 2:6 could be best rendered by “subsisting”. This is because there is a comparison there between two subsistences or persons, the Father and the Son. The Son counts it no robbery to be equal with the Father because He subsists in the nature of God.

He has the same Divine nature, the same Godhead with the Father and “all the fullness of the Godhead” dwells truly, really, bodily in the Son (Colossians 2:9). Body is the opposite of shadow, so it might be rendered: the Godhead dwells personally in the Son and is often translated as person. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells really in the subsistence or person of the Son. Christ is the illustrious brightness of His Father’s glory, the express living image or character of His Father’s subsistence or person (Hebrews 1:3). Christ is not the character of His own subsistence, but His Father’s subsistence. The Son, therefore, has a special subsistence distinct from the subsistence of His Father. Christ is the express image of His Father’s person, and therefore the person of the Son is distinct from the person of the Father; for no person is the image or character of itself.

2. CHRIST IS ETERNAL

The Godhead subsists in Jesus Christ, who was before the beginning (John 1:1). The word “was” indicates what is past. Therefore, He had His being before the beginning of time. It is clear that His eternal being is a divine being both because it is eternal and because it is not only said that He was with God before the beginning, but He was God. It clearly follows that Jesus Christ is the same eternal God with His Father; for it is impossible that there should be more than one God.

3. CHRIST IS JEHOVAH

Jehovah is a title unique and special to God (Isaiah 43:11-12). Jehovah is the only Saviour, the only God. His name alone is Jehovah, the Most High over all the earth (Psalm 83:18). But the Lord Christ is Jehovah, and therefore the Lord Christ is God. Jehovah sits on a throne in majesty and glory (Isaiah 6.:1, 3, 5, 8) but the Lord Christ is this Jehovah, as the apostle, assures us (John 12:41-42). The Lord Christ is that Jehovah to whom every knee must bow; as appears by comparing Isaiah 45:21-25 with Romans 14:9-12 and Philippians 2:6, 9-11.

The same is clear by comparing Psalm 102:19, 22, 25-26 with Hebrews 1:10-12. Once more, compare also Numbers 14:26-27 with 1 Corinthians 10:9-10 and Numbers 21:6. Thus, Christ is so gloriously described in Revelation 1:5-8 as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. And therefore, He is Jehovah. For the apostle there and to the end of that chapter uses these and similar expressions which comprise the sense and meaning of that divine and glorious title of Jehovah.

I might further argue this by showing that the title of Lord so often given to Christ in the New Testament corresponds with the title of Jehovah in the Old Testament. The apostles most likely purposely used the title of Lord, not to offend the Jews with frequently pronouncing the word Jehovah. The word Jehovah in Deuteronomy 6:13 and Deuteronomy 10:20 is rendered Lord when the verse is quoted in Matthew 4:10 (compare also Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37).

4. CHRIST IS GOD WITH US

Jesus Christ is Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). He is that God who took flesh and blood (1 Timothy 3:16) and that God who redeemed the Church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). The Early Church Fathers frequently pointed to John 16:15 compared with John 10. 30 and John 10. 37. From this, they concluded that Christ has the same divine nature and Godhead with the Father. Both have the same divine and essential titles and attributes and perform the same inward operations in reference to all creatures. They inferred from this that it was reasonable to use the word “consubstantial” [that the Father and Son share the same divine substance]. Even though the word is not in Scripture, the sense and meaning are. It is orthodox and scriptural because it is evidently deduced from these verses and others previously cited. I will add one more to make it even clearer: compare John 17:10 with John 16:15. Whatever belongs to the Father as God, belongs to Christ (in terms of essential rather than personal properties).

For the clearer demonstration of this truth, let us now come down to specific matters. The attributes of God; the works of God and the worship of God are all ascribed and given to Jesus Christ. This is so that we may confess and acknowledge Him to be God, the true God, the mighty God, the self-same only God with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

5. CHRIST HAS THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

(a) Christ is Eternal

“In the beginning, was the Word” (John 1:1). The word “was” denotes some former duration. Therefore, we conclude that He was before the beginning, before any creation or creature. It is said that He was God in the beginning and His divine nature by which He works is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). He is the First and Last (Revelation 1:17). He is called the first-born of every creature, because He who created all and upholds all, has the power to command and dispose of all (Colossians 1:15-17). This is just as the first-born had the power to command the family or kingdom (compare Isaiah 44:6with Revelation 22:13 and Proverbs 8:22-23)

(b) Christ is All-Powerful

He is able to subdue all things to Himself (Philippians 3:21). He is called the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). He is the Almighty (Revelation 1: 8). He made all things (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17; Psalm 102:26 compared with Hebrews 1:8-10 and John 1:10. He upholds all things (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17).

