Tag: Scripture

The Shepherd's Voice

Independence Day–Our True Freedom

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For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

I rarely write what might be called “holiday posts,” with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas. With the division and chaos troubling the United States, this seemed an appropriate time to do otherwise and give us some reminders.

We Americans have long seen freedom largely as the right and ability to do what one wants. In somewhat of an extreme correction, some segments have defined freedom, however, as the right and ability to do what one should. This definition often rings true to people professing faith in Christ. The biblical perspective of freedom, however, differs from both of these.

Slaves vs. Sons

In the New Testament, we see several ideas of what it means to be free. We first turn to a well-known verse in John:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31–36)

In this passage, Jesus is speaking of two types of freedom–or better yet, two results of true freedom. He speaks of both freedom from the enslaving power of sin and freedom to fully enjoy God as members of God’s family. All humanity is born enslaved to sin due to the sinful nature we inherited from Adam. Since there is no reforming the flesh through education, enlightenment, or psychological treatment, the only way to free us is to kill the sinful nature and remove it. 

Because all are enslaved to sin, none is naturally a child of God. Note Jesus’ words on the difference between a son and a slave. A slave may (and often did) serve in the house, but at the end of the day, he or she had to return to the place where slaves dwelt. It is the children who “remain in the house forever.” In these comments, Jesus is saying that the freedom he offers is the freedom to enjoy God fully as his children (John 1:12-13)

Called to Liberty

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we find some of his strongest words on the subject of freedom. He writes:

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. . . . For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:1, 13)

In the context of Galatians 5, Paul is talking about freedom of conscience. We are free to live in the way that pleases God without condemnation of the law for failing to do so perfectly (Romans 8:1). This goes far beyond the typical, “free to do as we want/should” argument. This is the freedom to live according to who we are. Since the entire Trinity consists of three self-giving Persons who seek not their own but the good of the others, we also were created to seek the good of others rather than our own. 

And we can live that way because the Son has truly set us free (John 8:36). We have a new heart and a new Spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-26). Paul’s words on freedom remind us that it’s okay that we aren’t perfect yet–we haven’t arrived. We are free to grow in love, holiness, and obedience without the law’s condemnation. Will we stumble along the way? Yes. But that is a far cry from not being able to do anything but sin.

We are no longer slaves but children of God. We were seated at his family table and invited to join in the Great Family. We all know what families look like here–loud, messy, joyful (and at times painful). God invites us to bring all of that as we learn to live out our new identity in Christ. That is true freedom, and living in a free country can never compare with that. Because that freedom can never be taken from us.

There is true freedom at the foot of the cross.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Confidence After Passing the Tests (1 John 5:13-21)

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is the final post in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
   If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
    We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:13-21, ESV).

The whole book of 1 John is about assurance of salvation and the evidence of a believer. We’ve seen John lay out the criteria, and we’ve seen the tests that a believer will pass. In this post, we’ll talk about what happens when one passes those tests (tests of love and sound doctrine).

Before talking about how we can have confidence before God, John returns to his original purpose. He writes, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (v. 13). This is really the key verse of the entire book. Aas we have said throughout our studies, context rules. And the purpose of an author behind the letter helps us better understand and interpret the letter.

Confiedence in Prayer (vv. 13-17)

The first confidence we can have after passing the test is in prayer. John writes in vv. 14-15, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

John’s logic is straightforward: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (the idea is that God active inclines His ear to listen to us). And since we know that He hears us, if we have asked according ot His will, we will have what we ask.

We need to be careful here. These verses (and others like them) have caused a lot of confusion in the church. John is not giving the believer a “blank check,” as it were, to presume upon God. Notice that He says, “if we ask anything according to His will.” That is an important qualifier. As in previous posts, this does not mean that we should pray wimpy prayers! God calls us to pray in faith and with confidence according to our standing as redeemed sons and daughters. At the same time, we are always to be in submission to His will (see Luke 22:42 for Jesus’ own example of this).

There is another qualification that John mentions about our confidence in prayer. In vv. 16-17, John speaks of a brother who commits a sin “leading to death.” The nature of this sin has sparked confusion in the church for centuries, and we won’t be resolving the debate here. Whatever this sin is, it seems to put the person “over the line,” so to speak, where there is no turning back. Thus, the person would not repent of the sin in question. Some believers who struggle with asurance are prone to wonder if they have committed this sin. If you have such a concern, know that the fact that you can ask the question shows that you have to crossed that line.

Confidence in Living For God (vv. 18-19)

The second thing that John tells us we can be confident about is that we will grow in our faith. John writes in v. 18 that, “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” There are two important things we need to mention here.

First is John’s use of “keep on sinning.” Rmember that John often speaks of habitual sin, not just single acts. Does he mean that we’ll become perfectly sinless in this life? Not at all. 1 John 1:5-10 tells us that if we deny that we have sin we deceive ourselves. However, what will happen is that we will sin less and less. Living righteously has become our way of life, and committing sin is now the exception to the rule. Paul echoes John’s teaching here when he writes, “And 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” (Phil. 1:6, emphasis added).

The second thing we should mention is the second half of verse 18. John writes that “he who was born of God protects him.” The preferred rendering here is “He,” indicating Christ. Otherwise, you have the believer protecting himself, which is contrary to what Jesus said in John 10:28-29. At the same time, John writes that “the evil one does not touch him.” Depending on which “him” John is referring to, two interpretations are possible:

  • John refers to Christ, which would mean that Satan indeed cannot “touch” Him (absolute protection).
  • John refers to the believer. In context, this is the preferred meaning. However, we know that believers do suffer trials, harm, and hardship. What does this verse mean, then? It has more the sense of “lay hold of.” The evil one may bring trouble into the life of the believer (as he did with Job), but nothing will come into the believer’s life apart from the will of God or that would hinder His purposes.

