Jesus was a man of prayer, and He would make a purpose to sneak out and slip away to be with His Father. Here, Jesus is about to face the very moment for which He came to earth and became a man, and He needed His Father more than ever before. He was about to face the wrath of God and bear the sins of mankind. The one who knew no sin and never experienced the Father’s anger was about to, at the fullest force. Jesus knew of God’s wrath by seeing it in action and the judgment upon mankind throughout the ages; none was a greater judgment than the Flood of Noah’s day. But what Jesus was about to endure was more severe than anything this world has ever known. In His humanity, Jesus needed help more than ever before. So He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to go do battle in prayer before His big showdown.
Jesus had eight of His disciples stand guard because Judas had already left to run his “errand,” and He took Peter, James, and John with Him into the interior. Jesus wanted companions but also knew these three could not go with Him all the way, so He had them stand, watch, and pray while He went further in. Jesus went in with great sorrow. I find myself often skimming over such emotional descriptions because the words simply don’t give the reality of the emotion such justice. To truly describe the grief Jesus was facing at this moment would take pages because we simply don’t have the language for it in just a phrase or word. The grief of a miscarriage or the betrayal of a parent/mentor, as severe as those are and no marginalization whatsoever of that type of pain, doesn’t compare to what Jesus was going through at this moment. Jesus was under such distress and dread of facing the full wrath of the eternal, holy, righteous, and just God that His body began to sweat literal blood. The physical stress caused by these emotions was so great that His heart was about to burst, and His blood vessels couldn’t take it.
Jesus had a simple prayer: “If it may be, take this cup from Me. But not My will but Your will be done.” Jesus was begging His Father to find any other route to save mankind without Him going to the cross. This was a temptation Jesus frequently faced. Why go through the suffering of the cross if He could have been given the world easily by the enemy? Even Peter rebuked Jesus for even thinking of dying. But Jesus knew His mission, and He knew His calling. This was Jesus’ humanity pleading before God for one last attempt at mercy from having to go this route. But as He had done His whole life, Jesus submitted His will to the will of the Father. He was not about to turn back now at the moment of decision.
Jesus went back and found His disciples sleeping. He understood and knew they didn’t have what it took to stand guard. They were emotionally exhausted from the Last Supper meal in which Jesus gave one of the hardest messages He had to give: that He was leaving His friends. It wasn’t just hard on Jesus; it was harder on the Apostles. They didn’t have the Holy Spirit yet, and the very Messiah who had poured His life into them was leaving them. Not without hope, but leaving physically. And Peter was wrestling with the fact that Jesus told him he would betray Him that night. We tend to think they were just tired from the day, but this was an excessively exhausting day mentally and emotionally. As a teacher, I feel fine physically after the day, but I am exhausted mentally. This was an emotional exhaustion, and there was a spiritual pressure here that was even above and beyond that. When I think about this, it is no wonder they fell asleep.
So Jesus went back and prayed again and then found the disciples sleeping again. And Jesus prayed a third time, this time sealing the deal and fully committing Himself one last time to go through with what He was about to face. He knew His mission, He knew the calling, and He had the strength He needed; it was now time to go face it. He got up, and His disciples followed Him straight towards a crowd that was led by none other than their own Judas.
Jesus stood His ground. He was not going to be captured. He was going to surrender. Just in identifying Himself, the group and mob fell backwards. Peter, in such a confused mess, drew his sword and, with bad aim, ended up cutting off Malchus’s ear. Jesus healed him and then surrendered Himself on the premise that they let His disciples go, and they scattered quickly.
One thing needs to be made clear, that I am going to re-emphasize. Jesus was never conquered; He was never beaten. He surrendered. He allowed Himself to be captured for this moment. Every single thing He did in ministry and every word He said was designed to lead up to this moment. Each of Jesus’ miracles was not merely to get the attention of people or to be compassionate to the people, but to prove to the system that He was the Messiah. Each of Jesus’ teachings wasn’t merely to instruct people how to live, but to set the stakes so high that it made Him a threat to the system. And then His rebukes to the system only enraged them all the more, but each step, each miracle, and each word spoken built itself to this moment. Jesus forced the Pharisees’ hands to take action and, in their desperation and in the sovereignty of God, their reaction to Jesus perfectly set up this moment so they would beg for Jesus’ death and do exactly what God intended all along.
I love how God uses His own enemies to fulfill His purposes and give Him glory, and here we are seeing that in action. If the enemies of Christ actually knew what they were doing, they would not have crucified Him. But Jesus directed all these events towards this moment in accordance with the will of the Father, and now it was time to finish the job.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
– Romans 12:2
When I was still living in Seattle, Washington, in the 1990s and living my own way, God brought an amazing man into my life who challenged me greatly, both in the way I was living and the way I thought about things connected to life. I was not a follower of Jesus Christ by any stroke of the imagination, but he sure was. Even while my friends and I would be hanging out at the clubs, living our lives the way we wanted, there he was hanging out with us, drinking his Coca-Cola. Even though we were flat-out heathens, he chose to work and live with us, “godless heathens.” Little did I realize how God was going to use this man in my life to help draw me closer to Him.
For about four months, Danny discipled me in the strangest way. He not only lived with us, but he also challenged me in my thoughts and beliefs with a lot of questions. He would always ask me questions like, Why do you think that’s true? Or, how do you know you are being told the truth? Then he would give me something to read up on and dig into. We would then talk about that, and he would keep leading me to Jesus Christ, the Author and Creator of life. In and through that time, I grew in the Lord immensely; I just didn’t know it. I was going to go wherever truth took me, and that journey to truth led me to Jesus Christ.
I have also been blessed to be discipled by many incredible men of God over my lifetime. Their biblical beliefs and convictions have impacted me greatly as a follower of Jesus Christ. At the time, I really had no idea how much this would impact not only me but my family as well. Consciously choosing to take the “narrow path” Jesus Christ teaches on is an amazing journey, but it can also be a very difficult journey. Now that I am an older man, I make certain that when I am about to begin discipling someone, I try to warn them about the cost that this journey will have, not only on their own life, but with human relationships they have as well.
Choosing to follow Christ is not for the faint of heart. He is, after all, I believe, the strongest man to ever walk this planet. If you don’t agree with my assessment, please consider that He took on all of the sin of the world for all time onto Himself. He did this while all of His earthly friends deserted Him, and His Father in heaven left Him. I am in awe of what the Savior of the world did.
Over the past year, I have been meeting with not only a small group of young men, but a small group of older men as well. It’s becoming more and more clear to me about what God is not just calling Worldview Warriors to do, but it’s more and more clear to me about what the Church is supposed to do. It’s time for those who are older to genuinely sink into the younger generations with not only the good news of Jesus Christ but to challenge them to live for Christ in all they do, truly following the example of Jesus Christ. The older generations need to see that many in the younger generations desire to seek and serve the Lord and have much to offer, too.
With all of that said, I am planning to start a discipleship group for young men interested in growing in the Lord, starting on Saturday, October 11, at 10:15 am for 7 weeks. We are planning to meet at Evangelical Pietist Church of Chatfield, located at 3535 Chatfield Center Road, Bloomville, Ohio. If you or someone you know might be interested in joining these young men, you can write me at epcpastor.1@gmail.com for more information and direction. You can also message us on the Worldview Warriors Facebook page.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”
At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”
(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)
So the guardian-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.