(c) Christ is Unchangeable

See Hebrews 1:12, a quotation from Psalm 102:26-27.

(d) Christ is All-Knowing

He knows what is in the heart (John 2:25). He is the searcher of hearts (Revelation 2:23). He knows all things (John 21:17). He is the wisdom of the Father (1 Corinthians 1:24). He knows the Father of Himself (Matthew 11:27) and according to His own will reveals the secrets of His Father’s bosom as the Word. All the treasures of wisdom are in Him (Colossians 2:3).

(e) Christ is Infinite

He is not contained in any place, He was before there was any place, and created all places by His own power (John 1:1, 3). While He was on earth in respect of His bodily presence, He was in the bosom of the Father – which must be understood of his Divine Nature and Person (John 1:18). He came down from heaven yet remained in heaven (John 3:13).

6. CHRIST DOES THE WORK OF GOD

Christ performs the works of God, those divine and supernatural works that are special and unique to Him. Those such as none but God can perform. He raised the dead by His own power at His own will (John 5:21, 28-29; John 11:25). He is called the resurrection and the life because He is the author of both. Whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise (John 5:17, 19). He wrought miracles, He has the same Nature and power with the Father, and therefore does the same works. He regenerates our Souls, pardons our sins, saves our souls. He has appeased the wrath, and satisfied the justice of God, by His divine mediation. He gives temporal, spiritual, eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 6:38, 40).

7. CHRIST RECEIVES DIVINE HONOR

(a) All the glorious angels are commanded to worship Him (Hebrews 1:6).

(b) All true Christians are described by calling on and believing in the name of Christ (Acts 9:14; John 1:12).

(c) All are obliged to give the same honour to Christ which they are required to give to God the Father (John 5:23).

(d) There are many examples of this being done in Scripture which confirms these commands (Acts 7:59-60; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Revelation 22:20).

(e) Baptism is administered in the name and to the honor of Christ (Matthew 28:17-20).

(f) At the Day of Judgment, every knee must bow to Him and acknowledge Him to be equal to His Father (Isaiah 45:21-25 compared with Romans 14:10-12 and Philippians 2:6, 9-11).

(g) All that are justified believe in Him and those who believe in Him shall not be ashamed (Romans 3:25-26; 1 Peter 2:6-7).

(h) The apostolic benediction so often repeated in the epistles includes the Lord Jesus Christ in a divine blessing.

Because God is true, He will not give His glory to another (Isaiah 48:11), and He because He is just He cannot do so either. Though Christ is a distinct person from His Father, He is not a distinct God but one and the same God with Him, God blessed forever.

8. WE MUST BELIEVE IN CHRIST AS GOD

God the Son is the object of our faith (John 14:1). The whole gospel was written for this purpose, that we might be persuaded to believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God (John 20:31). Believing this is necessary and effectual to salvation (John 20:31; 1 John 5:11-13; 1 John 5:20). We are to believe in Christ as a Mediator, that our faith and hope may be settled in God (1 Peter 1:21).

The great encouragement to believe in Christ as an all-sufficient Mediator is this, Jesus Christ is the natural Son of God. If Christ presents us to His Father, we are confident that the Son of God, His only begotten Son will prevail with His Father for us. His relation to God assures us that the intercession of our High-Priest will be irresistible and undeniable (Hebrews 5:5-6; Psalm 110:1, 4; Psalm 2:2,7-8; Hebrews 7:25, 28). All the offices of Christ are based on His Sonship. His kingly power (Psalm 2:6-7); His prophetic office (Matthew 17:5) and His priestly office (Galatians 2:20).

We must believe in Christ as God, the self-same God with the Father. When we know Christ to be God, we must glorify Him as God by believing in Him. When Peter preached to Cornelius, he told them that Jesus Christ was Lord of all (Acts 10:36), judge of all (Acts 10:42) and that all the prophets gave witness to Him. Also that through His name, whoever believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43).

