Growing up in a rural part of the state of Georgia that eventually was swallowed up by the ever-expanding city of Atlanta, I was conditioned to accept change as a part of life. One thing that did not seem to change though, at least not while I was growing up in the 90s and early 00s, was a general respect that people had for Christianity and the Bible. My hometown might have been quickly suburbanizing, but it was still in the so-called “Bible belt.” My teachers taught me amoeba-to-man evolution, but more than one of them said, “I don’t really agree with this, but I have to teach it.” My school friends weren’t members of the Lord’s church, but most were churchgoers. They believed the Bible is God’s word; they believed sex should wait for marriage, didn’t curse, and didn’t do drugs. My peers in the church were the same. In this environment, even if people didn’t fully know, do, or in other ways pursue what was right, they generally had an idea of what it was.

Ideas though don’t always or even often correlate to actions. As I grew older, I discovered that many people I knew simply abandoned that sense of right that we all knew. I don’t know what happened to many of my childhood friends outside of the church as we lost touch after high school, but I remember having a conversation with one while he was in college and I was in preaching school who described trying alcohol (something we both had been committed to avoiding when we were in high school). I learned the sad story of another friend who hated how his parents behaved while they were drunk and who told me he would never drink; he died due to an alcohol overdose. As I think about my friends in the church, it isn’t much better; far too many of them fell away from the faith, falling captive to the very things we were told in Bible classes and sermons to avoid.

What is right is established by God’s Word. God’s Word is powerful, living, and active (Hebrews 4:12); it contains the truth which can set us free from all kinds of things that enslave us (John 8:31-32). I never want to discount that power. At the same time, respecting what was right, and, especially in the case of my church peers, knowing what was right proved not to be enough for many.

I can remember going through some study books in high school classes with titles like “Biblical Truths for Today’s Teens.” Besides typically being written a couple of decades before “Today,” they honestly felt like big lists of “don’ts.” And it seemed so simple: if you just didn’t think, do, or say those clearly sinful things, things would be good and God would be happy! Again though, while the truths behind these “don’t’s” were powerful and real, they clearly were not enough.

My hometown has continued to change dramatically since I lived there. I drove through several years ago as an adult, and it was already at that time almost unrecognizable. I doubt anyone going to school, even right there in the Bible belt, would find the kinds of teachers and friends that I found. In many places outside of the Bible belt, that since of “right” has been gone for a long time (if it was ever there). More than one young adult has shared with me their reality, one of growing up surrounded by atheists and agnostics rather than churchgoers and believers. If “right” wasn’t enough in my childhood, it certainly isn’t enough now.
 
It wasn’t until several years after I finished high school that I heard a preacher talking about something that (to me at least) was revolutionary. Instead of just saying, “Don’t have sex before marriage,” he encouraged us to give some thought as to how that might be done. He described secular dating as practice for divorce and a well-traveled pathway to sexual sin. He said that “Make no provision for the flesh,” an instruction given by Paul in Romans 13:14, meant that Christians should date differently. Young men and women should vet out their prospective partners and determine their character before dating; they should establish habits that (surprise, surprise) made no provision for the flesh. It wasn’t rocket science, but no one had ever told me when I was a teen the simple things he suggested like, “Meet up in public,” or, “Don’t go over to each other’s houses if you're going to be the only ones there,” or, “Don’t sit in a parked car alone.”

There are some people who might interpret these suggestions as legalistic. They certainly could be; any time we impose a restriction that God does not impose and bind it as though it were God’s law, we are being legalistic. At the same time, we should understand that Scripture upholds taking an instruction like Romans 13:14 and doing exactly what that preacher did with it by discussing how it could be carried out practically. This is what the wisdom, prudence, and discretion that the Proverbs encourage are all about. Is the father of Proverbs 7 being legalistic when he talks about the naïve young man who passed near the house of the immoral woman and encourages his son not to go anywhere near her? No, I would suggest that he is being wise. Spiritual maturity demands that we move beyond simple right and wrong in order that we might seek what is best, “that you may approve the things that are excellent” as Paul prayed (Philippians 1:10)

Truly, “right” alone has never been enough. Adam and Eve knew exactly what was right, but it did not prevent them from ignoring it (through ignorance or intention) and doing what was wrong. “Right” is upheld and given strength by a steadfast commitment to practicality and intentionality.  Paul’s command, “do not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2), is not about keeping in mind a list of things that must not be done and simply not doing them. It is about thinking about the unique pressures of different places and different stages of life and adopting intentionally countercultural, otherworldly habits so as to not be shaped by them.

Christians, “we are not ignorant” of our enemy’s “devices”; there is no reason that “Satan should take advantage of us” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Let’s give God’s word real power in our lives by pursuing it in a way that’s practical and real. If we do, we’ll be equipped for whatever challenges our changing world might bring.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Many years ago, an elderly sister motioned for me to come over to her before a Sunday morning Bible class. She had been absent for a while, and she wanted to know what our next study was going to be about. “I hope it’s not the old Bible,” she said, adding, “I hate the old Bible!” After a little probing, I came to realize she was talking about the Old Testament.

