Tag: life

The Shepherd's Voice

The Common Made Holy

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On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’ ” The priests answered and said, “No.” Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” (Haggai 2:10–13)

In this somewhat obscure passage of the Old Testament (how many of us even know about Haggai?), we find the weaknesses of the Old Covenant. Things were purified under the law by cleansing rituals, involving fire and/or blood. In this conversation between the Haggai and the priests, we learn one simple thing about those things made holy under the law: Not only did the holy things not have the power to make other things holy, but they could become unclean themselves through contact with an unclean thing or person.

We live in a world of separation–division, really. Sadly, even much of the church lives in this same world. We are afraid to touch the dead things of this world lest we too become unclean. This was why the priest and the Levite passed on the other side of the road in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). They were on their way to Jerusalem, perhaps to undertake religious duties, and feared becoming unclean. This is why The Pharisees would not enter Pilate’s headquarters during Jesus’ trial: “They wanted to be able to eat the Passover” (John 18:28). 

Much of the church continues to live this way. What’s the problem with this? Aren’t we supposed to be separate from the evil around us? Yes and no. We are to remain in the world while not being of the world. What happens, though, is we still fear being made unclean–unacceptable to God. But that was the Old Covenant. The New Covenant reverses that.

When we were saved, God (the Holy One) reached down and touched us. Did he become unclean? Of course not. Rather, we became clean (Ezek. 36:25-26). The woman with an issue of blood reached and touched the hem of Jesus’ robe (Luke 8:43-48). Did Jesus become unclean? No.  Rather, “. . . I perceive that power has gone out from me” (Luke 8:46). The woman was made clean and healed.

The rituals of the Old Covenant could declare people and things clean–for a time. But those cleansed had no power to similarly cleanse anyone or anything else. Not so in the New Covenant. What’s the difference? The cleansing under the Old Covenant was declaratory only and outward; it did not actually change the person or thing. The change under the New Covenant is inner and consists of an actual transformation. Something new exists now that did not exist before. 

Consider this advice that Paul gave to Christian spouses married to an unbeliever:

To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. (1 Corinthians 7:12–14)

Now, while we should not press the truths of this passage too far, there is clearly a principle here that a follower of Jesus has an inherent cleansing and sanctifying influence on those around him or her (especially his or her household). This has to be at least part of what Jesus meant when he said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Salt has a preserving quality, but it also makes one thirsty. But in order to preserve something, salt is mixed into it. It will not do to just put a container of salt next to something. 

While we who follow Jesus may consciously believe and speak as though we are “new creations in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17), many of us live as though we are under the law of the Old Covenant. We fear being contaminated by the world, so we refuse to engage. Instead, we hunker down in our churches and hope that change comes to society by means of the laws we support, the money we give, and the politicians we elect.

We need to remember the words of Jesus:

The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. (John 13:10).

We have been cleansed–really and fully cleansed. We are clean, and no contact with the world will change that. Yes, we will need to wash our feet, but do you see that Jesus said even those who need to wash their feet are still completely clean? We need not fear the contamination of the world. We need to get out and be the salt and light that Jesus told us we are. Because of Jesus and the New Covenant, we have the means to see the common made holy–not just outwardly, but inwardly.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Living in the New Covenant

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

In the last two posts, we’ve been discussing the heart of fallen man and the New Covenant as the solution. When we look at the promises of the New Covenant against the needs of fallen humanity, we see that God has given the believer everything he or she needs to live in Christ (2 Peter 1:3-4). 

In this post, we are going to discuss some realities and implications of the New Covenant. As a fan of “theology meeting reality,” what does it mean for the believer? One of my favorite questions to ask is often, “So what?” We’ll take some of the most common and important questions about the New Covenant and see what the Scriptures say about them.

The Reality of the New Covenant

Question: Isn’t the change promised in the New Covenant just “positional” truth?

This is a common question when considering the New Covenant, and in fact, many Bible teachers teach this very idea, that the truth of the New Covenant is only “positional.” What they mean is, “This is how God sees us, since we are ‘in Christ’.” The implication is that the changes we’ve talked about didn’t really happen (as a matter of historical fact); we are to simply believe they did and live them out.

Without getting too technical, most of the debate centers around interpretation of Romans 6-7, particularly where Paul describes what happens to a person who is saved. The thrust of Romans 6 is union and identification with Christ. Because those passages don’t specifically mention the changes of the New Covenant, and because one of Paul’s favorite phrases to describe Christians is one who is “in Christ,” many conclude that this truth is only positional in nature.

Thus, many (if not the majority of) Christians today live as though the New Covenant is only a truth to be believed, not an actual reality from which to ground their life in. My question to think about is, “Did God do what He promised He would do?” The Scriptures give us the answer:

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? (Numbers 23:19)

The short answer, then, is “Yes! He accomplished what He promised.” In fact, the New Testament has much to say about the new Covenant. (In fact, the term Testament is the old word for Covenant, so when we read in the New Testament, we are really reading all about the New Covenant.) Jesus told His disciples that His death would usher it in, and His blood was “the New Covenant in my blood” (or “the blood of the New Covenant”). The Scriptures treat the New Covenant as a reality, not as an exercise in pretend or make-believe. (For more information, including an explanation of how this is seen in the New Testament, see the article The Nature of Salvation.)