We must abide in the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). Every tongue must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11). The Father is glorified in the Son (John 14:13). The Son is to be glorified in all them whom the Father has given Him (John 17:10). And Christ is to be glorified by their believing in Him (John 17:23). And the Father Himself loves them because they believe in the Son (John 16:27). If we do not honour the Son, we do not honour the Father (John 5:23). There is also the great mystery of uniting the soul to Christ by Faith (Ephesians 5:32) and making of it one Spirit with the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:17).

CONCLUSION

These truths are not mere items of information. They are food for faith to feed on, they are reasons for love to wonder and adore, they are encouragements to persevere in obedience and dependence on Christ. A failure to teach people clearly the core truths of Christ robs them of the fulness of these things and means that they are not learning Christ as they are meant to. Cheynell gives us a final way to apply these truths.

We may then look upon the Son, admire and bless the Father, look upon the Father and bless the Son, look upon Father and Son and bless the Spirit, look upon all three, admire and bless, adore and love, know, believe and obey all three coequal persons, subsisting in the same most single Godhead, and have access to the Father through the Son, and by the Spirit with reverence and confidence, zeal and love.

Note: the Ligonier survey results can be found at https://thestateoftheology.com/

The PreacherCast (Episode: September 12, 2020)

 

The True Revolution: Gospel Meets Slavery

"I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you" (Philemon 12)

Onesimus was a slave in the household of Philemon. He ran away, for reasons we are not told, and came to Rome. There he encountered Paul and became a Christian. Onesimus means “useful,” and true to his name, he became very useful to Paul.

It shocks our modern thinking to see Paul send Onesimus back to Philemon. Paul did not say that Philemon should free Onesimus; Paul certainly did not free Onesimus. Why would he do this?

Paul knew that the Gospel is the most revolutionary force ever unleashed in this world. The Gospel was turning the world upside-down in Paul’s day, and Paul had preached that in Christ there is neither bond nor free. Paul was not interested in a merely superficial social revolution. If all the Gospel did was free slaves from outward bondage, it would not change history. When slaves become free, they simply become new masters, and soon other people are enslaved. Proverbs 30:21–22 says, “Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: A slave who becomes king.…”

For there to be a true social revolution, the hearts of both slaves and masters must be turned. Paul made this point by writing to Philemon that Onesimus had become Paul’s very heart, so that the way Philemon would treat Onesimus is the way he would treat Paul (v. 12). He encouraged Philemon to receive Onesimus back as someone better than a slave: a brother (v. 16). He asked him to regard Onesimus as a partner in the same sense as Paul (v. 17). All of this hints at Onesimus’ eventually becoming free, but Paul was careful not to require Philemon to free him immediately.

As Christianity has gone out into the world, slaves have been freed. Only in Islamic nations is slavery still practiced today. Sometimes violence has been used to free slaves, but the Christian Gospel strikes at a far deeper level than mere superficial social change. Slaves who are merely freed outwardly will soon find it necessary to find another master to care for them, because they are unaccustomed to personal responsibility. Masters who are forced to give up their slaves will not be motivated to help them become productive members of society. Only the Gospel can change the hearts and lives of men and make for a new world.

Unity and Diversity

"Tychicus … Onesimus … Aristarchus … Mark … Barnabas … Justus … Epaphras … Luke … Demas … Nympha … Archippus …" (Colossians 4:7–17)

As we come to the end of our study of Colossians, we see one more subtle contrast between the Judaizing Gnostics who were troubling the Colossian church and the authentic faith preached by Paul. The Judaizers, as was their habit in tearing apart the church, were seeking to preserve all kinds of divisions in the church, divisions that had existed in a small way under the old covenant (though sinfully magnified by the Pharisees). Paul’s point was that in Christ, all members of the body are equal, and his list of names at the end of Colossians highlights this truth.

Paul, in his letter to the church, mentions Jews (Mark, Barnabas, Justus) as well as Gentiles (Tychicus, Aristarchus, Epaphras). He mentions a slave (Onesimus) as well as free men (Archippus, probably the son of Onesimus’ owner, Philemon 1–2). He mentions a woman (Nympha) as well as men. He mentions a man who had forsaken him in the face of danger and then returned (Mark, Acts 15:38), a man who was faithful at the time but who would later forsake him (Demas, 2 Timothy 4:10), and a man who never forsook him (Luke).