Even if there aren’t very many who would go so far as to call the Old Testament “the old Bible” or vocalize this attitude towards it, there are many followers of God that have effectively torn their one Bible into two pieces, forming two very separate books, one of which is very neglected. It’s a little too common to find Christians who haven’t spent much time with the Old Testament, let alone given it the study it deserves. Here are some reasons why every follower of God should study the Old Testament:

1. The Lord never changes (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8) – I have an idea that some people who approach the Old and New Testaments as though they were old and new Bibles also may unconsciously think that there are two Gods – one old and one new. However, the same God who inspired the Old Testament also inspired the New. No understanding of God’s nature can be complete unless it takes into account the information given in both the Old and New Testaments.
2. The Old Testament is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17) – The Old Testament is not something that man put in our Bibles to confound us; it was something God gave to complete us. Paul told Timothy, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” More literally, he said that all scripture is God-breathed; it came from the mind of the Almighty! While the New Testament is Scripture, Paul references what Timothy had known from the time he was a child (2 Timothy 3:15), which could only refer to the Old Testament.
3. The Old Testament helps make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15) – Again, the “Scriptures” Paul is talking about in this passage are those in the Old Testament. No walk with God is complete without a walk in His book; and no walk in His book is complete without a walk in the Old Testament. The reason so many received the gospel after only hearing one sermon in the book of Acts was that they had studied their Old Testaments. Paul described the Old Testament as a tutor which leads people to Christ (Galatians 3:24).
4. You can’t understand much of the New Testament without first understanding the Old (Acts 2) – The scripture reference I gave for this thought is Acts 2; many others could have been put in its place. In this passage, Peter makes no less than three direct references to Old Testament passages. Large portions of the New Testament, including Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, simply cannot be understood without a proper knowledge of the Old Testament. As Augustine once said, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”
5. The Old Testament helps us to know Jesus through promise and prophecy (1 Peter 1:10-12) – Sprinkled throughout the Old Testament are incredible pictures of Jesus Christ. For example, how did the Ethiopian Eunuch learn about Christ? With the help of Phillip, he was able to discover Him in Isaiah 53. We learn about Jesus Christ not just from the gospel accounts, but from the prophetical pictures of Him in the Old Testament. The Old Testament gives us a richer understanding of who Jesus is and what He did.
6. The Old Testament provides evidence that the Bible is indeed inspired through predictive prophecy (2 Peter 1:19, 20) – Though there are far too many illustrations of this point to include here, here are a few:
   • Isaiah 44:28-45:1 names Cyrus and describes his mission as the one to return the Jews to their homeland nearly 200 years before he took power – before the people of Judah were even taken into captivity! History both confirms Cyrus’ name and his actions. People often try to date the book of Isaiah later because of this profound prophecy.
   • Ezekiel 26 describes the destruction of Tyre in fantastically precise detail. The city being made like “the top of a rock” (Ezekiel 26:14) describes to a T what Alexander the Great did when he tore down the mainland city of Tyre to build a bridge across the sea to the island city.
   • Daniel predicts the fall of Babylon and describes subsequent empires perfectly (ch. 2).
7. The Old Testament gives examples of God’s care for the righteous and His wrath towards the wicked (Romans 11:22) – The God of the Bible is a God of both goodness and severity; He is a Being that inspires both love and respect. Some people limit His love and goodness to the New Testament and further limit His judgment and wrath to the old. Yet, as stated before, the Lord never changes, and examples of both His love (e.g. His mercy towards sinful patriarchs in Genesis) and His wrath (e.g. the Noahic flood) are found in the Old Testament.
8. The Old Testament shows us what faith can accomplish (Hebrews 11) – Of course, we would all like to follow the footsteps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but too often we fall short. Our greatest encouragement in this pursuit lies in our cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) – the living examples of men and women who overcame their shortcomings to serve God through faith. Their faith can be our faith, and their triumph can give us hope.
9. The Old Testament can help us defend our faith and hope (1 Corinthians 9:3; 1 Peter 3:15; Jude 3) – How do we know the Bible is from God? How do we know that Christianity is the only road to eternal life? The inspired pages of the Bible prove it to us. Though the Bible is not a science, mathematics, history, or geography textbook, when it speaks of these and other areas, it speaks with total accuracy. Christianity is the only religion based upon a flawless and perfect book; all others are based upon manmade documents filled with imperfections.

Many more things could be added to this list. Hopefully this is enough to establish the point: The Bible must not be divided into two different books, with one being judged to be important and the other unimportant. Instead, the whole Bible must be used; in its entirety, the Bible provides us with “all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). If we desire both to stand before God and to equip ourselves against the wicked one, we must be girded with truth (Ephesians 6:14) – the whole truth. Paul made a declaration that we should strive to emulate both in our personal study and in our teaching: “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Being around a new convert can be an extremely encouraging experience. For those like myself who grew up attending the gatherings of God’s people from birth, babes in Christ provide a much-needed reminder that the kingdom of Christ is a pearl of great price.