Confidence in Knowing the Truth (vv. 20-21)

Finally, John assures the believers that we can have confidence in knowing the truth (“understanding,” v. 20). The heretics of John’s day taught that only they held the truth, and in order to really understand the truth, one had to join their group.

We see that same idea very prevalent today, both inside and outside the church. Groups claim their ideas are “the truth.” But any claim to truth must, as John has shown, be subject to the evidences and tests he laid out earlier.

John’s closing comment, “Keep yourselves from idols,” may seem like a strange way to close a letter. When we remember, however, that an idol is anything (person, thing, even an idea) that sets itself up against the Truth or seek to draw us from Christ, then the statement is not quite so odd. John is issuing a final warning to hold fast to Christ–the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Takeaways From This Passage

  1. As we grow in understanding and walk in obedience to Christ, we move from simple assurance of our salvation to a place of confidence before God. (This confidence is not in ourselves, of course, but in Christ and the work He is doing within us.)
  2. We can be confident that He hears our prayers, and so we are encouraged to come boldly before the throne of grace in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
  3. We can be confident that He is committed to completing the good work He started in us. As we continue to walk with Christ, He will give us understanding of the truth and we will continue to grow and change.
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The Shepherd's Voice

The Tests of the Believer (1 John 4:1-5:12)

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is part 5 in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

    Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

    By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

    Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

    This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 4:1-5:12).

Today, we continue our look at 1 John. John has now talked about the marks of the believer, and also given some counter-examples. Like a good teacher, he tells his readers what is needed to pass the test. Then, he proceeds to lay out the tests. That is the subject of this passage. One who understands and applies these tests can not only be assured of salvation for themselves but will also be equipped to spot true and false believers in the fellowship.

Test #1: Test the Spirits (4:1-6)

The first part of the test measures how well a believer can distinguish between the Spirit of God and other spirits. The context seems to suggest that he is referring specifically to so-called prophets (v.1). He tells the believers to “test” (“try,” KJV) the spirits to see whether they be from God. Paul apparently gave a similar instruction to the Christians of Berea concerning his own teaching, since Acts records that they searched the Scriptures to see whether what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11-12).

What is the test? John tells us that any spirit (speaking through a person) that confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh is of God, but any spirit that does not confess Jesus is not of God—indeed is the spirit of antichrist (vv. 2-3). John is not laying out some strict formula here. He is not necessarily advocating that a believer ask the person, “What do you think of Jesus?” The sense, rather, is that the spirit behind the prophet will be obvious in what he teaches about Christ. Nowhere in Scripture is it commanded that we interrogate a spirit or a prophet. The assumption is that a true believer, grounded in the truth, will be able to tell. Verses 5-6 support this, in that the implication is that if a prophet is teaching anything at odds with apostolic teaching, it will be obvious to the congregation (“by this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error,” v. 6).

Test #2: Test of Love (4:7-12)

The second part of the test is one of love. The test is meant to cause the believer to ask, “Do I (or another believer) love others as God loves them?” John reminds us that “God is love” (v. 8b). Because God is love, one who does not love does not know God. Then John reminds us of what looks like: God sent His Son into the world so that we might live through Him (v. 9), and He loved us (before we could even think of loving Him) and sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins (v. 10).

Test #3: Test of Doctrine (4:13-15)

The third part of the test seems at first glance to be a repeat of the first. It is a test of doctrine. Yet, it is a different question here. The first test sought to test the spirit behind a prophetic utterance. This test seeks to determine the actual belief and commitment of a person claiming to know God. The question is a simple one: “Who do you say that Jesus is?” (As opposed to the first test, in which we said that question may not be appropriate or useful.)

There are two confessions here. First, Jesus is the Son of God. In saying that, one confesses that Jesus is one with God (begotten, not created). Second, Jesus was sent to be the Savior of the world. Note here that He was not sent just to save the Jewish nation, but “the world.” Indeed, Christ testified of that when He gave one of His most well-known statements of all time: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17). 

Though not stated in the text, the two confessions are inextricably linked, and John says that anyone who confesses Jesus as the Son of God, and thus as his Savior, has God abiding in him. The reverse is also true. Anyone who does not confess Jesus as the Son of God, rejecting His work as Savior, does not have God.

Takeaways:  Results of the Test (4:16-5:12)

At first glance, this section seems to be a series of loose repetitions of what John has already taught. In truth, however, it is John showing the results of the tests put forth. We are told what happens when one passes the tests (i.e., is a true believer). Here is what we learn:  

First, “we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us” (4:16). In the modern church, there seems to be a serious lack of the understanding of the love of God for the believer. Many suffer from a lack of trust in the Father’s love and goodness. Once someone has come to truly know and believe the love of God and abides in that love, John says His love is perfected in us (made complete).  

Second, because the love of God is being perfected in us, we “have confidence for the day of judgment” (v. 17). We have confidence because we are no longer afraid (v. 18). Here John speaks of fear in the sense of terror, not in the sense of the positive “fear of the Lord” that is holy and reverent.  

Third, one who has passed the tests loves his brother.  John says that it’s impossible for one to claim to love God yet hate his brother (v. 20). His logic is unassailable here. It is much easier to love one we can see and touch. Therefore, if one cannot love the one they can see and touch, how can he claim to love the One who is unseen, the One that we interact with through faith? He further ties all of this together. Keeping the commandments necessarily includes loving God and loving the brethren (5:2).

Before moving on, John reminds us that Christ’s commandments are not “burdensome” (v. 3). That is not to say that the act of love is not difficult at times or that a believer will not struggle. “Burdensome” in this context can be compared to the law which was called a yoke and a burden by other writers such as Peter and Paul. It was a burden because the people did not, in themselves have the power to obey, whereas now the Spirit-indwelt believer, with the new heart, has the power to obey; the law is written on his heart.  