We see that God’s church is unified in Christ but radically diversified regarding her members. The visible church includes people who have sinned and then repented, and she includes people who will not persevere to the end. She includes slave and free, Jew and Gentile, man and woman—each worthy of honor to be enrolled in the Word of God. How terrible when any movement in the church seeks to divide the congregation into groups that have differing status!

Six of the people mentioned by Paul send greetings to the church at Colossae. And Paul says that the greetings are to be passed on by the Colossians to the Laodiceans (4:15). We see from this that there was unity among the various churches. They communicated with one another and prayed for one another. Though these churches were diverse culturally and might have been suspicious of one another, they practiced unity by keeping in touch. And just as Paul had written to them, he asked that they “remember my chains” and keep in touch with him.

Even in the church it is easy to be suspicious of people who are “different.” When someone visits who is of another people group or nation, or who dresses differently from what you are used to, how do you react? Make it your practice to greet such people. Express the unity that ought to exist in Christ’s holy body.

The Christian Opportunity for Prayer

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity" (Colossians 4:5)

In Colossians 3:12–14, Paul tells us to pursue peaceful living with one another. Then, he tells us to be active in the worship of God through psalms (3:15–17). Next, he returns to social living and gives rules for various positions in society (3:18–4:1). In this passage, he returns to the theme of worship, this time focussing on prayer and witnessing (4:2–6).

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (4:2). How often our minds wander in prayer. Our sinfulness is such that we are still deeply hostile to God, and we find it hard to keep our minds focused on Him. Thus, we must be exhorted to be devoted to the work of prayer.

Biblical prayer is not superficial. Modern evangelicalism has become infected with extremely superficial prayer. We hear the word just stuck into every sentence: “Lord, we just want to thank you for Thy Word, and we just want to say, Lord, that we just thank you for this day.…” Do we ever speak to any other person this way? If we were being careful how we spoke, would we mix you and thou in the same sentence? Imagine a wife calling her husband at work and saying, “Honey, I just want to ask you to get some bread on thy way home, and I just really want to say that the kids have just been driving me wild today.”

God deserves better prayers than this. The best way to learn to communicate to God is to listen to Him. We should talk to Him using the same kind of language He uses in the Bible, especially in the Psalms, which train us in prayer. The traditional prayer books of various churches also contain prayers that approach God in a manner respectful of His majesty. Learning to pray such prayers can train us in how better to talk to Him.

Paul here draws a parallel between talking to God and talking to outsiders. Both should be done carefully. Paul wants them to pray for him that he might speak clearly and wisely. To speak clearly and wisely to people, we have to listen to them first in order to learn their language. Moreover, though outsiders may annoy and even anger us, we should study to make our conversations with them “full of grace, seasoned with salt” (4:6).

Prayer can be frightening. In some sense it should be, as we enter into the presence of the holy King. While we must take care to speak to God properly, we can be comforted by the work of the Holy Spirit, who takes our prayers and makes them acceptable to the Father. Thank the Spirit for that work.

Chains of Command

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord" (Colossians 3:22)

Yesterday we saw how we can cultivate the peace of God in our hearts by living peaceably within the body of Christ while giving thanks to God in all things. Our studies in Colossians have focused on the need to stand firm against heresy, and this theme of cultivating peace within the body of Christ is one of the most important aspects of resisting heresy. When there is peace and community in the church, it is hard for Satan to gain a foothold. Also, when there is peace and community in the church, the witness of Christianity is strong and overpowers the witness of cults, pagan religions, and nominal Christianity.

Colossians 3:12–13 tells us to work on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love. (Read that list again and focus your attention for a moment on each quality.) In Colossians 3:18–4:1, Paul brings it all down to earth, where the rubber meets the road. First of all, wives need to study these seven qualities as they submit to their husbands. No husband is perfect, and so no wife has it easy; but it will go much easier if she strives to maintain these seven qualities as she follows her husband.

Second, husbands need to work on these seven qualities as they give loving leadership to their wives. It is the husband’s aggressive love that enables the wife to enjoy following him.