Chantelle and I were blessed to get to know one such sister at a previous congregation we attended. She was so generous and so hospitable in addition to being so clearly zealous for the Lord. She had us into her home and even let us borrow her car on a couple of occasions. However, as a candle burns brightly before it burns out, this sister also “burned out” and stopped attending church.

After we and several others tried to reach out to her, she finally told one of the brethren a major factor in her decision to quit. She had observed the behavior of the older women of the congregation (who were long-standing members) and determined that she didn’t want to be in an environment where she might become like them as she too got older.

We are quick to garner encouragement from new converts; we are also quick to judge them if they leave. We can be especially harsh when we hear reasons for leaving like the one above. However, Jesus taught us to turn judgment inward before we turn it outward (Matthew 7:1-5). What can we learn from this sister?

Upon closer examination, this sister did two things that all of God’s people desperately need to do: 1) she thought about what she was becoming as she got older, and 2) she assumed that spiritual progress ought to apply to women as well as to men. My experience has been that if God’s people think about progress for anyone, it’s about making boys into elders. Can we say that we have given much thought about making girls into worthy widows?

Obviously, widowhood is not something that God’s people should strive for; inherent in widowhood is tragedy (I’ll say more about this later). However, the Bible speaks of widowhood as a reality some will have to endure and expects women who encounter that reality later in life to have prepared themselves to become worthy of not only the church’s admiration, but also its financial support. Let’s explore the text that lays out this expectation before considering some points of application.

As the text opens, Paul encourages Timothy (and through Timothy, the church) to “Honor widows who are really widows” (1 Timothy 5:3). James encourages Christians “to visit [look after – HCSB]… widows” as a part of the practice of pure religion (James 1:27), but when Paul considers enrolling (v. 9, 11 – ASV, ESV) widows in a program of perpetual care, he tries to get Christians to think of widows beyond the common tragedy they have experienced.

In terms of her family: Does she have family that can be relied upon (v.4)? If so, she is not “left alone” and therefore not truly a widow in one sense of the word (v. 5). If her Christian family does not care for her (v. 16), they are worse than unbelievers (and ought to be subjected to church discipline) (v. 8). It is worth noting though that Paul describes widows who are worthy of support as having brought up children through good works, which possibly argues for there being something more to the honor/enrollment he commands than financial support.

In terms of her age: If a widow is under the age of 60 (v. 9), then Paul sees her as a younger widow (v. 11). Paul says younger widows will struggle with the temptation to “[live] in pleasure” (v. 6), to gossip (v. 13), or to marry again, something “enrolled” widows must not do (v. 11-12). Paul’s will for these younger women is to marry (v. 14) and avoid the fate of those who “have already turned aside after Satan” (v. 15). They too are not in Paul’s words, “really widows.”

In terms of her behavior: A widow is worthy of special honor for something much more important than her age or even her need. To put it simply, she has lived honorably before her husband died and is living that way now.

Before her husband died, she honored him as her one and only and is known for her devotion to him as “the wife of one man” (v. 9). She is also known for good works, first as relates to raising her children and second as relates to governing her home. Her home was always open to guests, and her hands were always full with works of service. She gave what she could to those who had need, and “devoted herself to every good work” (v. 10, ESV).

Now that her husband is gone, she has not lost her faith; if anything, she is more committed to God than ever and has a powerful habit of prayer (5). She is neither self-indulgent nor man crazy (v. 6, 11-12; yes, that does sometimes happen, even among older women) and doesn’t waste her time with sinful talk (v. 13). She devoted herself to good work before her husband died, and all signs point to her continuing to do so as she moves on from her loss (v. 10). This kind of woman is worthy of honor and support as long as she lives.  

This text offers many rich points for reflection. Rather than focusing on cultivating benevolent programs in local churches for the care of widows (which is a neglected and needed study), let’s consider what we as individuals can take from this text.

Some thoughts for everyone: Man’s plan for old age is retirement and enjoyment; it is a time to travel, enjoy grandchildren and family, and do whatever you couldn’t while you were working. However, the pattern for this period of life tends to play out as follows: a few good years of fun and freedom followed by a few years of frustration as the body fails and ultimately dies (Ecclesiastes 12:2-7). Man’s plan is incomplete and unrealistic at best, and at worst deepens the temptation towards depression we experience in old age. This text ought to serve as a reminder that God’s plan and man’s plan are not the same, and ought to motivate us to reconsider if we have bought into the wrong plan.

Some thoughts for widows: Sisters, you have each experienced a tragedy. God understands what you are going through – He lost a loved one too when Jesus died – and He cares about you deeply. There are references to you throughout the Bible; God has taken every step to ensure you will be provided for all the days of your life. This text is here to remind you that though you have lost the most precious and important person in your life, your life is not over; God still has a plan for you.