- Ruth 4:5-8
In the previous section, we watched Boaz approach the town gate to initiate a legal transaction with a nearer relative, the guardian-redeemer. It looked promising. The land belonging to Naomi’s deceased husband was available, and the closer kinsman agreed to redeem it. But as the narrative progresses, the scene takes a dramatic turn.
Here, Boaz reveals the full cost of redemption—not just acquiring land, but also taking Ruth the Moabite as a wife to preserve the deceased family line. It’s a twist that reveals character, cultural values, and deep spiritual truths.
The other redeemer has just agreed to redeem the land, but in verse 5, Boaz introduces the hidden clause. The transaction isn’t just about property; it involves people. Specifically, it includes Ruth the Moabite, who must be married by the redeemer to “maintain the name of the dead.” This is Boaz’s strategic move. Earlier, he presented only the land. Now, he introduces Ruth, a foreign widow, as part of the deal. It’s not trickery but wisdom. Boaz is giving the man every opportunity to walk away, but only after understanding the entire responsibility of redemption.
The role of the guardian-redeemer wasn’t just a real estate opportunity; it was a sacred duty to preserve the family line of the deceased. This included marrying the widow and producing an heir on behalf of the late relative. It meant raising children who would not carry your own name but that of your deceased kin. This kind of self-sacrificing responsibility points us toward a key truth: redemption always involves giving something up for someone else’s good.
When Boaz reveals that Ruth is part of the package, the redeemer hesitates. He responds, “I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate” (verse 6). With that, he formally steps aside. But what does that mean, that it might “endanger” his estate?
There are several possibilities. It could refer to financial risk since supporting another family, especially with a firstborn son who would legally inherit the redeemed property under Elimelech’s name, could jeopardize the redeemer’s current holdings or inheritance for his own children. It could refer to a dilution of his legacy, since any offspring from Ruth would not be counted as his own but as heirs of Elimelech (Ruth’s father-in-law) and Mahlon (Ruth’s late husband). The investment would yield no lasting benefit for his personal lineage. Or, it could refer to the social difficulties that could come from marrying a Moabite. Despite Ruth’s good character, this could have social implications in Israel due to Moab’s historical enmity with Israel.
We don’t know his exact concern, but the cost outweighed the benefit for this unnamed redeemer. He bows out—not unlawfully, but revealing that he wasn’t willing to pay the full price of redemption. Contrast that with Boaz, who is ready to sacrifice inheritance, resources, and status for Ruth and Naomi. In doing so, Boaz embodies a Christ-like love, one that doesn’t count the cost too high to redeem the lost.
Verse 7 gives us a brief but fascinating glimpse into ancient Israelite custom about the practice of removing a sandal. This seemingly odd practice represented ownership, rights, and walking away from a claim. The background comes from Deuteronomy 25:7-10, where levirate marriage is discussed. If a brother-in-law refused to marry the widow of his deceased brother, the woman would take off his sandal and spit in his face—a public act of shame. It meant he refused to "build up his brother’s house."
In Ruth, the situation is less combative. There’s no spitting or humiliation, only the ritual of sandal removal. But the symbolism remains powerful. The guardian-redeemer is relinquishing his right to walk the land, to claim it, or to act on its behalf. By giving his sandal to Boaz (verse 8), he’s saying, “You may walk where I will not. You carry the right of redemption now.” In the ancient Near East, feet and sandals often symbolized authority and presence. To "tread upon" land meant to possess it. By removing the sandal, the man gives up that right. By accepting the sandal, Boaz takes it up—not just the land, but the people tied to it. This action legalized the transaction before the elders and all who were present. It was both literal and legal, a visible testimony of surrender and substitution.
It is interesting that the other redeemer is never named. Back in verse 1, when Boaz first meets the redeemer at the gate, the Hebrew phrase he uses is like saying “Mr. So-and-So” or “John Doe.” The omission isn’t accidental. Scripture preserves Boaz’s name for all eternity, not only in Ruth but in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), but this man, who passed up the opportunity to serve God in this way, remains unnamed and is nearly forgotten.
This entire narrative echoes the redemption we find in Jesus Christ. Boaz took on financial, social, and legal risks to redeem Ruth, while Jesus bore the full cost of redeeming humanity. Jesus didn’t just “buy the land”—He bought the people, entering our story, embracing our shame, and making us His own. Where the unnamed redeemer said, “I cannot,” Jesus said, “I will,” even though He didn’t have to; it was our sins that condemned Jesus to death, not His, since He was sinless.
Redemption isn’t easy, but it is beautiful. It reveals a God who doesn’t shy away from the mess, who doesn’t walk away when things get complicated, and who never says, “It’s not worth it.” Jesus’s sacrificial death and resurrection show us that we are most definitely “worth it” to God.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus gave many different parables and stories. As a teacher, Jesus knew how to explain concepts in ways that His audience would understand, but also so that those who had no interest in understanding would not get it. Jesus both gave straightforward teachings and taught in mysteries that others would not understand until the prophecies would be fulfilled, but all of them share key themes. So after the Sermon on the Mount, why did Jesus pretty well stop straight preaching and settle for parables? What was His mission with the parables? Let us explore.
First, a parable is NOT from the root “parabola,” in which every aspect of the story has a literal or practical counterpart. I have heard that taught, and it simply doesn’t work. Each parable had a specific purpose – to illustrate a singular primary point. I am not going to go through each of those, but it would be fun to do that sometime. With each parable, Jesus was pointing out specific things and key lessons. We see behavior markers, we see what salvation looks like, we see what false religion looks like, and we see what happens when those who have false religion take action.
One thing I have noticed (initially pointed out in a conference Q&A session I listened to) is that the majority, if not all, of Jesus’ parables make the distinction between true and false believers. Jesus hardly ever compared the believer to the unbeliever, except to point out that the Gentiles often had better faith and better placed faith than the people of Israel did. Jesus often compared and contrasted between genuine believers and fake believers and what they do and how they behave. He did this in the parables of the Sower, the Wheat and Tares, the Banquet, the Tenants, the Talents, and the list goes on; it’s about who belongs to Christ and who doesn’t. The parables teach us how the distinction works.
The Parable of the Sower is the key to understanding it all, as it is one of the few that Jesus explained. A farmer sowed seed on four types of ground, and Jesus explained how they each represent different hearts towards God’s message. Three types do not bear fruit, and only one does. I noticed in this parable that the only soil that bore fruit was the one that the farmer had prepared in advance. All the others were left as they were. If we understand that Jesus is talking about true and false believers here, all those who have heard the Word of God preached to them and how they responded to that word, then it helps us understand the others.
One disturbing thing people have done with Jesus’ parables is that they will say, “Jesus spoke in parables, therefore Genesis could be a parable.” I truly question the literacy and sanity of people who make that argument in sincerity. You cannot take one thing in Scripture and just put it somewhere else without considering the genre. Parables are the only fictitious stories in Scripture, and every single one of them is marked as a parable not only by the text literally labeling it as a parable but also by the fact that someone within the historical account is saying it. It’s not the author of the book saying it; it’s the person in the account saying it. All parables in Scripture are being told by a person in the account to someone in the account. It’s not a narrative by the author as Genesis, Exodus, Kings, Chronicles, etc. are. Take notice that the people making this argument are very selective about where and when they use this argument: at the point of Scripture in which they want it to be controversial, so they can have the “say” on what it should mean. That’s not belief. Jesus used parables, but He did not leave them “open for interpretation” but rather had people seek Him to find out what they meant.