Evidence, Please

Question: How can I know I have the new heart?

When writing to the church at Colosse, Paul said this:

Of this [hope] you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, (Colossians 1:5–6, emphasis added)

Whatever else Paul is saying in this passage, he is saying one inescapable thing: the gospel (the New Covenant) always bears fruit and increasingly so. When one is saved and given the new heart, he or she is changed. Our lives are always producing fruit, whether good or bad. Jesus had something to say about that:

For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:43–45)

What does this mean for us who are saved? In short, it means that we will begin to produce fruit. Why? Because it’s now our nature to do so. Will we be perfect? No. Will we grow in love, holiness, and obedience? Absolutely. The first letter of John is all about this. The apostle John wrote this letter so that “you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). In this letter, he gives specific marks or signs of a believer. He says, “This is how you can tell a believer.” And the signs all come down to one thing: the fruit of a person’s life.

For the one saved, there will be evidence of the change–sometimes only small pieces of evidence, subtle changes at first. But they will be there.

What About This Sin?

Question: Why do I still struggle with sin?

This is another common question when learning about the New Covenant. A related question is, “Can a Christian live a perfectly sinless life?” Some teach that Christians who struggle with sin just aren’t trying hard enough or haven’t fully surrendered to God, or some variation of those things. Scripture, however, has a different perspective. We’ll start by looking at Romans 8.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:1–11)  

In this passage, Paul is talking about what he calls the flesh. What do we know about the flesh? In short, we see that the flesh is hostile to God and cannot please God (vv. 7-8). Now, do we still have the flesh? Yes. Remember, Paul is writing to believers here. Notice he makes a distinction between being in the flesh and walking according to the flesh. He pointedly says to his readers, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (v. 9, emphasis added). 

However, he also says that it’s quite possible to “walk according to the flesh.” What does this mean? It means that we live in the same manner, with the same attitudes, as we did before we were saved. He defines walking according to the flesh as setting the mind on the things of the flesh. Likewise he defines living by the Spirit as setting the mind on the things of the Spirit (v. 5). Like the Sinful Heart, the flesh desires one thing–to find life through independence, apart from God and His ways.

I like to use the analogy of a mainframe computer connected to other computers. If a virus was to be implanted in the mainframe computer, it would systematically program the rest of the computers with that virus. This is what’s happened with fallen humanity. The Sinful Heart programmed every part of us to live independently of God. When one is saved, the old heart is removed and replaced by the Spiritual Heart (Ezek. 36:26). But, the other computers are not replaced. They have to be reprogrammed. 

This is where Paul’s words about “crucifying the flesh” in Romans 6 and renewing the mind (Romans 12) come in. Theologians call this process sanctification, but it really just means we are becoming more like Christ; we are living according to our new identity more and more and less and less like our old self. This is a lifelong process, Paul told the Philippians,

I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

When will this work be completed? At the day of the return of Jesus Christ. Will it be completed? Absolutely. For those of us who have surrendered to Christ, we have God’s Word on that. No matter how much we stumble or how slowly we grow, we can be sure that He is walking with us and will finish what He started.

[For a more detailed look at these questions read the 5-part blog series How Then Shall We Live?]

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The Shepherd's Voice

A Cure for the Incurable

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And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

In the last post (An Incurable Diagnosis, 2/18/2021), we saw the condition of fallen humanity. It was a grim discovery. To be blunt, the idea that humanity is basically good is a myth, which is supported by neither Scripture nor historical evidence. Humanity has, as we said in the last post, an incurably terminal disease–the disease of sin and self. Because of sin, every person is born with what we might call the Sinful Heart. 

The Sinful Heart, as we saw in the last post, is totally corrupted, and completely bent away from God. Its sole motivation is to find life apart from God and His ways. Because the heart is at the center of being, the Sinful Heart systematically programs every part of a person–mind, will, emotions, and body–in those same desires and strategies. And because every person is born with the Sinful Heart, the entire human race has been corrupted.

And this condition, according to the Lord, is terminal (leading to spiritual death) and incurable.

A Heart Transplant

It’s not enough to have a system of sacrifice in place. It’s not enough for people’s sins to be forgiven. It’s not enough to exhort people to obey the law. In order to save those doomed to separation from God, a radical solution is needed–a heart transplant. And that’s exactly what the Lord has provided. Let’s look at two passages that describe this transplant.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33–34)

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:25–27)

When we take these two passages together, we get a full and complete picture of how deeply the Lord responded to the plight of the human race, even beyond the needed heart transplant.

Preparation for the Surgery

The first thing the Lord says to Ezekiel in this passage is, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you” (Ezek. 36:25). To prepare us for the heart transplant, the Lord first cleanses us. As part of that, He also told Jeremiah, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34). 