Fourth, the one who passes the tests overcomes the world (v. 4). When the New Testament writers speak of overcoming the world, they do so in the sense of the spiritual. That is to say that one who has overcome the world has held steadfast to his faith and has not given in to the lusts and temptations of the world. It is through our faith that we overcome the world. John pointedly remarks that the only one capable of overcoming the world is the one who “believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (v. 5).   Finally, John tells us that whoever passes the tests has the very testimony of God within him. This testimony is concerning the One who came by water (referring to Christ’s baptism) and the blood (his death on the cross).  Whoever receives the Son of God (i.e., trusts in Him for salvation) has this testimony in himself (v. 10a). But, whoever denies the Son of God does not have the testimony, and also is calling God a liar. The testimony is that God has given His Son to us that we might have eternal life through Him (vv. 11-12).

Continue to Part 6 of this series ===>>

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The Shepherd's Voice

Marks of the Believer Part 2: 1 John 3:1-24

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

[Note: This is part 4 in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

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. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us (1 John 3:1-24).

Today, we continue our study of 1 John. After pausing briefly to discuss the characteristics of an “anti-Christ” (“Antichrists Among Us: 1 John 2:18-29”), John now turns back to the marks or evidences of a follower of Christ. How can we know that we are saved and in Christ? In addition to being theological in nature, this section has strong practical implications and teachings. (Which is, after all, the goal of good theology—to change us and our behavior to align us with God’s Word.)  It also takes us on a journey, from grace and hope to confidence and assurance before God. Read in its entirety, it’s a great encouragement to continue in the faith.

Grace and hope lead to purity (vv. 1-3).

John’s opening words in chapter 3 are meant to evoke a response of “Wow!” And, in truth, once a believer truly understands what has been done for him, that reaction is quite natural. The guilty are forgiven, but that’s not all. They are called righteous in God’s sight, but that’s not all. The ones who were once guilty and alienated from God are called children of God! And if that weren’t enough, we are promised, as children of God, that one day we shall be like Him, once again morally perfect without any spot or blemish.

Some things that stand out here:

  • Not only are we “called” (declared) children of God, but “so we are” (v. 1). There’s a difference between simply being declared a child of God (in a judicial sense) and actually “being one” (in the sense of nature or identity). We are children of God. We are Beloved of the Father.
  • Because we are in fact children of God, we are no longer children of the world. Thus, John says, the world does not know us (v. 2). In the same way, the world did (and does) not know Christ.
  • The end goal is not to just be with Christ. It is to be like Him. And John encourages us to remember that it will happen. It is a certain hope, not simply wishful thinking. And “everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (v. 3). It is that very hope that enables and encourages us to live pure.

Purity means practicing righteousness (vv. 4-10).

To be pure, according to John, is to practice righteousness (v. 7). As we have said many times over, John refers to “the practice of” righteousness, rather than any single act (the same way he looks at sin). A broken clock shows the correct time sometimes. But a working clock does so consistently. In the same way, a believer will consistently, if not perfectly, practice righteousness. The unbeliever, however, is like the broken clock. He cannot help but live a life of sin. John reminds us that the one who practices sin also practices lawlessness. This is because the unbeliever is living as a law unto himself, rather than doing the will of God.

The implication of this, then, is that one who claims to know God yet has not changed from a life of habitual sin has never encountered or known Him, John says. And one who has truly encountered Christ and abides in him cannot help but change from a life of sin to one of righteousness (v. 6). The change may–indeed will–be progressive, but it will absolutely take place, because one who has God’s seed in him cannot help it (v. 9). The practice of righteousness, then, is one of the surest marks of a believer (v. 10).

Practicing righteousness includes loving the brethren (vv. 11-18).

The message that John is reminding his readers is the same one he taught them “from the beginning” (v. 11). The message is that we should love one another.  He then gives a pointed contrast. We should not be like Cain, who killed his brother Abel. Why did Cain kill Abel, John asks? He gives two answers. First, because Cain was “of the evil one” (v. 12). Cain had no fear of or faith in God. How do we know this? Because of John’s second reason: “Because [Cain’s] deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous” (v. 12b). The Lord confirmed this position when He told Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted” (Gen. 4:7). The implication is that Cain’s offering was unacceptable to the Lord, and the context suggests that it was because of Cain’s attitude. Therefore, John says, just as Cain hated his brother (hatred being the seed of murder), we should not be surprised that the world hates us.

When we can say we love the brothers (here John seems to focus on the household of faith), “we have passed out of death into life” (v. 14). For, whomever hates his brother walks in darkness. (This is the same conclusion that he gave in 2:9-11 when he mentions loving the brothers.) Further, the one who hates his brother “is a murderer,” John concludes (again, hatred being the seed of murder). This is clearly equivalent to Jesus’ teaching on murder (Matt. 5:21-22).

John concludes this statement with a blunt observation: “And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (v. 15). How are we to take this statement? Does it suggest that murder is an unforgivable sin? For various reasons, that cannot be the case. John’s point here, as in many other places, is simply that one who continues to allow hatred to dwell in his heart is not a true believer. We are not talking about a single act, but rather the attitude of the heart. The Gospel, according to John, sets one free from hatred.

One might then ask John, “What does loving my brother look like?” His answer is very practical: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him” (vv. 16-17). Love of the brothers consists of generous giving. We place others above ourselves. James would wholeheartedly agree with these statements (see James 1:27; 2:15-16). Love is practical and active. Otherwise it is useless. As John puts it, “Let us love in deed and truth, not just word or talk” (v.18).

Practicing righteousness leads to assurance before God (3:19-24).

A believer who truly practices righteousness and loves the brethren can find assurance before God, John writes. He first addresses an anxious question, that of the one whose heart condemns them (vv. 19-20). We can be assured in two ways: First, if we know that we are practicing righteousness and love toward the brethren as best we know, then we can be assured that we are in Christ. Second, even if our heart should condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows everything (including our heart).