The disciples did not understand the parables, and even when He explained the Sower and the Tares and Wheat, they really only got the message when Jesus explicitly told them. But when they asked Jesus what it meant, Jesus did not ask questions to leave things open, but rather to make people think. He asked the obvious, “Which one did the right thing?” or “What should be done with such people?” Everyone knew the answer because Jesus made the story so simple and clear. Even the Pharisees, who sought to entrap and figure out Jesus, knew what the right answers were. And with some of the Parables, especially the Parable of the Tenants, they knew precisely what Jesus was saying, because it was against them. So while the people would hear the Parables and not perceive them, at the same time, they were also crystal clear that they could not be “interpreted” openly. I find the same is true for most of Scripture. It is so clear that people know precisely what it says to the point of not having an excuse to not know what it says, but also obscure enough that those who don’t want to believe don’t actually get the message. Yes, that sounds like a paradox, but it’s generally how Scripture is written. The parables are not that different. It takes the revelation of God and spiritual discernment to actually get the message, but at the same time, no one has any right to blame God for not being clear.
The parables give us clear snapshots in a known setting to illustrate a spiritual truth. They are designed to give us an understanding of our thinking and our actions. When Nathan confronted David about Bathsheba, he didn’t directly accuse David of murder. He told a parable so David could see the severity of his actions. Jesus would often do the same. He would tell stories about what people should do and not do. The Good Samaritan not only showed the hypocrisy of the leaders who refused to lift a finger so they could “go to church” that the very people they hated the most, the Samaritans, were just as real people as they were… and perhaps better people than the Pharisees were. The real followers of Christ are those who do the things Jesus commands, which includes having compassion and mercy, but also issuing judgment. The false followers of Christ will profess the name but seek the glory for themselves; they do not have the King’s interests in mind at all.
When we read the parables, we need to discern which kind of believer we really are. If we see a discrepancy, then we need to deal with it. Otherwise, we may well not be who we think we are.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
How did Jesus handle a question from His cousin, His forerunner, that indicated a shaken faith? When John the Baptist wondered if Jesus was indeed the Messiah or if there was another he should look for, Jesus had a dilemma. He could answer directly and say “Yes,” and the crowd would know He was declaring Himself to be the Messiah. Or He could “humble” Himself and say, “No, I’m not the one” to draw attention away. But Jesus did something else: He said, “Look at the evidence.”
Jesus then gave a tribute to John calling him a prophet who lived the calling of Elijah, and yet he was, for the most part, rejected. When both John and Jesus came, the people thought both were crazy. John was considered a demoniac and crazy because he did not eat or drink as everyone else did. Jesus was considered a drunkard and a glutton because he ate and drank with the people. It didn’t matter what they said, they could not please anyone, nor did they try.
Jesus had the opportunity to prove Himself once for all to the people that He was who He said He was and was given a direct question. And if we have seen anything out of Jesus, He so rarely gave direct answers. He was not going to get caught in a trap to say what He was not going to say. Jesus never answered the question. He never said if He was “the one” or not. He instead explained that the blind see, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the lame walk, the sick are healed, the dead are raised, and the Gospel is being preached. What more could one ask for? All the evidence was right there in front of them. So Jesus didn’t have to say it plainly and clearly. He gave them the evidence and let them decide what they thought about it. These were Jews; they knew their Old Testament, they knew their prophets. This was the moment everyone was waiting for. Jesus simply was saying, “What was prophesied all along?” And then just in case anyone was not sure, Jesus identified John like the prophet Elijah, the one who made the way for Jesus.
Jesus was not into straight answers. He always tended to leave things vague enough so anyone who wanted the truth would come get it and those who didn’t had no reason to chase Him. Jesus so rarely directly answered the Pharisees and here, He didn’t directly answer His own cousin who knew full well who He was. But John realized his time was coming short, and He wanted to be sure he didn’t live his life for nothing. He is asking one last time to confirm if he believed rightly or in vain, because we never hear from John again in the Scriptures. And Jesus doesn’t answer him directly. Why? I believe Jesus knew precisely how John would respond, and He wasn’t going to let the audience know directly either. Jesus, by giving this answer, believed that John would have died with peace knowing he had passed the torch to the one who would complete the mission.
We all have doubts as we go about our lives, but the question is what do we do with them? One of the most frustrating things we tend to get from God is a lack of straight answers. Even though we are honest and genuinely want the answers, we simply do not see Jesus give a straight answer unless He needed to hammer the point down right then and there. And that only happened when Lazarus died and at the Last Supper discourse. Jesus is not into spoon feeding. He is not into just giving everyone the answers. He wants people to think and process and wrestle with things.
I am the kind of person that very easily learns and memorizes things. While there are advantages to such a learning style, there are disadvantages, too. One thing I learned from all my schooling is that the only thing I learned was the facts I was told. I cannot say I truly began understanding things until 10 to 15 years later. I knew physics equations, I knew concepts, but I could only tell you what they were. I could not tell how they truly worked and operated. It took teaching to do that. I look back and I kind of wish I could learn things all over again and take things more seriously than I did in my youth.
With teaching today, the students are so used to being spoon fed, it is near impossible to get them to think. I realize, looking back to my college days, that I didn’t know how to study or learn then either. I want my students to be able to think, process, and reason. It is one of the reasons I love teaching AP Physics, because it forces that level of thinking. But even AP Physics, the hardest of all the AP courses, does not force one to think the way Jesus will make us think and wrestle. In physics, we are dealing with a finite set of laws and concepts, but with Jesus, we are dealing with eternal, spiritual matters from a finite, physical perspective. It’s not easy. These are things that cannot be merely spoon fed. It has to be taught by thinking and training how to think. It won’t come instantly. Jesus did this and practiced this. He taught the indirect way to give pictures that gave clear images of the message, but He forced people to wrestle and think and practice with the truths to truly grasp. Those who wanted the truth would wrestle with it, and those who didn’t would wrestle against it.
God is not afraid of an honest seeker. John the Baptist was an honest seeker. But God does not just give away answers to honest seekers; rather, He gives them evidences and questions that an honest seeker will wrestle with. In that wrestling, the answers will be so much clearer than had they been spoon fed. The answers will be so deeply rooted that they will remain and will be something that you can truly get a good grip on.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
- 2 Corinthians 11:12-15
In this chapter, the Apostle Paul is deeply concerned with defending his apostleship and the gospel message from false teachers who are misleading the Corinthian church. These teachers are undermining Paul’s authority, and Paul takes a firm stand – not to promote himself but to safeguard the gospel and prevent the church from falling into error. In this section, he rebukes these false apostles and offers wisdom about the dangers of deception in spiritual matters.
In verse 12, Paul begins by declaring his commitment to continue what he’s doing. Paul is defending his ministry without resorting to the tactics used by his opponents, such as demanding money or boasting in credentials. Just before this in verses 7-9, Paul expressed a commitment to preaching the gospel free of charge to avoid being accused of preaching for profit. He knows his critics are trying to use financial motives to undermine him.