This is an important statement, since sins were not fully put away under the Old Testament sacrificial system. The author of Hebrews tells us,

[The law] can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. (Hebrews 10:1–3)

Instead of putting away sin, the sacrifices actually reminded people that they were still under sin. Their sin was covered, not forgiven. Yet, the Lord says He would not only forgive sin, but would “remember it no more.” So, under the New Covenant that the Lord is making, His people are now cleansed of sin and totally forgiven. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven and cleansed.

A New Heart

After preparing for surgery, it’s time to actually do the heart transplant. The Lord told Ezekiel, “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezek. 36:26). Let’s unpack this a little. If you’ll recall, the heart of fallen sinful man was compared to stone, on which sin had been written. This resulted in a heart totally corrupted, hostile to God’s ways and determined to find life apart from God. This heart could not be changed (hence the idea of sin being inscribed with iron and diamond). It must be replaced.

This new heart, according to the Lord will be a heart of flesh, instead of the heart of stone that resides within fallen humanity. What this means is that, instead of the Sinful Heart, then, His people would have the Spiritual Heart–a heart that is bent toward following the Lord and His ways, as much desiring to live in dependence on God as the Sinful Heart desired independence from Him.

But that’s not all; the Lord goes further. Not only does He replace the heart, but he says, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (Jer. 31:33). Not only will His people  have a new heart, but that new heart is inscribed with the Law of the Lord (the direct opposite of Jer. 17:1, “[their] sin . . . is engraved on the tablet of their heart”).

A New Way to Relate

In addition to changing the very nature of His people, the Lord does something else. He gives us a new way of relating with Him. Look at these statements:

I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

They shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

These promises all boil down to one thing: intimacy with God. An intimacy that was unknown before. Yes, the Lord called Moses His servant and friend, and He called David a man after His own heart, and walked and talked with Abraham. But even they did not have the intimacy that he offers His people now. As part of the New Covenant, the very Spirit of God will reside in His people! All of His people will know Him, from the least to the greatest. There will be no distinction between priest and commoner. All will be priests. 

A Long-Awaited Answer

This is really the answer to the long-before prayer of King David. In Psalm 51, He prays:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. . . . Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. . . . Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:1–12)

When we compare David’s prayer to the promises of the New Covenant, we find that God did fully and completely grant David’s plea. Likewise, those of us who have repented and cried out for mercy can rest assured that, as He did for David, as He promises to Israel, He will give us that same new heart and a willing spirit, in order that we will love, obey, and walk with Him. We have been made new, cleansed, and forgiven by the New Covenant sealed by Christ’s blood.

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The Shepherd's Voice

An Incurable Diagnosis

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars, while their children remember their altars and their Asherim, beside every green tree and on the high hills, on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory. You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.” 

Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:1–10)

Some time ago, we looked at Jeremiah 2:12-13, exposing the root of all sin as the desire to find independence and life apart from God (see Dying of Thirst, 9/16/2019). In this post, we are going to look at another part of Jeremiah that helps us understand why we need Jesus.

Many of us in the church are probably familiar with Jer. 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” I have been for a long time. When one reads it in context, however, the reason for the problem becomes clear. We’re first going to look at that diagnosis and then look at the underlying cause.

The Diagnosis

Jeremiah diagnoses the human condition in verse 9. He writes, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” The NIV translates this as, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure,” while the NET translates it as “incurably bad.” The idea in the original language is that 1) the human heart is deceitful to the core; and 2) this condition is incurable. 

Think about those statements; the human heart (in Jewish thinking, the center of being) is rotten to the core. It is self-centered and deceitful. This is the coup de grace of all viruses, illnesses, and diseases. Even worse than that is the fact that said condition is incurable. It is what we’d call a terminal disease. In today’s modern era, we will have diseases such as cancer for which we have no cure. Some of these diseases can cause death, hence the phrase terminal disease. 

Jeremiah’s diagnosis, though, is a terminal disease of staggering proportions. The disease of sin leads to spiritual death, or what the Bible calls eternal death–being eternally separated from God. And again, there is nothing we can do about it. Our best efforts simply aren’t good enough, because we aren’t good enough. Why is this? Now we turn to the cause.

The Root of the Problem

The root of this incurable problem is found in verses 1-3. The Lord, speaking through Jeremiah, tells us:

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars, while their children remember their altars and their Asherim, beside every green tree and on the high hills, on the mountains in the open country. (vv:1–3)

To understand the significance of the mention of “the tablet of their heart,” we need to remember that the Law of Moses was written on tablets of stone (Exodus 31:18; cf. 20:1-17). Here the Lord is displaying irony at the fact that the hearts of His people are as hard as a stone tablet, on which not the law of God, but their sin was engraved. It was engraved with such firmness that it can never be erased. As it was with Judah and Israel, so it is with all of fallen humanity. 

Now, it’s not only that individual sins were written on the tablet of their hearts, but also that sin itself was inscribed on their hearts. This gives a picture that the heart itself has been corrupted, and this is seen in how the NET translates vv. 2-3a: “Their children are always thinking about their altars and their sacred poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, set up beside the green trees on the high hills and on the mountains and in the fields.” Here, we see that the people always have idolatry on their mind. 