As hard as it might be to hear, God’s plan is for you to move on. Grief is like arthritis; the more you stay still, the harder it is to move. By all means, grieve; use the Psalms to work through the feelings of loss and abandonment you no doubt are experiencing. However, set your aim on moving on.

Moving on doesn’t look the same for everyone. Younger widows, you can see God’s plan for you in this text, can’t you? As hard as it might be for you to imagine giving your heart to someone else, as the old hymn says, “There’s nothing worse than being alone.” God doesn’t want you to be alone as you move forward. He doesn’t command you to marry again (1 Timothy 5:14; “desire” in the ASV), but He truly believes that it is what is best for you.

Older widows, God understands that you reach a point in life where starting over just isn’t an option. God still doesn’t want you to be alone. He designed His church with you in mind; there’s a work for you to do. God saw you as being just as worthy of regular support as a preacher or an elder, especially if your family is not willing or able to help you (1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Timothy 5:3, 9; 5:17). Of course, you can pray (although you already know that – 1 Timothy 5:5), but I think God had more in mind for you than that. No one is supposed to eat without working (2 Thessalonians 3:10). It may very well be that this text envisions a reward for the abundant work you have done in the past. It may also be though that God wants you to take on a new work, perhaps in the counseling department of His church.

Widows (young and old), you know much about much about life. You’ve experienced the joy of the greatest union that exists on earth and the pain of losing that joy. Your experience is incredibly valuable, and I believe at least part of the future that God has planned for you involves using that experience to guide those younger than you through the tragedies they no doubt too will face. Older people generally have wisdom to impart, but the wisdom you’ve gained through experience is special and will allow you to connect with some in a way no one else can. I hope you will put your wisdom to use.
 
Some thoughts for widowers: Brothers, it’s possible that when you read passages like this you think that God has forgotten you. He hasn’t. Your grief is real, and you’re not meant to just swallow it and move on. Still, God knows that you know that she was created differently than you. You probably saw over and over again that while she was the fairer (and often wiser and more capable) sex, she was also the “weaker vessel” (1 Peter 3:7). You know why God has gone to such lengths to care for her. That doesn’t mean you’re just meant to ignore this passage. Use this passage as a reminder if you need it: just as God had a plan for widows in the church, so too does He have a plan for you. If her experience is valuable, yours is too.

Some thoughts for wives: Sisters, I know the last thing in the world you want to think about is the possibility of your man going to be with God. However, it’s so important that you at least consider it and consider what kind of person you would be if that were to happen. The person you are becoming now is the person you will be then.
Wives, what are you doing today to ensure that you will be a woman of prayer who “trusts in God” when you are old (1 Timothy 5:5)? How are you preparing your children now to ensure they will care for you when you are older so they don’t deny God’s pattern of faith (v. 4, 8, 10, 16)? How are you preparing yourself not to live in pleasure (v. 6) or place any relationship above your relationship with Jesus (v. 11-12)? How are you preparing now to not be a gossip when you’ve got too much time on your hands (v. 13)? Are you devoted to husband? Is your home open to guests? Are your hands open to the afflicted? Is your heart set on good works?

There can be little doubt but that you will find the behavior required by these questions difficult and at times overwhelming. Don’t forget what this text is also teaching you – there is a wealth of knowledge and support available in older sisters who have lived well. You need these mothers (v. 2) as much as they need your love and support.

Some thoughts for husbands: Brothers, I know that you want to protect and provide for your family. In your heart of hearts, you probably feel as though you always will. The reality is though that if Christ does not return first, you will leave this earth and probably do so before your wife. Are you preparing your family now so that this separation is only a temporary one, so that there will be a reunion in heaven? Are you helping your wife to prepare for the future God wants for her once she’s alone?

Whether or not your wife raises faithful children who will honor her after your death is largely your responsibility (Ephesians 6:4). Further, what hope does she have to be devoted to you if you’re not devoted to her (1 Timothy 5:9)? To “[lodge] strangers” if you hate having guests over? To “relieve the afflicted” if you’re stingy or wasteful with the family’s money? To “diligently [follow] good works” if you’re barely paying attention during the Sunday morning announcements after worship (v. 10)?

By all means, take from this text that God wants you to help widows both in your blood family and in the church. But don’t forget that this text is also a reminder to you to help your wife become the woman God wants her to be.

Some thoughts for the young and unmarried: Brothers, look carefully at this passage. As you do so, remember, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing” (Proverbs 31:30). The kind of girl you want to marry is the kind of girl that is becoming this (1 Timothy 3:11 and Proverbs 31:10-31 might also help).

Sisters, look carefully at this passage. This is what you want to become. A good man can help you get there; a bad one can make becoming this incredibly difficult. Think about this passage (as well as 1 Timothy 3:1-10, 12-13; Titus 1:5-9) when thinking about a future husband.