By staying on this course, Paul intends to remove any basis for the false apostles to claim they are on equal footing with him. These false teachers boast about their supposed spiritual accomplishments and attempt to elevate their status to the level of Paul and the other true apostles. Paul understands that by maintaining integrity, he will "cut the ground from under" their false claims.
Paul's example teaches us the importance of integrity in ministry and life. He doesn’t retaliate against the false apostles by attacking them personally or stooping to their level. Instead, he focuses on maintaining his authenticity, knowing that God will ultimately vindicate him. In our context, whether in church leadership or personal faith, we can learn from Paul’s example by focusing on our character and trust in God to deal with critics.
Paul bluntly calls out the opponents for what they truly are: false apostles and deceitful workers (verse 13). These are strong words, but Paul doesn’t shy away from naming the problem. He warns the Corinthians that these individuals are not who they claim to be. The false apostles had infiltrated the church, presenting themselves as leaders, but their motivations were deceptive. To masquerade as an apostle of Christ means they were putting on a false appearance of godliness and authority. While they might have looked like spiritual leaders on the outside, inwardly, they were driven by selfish ambitions and deceit.
One of the timeless dangers Paul highlights here is the presence of false teachers within the church. This warning reminds us that not everyone who claims to speak for God truly does. In today’s world with social media and instant communication, it’s easier than ever for individuals to present themselves as spiritual authorities. We must be discerning, comparing what people teach with the truth of Scripture, just as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11. It’s important for believers to remain vigilant, seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit and staying grounded in God’s Word to discern the difference between true and false teachers.
In verse 14, Paul goes on to explain why it’s no surprise that these false apostles are so deceptive—they are following the pattern of Satan himself. Paul describes Satan’s tactic of disguising himself as an “angel of light.” This is one of the most profound insights into the nature of spiritual deception in the Bible. Satan, the ultimate deceiver, doesn’t always appear as a force of obvious evil. Rather, he often presents himself as something good, noble, or even divine. By appearing as an angel of light, he tricks people into believing that his lies are truth. Paul wants the Corinthian church to realize that these false apostles are not simply mistaken; they are following Satan’s strategy of deception.
This verse highlights a crucial principle for us: spiritual deception often comes in the form of something that seems good. Satan rarely presents sin in its raw form; instead, he cloaks it in beauty or righteousness to make it appealing. This is why discernment is so essential for Christians. When we encounter new teachings, ministries, or philosophies, we need to ask: Does this align with the character of Christ? Does it conform to the Word of God? The fact that something looks like “light” doesn’t mean it’s from God, and we should be careful to test everything against Scripture.
Paul draws a logical conclusion to this in verse 15. If Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, it’s no surprise that his servants also disguise themselves as “servants of righteousness.” These false apostles claim to be righteous leaders, but in reality, they are following Satan’s example of deception. Paul ends with a sobering truth: “Their end will be what their actions deserve.” Despite their outward appearance, these false teachers cannot escape God’s judgment. Eventually, they will be exposed for who they really are, and they will face the consequences of their actions. This is both a warning to the false apostles and a reassurance to the church that God is just.
This underscores the seriousness of false teaching and the responsibility that comes with spiritual leadership. God will ultimately hold everyone accountable for their actions, especially those who lead others astray. The phrase “their end will be what their actions deserve” serves as a reminder that, while deception may go unnoticed for a time, God sees everything, and His judgment is just. For us, this is a reminder of the importance of pursuing genuine righteousness, not just the appearance of it. We need to be authentic in our walk with Christ, not just “masquerading” as servants of righteousness. Our faith must be real, inwardly and outwardly.
We are called to live our lives with integrity so the critics have nothing to attack us with. We must remain vigilant against false teaching, recognizing Satan’s strategies to deceive us. Be committed to growing in discernment, grounding your entire life in God’s Word, and standing firm in the truth of the gospel message, just as Paul did.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Another issue that comes up when one mistakes the Gospel for “getting saved” is the notion of “moving on beyond the Gospel.” Moving on to what? The Gospel is all there is. The Gospel is the message that God gave to mankind for salvation and for everything. The Gospel is the solution to all of man’s problems. The Gospel is the answer to all questions. The Gospel is sufficient for life and godliness. It will sanctify and purify us in this life and then finally bring us into full redemption in the next.
This is a continual process, and therefore, the Gospel has to be repeated over and over again to believers. It never hurts to go over the basics again. In my experience in academia, I have seen many people so focused on the high-level studies that they forget the basics and foundations upon which those high-level studies are built upon, even denying them because they went off trail. Christians do this all the time. They seek such high-level theologies that they forget the basic premises. I am not the only one who loves the simple faith of someone who had no academic inclinations but knows his God, over these highly “educated” people who know all doctrines but it’s pure academic and ultimately worthless. That is one of the things I love about my dad. He is not academically inclined whatsoever and could not handle himself in a “debate” with anyone, however, he knows the Bible and he knows his God. It is that simple child-like faith that carried onto me, even though I am intellectually driven. Despite my inclination towards the academic side of things, that child-like faith surpasses my intellect and that is why people can see my faith to a greater level than they can see my intelligence. They see both, and are amazed at the insights I get, but my insights come from that faith, not from my intellect. And I have a long way to go, too. There are people out there with half the “brain” I have, but far greater faith because they keep the Gospel close to their heart and not just in the head.
It does not matter how many years we have been walking with Christ. We need the Gospel regularly and continually, and we must remind ourselves regularly of the Gospel. One thing I do not like about having grown up in the church and on the mission field is that it is so easy for me to get complacent with being a Christian. One reason I keep bringing up the Gospel is because I, Charlie Wolcott, need the Gospel continually and regularly. It is music to my ears, honey to my tongue, and a constant reminded that Jesus is first and foremost.
I love how Voddie Baucham reported how he was asked if his message would be a Gospel-message or a message for believers. His answer was, “Yes.” It would be both - a message that believers need to hear and a Gospel message. Do not think the Gospel is just for unbelievers. A few weeks ago, I wrote about how the Gospel is for the believer as well as everyone else. The Gospel needs to be preached again and again and again because there will always be an area of life that needs to hear the Gospel and have it be applied.
Don’t stop preaching the Gospel and don’t stop listening to the Gospel. Do not think you can advance or graduate from the Gospel and look for “deeper things.” While there is milk and meat, the Gospel is BOTH milk and meat. The Gospel is so simple that a child can understand it, but so deep and rich than the entirely of theologians could not combine their resources to exhaust it. Never depart from the Gospel. In all you say, let the Gospel be your starting point and your destination. Let Christ be your domineering thought so that anything else seems mere superfluous next to Him.
I am a science teacher, and I love the science that keeps showing the Bible to be true. But as great and cool as those studies are, they still pale in comparison to Christ and to the Gospel. The Gospel does not need any academic support from science, history, archaeology, or any other field because it can stand on its own. Fortunately, God did leave all these fields of study, so man truly has no excuse; all the evidence showcases that the Gospel is indeed the standard for reality. Yes, it seems I am using the Gospel and Scripture interchangeably here, but I do believe for this purpose, it counts.