In our day, many don’t think of actual gods and goddesses; rather they simply think about themselves–how they can find life apart from the Lord. Fallen humanity either creates ‘gods’ in their own image, or (for the more intellectual who shun religion), simply make themselves the god of their own life.

Because the heart itself is corrupted, everything else about fallen humanity has been corrupted–reasoning, choosing, feeling. Even the body often does not work as it was intended. Sin has corrupted everything about us.   

The Results of the Diagnosis

In verses 3b-4, the Lord tells Judah of the judgment to come as a result of their idolatry. He promises to give both their wealth and their land to others, and make them servants of foreigners. Why? He gives a straightforward answer: For in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever (v. 4).

Then, however, the Lord makes a general statement, which we can see is the result of the incurably bad heart. The Lord first says that a certain type of person is cursed. He says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord” (v. 5). Remember what we said about the root of all sin? It’s found in the foolish desire to find life and purpose independently of God. This verse describes such a person.

When one turns his heart away from the Lord, his only recourse is to turn to himself and others. He is trusting in flesh for what he needs and wants. The problem with this is that every fallen human being is primarily concerned with his or her own well-being. The Lord says that such a person is cursed. It’s not that the Lord is placing a curse on him or her. Rather, He is simply stating what will happen to this person.

In the next verse, the Lord says, “He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land” (v. 6). The Lord has drawn a picture of the fate of a person who trusts in himself. This person, the Lord says, will always be dry and unfulfilled. Now, wait, many people seem happy with wealth, power, status, etc. Right? They seem that way, but those things can never satisfy the deepest thirst of the human soul, and so they will always strive to seek after more. Those who have wealth, power, and status want more. They are truly never satisfied. Worse, the person described by the Lord uses whatever he or she can–including others–to get what he or she thinks will bring satisfaction (only to see it too lead to emptiness).

The Blessed Person

In contrast, the Lord says the one who trusts in Him will be blessed. Notice that He says what seems to be a repeating phrase: “. . . the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord” (v. 7). They really aren’t repeating phrases, though. There are two specific emphases here. The first phrase speaks of a person who “trusts in the Lord.” This is an active phrase, indicating that one intentionally places his or her trust in the Lord at specific times. The second phrase, “whose trust is the Lord,” indicates a state of being. This person has surrendered his or her life to the Lord, and so trust in the Lord is the default attitude of the heart.

This person, the Lord says, is like a tree by the river. Like the tree, the person has been rooted deeply and receives all he or she needs from the water. This is the inevitable result of trusting the Lord. Instead of constantly seeking satisfaction on his or her own terms, the blessed person has entrusted life itself to God and has found the true Satisfier. Notice that there is a further result:  Not only does this person receive all he or she needs, but is also said to “not cease to bear fruit [even in the year of drought].” In Scripture (particularly in the New Testament), the idea of fruit almost always has the idea of going forth and doing good to others. Because the blessed person has all he or she needs, attention can now be turned to others for their good.

But there’s a problem. Where do we find such a person? How can such a person exist since all have this incurable disease of sin, resulting in the foolish attempt to live independently of God? If sin itself is written on the tablet of the fallen heart, how can one be made to turn to God?

That is the beauty of the New Covenant…. which we will discuss in the next post.

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Armor of God

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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:10–18)

Any believer who has read much of the New Testament has likely come across this passage. How does it apply to us today? Are we called to warfare? If so, what is the nature of the warfare? And how do we “stand” in the midst of the battle? These are the questions we’ll look at in this post. 

What Kind of Warfare?

No doubt the imagery of this passage is taken from the battle dress of a Roman soldier at the time. Paul may have gotten the idea from observing Roman soldiers during his time awaiting trial. The Scriptures are full of physical images/symbols to communicate spiritual truth, and this is no different.

To begin with, Paul makes it clear that we need armor to stand. To stand against what? To stand against “the schemes of the devil.” Thus, this automatically means that the battle we find ourselves in is spiritual. Paul further emphasizes this point when he says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against . . . the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Since the battle we wage is not physical but spiritual we need spiritual weapons. In fact, Paul writes of our weapons,

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

Therefore, we are engaged in a spiritual battle, and need spiritual weapons and armor. What is this armor, and how do we use it? That is the question. In describing the armor, Paul uses two different verb forms. For the first three items, he uses a form that’s rendered “having” done it. For the rest, we may render it, “Do this,” or “take up” this. The clear implication is that the first three are necessary in order for us to take up the other three.

Truth

Notice Paul begins in verse 15 with “Stand, therefore, having fastened . . . “ He is not telling us to do so. Instead, he is telling us that we can only stand when we have already done this. This must be the first step.  What is it that we are to fasten? Here is the full verse: “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth.” In the Greek, this is simply “having girded your waist with truth.” Paul’s reader’s would have understood what he meant; modern translations supply the image of a belt for clarity.

Why must we begin with truth, and how do we “fasten” it around us? Notice Paul doesn’t say that we are to know truth or accumulate knowledge of truth. No, he says that truth is to be that which binds everything else together. We are to be immersed in truth. One can make an argument here that he is referring to Christ, since He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). We are to not only be immersed in truth, but we must first surrender to the truth. We must surrender to Christ.