Can a believer’s heart condemn him? Most certainly. Whether it be from an immature conscience, unrealized sin, or simply the ever-present attacks by the enemies of Christ, it is not uncommon for true believers to experience guilt, doubt and anxiety. This is why John gives this encouragement.

The apostle then turns to the rest–those that have clean hearts that do not condemn them. To these he says that they can have “confidence” before God. This distinction is not by accident. The one who is condemned by their heart, though they are truly saved, can hardly have true confidence in the midst of anxiety, guilt and doubt. But when one is in a place of having a clean heart, then such a person can truly step out with the boldness of Christ to do His will, asking what he will and receiving his requests (vv. 21-22). Such a person, John says can have that confidence because he keeps Christ’s commandments.

It’s important to point out that there is no well-defined progression from one who needs assurance to the one who has confidence before God. It is possible (and common) for a believer to be in one state at one time in his life, move to the other state, and then back to the first. This is often the result of spiritual growing pains.

Finally, John summarizes what he has told us so far: The commandment is that we believe in Jesus Christ and love one another (v. 23). And he promises that those who keep those commandments do truly abide in God and God in them (v. 24a). As a final reminder, John tells us that we can know for certain that we are God’s, by the fact that He has given His Spirit to abide in us (v. 24b).

Continue to Part 5 of this series ===>>

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The Shepherd's Voice

Antichrists Among Us: 1 John 2:18-29

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[Note: This is part 3 in a six-part series looking at the First Epistle of John. Some of the material is adapted from my commentary That You May Know: The First Letter of John. During this series, we won’t necessarily touch on every single verse, but will look at the major messages that 1 John presents.]

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

    I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

    And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him (1 John 2:18-29).

Today, we continue our study of 1 John. In the last post (Marks of the Believer Part 1), we saw the beginnings of what John calls the evidences of salvation—how we can know that we have eternal life. In this post, we (with John) briefly turn from those evidences to the counter-example. In this passage, John gives us three marks of what he calls “antichrists,” people who reject Christ and teach against Him. These marks should be taken together; we should not try to apply one without the rest, otherwise, we suffer from distorted thinking.

Evidence #1: Rejection of the Fellowship

The first thing that marks the antichrist, John says, are those who leave and reject the fellowship of the church (vv. 18-19). Notice that this is not the same as the church removing someone from fellowship due to unrepentant sin (Matt. 18:15-20, a practice that is sorely lacking today, but that’s another matter entirely). It is also not the same thing as one who might leave one congregation and be called to another congregation. Such a person usually retains their belief in Christ.

Instead, the antichrist rejects the fellowship of the believer entirely (and at the same time rejects biblical teaching on Christ and other matters of the faith—see below). In John’s day, as there were no “denominations,” leaving the church meant living in the world without the protection of Christ, cut off from the means of grace. John then pointedly remarks that if they had been “of us” (meaning believers, part of the fellowship), they would have remained. Thus, while a true believer will seek to remain in fellowship, the false will often fall away and leave the church.

If we are not careful, this passage can pose problems when dealing with someone who has left the fellowship because of wounds sustained at the hands of believers. Sadly, this is becoming more and more common today. For the most part, these people have not truly rejected the church or Christ. They retain their core belief about Jesus and salvation. We must pray for the grace of Christ to lovingly draw them back into fellowship, so that they will not fall victim to the schemes of the devil.

Evidence #2: Denial of Christ

The second mark of the antichrists is their denial of Jesus as the Christ (vv. 20-23). In context, it seems these people (in John’s day) claimed to have some special anointing to receive “truth”—a truth that was at odds with the teachings of Christ and the apostles. They denied that Jesus was the Christ. This often came in two forms.

First, some taught that “the Christ” was a spiritual manifestation that came upon the man Jesus at His baptism but left before His death. Others taught that Jesus and “the Christ” were indeed the same, but they denied that Jesus was a true man, making Him to be a spirit (hence Jesus’s words to the disciples in Luke 24:38-40). Both views deny the truth of the Incarnation that God became a man.

We see much the same thing today, if in different wording. There are many ideas about Jesus and the Christ—good teacher, wise man, prophet, sorcerer (!), etc. Such teachings want to strip Jesus of the very thing that makes Him our Savior—the fact that God took on human flesh and became a man. It’s not possible, John says, to claim to be a Christian and deny any part of the Incarnation.

Evidence #3: Living in Lies

John concludes this section by reminding his readers to abide in that which was taught to them from the beginning–the truth of Christ. The implication is that those who have departed are now living a life of lies. But those who continue to abide in Christ will be granted eternal life and will have confidence when they stand before Him–not in themselves of course, but in His work in them.

Takeaways from This Passage

As we mentioned at the beginning, these three ideas should be taken together. In fact, everything that John says in his letter should be taken together. John here looks at the overall picture when dealing with people. With the exception of denying Christ, it is possible to be a believer and still stumble in other areas. We may be wounded and leave the church for a time. We may struggle with walking in the light (walking in truth). But we are still believers.

John constantly reminds us that he is giving us this information so that we are not deceived. Deception can come in very subtle ways, so we must be alert and hold fast to our faith, rightly judging all things by Scripture. In the end, we too can have confidence in His grace as we stand before Him.

Continue to Part 4 of this series ===>>

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Supremacy of Love (1 Cor. 13)

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If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:1-13).

This is a very well-known chapter of the Bible, for more than one reason. It is often quoted when speaking of or describing love. It is also sometimes quoted when speaking of certain spiritual gifts, whether they are or are not still in operation today. This week we will take a close look at this much-beloved passage of Paul to see what we can learn from it.

The Context

As always, we must start by placing the passage in its immediate context. This letter focuses on problems in the church of Corinth and certain questions that the church asked. The beginning of chapter 12, “Now concerning spiritual gifts. . .” tells us that this is one of the subjects that the church had questions about. Paul continues the discussion in chapter 14, and thus, chapter 13 might seem like an interruption. However, that’s not the case.