That said, don’t let people twist this and use this as a cover to insert and believe things contrary to Scripture. Many false teachers will use the primacy of the Gospel to discount “secondary doctrines” to insert opinions and man’s authority into Scripture and once they do that, they have won the battle. Because once it happens in one area, it will happen in others and before long, the Gospel itself will have been compromised. Don’t fall for it.
Do not think you can graduate from the Gospel. Keep preaching it. Keep reminding yourself of it. Worship the Lord by proclaiming how the Gospel has done its work on you. Plead with others that they may hear it. Don’t get complacent with the Gospel (I know that is a weakness in me). Keep it fresh in your mind. If it gets “old,” you absolutely need to hear it and listen to it again, or maybe you may never have had it do its work in you. Keep preaching it and do not let the Gospel depart from your mind, your lips, and especially, your heart.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
In the previous section of this letter, Paul used the example of Moses and the veil over his face to demonstrate how we do not understand God’s Word until the veil is lifted and we are enlightened by the Holy Spirit through our faith in Christ.
Verse 1 of this passage also connects to 2 Corinthians 3:6: “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant —not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Paul was appointed to be a minister of this new covenant, and that is only through God’s mercy. Paul’s mission is not to enforce the law of the Old Testament but to promote the grace that God has shown to him and to every person through the death of Jesus.
This ministry that Paul refers to is not just his own, but that of all believers who are called to spread the message of the gospel. The phrase "do not lose heart" speaks to the challenges and tribulations faced by those engaged in this ministry. Despite setbacks, opposition, and hardships, believers are encouraged to persevere, drawing strength from the mercy of God.
Paul promotes doing this ministry with integrity in verse 2. Some believe Paul writes this because he had been accused of deceitful behavior, which he is continuing to reject here. He has not used any deceptive or shameful practices, and he honors the Word of God when he preaches the gospel message. This emphasis by Paul appeals to the conscience of the Corinthians, trusting that they will receive this truth with sincerity and authenticity.
This should apply to us today as well; we, too, should promote the gospel message with integrity, without using any kind of deceptive measures or secret and shameful ways. This would hamper the message of truth and love that we should be preaching with the gospel message.
In verse 3, Paul acknowledges that despite their efforts to proclaim the gospel plainly, there are still those who remain blind to its message. The metaphor of veiling refers back to the end of chapter 3 and suggests that some are unable or unwilling to see the truth of the gospel, often due to spiritual blindness or hardness of heart. However, Paul does not despair but recognizes that this blindness is temporary and a consequence of spiritual death.
Paul acknowledges that this veiling is not due to his lack of preaching the gospel message clearly but rather because of “the god of this age” (verse 4). The “god of this age” is not the one true God but rather Satan, who was referred to as the “prince of this world” in John 12:31. As Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
This adversary seeks to blind the minds of unbelievers, preventing them from seeing the illuminating truth of the gospel, which reveals the glory of Christ as the image of God. It's a reminder of the spiritual warfare inherent in spreading the gospel and the need for discernment and prayer in combating the forces of darkness. We need to fight against this adversary’s powers to blind people to the truth of God’s Word. We can do this through being in the Word ourselves and allowing God to open our minds to His truths, which we should not keep to ourselves but share with those around us to enlighten their minds as well.
While Paul did emphasize the integrity of his preaching tactics, he did not preach his own message but rather the message of Jesus Christ as Lord (verse 5). That is the essence of the gospel message – proclaiming Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians 12:3, Colossians 2:6-7). Paul’s role is one of service, humbly sharing the message of Christ for the benefit of others. This verse underscores the centrality of Christ in our Christian faith and the selfless nature of true ministry.
Paul concludes this section in verse 6 with a powerful reminder of God's transformative power. Just as God brought light into the darkness at the creation of the world, so too does He illuminate the hearts of believers with the knowledge of His glory through Christ. This light dispels spiritual blindness and reveals the beauty and majesty of God's presence in the person of Jesus Christ. This is also reminiscent of Paul’s own conversion to the faith where he was literally blinded by the great light of Jesus Christ (Acts 9:1-19). The metaphor of God being light and Satan/evil being darkness (the absence of light) is often seen throughout Scripture.
In this passage, we see multiple encouragements for our lives as believers. We all have this ministry through God’s mercy, and that includes all believers, not just those whose vocation is ministry. We should proclaim the gospel message with integrity, not using any kind of deceitful tactics. Spiritual warfare is real, where Satan tries to blind the hearts of many against the truth of the gospel message. But the light of God will ultimately defeat the darkness of evil, just as it did in Paul’s life. May the light of Christ continue to shine brightly in our hearts, illuminating our path and drawing others to the knowledge of God's glory through our lives!
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?
- 1 Corinthians 4:14-21
Paul delivered some pretty harsh words to the believers at Corinth in the previous section. He called out their boasting of their faith, and how they were acting as if they were more mature than they actually were, and he shared how humbled he and the other leaders were in contrast to that. Now, Paul moves on from that to explain to the Corinthians how they could correct this in their lives.
Paul begins in verse 14 by sharing his intent in writing his harsh words in the previous section – not to shame them but to warn them. He was only harsh with them because he needed to be for their own sake. Their actions could produce serious negative consequences for their lives, and Paul loves them enough to speak the truth in love to them. He knows that there cannot be love without truth, and there cannot be truth without love, so he follows up that hard truth with an expression of love for these believers.
In verse 15, Paul recognizes that they have not had a lot of good influences (“fathers”) up to that point in their Christian walk. But because Paul is their spiritual father, he feels that he has the right and the responsibility to correct them when he sees them going astray. This idea is important for us today as well. We often want to correct anybody and everybody who we see doing something that we think is not good for their faith, but the relationship piece is vitally important. We need to have earned the right and responsibility to speak the truth in love into that person’s life through having a Christian relationship with them.
Because of this relationship, Paul commands the Corinthian believers to become imitators of him in verse 16. Back in verse 6, Paul shared that he and Apollos are examples for them to follow, but here he provides a stronger command regarding that.
But Paul knows that they need to have living people as examples to follow rather than just his letters, which is why he tells them in verse 17 that he’s sending Timothy to them. Paul is also Timothy’s spiritual father. If Timothy has been trained to imitate Paul, and the Corinthians imitate Timothy, then the Corinthians in turn will be imitating Paul, who is their primary physical example for living out the Christian life.
There is some debate among scholars as to whether Timothy was the messenger who delivered this letter to the church in Corinth. The fact that Paul says he sent Timothy could imply that Timothy was the one with whom he sent the letter. But the Greek verb also could be taken to mean that Paul sent Timothy in the past before he sent the letter. This is supported by the fact that Paul does not mention Timothy in the greetings of this letter, implying that Timothy was not with Paul when this letter was written.
But regardless of how Timothy and this letter got to the church in Corinth, Timothy is there to be a faithful witness to the people. Timothy will remind them ot how Paul lives out his Christian life and the fact that Paul practices what he preaches. Paul is not simply giving them instructions to follow that he himself ignores, but Paul is living this out. He knows it can be done, but he also knows that the believers in Corinth need some extra help to figure out how to live obedient lives to God.