Righteousness

Pau uses similar language for the next piece of armor. He says, “. . . and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.” This is something else that must be in place before the believer can stand. It is what we might call a prerequisite or a basic requirement. Righteousness is not a series of acts but a state of being. Since Paul speaks of “the breastplate of righteousness,” it’s clear he means that our right standing before God is a matter of the heart and also protects our heart.

Elsewhere he speaks of “the breastplate of faith and love” (1 Thessalonians 5:8), and thus links righteousness to faith and love. As throughout Scripture, righteousness comes by faith (Galatians 3:11; also see Romans 3-4 for a fuller explanation). How are we made righteous? By surrendering to Christ, the Truth (as we saw above). Only by trusting in Him and the work He accomplished for us can one be made righteous.

The Gospel of Peace

The third “having” statement Paul gives us is “having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (v. 15). He likens this to shoes on the feet. There are two possible meanings of this. First, one who has surrendered to Christ is to be “ready” to preach the gospel (hence “the readiness”). It is natural for a new believer to want to share the amazing story of salvation. 

Secondly, the term can also mean “footing” or “foundation.” Shoes can be seen as the foundation upon which walks. Thus, the gospel itself becomes the foundation for one’s life, faith, and practice. This is the preferred meaning since it fits well into the context of standing firm. In addition, Paul’s words, “the gospel of peace,” directly link it to Philippians 4:6-7, where he says, “And the peace of God . . . will guard your hearts and your minds.”

Take Up the Armor

Beginning in verse 16, Paul tells us to actively “take up” the rest. This is an act that we are responsible for doing. Even if we have surrendered to Christ and have the gospel as our foundation, if we fail to do this, we will not be able to stand. The remaining things we are to take hold of and use are:

The Shield of Faith

It’s no accident that Paul places this first on the list of things we are to take up. The shield protects the heart, and likewise our faith in Christ protects our heart. The apostle John wrote about this protection: 

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. (1 John 3:19–22)

Faith, it must be remembered, is not faith “in faith.” We must first have that foundation that Paul talks about in verses 14-15. We must have surrendered to Christ. Otherwise, there is no basis for our faith, and it’s no better than the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19.

The Helmet of Salvation

One might wonder why Paul includes this here, since he has already dealt with salvation in verses 14-15. One cannot hope to stand unless he or she is saved, right? Right. The helmet protects the head. Spiritually speaking, the helmet of salvation protects the mind. As those who have been saved, we not only have “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16), but we still have the flesh–that part of us that seeks to live independently of God.

We are therefore called to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). At the core of this renewal is remembering the simple fact that, “I am new in Christ; I don’t have to live that way anymore.” As we focus on our salvation, our minds can be renewed, and this helps keep us on His path.

The Sword of the Spirit

The last item Paul tells us to take up is “the sword of the Spirit.” He defines this as “the word of God.” To his readers, that would have not only meant the existing Scriptures, but also the indwelling Holy Spirit, whose function is to “teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, this is how He fought temptation–by using God’s Word.

In order to effectively use God’s Word, however, we must be intentional about studying and knowing it. I don’t mean just memorizing it, but letting it penetrate deep within us. This is why a regular habit of Bible reading and study is essential in the life of a believer.

One more thing should be noted. Paul closes this section by adding, “. . . praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (v. 18). Some see this as different than taking up the sword of the Spirit. However, Paul links this directly to using our sword. Thus, our prayers must come from what we know in God’s Word. When we pray for people and situations, we must have an idea of how to pray, and God’s Word teaches us how we are to pray. 

We are to “stay alert” in this attitude of prayer, much as a soldier would keep watch on the wall at night. We must never separate the sword of the Spirit and our prayer. The place we take up the sword of the Spirit is on the battleground of prayer. 

As we consistently and consciously take up God’s armor, we will see that we grow and mature in love, obedience, holiness, and victory over temptation.

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The Shepherd's Voice

A Day of Thanksgiving–or Anxiety?

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Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9)

There can be no doubt that anxiety floods this world. These are chaotic, anxious, and uncertain times. One never knows what’s going to happen from day to day, and things seem to always be changing. Beyond that, the world is once again divided–and that division extends into countries, including America. There is hope in the midst of the uncertainty, though. Here in this passage, the Apostle Paul tells us how we can move past the anxiety and into the peace our souls seek. 

Anxiety: The Symptom of a Larger Problem

What is anxiety? Oxford Languages defines anxiety as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Most would agree with that definition. Anxiety, then, comes from worrying about outcomes or events. Why do we worry about them? We only worry about them when we think they are a direct threat to our own goals. Let’s look at another passage that sheds light on this, one that’s familiar to many of us:

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:25–33)

Jesus tells us here that we do often worry about our physical needs. Why are we anxious about them? 

Because the flesh and the fallen nature desire to obtain these things apart from God.

That is the root cause of anxiety and worry. Anxiety comes from us wanting to do things our way, but being uncertain that we can achieve the goals we set. This is as true about personal needs (security and significance) as it is about physical needs (food, shelter, etc.). 