I hope this text has given each of us something to think about. Spiritual progress in the kingdom of Christ was never meant to be limited to men; women have something wonderful to strive for when they reach old age. From the ashes of the tragedy of death can rise the beauty of a woman who is worthy of honor, love, and support as long as she lives.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Some of the most dreaded words you can hear as a minister are, “We tried that before.” These words are rarely meant to be informative; they are almost never followed by, “And here’s what we learned for next time,” or “But it’s probably about time to try it again.” No, they’re typically meant to be dismissive; they become a shorthand way for saying, “That action is a waste of time, because it didn’t achieve what we think it should have.” They’re not words typically spoken because the action in question has been examined in light of Scripture and judged to be unfaithful; they’re spoken because the outcome observed after past efforts isn’t the one expected or desired.

It’s very dangerous to get into the habit of judging outcomes rather than actions. Paul told the Galatians, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). The Holy Spirit did two things through Paul’s pen here to ensure that the teaching of this verse would be underlined and highlighted in our minds if not in our Bibles. First, He told us to anticipate active deception relative to this truth. Second, He told us that misunderstanding this passage can lead to active, open mockery of God. This passage is so important and immutable that sometimes people refer to it as “the law of sowing and reaping.”

Sometimes we assume that the deception and mockery that are warned against here all relate to those who believe that their fleshly behavior won’t yield corruption. Could it be though that the devil is also trying to convince us that our spiritual behavior won’t yield the results that God promises? Shouldn’t we connect the teaching of this text to “he who sows to the Spirit” in Galatians 6:8 and the further encouragement in Galatians 6:9 to “not grow weary while doing good”? Sometimes, a people who have given into deception and judged an activity based on outcomes end up not sowing to the Spirit and/or growing weary in doing good simply because they do not believe that a given activity will work.

To prepare His disciples for the Judgment Day, Jesus told two stories about a master who left his servants with some money. The master’s intention in both stories was for this money to serve as an investment; they were to take the money and multiply it through business transactions. In one story, each servant was given the same amount (Luke 19:11-27); in the other, each servant was given a different amount, “to each according to his own ability” (Matthew 25:14-30). In both stories, there was a servant who knew his master’s intentions but, fearing that he would do the wrong thing, did nothing (Matthew 25:24-25; Luke 19:20-21). In both stories, this was exactly the wrong thing to do in the eyes of the master; the master makes it clear that he would have been pleased with even a minimal effort. In the absence of any effort though, the master had no choice but to withhold his blessings (Luke 19:22-26) and punish a man who was ultimately a “wicked and lazy servant” (Matthew 25:26-30).

As we reflect on these stories, we recognize that there are some things which we have been given equally (e.g., the Gospel message) and other things with which we are uniquely and individually blessed. However, with no thing that we are given by God are we meant to do nothing. This is the real danger of, “We tried that before.”

It is right and good to evaluate our efforts to ensure that we are doing the most we can possibly do for the Lord. As we do this, old methods and ministries may die out and be replaced with new ones. As Paul evaluated his ministry in Asia Minor and other places, he concluded, “But now no longer having a place in these parts… I shall come to you” (Romans 15:23-24). There was nothing wrong with Paul concluding that a ministry opportunity had itself concluded; what would have been wrong is if nothing ever arose to take its place. Some churches might very well conclude that door knocking, Gospel Meetings, and other such efforts are no longer effective. However, the Lord is likely to ask these churches one day, “Well, what did you do instead?” If these parables are anything to go by, the Lord will one day be far more pleased with the church that continued to use old, outdated methods than with the church that did similar things at one point but then proceeded to do nothing in the name of progress.  

Doing something guided by the Word is always better than doing nothing. As we act, again, we must remember this: there is a great deal of deception surrounding Christian sowing and reaping. Reflecting on Galatians 6:7-9 reveals at least four key avenues of deception:

• Deception surrounds our view of ourselves: “he who sows” (v. 8). Sometimes, the problem isn’t the means or the method but the messenger. Good work can easily be undone by a half-hearted, double-minded, or in some other way improperly motivated worker. Good work can also be undone by sin in the camp (cf. Joshua 7); as Paul said, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9).
• Deception surrounds our view of Christian work: “he who sows” (v. 8). Galatians 6:7 is very careful to point out that sowing can either be carnal or spiritual. Sometimes, Christians confuse activity with faithfulness and fully invest in activities which don’t actually involve sowing spiritual seed. There is nothing wrong with engaging in activities that have secondary benefit. Playing games, watching movies, going fishing/hunting, etc., with Christian brothers and sisters can help strengthen the bonds of friendship and fellowship. However, if all of our effort is placed in these things, nothing spiritual can ever grow.
• Deception surrounds our timelines: “in due season” (v. 9). Sometimes, our timeline is not what it should be. God’s timeline and our timeline are often very, very different (2 Peter 3:8). Sometimes, God calls us to persist in an effort for a lifetime without seeing the fruit of our labor (Hebrews 11:13). A good work we do now may not see its effect until decades or even generations later; some work will not “become clear” until “the Day will declare it,” a likely reference to the Day of Judgment (1 Corinthians 3:13).
• Deception surrounds our expectations: “we shall reap” (v. 9). Sometimes, we simply are not good judges of outcomes. It is sometimes assumed that an effort has failed because there are few/no visitors, no baptisms, and/or no visible responses amongst the members of the church. We can forget that God’s word “shall not return to [Him] void” (Isaiah 55:11) and that our labor “in the work of the Lord” is never “in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The prophet Jeremiah was told that his life-long ministry would be to a people who would fight against him (Jeremiah 1:19). Likewise, Ezekiel was told that his audience, “the house of Israel,” was “impudent and hard-hearted” and that they would “not listen” to him (Ezekiel 3:7). Jeremiah and Ezekiel ought to remind us that faithful work for the Lord is never determined exclusively by earthly outcomes. Sometimes, the only treasures that we get from an effort are “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). At all times, bountiful harvests come from “God who gives the increase,” not from our efforts (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Keeping one eye on the Word of God and the other on ourselves, our efforts, our timelines, and our expectations can help us overcome all this deception, act, and in acting realize God’s promise: “in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9). May we trust this promise and not place our trust in earthly outcomes.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Imagine the scene: a wife comes home to discover that her husband has prepared a romantic evening for the two of them to enjoy. He has made dinner, lit candles, put on some mood music, and adjusted the lighting for maximum effect. Before ushering his wife to her seat, he takes her head in his hands. “Your head is so beautiful; your face, your eyes, your ears, your nose, your hair, it’s all so perfect!” he exclaims. He then glances down, grimaces and shudders, “If only the rest of you weren’t so ugly.”

I can’t imagine that evening went very well after that; can you? No amount of praise that is heaped on one part of your spouse can overcome the insults you give to his/her other parts. Also, no amount of care and service can make a spouse forget that you do not love him/her in his/her entirety. Every spouse wants to hear sentiments like those sung by John Legend, “All of me loves all of you / Love your curves and all your edges / All your perfect imperfections.”

With all this in mind, I want you to reflect on these words penned by the apostle Paul: “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). The idea that the church is Jesus’ body is not a one-off illustration for Paul or the Spirit inspiring him; over and over again, he returns to it. When we were baptized, we were placed by God’s Holy Spirit into one body (1 Corinthians 12:13). In that one body, we work together to “grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ” (Ephesians 4:15; cf. Colossians 2:19). There is only “one body” even as there is only “one Lord” (Ephesians 4:4-5), and in that “one body” we are “individually members of one another” (Romans 12:5). “There should be no schism in the body,” Paul warns, “but… members should have the same care for one another” (1 Corinthians 12:25).

Totally ignoring this often repeated illustration, there are many today who say, “Give me Jesus, not the church.” Effectively, they are guilty of treating Jesus exactly how the husband in our imagined situation treated his wife. Peter writes to Christians who, like us, never had the opportunity to see Jesus in the flesh; still, he knows their hearts and says of Jesus, “whom having not seen you love” (1 Peter 1:8). Yet, for those who want Jesus without the church, the question is begged, “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20). It is impossible to love Jesus, the head of the body, without loving His body, particularly since Jesus “loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

What if the husband in the illustration above were only to highlight very specific portions of his wife’s body that he absolutely despised? Would that be OK? Again, no! And yet there are also many who try to love Jesus’ body, the church, in this same way. They try to befriend, love, and care for certain members in Jesus’ body, while avoiding, ignoring, or even downright hating other members. Again, Paul said, “ members should have the same care for one another,” not differing levels of care based on personal preferences or personality fits (1 Corinthians 12:25). Whether in the human body or Jesus’ body, no member can say to another, “I have no need of you” (1 Corinthians 12:21). “No,” Paul says, “much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary” (1 Corinthians 12:22).

So, the next time you are tempted to think that the church does not matter, remember that it was so important to Jesus that “He purchased [it] with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). And, the next time you are tempted to think that the church would be better off without a certain person, remember that brother or sister you do not like is “the one for whom Christ died” (Romans 14:15). It is impossible to love Jesus without loving all of Jesus, including the many souls who have been added to His body.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

At the Korean War memorial in Washington D.C., there’s a short reminder carved into a granite wall: “Freedom Is Not Free.” Americans tend to take their freedom, in particular religious freedom, for granted. Yet the New Testament gives its testimony again and again to the reality that Christian freedom has never been guaranteed, even for the men specifically commissioned by Jesus with unique and incredibly important ministries. Paul was one of these men. As he wrote his epistle to the Ephesians, he identified as, “Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles” (Ephesians 3:1). Paul had been imprisoned not simply because he was a Christian but because of his Christian ministry to the gentile world. He had been imprisoned to make them free.

Paul reminds the Ephesians of his imprisonment again in Ephesians 4:1. Having given his freedom so that they might obtain theirs through Jesus Christ, he makes one request of them: “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” Why does he make this request? Even though Paul had helped them to secure their freedom in Jesus, their failure to take meaningful steps consistent with their Christian calling would render all that he had done “in vain” (Philippians 2:16). Having granted a fellow soldier an opportunity at freedom and life by giving his own, a character in the movie Saving Private Ryan leaned in and said with his dying words, “Earn this.” Though it would be some time after Paul wrote Ephesians that he would eventually die, Paul is effectively saying the same here.