Paul knows that some of the Corinthian believers have become arrogant in their faith (verse 18), as evidenced by his rant in the previous section. There were false teachers among the church who were trying to undermine Paul’s authority. They likely thought they could get away with it once Paul was no longer present with them, but Paul found out about that and saw that this needed to be corrected.
Because of that, Paul promised to come visit them again soon, Lord willing (verse 19). While sending Timothy would be a good first step, Paul knew that the situation in Corinth was much more severe and would require him to personally visit, assess the situation, and make corrections as needed. While this letter would serve as a warning, Paul knew through discernment by the Holy Spirit that it would not be enough to correct their ways.
False teachers can easily become a powerful force for evil in the church, so Paul needed to be there in person to fix that rather than simply talking about it in a letter. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (verse 20). When a child needs to be disciplined, which is a more effective punishment – using words or laying down an actual punishment? Talk is cheap, as the saying goes, and Paul knew that back in the first century. He could not let the kingdom of God in Corinth be ruined by false teachers who were spreading lies about him and about the message of the Christian faith.
Paul was definitely coming to visit the believers in Corinth, but the tone of his visit would be their choice. In verse 21 he writes, “What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?” If they don’t correct their ways before Paul arrives, he would show up with the rod of discipline to correct their ways. But if they get the problem taken care of on their own (and with Timothy’s help) before Paul gets there, he would be much more gentle toward them. It’s their choice based on their actions after receiving this letter. Would they listen to Paul’s words, truly take them to heart, and change their ways? Or would they keep on letting the false teachers ruin them and being boastful of themselves?
What would you do in your own life? Have you received a rebuke like this before? How did you respond to it? Sometimes, harsh words (even spoken in love) can cause us to become defensive, caught up in our own pride that we are right in that situation. Or, if we are following Paul’s instructions, we should receive reprimand when it is needed and change our ways. The mark of a disciple of Jesus is a true desire to follow Him, no matter what that looks like in our lives.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
We live in a post-modern culture where truth cannot be known and that all things are up to one’s own understanding, thinking, and preferences. The very concepts of right and wrong are blurred. This mindset has not merely crept into the church but nearly completely overtaken it. It has become increasingly difficult to find a church where the preacher actually says, “Thus says the Lord” and preaches straight from Scripture, rightly dividing it, correctly interpreting it, and then applying that truth to our lives. Instead, most of what is out there is one man’s opinion, often in direct violation of what God actually said. Then when someone calls them out on it and says what God actually said, the reply is, “I don’t reject what God said; I reject your interpretation of it.” One of the main jobs of a prophet, a priest, or a preacher is to declare what God said and to draw the line between what is holy and what is unholy. There is so much mixture today that few actually believe that such a line can be drawn.
Leviticus 10 is the account of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu giving strange fire before the Lord and being killed on the spot for not being obedient to God’s commands. Nadab was in line to be the next high priest and had seen the presence of God while he was with Moses and Aaron at times when God showed Himself. Yet for some reason, both he and his brother thought they could do things their own way, and it cost them their lives. In this fierce rebuke, God tells Moses and Aaron to not mourn their deaths because of their disobedience, but that the job of the priest was to teach the people how to distinguish the clean from the unclean, the holy from the unholy.
It is very hard to find people out there who are willing to draw the line and say, “This is of God and that is not, and here is where God shows us what is what.” Anything that comes from God is good and true. Anything that does not have its origin in God, even what appears good, is corrupt and skeptic at best. Many will argue, “How do we know if its from God or not?” The simple answer is to read the Bible. One pastor I know gives this guideline: “If you want to know what the will of God is, take a look at what the world is doing and do the opposite. You will be pretty close.” One big clue about what is clean and holy versus unclean and unholy is whether it is something the world’s system promotes and teaches.
In the days of the Old Testament, the world’s culture was marked by the surrounding nations, particularly their idolatrous practices. Over and over again, God told Israel to destroy their idols and to destroy all the high places where idols were worshiped. God knew what would happen if those cultures remained around, and yet Israel never did fully chase them out and destroy them all. As a result, they kept turning back to idolatry so they could be like the nations around them. The question lingers: why did they keep turning back?
The answer is rather simple: the priests were not teaching how to distinguish the holy and unholy. It was a command for a king to make a physical copy of the Law by hand so he would know what God commanded of them. Yet there is no record of any king do such a thing. The only ones I can think who might have would be David, Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and maybe Josiah after he found the book of the Law. Even then, these kings struggled to follow it even if they did make the copies. We do know that there were feasts held in Nehemiah’s day that hadn’t been kept since leaving Egypt. We know Judah went into captivity for 70 years to give 490 years their sabbath rest. That went back before David. The priests weren’t doing their job, and God had a severe message for them.
In Ezekiel 22, God calls out the false priests who refused to distinguish the holy from the unholy. He called them conspirators against God and ravenous wolves, devouring the people instead of equipping them and arming them. The only reason they lived that long was because God chose to intercede upon His own wrath to save them. There was no intercessor, no one like Moses to plead before God to save those wicked, idolatrous sinners. God sent Jesus to be that Intercessor. God chose to send Jesus to be the one who would teach things correctly. Jesus would then pass to us the Holy Spirit. One of the Spirit’s primary jobs is to convict the world of its sin. If we don’t know what is holy and unholy, we simply are not listening to God. And more than likely, if we are thinking that way, we are probably trying to harbor an idol the Holy Spirit is telling us to tear down.
But God has also allowed false teachers to remain present. It’s not merely because they are tares among the wheat and to pluck them out would pluck out the good wheat. It is also to test and prove the true and false believer. God told Moses that false prophets would regularly come, and they were to be tested by whether what they said would turn out to be true. Those that did not were to be put to death. This was rarely carried out except by true prophets like Elijah after the Mt Carmel incident. Why? Because the people didn’t carry out this command to test the prophets and stay true to God’s word.
You cannot take anything that the world and the God-hating system has created and redeem it. God has already judged it. It will burn. While God can take a sinful soul and redeem it, He is not going to redeem anything that the world has created. There is no amount of decorating anything the world gives us in Christianese to make it salvageable. Our own righteousness is as filthy rags before God; that is something good corrupted by sin. But this is worse. Instead of a good thing tarnished by evil, this is an evil thing that we attempt to make good, and that will never happen. You cannot make the unholy to be holy. Only God can make something holy, and He has already set the limits for where that line is to be drawn. Our job is to believe that line and declare it.
Teaching the difference between the holy and the unholy is one thing, but living it out is another matter. I’ll address that next week.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about how to read the Bible, and now I am going to show you the opposite: how to misread the Bible, so you can identify it when you head some of these silly ridiculous arguments made by both unbelievers and believers. And don’t think I am bashing everyone out there because all of us are guilty of doing this. We have all read the Bible wrongly. So, this is not just for watching for bad arguments from “out there,” but also for watching for it in ourselves.
We first must recognize that the born-again believer is still not fully redeemed. He still has his mind and body acting on sinful old habits that are in defiance and rebellion against God. That is why we must be in continual process of putting self to death and being renewed with the transforming of the mind into alignment to Christ’s. While we are alive here on earth, we will not escape this reality, but we can be in the process of becoming more and more freed from sin and more and more like Christ. In the meantime, we have the Bible, which is our guide and school master for doctrine, reproof, correction, and righteous instruction. But we have to read the Bible correctly and not let our sinful desires that reject, corrupt, and twist it get in the way.