It’s not enough to say “Just don’t be anxious.” Neither Paul nor Jesus did that. They got to the root cause. What’s the root cause? Control. Who am I going to let control my life? Me or God? If I control my life, then the goals I set for myself will always be able to be blocked or thwarted. In simple terms, I cannot guarantee my own success. If, however, I allow the Lord to dictate my life, knowing that He is good and has promised to meet all my needs, then the goal He sets for me (knowing Him and being conformed to His image) is absolutely attainable.

The Solution to Anxiety: Dependence

The solution to anxiety is not to focus on the anxiety. It does no good to just tell an anxious person “Don’t be anxious.” Look back at Paul’s words:  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

Instead of being anxious, we are to be dependent. 

We are to ask God for the things we need, and then thank Him. Why thank Him? Because He is good and will always give us what we need (even if it’s not what we thought we needed).True biblical dependence involves acknowledging both God’s ability to provide (His power) and His willingness to provide (His character).

We, on the other hand, are simply not able to provide for ourselves apart from God. We are by nature dependent beings, having been created. 

Peace: The Result of Dependence

When we move into dependence on God (including trusting His heart), look what happens–we receive peace. Some people teach that peace is the solution to anxiety, and we are to pray for peace. Peace, however, is the result of our obedient dependence and trust in the Lord. Why? Because when I know I am safe and secure in Him, I can have peace. We can’t just conjure up peace, it is a fruit (see Gal. 5:22-23). Fruit is the result of things.

Maintaining this fruit (peace) requires that we live in a state of dependence. By consistently turning away from the flesh’s attempt to live life apart from God. Notice that Paul describes this “peace of God” in two ways. First, it surpasses all understanding (see also John 14:26-27). In the midst of the hardest storms, we can have peace. I’ve known people and known of people who had utter peace in the midst of a cancer diagnosis.  And it was not understandable in the human perspective.

Second, this peace that surpasses understanding is said to “guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” It is this peace that keeps us steady in our faith in the hard and uncertain times.

Maintaining this peace also requires that we change the focus of our thinking. Paul’s final instruction in this passage tells us to think in certain ways. He writes,

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

What do all of those things add up to? God. We are to think on the things of God (or in Jesus’ terms, seek first God and His righteousness). We are to think like Him. We are to develop a knowledge of His character and deepen our trust in that character. The more we know these things (by constantly thinking on them) and put them into practice, the more we will sense God’s presence in the midst of our lives (“the God of peace will be with you”). 

This Thanksgiving season is a perfect time to begin to turn to God in dependence and trust. The more we trust Him, the more faithful He shows Himself, and thus the more thankful we will truly be. And the less anxiety we will see in us and those around us.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Unintended Consequences

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In January 2019, I wrote a post that was triggered by New York’s abortion law that legalizes abortion up to 24 weeks (see “The Slaughter of the Innocents: Then and Now”). A year and a half later, I find it necessary to revisit this issue–this time to talk about a law and its implications on the other extreme. Texas recently passed a law (known simply as Senate Bill 8) that bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected. In a novel legal twist, however, the state does not enforce the law. Rather, it empowers private citizens to bring suit against those who “aid and abet” abortions–including providers, those who provide money, even those who drive a woman to the clinic.

Now, before I continue, let me just say that I am staunchly pro-life. (And I’m learning to be more consistently pro-life.) Abortion is simply state-sanctioned murder of the most helpless humans. That being said, this law has wider implications than many realize. By basically incentivizing lawsuits, the law allows people to profit off of the often gut-wrenching decisions that a woman must make (thankfully, the woman cannot be a target of such lawsuits). My question is, how can a follower of Christ claim to support such an action?

Not only that, but this takes us further down the road of “the end justifies the means” thinking. While some Christians may think this is a biblical idea, I disagree. Jesus never taught such a thing, nor is it found anywhere in Scripture. While we must do as our conscience dictates, that must never be allowed to be an excuse to violate Scripture.

Further, has anyone considered that such a bill will only deepen the suspicious nature of fallen humanity? A woman is pregnant and is scared, but she may suddenly feel that she cannot reach out to anyone. Why? Because anyone she reaches out to may, in the event that she has an abortion, become either a target of a lawsuit or (and worse) one who goes after “a bounty” based on that information. Again, I ask, how could a follower of Christ do that in good conscience?

There’s one more implication that we need to consider. This law reminds me of many laws in authoritarian nations that encourage people to take action against or report those who express views that are critical of the government or established policy. Such laws are often used to discourage free speech. While abortion is not a free speech issue, does such a law not open the door to a future wider use of a similar law? This should concern the church at large, but I fear it’s a case of the church being too short-sighted, looking only at the moment, and not at the future consequences. Those worldly ideas that the church thinks are great now will often be turned against us in the future to stop the preaching of the gospel.

My friends, this is not the way. We must not stoop to worldly methods and ways to advance a righteous cause. If we want to see society changed, we will only see that happen when hearts are changed by the power of Christ through the gospel. Translation? If you want to see abortion end along with other injustices and inequalities, preach the gospel. Not everyone will believe, but those who do will be saved and changed. And ultimately that will bring us one step closer to the Eternal Kingdom.