Third, children must work on these seven qualities as they obey their parents. And fourth, parents need to implement these traits as they strive to raise up godly children. In particular, says Paul, fathers run the risk of embittering their children if they are harsh in their dealings with them.

Fifth, all servants must work hard on these qualities as they work for other people. Each of us, made in God’s image, wants to feel a sense of importance and self-worth. The servant (the employee) often feels degraded, but if he views his true master as Christ, he will be able to serve his earthly master with humility, compassion, forgiveness, and love.

And finally, masters (employers) must deal fairly and objectively with their subordinates, keeping the seven qualities ever in mind, because every earthly master must answer to a higher authority.

Which of these relationships apply to you? Are you following the seven qualities of Colossians 3:12–14 in each of these relationships? Which ones do you need help with? God has promised to help you develop these qualities in the warp and woof of your life, and He will answer your prayer for help and wisdom?

Sunday Sermon: "Joy" (Philippians 3:1; 4:4,12-13)

Matthew Dowling, preaching minister at the Plymouth Church of Christ, delivered a sermon message titled "Love" from Galatians 5:22-23 and Philippians 3:1; 4:4,12-13). The September-October sermon series is "The Fruit of Our Faith."

And be Thankful...

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:15)

All of us want peace in our lives, but few of us experience as much as we wish. We desire that sense of the peace of God that surpasses understanding, but how do we get it?

The Bible tells us that as believers, we do have objective peace with God. Of course, if we have sinned, we may need to renew our peace, but the peace is always available to us. Paul tells us, though, how to increase our experience of God’s peace. It is by living peaceably with other believers.

The church is Christ’s body, and if we have strife within the body of Christ, then we have strife with Christ Himself. The only way to peace is to have Christ ruling in our hearts as we live as members of one body. In Colossians 3:12–14, Paul has told us how to get this peace. We are to be compassionate, feeling for other people’s hurts. We are to be humble, putting others before ourselves. We must be patient, bearing with other people’s foibles and immaturity.

Beyond this, we must put up with one another and constantly forgive one another. We pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In the Old Testament law, “sins” include things that we fail to do. A “trespass” is more particular. It is an aggressive action on our part, by which we assault something that belongs to God. It is far easier to forgive people when they sin against us by forgetting to do something. It is painful to forgive people when they assault us. But all of us have trespassed against God, and we are to “forgive as the Lord forgave you” (3:13).

Beyond this, if we want to know more of the peace of God, we must be thankful (3:15, 17). We must learn to count our blessings. Our nature is such that we focus on the bad things that are going on around us, and we remember the bad things that God brings into our lives. We must take active steps to think about the many good things God has done for us, beginning with His act of creating us in the first place, and moving to His grace in saving us from damnation. We have to renew our thankfulness each day, for each day we tend to forget it, and we must express our thankfulness through prayer and praise (3:16).

To fail to count one’s blessings is an affront to the blessing-giver. We are too quick to overlook the beautiful gifts of our Father in heaven. Like the Israelites in the wilderness who tired of manna, we always demand more. As you pray, thank Him for all His blessings which you may be tempted to take for granted.

New Life in Christ

"[You] have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Colossians 3:10)

Paul continues to argue against the heretics at Colossae, who were perverting the Old Testament and then were trying to impose these distortions on the church of God. Paul points out that the new person in Christ will cut off the sins of the Adamic nature, and he uses the Ten Commandments as his guide.

Paul says that believers have “taken off the old self with its practices” (3:9). The “old self” is literally the “old man” and refers to Adam. The believer has been taken out of union with Adam and has been placed in union with a new “Self”—again, literally a new “Man”: Jesus. Our new man, in union with Christ, is being renewed in the true image and likeness of God.

As the Colossian heretics stressed the supposed “knowledge” they possessed about God and His will, so Paul says that the believer is renewed in true “knowledge.” True knowledge is not found in the secret teachings of Jewish oral traditions or of Greek philosophy. True knowledge is found in the Bible, which Paul used to show what the Christian life is like by referring to the Ten Commandments.

In union with Christ, says Paul, all the old distinctions among men are in principle overturned: “Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free” (3:11). True, in society and culture, these distinctions may still play a part, but in the church they are to play no part at all—contrary to the Judaizing Gnostics at Colossae. And eventually, as the Gospel penetrates society, these distinctions will be softened and overcome outwardly as well.