Perhaps the most common error that I see among professing believers is the practice called “eisegesis.” It is the idea of taking an already established idea or model and using that to interpret the text. One example of this is “Old Earth Creation” models. Because there is no text anywhere that remotely supports these models, the way it is argued is that “modern science” is true, and then they search for an interpretation, a dictionary definition, that COULD be used to support it, despite the context completely saying something different. One example of this is when an OEC cited Proverbs 6:6 to show that we could use science to interpret the Bible. Proverbs 6:6 is telling us to “look to the ant” as an example to ward against laziness and slothfulness. It does not hint whatsoever that science is a valid interpretive tool to understand Scripture. Steve Risner has a couple of blog posts, such as this one, that address this issue in more detail.
Another example of eisegesis has been a lot more subtle, but it ties back to my previous series about how the Christian home needs to ditch the “American mindset” and return to the Biblical concept. Today, we read of the Proverbs 31 woman in context of the American dream. That’s not how it should be read at all. Instead, we need to look at what it says regardless of our culture. But we do this all the time. We bring in our own understanding and our current definitions of terms instead of actually looking at what the text actually says. We must keep our guard up against this.
Another common error is that of pragmatism. I’ve always known what pragmatism was, but it really wasn’t until I was at the Shepherd’s Conference in March 2022 that I really started to get a grip of how pervasive pragmatism is in the church. Pragmatism is the “practical solution” by man’s understanding rather than doing things God’s way. The Shepherd’s Conference dealt with Critical Race Theory as the main false teaching it targeted, but one I will address is the “church growth movement.” It’s all pragmatism with the goal of “getting people in the church.” They change the message, remove the pews, give concerts instead of worship services, and give motivational speeches instead of preaching. And it works. It gets people in the church buildings. But it has gotten few saved. It is the complete antithesis of being Biblical. We must be watchful for the “practical solution” at the expense of prayer and seeking God.
Allegorization or spiritualization of the text is another big one. Here, the theme is “look for the spiritual meaning and don’t worry about the plain meaning.” Again, Genesis is a common place this is used. “It doesn’t matter that God actually created the physical universe. What is the spiritual message we can learn?” My response: you can’t learn the spiritual meanings until you get the plain ones first. But even more common than this is the inserting of yourself into the text. A classic example is David vs Goliath. You are David and Goliath is that big obstacle in front of you: finances, a job, a boss, whatever. You have to take your stone of faith and slay your giant. Sorry, that’s NOT what it is about, and you are NOT the hero. Jesus is the hero. We can learn from David for sure, but you are not David. We are not Gideon. We are not Nehemiah. Those people are all pictures of Jesus overcoming sin, not our tiny little problems.
Another one that I am surprised is still being used often is bad application. It goes like this: Jesus said He was the door, and He is not literally a physical door, therefore not every text in the Bible is to be taken literally, therefore the days of creation in Genesis 1 must be taken allegorically. And I’m like “What? How did you come up with that?” That is not flying at all. Not only is that a strawman argument, but it’s not even coherent. You can’t just say, “This worked here, therefore it must work there,” unless you can demonstrate the same conditions and setting. These arguments do not do this. We all recognize Jesus gave a metaphor, but it is quite obvious what a door is and what it does, and it is obvious what Jesus is saying with the metaphor. But those who say “day” must a metaphor never tell us what the metaphor is. What is the picture? What is the image it is supposed to portray? And is that image clear from the text? It’s not. And it’s not just Scripture where this argument is used. It’s used to defend mainstream geology. In The Grand Canyon: Monument to an Ancient Earth, 11 geologists argued that rocks can fold without breaking by applying the right pressure in all directions in the same way that in a lab you can deform an ice cube by putting the right pressures in the right directions. What these geologists did not do is demonstrate that those pressure conditions were present without also literally transforming the rock metamorphically. And they accuse us of telling “half-told stories” in the same breath.
A final way to misread the Bible is, “that’s your interpretation.” I get this one quite frequently, and there is a lot of baggage with this claim. They generally mean that the Bible cannot be read or understood as God’s message to us, but one that we have to “interpret” to academically figure out. These people do not believe that God actually intended to say anything to us, because the message is “not clear,” so we have to “figure it out.” God only intended one interpretation and He used precise language (known as the doctrine of perspicuity) to make it so no one has excuse for not knowing what it says. When someone throws the “that’s your interpretation” argument at you, they are trying to put you on defense and make you second guess yourself that you have heard from God correctly. All the while THEY are the one who is “interpreting” it wrongly so they can justify their false beliefs, while professing to be Christians. Don’t fall for it. There is a way that seems right to a man, and the end is death. None of us are “qualified” to “interpret” the Bible. We are all untrustworthy. This is why Proverbs 3:5 tells us explicitly to not lean on our own understanding but to the trust the Lord. Do not try to “interpret” the Bible. Instead submit to it.
Next week, I’ll look at how to unpack Scripture and how to dig into it for richer and purer ore.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Last week, I addressed the shame that comes with sin, and I introduced the responses to that shame. The first response is self-justification – seeking any way possible to make sure that you get off the hook. But this never gets us anywhere. The true response to our sin is brokenness. This is a very unpopular notion today. If a preacher wanted to see how loyal his congregation is to either him or the truth, a message about brokenness would expose the genuine from the fakes. Voddie Baucham has a powerful sermon about brokenness based on Psalm 51. I do not want to regurgitate it, but to follow up this blog post, go listen to that sermon. It is powerful.
Growing up, I never wanted to be broken over my sin. I don’t mean that in a proud way. I would always say I would rather be moldable and allow God to gently tweak me and correct me, but the more I mature in the faith, the more I realize that I truly need to be broken. It has been said that every man that God has used has walked with a limp. With every man, there is something that God puts in his life to humble him. Paul described his as a “thorn in the flesh.” Jacob had a physical limp as a result of wrestling with God (he was at least 91 at the time, which gives us all hope).
People have this soft, fluffy, shampoo-model idea of Jesus that is pure kindness and gentleness with not a rough spot in Him. Yet, that’s not who Jesus is. While He is kind and gentle, He is also firm and tough. He didn’t have soft hands but calloused hands; He worked. When He dealt with sin, He did not mince words. You see two responses Jesus gave to all people and summarized this way: “Law to the proud, grace to the humble.” Before Jesus ever offered anyone grace, He first dealt with the heart issue – the Pharisees, the rich young ruler, and even the crowds. While He had compassion on the crowds to feed them once, He did not feed them a second time. He instead dealt with their heart issue. But what about the woman caught in adultery? He never confronted her about her sin. Why? Because she was already broken. She already knew she was guilty and could do nothing about it.
Before we can truly grasp what Jesus did for us, we have to see and understand the weight of our sin. This is a struggle I have. Those who have hit rock bottom know it very well; those who haven’t struggle with this. Those who have experienced the true emptiness of sin and the death it produces want nothing to do with it anymore. Some are enslaved by it still and need deliverance. Many drug addicts and alcoholics hate the junk but can’t escape it without divine intervention. But those who have not yet tasted the death of sin don’t always see the emptiness. Some see it in others. Many children saw their father drunk and decided they would never drink and be like that. Others saw their father drunk, and they themselves drink because that is how they saw their faither deal with pain. These people are broken people. They are htruurting people. They are experiencing the fruit of their own choices, but they don’t have a good solution. They need the Gospel.