Chapter 12 focuses on a few facts about spiritual gifts: 1) It is the Holy Spirit that gives gifts to believers; 2) though gifts differ, they are given with the same purpose—to edify the church; 3) everyone does not possess the same gifts; 4) those who have certain gifts should not think themselves more spiritual than those who do not. It seems that the Corinthians had gotten in the habit of arguing over which gifts were the most important, and thus should be sought after. At the end of the chapter, he writes these words:

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way (12:29-31).

The last sentence is the transition statement to chapter 13. Love, then, is the “more excellent way” that Paul shows the Corinthians. Chapter 13 can be seen to answer the question, “Why is love the more excellent way?” Paul gives three answers: 1) Without love, nothing else matters; 2) love embodies the fruit of the Spirit; and 3) love is eternal.

Without Love, Nothing Else Matters

Paul starts out by reminding the Corinthians what he has reminded other believers: Love is the most important thing (vv. 1-3). He then gives some examples of what he means:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (v. 1). It doesn’t matter how eloquent I speak if I do not do so in love.

If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (v. 2). Even if I am the most super-spiritual person, directly connected to God and His knowledge, if I don’t have love in my heart and my actions, none of that matters. I am nothing.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing (v. 3). Even if I do good deeds and sacrifice myself as a martyr, I am still nothing and I gain nothing by it without love.

In truth, anything done without love is done for self. Love is the central issue, the defining character of a believer.

Love Embodies the Fruit of the Spirit

Paul’s second reason that love is the more excellent way is that love, when properly understood, embodies the fruit of the Spirit (vv. 4-7). He then proceeds to tell what love “looks like.”

If you look at the traits of love and compare them to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), you find remarkable overlap in the traits. Paul goes farther here, though. He gets even more detailed:

Love is not rude (v. 5a). There is no place in the life of a loving Christian (a redundant term, yes) for rudeness.

It is not stubborn, irritable, or resentful (v. 5b). This corresponds with the fruit of the Spirit where Paul mentions patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.

It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth (v. 6). Love takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, even if the wrong is done to one’s enemy. Love speaks the truth, not in condemnation but with an aim to restoration.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (v. 7). Like Christ, love bears all hurts and wrongs, always believing that there is something more beyond the moment. Love endures the hurt, pain and rejection in the same manner as Christ did.

By contrast, spiritual gifts have nothing to do with character. King Saul actually gave true words of prophecy during the time of his downfall, but would we call him loving during that time? Hardly! Spiritual gifts are given as tools. Like tools, they can be misused. They neither confer nor spring from character. We have all seen those who seem to be the most spiritually gifted people turn out to be the most unloving. Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples by our love, not our gifts.

Love is Eternal

Finally, Paul shows that love is eternal (vv. 8-12). God created the universe and mankind in love. Love thus will continue into all eternity. These verses have often sparked controversy, but as with many controversies, the point of the passage often gets overlooked.

He starts out in verse 8: “Love never ends.” That is a fairly obvious statement. Love will have no end. It will continue throughout eternity. However, prophecies will “pass away,” tongues will “cease,” and “[the gift of] knowledge will pass away.” He says these things, which in the context represent all spiritual gifts, will end “when the perfect comes.” Whatever this phrase means, whether the close of the canon of Scripture or the second coming of Christ, the point is that the gifts were given until no longer needed.

He reminds his readers that “we know in part and we prophesy in part” (v. 9). To Paul, even the knowledge he had was incomplete. Even the gifts were not complete. He compares the gifts to a child’s way of thinking—incomplete. A child hasn’t grown up yet, and so he needs certain things to help him mature. The gifts, then, were given to help the church mature. Right now, Paul says, we only know partially. “Then,” he says (when the perfect has come), “I will know fully, even as I am known.” At that time, there will be no need for the gifts.

Of course, the question is raised, “What does ‘the perfect’ refer to?” The simple answer is that Paul doesn’t elaborate. It’s clear from his writings that Paul believed the Lord’s return would be “soon.” But, it’s like when one is walking in a wide plain toward a huge mountain. The mountain seems so close, but we seem to not get any closer—though we are in fact making progress toward it. A plausible case can be made for either side of the argument—and since this post is about love, we’ll save that topic for another time. For now, it is important to grasp the main point of the chapter—love is greater than al.

We must not compare ourselves with others, particularly in terms of spiritual gifts or talents. Each is given His gifts by God’s good pleasure and how best to serve the body. Yet, those gifts function as intended only when done in love.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Bondage No More (Gal. 5:1-6)

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Welcome to the first installment of #WordforWednesday. In this series, we will study a passage of Scripture once a week in an in-depth manner to pull out its teachings so that we may apply them to our lives. Just a note: These posts may tend to be longer than the average blog post. But that’s why we are only doing one per week! Take time and really think through the passage and what we learn from it.

This week, we will look at Galatians 5:1-6, Paul’s defense of justification by faith alone.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love (Gal. 5:1-6).

Some Context

[Note: We should always read passages in context (that which comes before and after), to avoid misunderstanding and misinterpreting the passage. The rule should be, “Context rules!”]

Galatians was written not to a single church but to “the churches of Galatia” (1:2). This was a province rather than a specific city. We find mention of this region in Acts when Paul visit such places as Antioch of Pisidia, Lystra, Derbe, and Iconium (Acts 13-14). After Paul left that region, word came to him that certain Jews had gone through the churches “teaching them, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). By this, they were teaching that to be saved one had to essentially become Jews and keep the law of Moses.

The church at Antioch decided to send Paul, Barnabas, and some others to Jerusalem to seek a common mind on the question. Though the Jerusalem church wrote a letter that should circulate  through all of the Gentile churches, Paul wrote Galatians specifically for those churches, since he founded them.