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Fall of Nations

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If you have watched the news recently, you likely have seen the stories of the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan after twenty years of conflict. The images that came from the airport at Kabul were as shocking as those from the Vietnam era–and even more so. Desperate people clung to airplanes as they sought to escape the Taliban.

Of course, now we are seeing the Genesis 3 game, “Blame the Other Guy.” President Biden blames the Afghans for “lacking the will to fight” (though in fairness they have been fighting for 20 years–and much longer before we came on the scene). The Republicans blame the President (though in honesty and fairness, the withdrawal was announced by former President Obama and the deal was brokered by former President Trump). In the midst of the wrangling, people have been forgotten about.

This isn’t a post about the Taliban, American politics, or even specifically about the fall of Afghanistan. Rather, this is a post about the bigger and deeper issue that lies beneath–the loss of America’s moral leadership. That statement may shock you, and it both should and should not shock you.

Almost since the founding of this country, America has lauded itself as the great moral leader of the world. America will do what’s right. America will protect the interests of those who are weak. Yet, that moral leadership has been slowly deteriorating. No one event can be said to cause the decline. Though the so-called “religious right” like to assert that America was a “Christian nation,” that has never really been true. Founded on Judeo-Christian principles? Certainly. Christian (as in ‘submitted to Christ’s leadership’)? Never. But I digress…

What we have seen is the result of leadership not submitted to Christ. That is not a political statement. That is a biblical statement. Human nature will always seek life apart from God, and part of that is a loss of a moral compass. It was once said of America and democracy that American democracy was the great hope of the world. Even countries that disagreed with America at least trusted her. Now, America doesn’t keep the promises she made. President Biden said that Afghanistan had lost the will to fight. Could it be rather that America has lost the will to fight? (And not just in a military sense.)

I have long said that there will be a day of reckoning, where the church will have to choose between continuing to Americanize the gospel or be the church and preach the Gospel of Christ. Recent events highlight the fact that this day is coming sooner than perhaps we’d like. Make no mistake, the country that has lost moral leadership on the international level has already lost moral leadership at home. With that, we will see the nation turn against those who claim the name of Christ.

What must the church do? Prepare. We are directed to live our lives in such a way as to give no reason for the world to substantiate any accusations against us. We cannot do this as long as we look to politics to solve problems. We must stop allowing our political viewpoints to dictate how we view Scripture, the church, and others. Instead, we must thrust ourselves onto Christ alone and let Him inform our conscience and our worldview. And I daresay that His worldview will be shockingly different than those who have mixed politics and Christianity. As I wrote in an open letter some time ago, the American church has hitched herself to two horses, the horse of America and the horse of the gospel. These two are fundamentally incompatible with each other. It’s time for the church to decide on which horse she will continue to ride, because to ride on both is no longer possible.

[Read the full text of “The Church in America: An Open Letter“].

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The Shepherd's Voice

On the Road with Jesus: Food, Healing, and the Sabbath

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We’ve seen so far that Jesus was not what the people of Israel expected in a Messiah. He talked about being sent to the Gentiles after all! Now, we’re going to see that Jesus wasn’t quite the “observant Jew” that the Pharisees thought He should be.

On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. (Luke 6:1-11)

Before we begin, we should clarify something. In saying Jesus wasn’t the observant Jew that the religious people thought He should be, we don’t mean that He didn’t keep God’s standards for Israel. In fact, Jesus claimed to always do what pleases the Father (John 8:29). It’s just that He wasn’t keeping the Law according to the traditions and rules of the Pharisees. As we’ll see on this journey, Jesus redefined (or defined properly) what real obedience looks like.

Food, Healing, and the Sabbath

There are two different scenes in our passage, but they revolve around a single subject: the Sabbath. In the first scene, verses 1-5, Jesus and His disciples are outside on the Sabbath plucking the heads of grain in a grain field, and “rubbing the heads in their hands.” Now, a little background. The Law of Moses permitted this. We see this in Deuteronomy 23:25:

If you go into your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor’s standing grain.

So, Jesus and His disciples were doing what was permitted in the Law. What’s the problem then? The problem is the Pharisees considered “rubbing the heads between their hands” to be work, which was not to be done on the Sabbath. But, that was added to the law much later. Jesus calls such things “traditions.” He gives two responses to the Pharisees: One about the law and the other about the Lawgiver. First, He appeals to the story of David, found in 1 Samuel 21:1-6. There we read this:

Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.” And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.” And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?” So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

We need to notice two things in this story. First, it was not a Sabbath. Second, David did something that was not lawful (under the Law of Moses). What is Jesus’ point in reminding the Pharisees of the story? By citing this instance, He implicitly approves of the action of David eating the bread. Infringement of the rule to meet a genuine human need received no condemnation. So, His point is that ceremonial rites have to give way to higher moral concerns (in this case human need).

After giving that analogy, Jesus then turns to Himself. He simply says, “The Son of Man” (His favorite term for Himself) is lord of the Sabbath.” What does this mean? As one with the Father, Jesus is the only one who can truly define what was intended by the law. And He often did re-interpret the Law, moving it away from the traditions of the religious leaders.