Voddie Baucham describes repentance from sin as getting off the highway towards Hell and brokenness as the off-ramp. And as always, there are two responses to brokenness. Paul showcases these in 2 Corinthians 7:10. One is worldly sorrow, which leads to death, and the other is Godly sorrow. Worldly sorrow is showcased well in two people: Esau and Judas Iscariot. Esau despised his birthright and when he realized what he lost, he was only sorry he lost it and not sorry for what he did. Judas betrayed Jesus and even acknowledged that what he did was wrong, but he never saw the vertical component to sin. Both died unrepentant of their sins.
But Godly sorrow leads to repentance and to salvation. Two people showcase this: David and Peter. David sinned against God. He lusted after another man’s wife, slept with her, and murdered him, one of his own best friends, to cover it up. When confronted a year later, David realized the severity of his sin and that his sin was primarily and ultimately against God. Then he wrote the famous song of repentance: Psalm 51. Peter also betrayed Jesus and denied Him three times. But unlike Judas, what Peter missed the most was the relationship he had with his Savior. He was broken and finally learned what it means to rely upon Jesus for everything.
But there was another case of brokenness that should be explored: Pharaoh, who defied Moses in freeing Israel and took Egypt through the 10 plagues. Pharaoh was different than Esau and Judas who realized what they lost. Pharaoh was so hard, so still, and so determined to stay in control that it took seven plagues for him to actually recognize he sinned and would let just the men go worship God. After the 9th plague, Pharaoh let the women and children go, but not the flocks. Why did he do this? Simple: he wanted them to have an anchor and reason to come back. But after the 10th plague, that’s when Pharaoh finally broke. After letting his entire nation essentially go down in flames, he finally relented. But he never would bow the knee before God. Soon, his grief over the loss of his son turned to utter rage. He charged after Israel with his army to slay everyone, only to be buried in the Red Sea by another miracle of God.
Brokenness is meant to be a roadblock to stop us from completing sin’s cycle of death. It is meant to get us off that track and to redirect us back to the correct path. It is painful, it hurts, and no one likes going through it. But when taken in the full context of where it leads, it is a beautiful thing. Every person broken by God and restored does not like the breaking process at the moment, but they most certainly prefer the restored state after healing to where they would have been had God done nothing. We still have a choice in how we respond to brokenness. We can turn aside from our sin or persist in it. I want to dwell on this issue a little more before going on to the next step in the proper response to sin. Next week, I will do a study on “dust and ashes” before going on to the confession of sin and then to the repentance from sin.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” -Galatians 5:1
I’m taking a quick break from writing through the book of Hebrews to write this post specifically requested by Jason DeZurik. If you’ve spent any time around Jason’s Facebook feed or read his recent blog post, you know he has one primary focus recently: liberty.
Back in 2014, I wrote this post that discussed the difference between liberty and freedom. As I summarized in that post, “Liberty is being able to do what you want to do, while freedom is the power to have that liberty.” We receive both liberty and freedom through Jesus Christ, and that’s what we’ll take a look at when digging into Galatians 5:1 in today’s post.
When looking at any passage of Scripture, it is always important to look at its context. What comes before it? What comes after it? By whom and to whom is its book of the Bible written?
The book of Galatians was a letter written by the apostle Paul to a group of churches in Galatia, as we see in Galatians 1:1-2. However, there are two main theories regarding this: the North Galatian and South Galatian. The North Galatian theory says that the audience for this letter was the northern churches in that area, and Paul would have written it between 53-57 A.D. The South Galatian theory says, not surprisingly, that the audience was churches in the southern part of that area that Paul would have founded on his first missionary journey. This would date the letter at likely 48-49 A.D. or possibly as late as 51-53 A.D.
The theological setting of this book is the conflict between Jewish Christians and Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians, specifically regarding the idea of “Judaizing” – making any Gentile believers adopt Jewish practices (especially circumcision) before they could be fully welcomed into the Church. This was significant in this historical context because many of the believers were converted from pagan religions and were not Jewish by ethnicity. The Jewish mindset of legalism and following the law would have been strong in the Jewish believers, and that is part of what Paul is writing this letter to go against.
After some introductory remarks, Paul shares his history and how he became an apostle of Jesus Christ, including his relationship to other apostles. Next, he explains and defends the gospel message. That goes to the end of chapter 4, which is where we see our verse of Galatians 5:1 comes in. The rest of the letter after this verse calls for believers to live Godly lives, warning them to not fall from grace but to live in the Spirit.
So, at this point in the letter, Paul has shown that he is worthy to be teaching them on these matters, as he is an apostle of Jesus. He has also explained the gospel message itself, including how we are saved by grace through faith and not through any works that we do. Before he gets into the next section on how to live the Christian life, Paul gives this verse that is both a summary of what came before it and an introduction to what comes after it. This verse is really the key that holds this letter together!
The verse itself is divided into two parts. First, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” This is why Jesus Christ did the work of saving us – to set us free! Then second, “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” This is what we are to do about Christ’s work for us.
The Greek word used here for “freedom” could be translated as either freedom or liberty. One Greek lexicon writes that this usage especially refers to freedom that is contrary to the law of Moses, which was looked at as slavery. Another lexicon says about this word, “In a number of languages the concept of freedom is expressed as a negation of control or domination, for example, where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is no longer domination or a person does not feel under constraint.” Yet another definition says that “It describes the state of a person who is no longer enslaved by an oppressive force.”
This is why Jesus Christ came to earth – to liberate us from the slavery and oppression of having to follow the Old Testament laws! God knows that no mere human could follow every law perfectly all of the time, so we were all in need of a savior. Only Jesus, as fully human and fully God, perfectly fulfilled the law so that His death would be a worthy sacrifice for us. Jesus Christ has set us free from the burden of our sins and the oppression that comes with being enslaved to sin. (For more on that, check out this blog post and this blog post.)
After having stated this fact, Paul then commands us what to do about it: stand firm! This is a command in Greek, not just a statement. Do not take up that yoke of slavery again! Paul is telling them that they should no longer be bound by the rules of the Old Testament law as their primary focus. Jesus didn’t give His life so we could continue to be slaves to our works and never measure up to God’s perfect standard; Jesus gave His life so we could have freedom in Him!
Today, we still have the daily choice to choose between being a slave to sin or a slave to Jesus Christ just as Paul wrote about in Romans 6. Being a slave to sin means we’re burdened by the impossible standards of keeping every one of God’s laws perfectly all of the time. Being a slave to Jesus Christ is to live in freedom!
We are no longer obligated to keep the entire law because Jesus did that for us. We desire to keep the law because that’s what brings God glory and honor in our lives, but that is not the means of our salvation. God has accomplished our salvation through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, and because of that, we desire to worship and honor Him through being obedient to Him rather than obeying the world and its sinful ways.
Are you living your life as one who is enslaved or as one who has chosen the liberty and freedom that only Jesus Christ can bring? Make the decision for freedom today!
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