In the first part of the letter, then, Paul sets out to defend the idea of justification by faith alone. Using such Old Testament examples as Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, he argues that justification has always been by faith—even before the law was given. Thus, the law that came later could not set aside the promise which is realized through faith. The Galatians, it seems, having begun by faith, wanted to now turn to the Law as a means of righteousness.

The passage can be broken up by looking at two (unasked but implied) questions of the Galatians: 1) “Why Christ?” [or “Why did Christ come?”]; and 2) “Why not the law?”

Why did Christ come?
This passage starts out with Paul’s bold declaration: For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (v. 1). Paul tells us that Christ came “for freedom . . . to set us free.” What did this mean to the original readers of Paul’s letter?

In the context of the first century, slavery was common. One could find himself sold into slavery because of debt or as part of a conquered people. Slaves were bought and sold in slave markets, which functioned much like those described in the American South in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. More often than not, freedom for a slave had to be purchased. But that freedom was not done in a vacuum, so that he belonged to no one. Rather, the slave was purchased by a god. The owner of the slave paid the money to the temple treasury and a document was drawn up containing the words “for freedom.” As the slave was now the property of the god, no one else could enslave him.

Thus, Paul’s words to the Galatians would have had an immediate impact. They would have understood the import of the phrase, “for freedom.” And Paul would clarify it later in another letter, when he wrote, “You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men” (1 Corinthians 7:23). Thus, He is telling the Galatians two things. First, they were purchased by Christ, so that no one or nothing else may enslave them. Second they were purchased so that they might be set free.

What kind of freedom is Paul talking about? In other letters, he often refers to freedom from sin’s dominion over the believer (freedom of the will). In this passage, however, he is referring to sin’s guilt (freedom of conscience). The believer no longer has to work and struggle to keep the law’s demands as a means of obtaining or maintaining the favor of God. The law has been fulfilled in Christ and applied to the believer through His sacrifice.

Why not the Law?

After declaring the purpose of Christ’s mission, Paul then turns to the second question, “Why not the Law?” To put it another way, “Why shouldn’t we accept the law as a means of righteousness?” The Galatians, according to Paul, had begun their journey by the Spirit, but were now trying to be perfected by the flesh (Gal. 3:2-3). Paul gives four answers to this question, which are separate but related.

* The obligation to do the whole law (v. 3). Paul tells the Galatians that to accept circumcision is to place oneself under obligation to the whole law. It seemed the Galatians just wanted to be circumcised, without worrying about the rest. Throughout his writings, Paul sees the Law as a unified whole, not able to be split (as we so often do) into convenient categories—and he often uses circumcision to represent the Law. His argument is obvious: If the Galatians accept circumcision, then they are obligated to keep the whole law. If they are under obligation to the whole law, then they are also under a curse, because no man can keep the whole law (Gal. 3:10). It seems the Galatians had not thought this far ahead.

* Alienation from Christ and His grace (v. 4). Paul plainly tells the Galatians, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.” This verse has sparked widespread debate in the church over it’s meaning.  Whatever else this verse means it means this: The Galatians would have to choose their means of righteousness. One cannot live in the realm of faith and the realm of law at the same time. Does this mean can lose their salvation? Losing one’s salvation is not the issue here. What Paul is talking about is rejecting the sufficiency of Christ’s grace for salvation in favor of the false salvation of the law. The believer, in Paul’s view, is saved by faith and indeed kept by faith.

* Righteousness comes by faith (v. 5). After giving reasons why the Galatians should not turn to the law for salvation, Paul proceeds to show why the Galatians cannot be saved by the law. “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.” Not by the law. Not by flesh. By faith, he says. The law, he says, simply cannot give the hope of righteousness.

* Love, not law, is the Issue (v. 6). Paul’s final answer to the question show that in the eyes of God, the only thing that counts is “faith working through love.” He puts circumcision and uncircumcision on the same level, just in case the Galatians reverse course and think there is something inherently wrong with being circumcised. Neither matter when it comes to the means of righteousness. Both Jew and Gentile are equal before the cross.

Takeaways From This Passage
[Note: The goal of Bible study is application, not merely the accumulation of knowledge. We are to seek to apply its teachings to our lives, lest we become a hearer of the Word only, instead of a doer.]

There are several important things that this passage teaches us. We should consider them carefully.

* The law was never meant to and cannot provide justification. Though Paul calls the law holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12), it’s purpose was never to provide justification, for Abraham was justified by faith apart from the law. The law was given to point to man’s need and Christ’s work. We could never be good enough or do enough good to earn God’s favor or justification.

* We cannot live by faith and live under the law at the same time. The realm of faith and the realm of law are mutually exclusive. Now, what we are talking about is how we are justified (declared righteous). We, like the Galatians, must choose our means of justification. Will we stumble and fall while walking the road of faith? Most probably. But the solution is not to turn to the law (“Do this more, do that more, and find someone to whom you can be accountable [which equates to outward pressure].”) The solution is to turn to Christ in faith. Believing His Word, trusting His promises.

* The cross of Christ is enough. The sacrifice of Christ is more than enough to cover all of our sin, shame, guilt, no matter how deep it may run within us. The law could never do that. We need only to turn to Christ and see all of that forgiven, redeemed and used for His glory.

Paul’s words to the Colossians serve as a great summary of this passage:  “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Co. 2:6-7). How did we receive Christ? By faith. How are we to walk in Him? By faith. Faith Alone.

[Note: The material in this post has been adapted from my commentary, available for free here.]

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The Shepherd's Voice

Legalism, License, or Liberty?

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

Today, we are going to look at an oft-asked question by Christians: What can/can’t I do as a believer? It’s an important question, especially in the ‘post-modern’ time in which we live. Everything is relative, we are told. Situational ethics is not only condoned but encouraged. The Bible, however, takes a far different few from that. Nevertheless, there remain honest disagreements between believers about what is acceptable and what not. We won’t claim to give the final answer in this post, but simply try to look at the whole counsel of the Word.

The Believer is called to Liberty.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. . . . You were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Gal. 5:1, 13).