What does this mean, practically? If putting off the old man means forsaking the sins listed in the Law, putting on the new man means working hard at new attitudes: “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (3:12). These are qualities that force us to treat one another well. These qualities overcome the social distinctions and are based on the destruction of these distinctions in Christ. The Judaizers could never have these qualities because their false religion was reinforcing the social distinctions that Christ has overcome.

Because we are one in Christ, we need to treat one another as such. We find racism and prejudice in the church as well as in the world. We are to treat unbelievers not primarily in terms of race or nation but as men lost in Adam and in need of Christ. Commit to shedding any remnant of prejudice in your life.

Five Things on Friday

Here are five things which are on my mind this week...

1) This song has been on heavy rotation this week: John Waller's As For Me and My House. It is featured in the movie Courageous:

2) This week I am reading The Battle Plan for Prayer: From Basic Training to Targeted Strategies by Alex and Stephen Kendrick. So far, it has been excellent and I will likely use it to prepare a sermon series on prayer for 2021. 

3) Each morning, I get up early and spend time in prayer and then daily Bible reading. I like to read the Bible all the way through each year. This year, I am reading through the NLT Parallel Study Bible which includes the very readable New Living Translation and study notes from both the NLT Study Bible and the Life Application Study Bible. What I have really enjoyed about using this Bible for my daily reading is the study notes which are focused on good exegesis and heavy on life application.

4) Last night, our family watched a new Christian movie called Selfie Dad. At its heart, the Selfie Dad movie is an inspiring story about the power of the Bible told through humor and compassion. It will encourage you to take up a more disciplined reading of God's word.  

5) Finally this week, I bought a new Bible (yeah, I know I have too many already). It is the Every Man's Bible NLT Deluxe Explorer Edition. It bills itself as "the Bible for every battle every man faces!" This is a man’s type of Bible―straight talk about the challenges of life. Every Man’s Bible has thousands of notes on topics from work, sex, and competition to integrity and more and trusted advice from the pros, just for men. Every Man's Bible is written by the best-selling author of the Every Man's series, Steve Arterburn. I haven't used it extensively, but what I have seen so far is very good. I am looking at it closely because I'd like to recommend it to men in the church I serve if they are looking for a Bible geared towards men.

Things That Should Die

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5)

In Colossians 3:5–11, Paul covers four of the most important areas of Christian ethics. The first he mentions is “sexual immorality, impurity, lust.” It is clear from the Bible and from the New Testament that all sex outside of marriage is sinful and offensive to God, as well as destructive to human life. There is never any excuse for sex before marriage or for adultery during marriage. Moreover, we are to fight against mental sins in this area, cutting off even the least stirrings of lustful attitudes.

Second, Paul mentions “evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” The reference here is to envy or covetousness. It is not wrong to want something someone else has, provided he is willing to sell it. It is wrong, however, to want something the other person has if it is not available to you. Such covetousness leads to resentment and frequently manifests itself in tearing the other person down. It can lead to stealing or to an attempt to ruin the other person. Moreover, in addition to the specific sin of coveting things, there is the general sin of covetousness, which we commit when we become consumed with having the things of this world. Putting our faith and security in things is idolatry.

Third, Paul mentions “anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language.” Violent behavior, whether in action or in words, is never proper for any Christian. When we “fly into a rage” over something, it is a sign that we are not right with God, and we need to repent. A man who is constantly at war with everyone is a man who does not have the peace of God.

Finally, Paul says, “Do not lie to each other.” A Christian’s word should always be trustworthy. People should always be able to count on us whenever we make a promise. We should be known as a people who are truthful and honest. We must not deceive one another maliciously or go around as gossips. And also, when it is necessary to say an unpleasant truth to someone, we should do so in a loving and prayerful spirit.

We notice that Paul has covered the last five of the ten commandments here, showing the Judaizing Gnostics the true and right way to apply the Old Testament. Are you having a problem with temptation or even outward sin in one of these areas? Make it a matter of serious soul-searching prayer today, and take steps to get your life straight before God and before men. Repentance is not easy—it’s required.