What does a worthy, consistent Christian walk look like? Though Paul would eventually say many things about moral, Christian living in the remainder of his letter to the Ephesians, he begins with the most natural behavior for one who has been made free in Jesus. Christian freedom is not about having Jesus as your “personal Savior” as is so often said; it is about Jesus tearing down walls of sin and human separation (Ephesians 2:14) to reconcile people “in one body through the cross” (Ephesians 2:16). It is about making people “fellow heirs, of the same body” (Ephesians 3:6). It is about uniting all saved people in “the church, which is His body” (Ephesians 1:22-23). The first and most consistent thing that we can do as Christians in our walk with Jesus is pursue unity with other Christians.

Yes, for Christians freed by the blood of Jesus, unity is paramount. It wasn’t just the pleading wish of the imprisoned Paul; it was the dying wish and prayer of Jesus Himself (John 17:20-23). Its importance can be seen in the price Paul expects us to pay to pursue it. Paul says Christians who are interesting in living consistently with their calling will exhibit: 1) lowliness/humility; 2) gentleness/meekness; 3) longsuffering/patience; 4) forbearance/tolerance toward their fellow Christians in love; 5) an intense effort and diligence to keep/preserve the unity and peaceful bonds Jesus created between us through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-3). The word translated “endeavoring” carries with it both the idea of effort and speed. It is the first priority of a worthy Christian walk, and its importance can be seen in both the imprisoned Paul and the crucified Jesus. Again, if Jesus died to abolish “the enmity” and “create in Himself one new man” from the divided segments of humanity, how can we say we are following Him when we do not try to maintain it (Ephesians 2:15)?

As Paul is quick to point out though, this is not token unity or agreeing to disagree. No, unity is principled. Paul describes the unity he wants us to keep, saying, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). There can no more be said to be more than one system of belief in the New Testament (“one faith”), one response to that system of belief to accept its salvation (“one baptism”), one church of saved believers (“one body”), or one aim and desire of the Christian walk (“one hope”) than there can be said to be one God, one Lord, and one Holy Spirit. The unity found in God defines the kind of unity He desires in His believers; it is not token unity but true unity.

It’s easy to see the work required to bring about unity as a chore or a burden; after all, it calls for major character modification as Ephesians 4:2 suggests. However, Paul would have us see something different when we think about this pursuit: unity is perfecting. He says, “But to each one of us grace was given” (Ephesians 4:7). What grace? Grace can be found in the individuals Jesus commissioned and equipped to help us to better understand our role in the body (Ephesians 4:11-12) and the mutual effort the entire body makes toward unity and growth (Ephesians 4:13). It is in the focused pursuit of principled unity, not swayed by false teachers or their teaching (Ephesians 4:14), that we can find true growth and God’s gracious supply (Ephesians 4:16). “Unity of the faith” is the product of one who truly has “the knowledge of the Son of God”; it allows one to be fashioned into “a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

Our freedom was obtained at a price and is maintained at a price. Key to that maintenance is the pursuit of unity. However, as the text illustrates, the person who treats principled unity as paramount and pursues it discovers in their pursuit the perfecting grace of Jesus Christ. Please, do not try to pursue Jesus on your own or in your own way; let’s pursue Him together and strive “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:13).

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

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Some of my earliest memories involve the rich, dark soil around my childhood home in Michigan. I loved digging holes, and Michigan was a great place to do it! The soil was soft, and the summer weather was great (neither thing could not be said of Georgia, where my family eventually moved). I had one hole that I was particularly proud of, because it was deeper than I was tall (at six years old or so). For all the pride it gave me, it also gave me a lot of frustration, because the deeper I went, the more soil from the piles around the rim fell back into the hole.

I would venture to guess that almost every Christian experiences a similar kind of frustration at one point or another. In order to follow Jesus, we have to dig out the “root[s] of bitterness” and other dirt-y sins (pun intended) from our heart (Hebrews 12:15). In the early stages of digging, things tend to go pretty well, as surface level sins are cast out of our hearts and out of our lives. The problem tends to come as we let the shovel of God’s word go deeper into our hearts and discover things that are more deeply embedded; we tend to find that as we cast those things out, it is very easy for them to tumble back in.

Colossians 3 speaks about the need to “put off” sinful behaviors like “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language […] since you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:8). If you have ever deeply struggled with these or other sins, you might have found this command challenging. I remember a skit Bob Newheart once did in which he pretended he was a psychologist. No matter who came into his office, he had one simple piece of advice to offer: “Stop it!” His clients obviously were not very happy, and I think it’s safe to say that many Christians who have attempted to follow similar advice have not wound up very happy either.

To borrow from the proverb, Christians who try to live their lives in the negative find that as they think in their heart, so they are (cf. Proverbs 23:7). The more they think, “Stop _________,” or “Don’t do _________,” the more these things tend to occupy their thoughts and their lives. This is because Christianity was not meant to be lived in the negative.