The second scene, in verses 6-11, takes place in a synagogue on a different Sabbath. Luke tells us that Jesus was teaching and that there was “a man there whose right hand was withered.” After the previous confrontation over the Sabbath, the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely. They wanted to find reason to discredit and accuse Him. So, we know right from the beginning their motives weren’t pure.

Notice that Jesus “knew their thoughts,” meaning the desire of the Pharisees and scribes to accuse Him. So, what does He do? He calls the man with the withered hand up front. He intends to meet the challenge head-on. Notice also the question Jesus asks of the religious leaders:

Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?

This is really a rhetorical question, the obvious answer, one would think, is “to do good; to save life.” But, the leaders have no intention of engaging in that discussion, so they remain silent. (Mark’s account, in Mark 3:1-6, tells us that Jesus “looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart.”) Jesus then simply tells the man, “Stretch out your hand.” There’s no suggestion that Jesus touched the man, only that He gave the man a command.

Stretch out your hand.

What happened when the man obeyed? His hand was fully restored, just like the other one. Before we get to the reaction of the Pharisees, let’s think about the implications of what just happened. Jesus gave the man a command. He didn’t say, “If you’ll just exercise your faith, your hand will be healed.” No. He gave the man a command. Stretch out your hand. What can we learn from this?

When we obey the command of Jesus, our faith is evident and we see His purpose in our lives.

The Jewish leaders’ reactions had nothing to do with faith. Luke tells us “they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.” Mark is even more emphatic. He writes, “The Pharisees immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.” Now, one thing we need to know is that the Pharisees did not like the Herodians. They were rivals, in fact. But they hated Jesus so much that they consulted with their political and religious rivals to get rid of Him.

The leaders considered healing on the Sabbath to be work, in violation of the Law of Moses. Again, Jesus teaches us that the Law was not meant to be a burden to man. Rules are never to be enforced to the exclusion of human need. Remember His question to the Pharisees?

Is it lawful . . . to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?

Same question, except for removing the words “on the Sabbath.” When Jesus asked that question to the Pharisees, the implication of the question is this: Not only are we to do good and save life, but to fail to do so is unlawful. And if that is true on the Sabbath, then it’s true on every other day as well.

We are to do good to others, helping preserve life and not destroy it. The law of Christ is always focused on the needs of people over rules and regulations.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Last Words: Faithful Unto Death

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And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: “The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death” (Rev. 2:8-11).

Sometimes the Lord gives us a message to strengthen us when we are facing or about to face hard times. In this case, Jesus gave such a message to an entire church, the church of Smyrna. Smyrna was about 40 miles north of Ephesus, and by the time that John wrote Revelation it was known for emperor worship. Every Roman citizen had to burn a pinch of incense and say “Caesar is Lord.” The Christians of course refused to do so, citing their own confession, “Jesus is Lord” (Rom. 10:9). Thus, believers were constantly in danger there.

As with the letter to Ephesus (and all seven letters), Jesus identities Himself using elements from John’s vision. Here, He reminds the church of two things “the first and the last” and “who died and came to life.” In this way, Christ claims the titles of both Lord and Savior. Thus, He is the Sovereign One, able to save and protect those in His care.

Words of Commendation

Unlike the messages to other churches, this message contains only words of commendation. Jesus reminds them, “I know.” He knows the trials and tribulations that His saints are enduring. He also knows the the poverty of His saints—yet in Him and thru Him they are rich. He values faithfulness in His followers, and as He reminded the people during His earthly ministry, it’s far better to have treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:19-20).

Finally, Christ knows the false words that are being spoken about the saints by their enemies. They claim to be Jews yet are nothing more than a synagogue of Satan. He knows the truth. It is common for the world to slander believers. Satan is called the accuser of the brethren for a reason (Rev. 12:10).

The Warning of What’s to Come

Jesus plainly tells the church that they are bout to suffer–the implication is that they are about to suffer more than they have up to this point. Some will be put into prison and “tested.” The sense is of both a test (to determine where their true loyalties lay) and as a refining of silver or gold through fire.

Since, in the Roman world, prison was more a prelude to trial and execution, Jesus exhorts the church to be “faithful unto death.” Christ has said that “some” will be thrown into prison and tested, probably a large number of that community of faith. Thus, not only must the individuals remain faithful, but the church as a whole must not be overcome but a spirit of fear or unbelief.

The Promise

Jesus gives the church a promise–but it’s not one that we often like to hear today. He says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” He doesn’t promise that those who are thrown into prison will be physically delivered. He doesn’t promise to restore or increase the church’s economic status. He promises that the one who overcomes (by acknowledging Christ even unto death) will receive the crown of life. That is the ultimate prize that one can run for (1 Cor. 9:24-27; 2 Tim. 4:6-8). The one who receives this crown will thus have overcome the “second death,” meaning the ultimate death, separation from God eternally.

The good fight that we are to wage is not for a better life, more money, bigger ministry, or happy family. It is to remain faithful to Jesus no matter what. Only a life of self-denial will produce such faith.

Next: A Divided Church

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