The first thing we need to remember is that believers are free. The meaning of this word “freedom” has been much debated. Some say it means “I can do whatever I want.” Some say it means, “I can do whatever I should.” The biblical understanding of this, however, is different. Freedom for Paul meant freedom of conscience. As believers, we no longer have to struggle under the law, trying to follow external rules by which we obtain or maintain our righteousness. Since the Law can only condemn, those under the Law constantly struggle with condemnation, with “not being good enough.” The believer is free from that condemnation (Rom. 8:1). [See the blog post Bondage No More, for a detailed look at this passage in Galatians.]

Paul goes on to warn, however, that we should not use our freedom recklessly. Here’s an example of what he means in context. The Jewish Law prohibited eating certain animals. The believer, however, is free to eat any animal, as the Lord confirmed to Peter in the vision of Acts 10:9-16, and his explanation in verses 34-48. Jesus Himself had said food does not make a person unclean (Mark 7:14-19). Yet, if a believer were to eat such foods in front of a Jew, the latter would be highly offended, and thus the believer might lose an opportunity to be a witness because of his “freedom” (which, in Paul’s thinking, the believer has turned to license). Having said all that, we must also recognize that there are Scriptural limits on our freedom. We’ll look at these as a series of questions.

Is it prohibited in the New Testament?

This should be rather obvious. Jesus and the New Testament writers did name things that are incompatible with living as a follower of Christ. The lists in Rom. 1:28-32; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:9-11 are good places to start. Remember that these lists deal with both outward actions and inward attitudes.

Is it prohibited to all in the Old Testament?

There are also things that are prohibited in the Old Testament, either by express command (given to all people) or because of theological principles. For example, God gave this command to Noah after the flood: “But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood” (Gen. 9:4). Whatever this means—and there are varying interpretations, it was given to the only remaining people on earth, and thus it is applicable to all humanity. Murder is another example (Gen. 9:5-6).

One example that many misunderstand is that of the Sabbath. In Gen. 2:2-3, we are told that God rested on the seventh day, blessed it and made it holy. Many people see this, in connection with Exodus 20:8-11, as a prohibition to all against working on the seventh day. However, in the Genesis 2 passage, God merely gave us an example. He rested, so we should rest. In fact, that rest is a gift to us, not a burden. The command not to work was given specifically to Israel. In fact, Jesus quoted nine of the ten commandments during His ministry. The one He didn’t quote was the Sabbath. Finally, Paul specifically tells the Colossian believers that they will not be condemned for not keeping the Sabbath (2:16).

Is it beneficial, helpful, or profitable?

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful (1 Cor. 6:12a). Here Paul is giving a guideline that is helpful in judging actions. Just because something can be done does not mean it should. The word translated helpful here literally means “to bring together.” It refers to “gaining an advantage.” When the disciples wondered about Christ’s teaching on marriage in Matthew 19, they said, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry [i.e., “there is no advantage in marriage]” (v. 10). The “advantage” spoken by Paul is not simply an advantage over someone else, but is more about being advantageous to us in our service to God. If it an act will hinder (bring no advantage or actually be a disadvantage), it should be avoided.

Is it an activity that controls me?

“All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything (1 Cor. 6:12b). Here is the second part of Paul’s guideline. This is often misunderstood or misquoted as teaching that we should avoid anything that might control us. That can’t logically be the case because any activity can reach a point where it controls and dominates us. In context, Paul is using this standard to warn against giving into lust and sexual immorality—which, by its strong desires, often do control people. But the general principle applies to any such activity—alcohol, gambling, TV-watching (don’t look at me like that). Anything that dominates my life besides the Holy Spirit should be stopped. The other side of that is if an activity used to control us, it is better to avoid it rather than allow it to do so again. “Let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).

Will it cause a stumbling block in another’s life?

This is another often misunderstood principle. Paul teaches on this principle both in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-10. It is often taught that we must not engage in an activity that will offend another. But what Paul is actually teaching is placing a stumbling block before another—particularly one with a weaker conscience. An example in context might look like this: A mature believer believes it is perfectly okay to eat meat that’s previously been sacrificed to an idol, knowing that ‘idols’ are no gods at all. He goes to a dinner party, and at that party a weaker (less mature believer) is present, who believes those idols are real and powerful. If the host of that party should make it plain that the meat was sacrificed to an idol, the mature believer should refuse it. Not for his own sake of course, but for the sake of the weaker brother. If the weaker brother saw the other eating that meat, he might doubt his own conscience and choose to eat—which is a sin to him because “whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23).

Here’s a modern example: A believer has a strong conviction that use of alcohol is a sin. If another (who believe that alcohol use is fine [avoiding excess or drunkenness of course]) drinks around the weaker brother and causes that brother to doubt his own conscience and drink, the ‘stronger’ brother has placed a stumbling block. In matters of indifference, the ‘stronger’ Christian (more mature) should give up his ‘rights’ in favor of supporting the weaker.

In the end, neither should judge the other on such matters—matters of indifference.

Does it match the characteristics we should be thinking about?

Paul gave us a lot of lists to help us know what is good and what is not. One of the ones we often overlook has to do with what we think about (and as we know, actions spring from thoughts and the heart).  He wrote: “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” (Phil. 4:8). If it does not match those traits, then we should question whether it is a good thing.

Is it in accordance with biblical wisdom? Is it wise?

Finally, we must ask, “Is what I am contemplating a wise thing?” We are taught over and over in the Bible to seek biblical wisdom. Wisdom is the application of knowledge, and we gain wisdom by studying the Scriptures, and seeking revelation from God. There is actually much practical wisdom in the Bible—in the so-called wisdom books (Proverbs being the most mentioned, though Psalms and Ecclesiastes also have much wisdom). Keep in mind that many of the principles here are just that—principles. They are rarely hard and fast commands.James promises that if we seek wisdom from the Father, He will give it to us liberally and without finding fault (James 1:5).