3 Minutes to a Stronger Faith - Ep. 19 - "Is Gender on a Spectrum?"

Do you have three minutes? In episode 19, we ask the question, "Is Gender on a Spectrum?" Join me today as we explore the answer to this question and invest 3 minutes today and grow your faith!

New Life in Christ

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1)

Yesterday we considered briefly a form of legalism. Today let us take up an objection that the Judaizing Gnostics at Colossae might have raised against Paul’s teaching. “Yes, but,” they might say, “God told us in the Mosaic Law not to handle, not to taste, and not to touch certain things. What right have you to say that now these things have passed away? How dare you accuse us of demonic teachings!”

Paul’s argument against this objection is seen in Colossians 2:16 and following. He says that in Christ, the new covenant believer has died “to the basic principles of the world.” What are these elementary principles? Theologians have debated them, but there is a consensus that we can phrase this way: The elementary principles are the principles of the world before Christ’s death and resurrection. In the true form, they are the principles of the old covenant, which did indeed include various dietary laws and laws of uncleanness. In their false form, we find such hedges and scruples in all the pagan religions of the world.

In Christ, though, all those elementary principles were incarnated as Christ was born “under the law.” In Him they died. And in Him they are resurrected in their fuller and truer meaning. Those rules, as Paul says, were guides for humanity during its infancy (Galatians 4:1ff.). They were never intended to be kept simply for their own sake but as training devices. Now that the new covenant has come in Christ, we are to keep the principles that these rules pointed to, but we are not to keep the rules themselves because to do so is to deny that Christ has come.

Moreover, in Colossians 2:22–23, Paul says in effect: you Judaizing Gnostics have added human rules to what God gave at Sinai, and you have perverted all of the rules into ways of glorifying yourselves. You need to get rid of these rules and keep the rules of Christ, who is enthroned as King. Then in 3:4, Paul says that when Christ comes, He will give you all the glory you could wish for.

Then Paul begins to expound the true meaning of the old covenant rules, and he thereby shows the true laws of the kingdom in Colossians 3:5ff., to which we shall turn tomorrow.

Read Colossians 2:16–3:10. Which set of rules is easier to keep? Which set of rules would be conducive to pride and self-glory, and which would lead to humility and glory in Christ? Determine to strive for that which glorifies Christ.

The Doctrine of Demons

"Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence" (Colossians 2:23).

Our sanctification is to flow out of our justification; it is measured by the Word of God for salvation and by no other standard. The law of God shows us what we need and that same law shows us how to live once we are saved. But from the first century, the church has been intruded by alien principles sent by the devil to confuse Christians and get them to live by rules not taught in the Holy Scriptures.

The Colossian church had been infected by such false notions, a curious blend of fascination with angels and unbiblical asceticism. Throughout all the ages of the church, ascetic and world-denying notions have warped the lives of believers. Early on, fasting came to be regarded as a high Christian virtue—not ordinary fasting, but rejection of meat or fasting almost to starvation. Perpetual virginity came to be regarded as a higher calling than marriage, though the Bible says nothing about this. Treating the body with contempt by refusing to bathe or by wearing harsh clothing became a sign of spirituality.

Where does the Bible recommend whipping yourself or wearing rocks in your shoes? To bring the matter closer to home, where does the Bible say that wearing makeup and jewelry is sinful? Where does the Bible condemn all drinking of alcohol? Where does the Bible teach us to measure sanctification by whether a woman wears slacks or by whether we go to the movies? The answer is nowhere. These rules do not come from the Bible but are part of the “doctrine of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1–5), which Paul here summarizes under the slogan, “Do not handle it! Do not taste it! Do not touch it!” (Colossians 2:21).

Why does the church continually fall into this trap? Because keeping rules like these is a whole lot easier than dealing with envy, bitterness, hatred, lust, and other real sins. Moreover, the human heart is very happy to come up with its own rules, but resists submitting to God’s revealed law. We can persuade ourselves that we are holier than others if we don’t smoke or drink. But God is concerned with real holiness, not the superficial pseudo-holiness of the doctrine of demons.

Some traditions that have hardened into “rules” in some Christian circles had their origins in legitimate concerns. Once these concerns are elevated to the place of the Bible, they become sinful. Make an inventory of those man-made rules with which you judge others.