In the end, we must be led by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. While we are free in Christ, our freedom is given to us so that we may encourage and build up others, instead of ourselves only. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Prov. 9:10). The guidelines above are simply starting points in thinking through our behaviors and panting a picture of what a follower of Christ looks like to the world.

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The Shepherd's Voice

Rejoice and Be Glad—A Call to Biblical Action

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt. 5:11-12).

It’s no secret that Christians are being persecuted around the world. In other countries believers are killed and imprisoned for their faith—something that, at first glance, would seem to be unthinkable in America or a Western democracy. Yet, we are moving toward that time very quickly in many ways. The attacks we see on Christians will only get worse.

Why should that surprise, shock, or anger us? The Lord Jesus told us that we would be hated because of Him: 

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me (John 15:19-21).

Perhaps we forgot His message. Perhaps we have grown too comfortable with the idea of a democracy, or the idea that “America was founded as a Christian nation.” We have been lulled into a false sense of security, which breeds spiritual complacency. We are not used to this because we have made America our home. This is not our home. The Kingdom of God, when it’s ushered in, will not be like America.

Many in the so-called ‘right’ say that we must fight. Agreed. The question is, “What fight must we join?” Paul reminds us that people are not our enemies: 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 (Eph. 6:12). Our fight is not against America. It is not against the “liberal left” or the media, or the government. Our fight must be to keep our faith and a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:19; 1 Pet. 3:14-16). When we believers struggle for our “rights,” we spend so much time doing so that we fail to prepare our hearts for what is coming.

Know this, more is coming. Jesus told us that we would be persecuted on His account:

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matt. 24:9-13).

Are we not seeing the beginning of that now, even in this country? Who can doubt that a spirit of lawlessness is at work? Who can doubt that many false prophets are now present, leading many astray, or that the love of many has grown cold?

What must we do?

We must pray for our nation.
Even as we stand against the wicked forces behind people, we must pray for our nation and it’s leaders. We are commanded to do that (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We must pray that our leaders lead by godly example. Most of all, we must pray that our leaders come to know Christ and be saved.

We must strengthen our faith.
Even as we pray for our nation to come to Christ, we must be prepared when she does not. The Lord desires that we have a faith that will endure the hardest of trials, and endure them with a good heart and good conscience. Paul and Silas sang in prison. The three Hebrews endured the fire with a good heart, never speaking disrespectfully to the King. Paul maintained his dignity when standing before the Council and Roman governors. The faith to endure to the end is the birthright and inheritance of every believer. But it is our responsibility to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in producing that faith.

Brothers and sisters in the faith, mark these words well. There will come a time—and that time is fast approaching—when the Christian voice in government is silence. There will come a time—and that time is fast approaching—when Christians will not be allowed to own businesses, teach in schools, or worship in the open. We think these things will not happen in America. Jesus, however, said you will be persecuted for My sake. This is not a doom-and-gloom message. This is a call to wake up, heed His warnings, and prepare our hearts. In the end, we hold within us the Final Hope. Nothing this world can do to us can take that away.

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The Shepherd's Voice

The Other 60% of the Bible

Posted on by The Shepherd's Voice

If you have read or followed this blog for any length of time, you probably have noticed a strong emphasis on salvation by faith. Almost every post. “Salvation by faith. Salvation is by faith alone.” And that is the truth of Scripture. Law-keeping has no place in the life of the believer (by “law-keeping,” we mean observing external regulations in the hope of obtaining favor or right standing with God). In fact, some might wonder if I’m against law in general. It is possible to slide so far into the “by faith” category that we dishonor the Law.

So, what do we do with that whole body of biblical literature called the “Old Testament,” which contains the Law as given to Israel? Some people don’t even read it, some preachers avoid preaching from it, for fear of becoming “legalistic.” Yet, the Old Testament (and even the Law) has a valuable place in the life of the believer. It may seem obvious, but when the church in Acts 15 was debating whether Gentiles had to keep the Law, they only had the Old Testament to look at! The New Testament, of course, was not written. The same goes for Paul’s letter to the Galatians, often called the “Magna Carta of Christian Liberty” for its emphasis on salvation by faith alone. The quotes and examples Paul used in that (and his other letters) come from the Old Testament. How, then, do we view the Old Testament and the Law?

We learn about God and man.

The Old Testament has a lot to say about God. In fact, in terms of the Bible, the Old Testament is where we get most of our knowledge of Him. We learn about Him from His own pronouncements (example, Exodus 20:1-2; 34:6-8) and from the statements of others (for example, many of the Psalms). We learn of His character, love, holiness, and justice. In learning about Him, we also learn about ourselves through the lives of others. We see men and women fall, though they sought to obey Him. We see God forgive and cover sin. We see people rise up against God and His people only to be judged. In short, we learn that God is holy and righteous, and we learn that man is by nature sinful and unrighteous. Thus, the stage is set for the New Covenant and the ministry of Christ.

We are taught attitudes to avoid and to cultivate.

Throughout the Old Testament, we learn that God looks with favor on those who walk before in Him humility and seek wisdom. In contrast, He disdains the proud and arrogant. By studying the people and events of the Old Testament we gain an understanding of how God wants His people to walk with Him.

We are inspired to believe God.

David and Goliath. Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Samson, Abraham, Gideon, Deborah, Ruth. The list could go on and on of the men and women in the Old Testament who believed God and because of their faith saw their world change. God gave them a word, a promise, and they acted accordingly. Even though they were under the Law as Israelites, it was their faith that made them righteous, just as their father Abram, who “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). We can learn from them, that when God gives us a promise, He will be faithful to keep it, no matter how long it takes.

The next time you are tempted to think of the Old Testament as irrelevant, think again. Open it up, and read some of the Psalms or Proverbs, or read of the faith of men who believed God, or read of God’s faithfulness to His promises, and you’ll change your mind.

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