One summer after we moved away from Michigan, my Mom drove us back up for a visit. We even visited our old home. As we walked around the yard, I was excited to see what had become of my hole. I was very disappointed (and somewhat perplexed) to see that the new owners had filled in my hole… with rocks. As I reflect on this memory now, two thoughts come to mind: 1) It’s really strange that they didn’t just fill the hole in with dirt; 2) Rocks are actually an excellent way to keep dirt out of a hole.

Just a few verses after Paul tells us to “put off” sinful attitudes and behaviors, he says that there are some attitudes and behaviors we must “put on” (Colossian 3:12). This is how Christianity is meant to be lived. It is not about taking things out of your life, not doing things, and not thinking things; it is about replacing inferior, sinful behavior for superior, moral behavior. It really is easier to subtract when you add; the person who adds Christian attitudes and behaviors finds it a whole lot easier to subtract sinful ones.

Paul introduces what Christians need to put on with three powerful points of encouragement in Colossians 3:12 that we should meditate on anytime we’re finding this process of replacement difficult. First, if we are in Christ having put Him on in baptism (Galatians 3:27), we are already “the elect of God,” i.e., the ones whom God has chosen. Second, though we must continually “pursue […] holiness” in order to “see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14), God has already made us holy and will continue to work in our lives “to present [us] holy, and blameless, and above reproach” (Colossians 1:22). Third, even before the instruction to “put on,” Paul makes it clear that we are “beloved,” valued and treasured by God, even “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). God’s view of us as “the elect of God, holy and beloved,” is not contingent upon our having already “put on” all that he wants us to think, do, and become; it is our motivation to pursue these goals with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind.

So, the next time you are finding spiritual subtraction challenging, try to begin with addition! Remember, the best way to keep dirt out of a hole is to put something else in it.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Paul tells us that “the grace of God […] has appeared […] teaching” (Titus 2:11-12). What this grace teaches is incredibly important, for this is not just any grace but “the grace […] that brings salvation.” God’s saving, teaching grace instructs us negatively (to deny “ungodliness and worldly lusts”) and positively (to “live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age”). However, it also guides us towards an important goal: “we should live […] looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

I was born in the southwest corner of the southern peninsula of Michigan and spent the first few years of my life there. I remember distinctly the powerful thunderstorms that would roll off the lake and unleash their might and fury on my small town. I remember waking up at least once to the flashes of lightning and peels of thunder and thinking that Jesus had returned. It was “glorious,” for sure, but it filled me with terror instead of “blessed hope.”

I had this experience because even though I had heard the teaching surrounding Jesus’ second coming, I had not understood it as an expression of “the grace of God that brings salvation.” This is not to say that the prospect of the Lord’s coming should always inspire the same emotion. In fact, the coming of the Lord is a fearful thing to those who “know not God […] and […] do not obey the gospel.” To them, Jesus will come “in flaming fire taking vengeance” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). However, even in the context of that truth, God’s teaching grace describes the prospect of Jesus’ coming as something that should have given the “troubled rest” (2 Thessalonians 1:7).

The devil hates God’s saving, teaching grace. He wants very much for us to dwell in a place of fear, for fear is the enemy of saving faith. Though fear can be initially motivating (Jude 1:23), if it is allowed to dwell in our hearts, it will rob us of our confidence and drive us towards inactivity. The one talent man in Jesus’ parable confessed, “I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground” (Matthew 25:25). Fearful inactivity places us alongside of “the demons” who “believe – and tremble” (James 2:19). No, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind,” and, “perfect love casts out fear” (2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18).

As grace teaches us, it not only guides us to look for the “appearing of […] Jesus” but to see it as a “blessed hope.” This is because it guides us to transform our behavior even as we trust in God. Those who allow teaching grace to shape and mold them are freed from fear and inspired with confidence. To them, the coming of Jesus is not to judge but to reward. Paul saw the second coming as a day when he would receive “the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8). This vision seen through the eye of faith was not for him “only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” Note, Jesus does not reward those who have feared His appearing in life but those who have loved it.

We could learn a lot about where faith should take us by reflecting upon Paul or upon John who prayed relative to Jesus’ coming, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). However, another worthy goal would be to develop the faith of Simeon. Simeon did not live to see the resurrection let alone the second coming. Instead, he waited his entire life to see the first coming of Jesus, to see the birth of “the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). Simeon knew that Jesus would usher in judgment that would reveal “the thoughts of many hearts” (Luke 3:35). He knew His coming was “destined for the fall […] of many in Israel” (Luke 3:35). However, grace still taught Simeon that the coming of the Lord was “peace […] salvation […] light […] glory […] and [the] rising of many” (Luke 3:29-34). Simeon was right; even when the Lord comes in judgment, He always also brings these things.

What does the Second Coming of Jesus mean to you? For some, it is a day that inspires false confidence because though they have been active for the Lord they have not been obedient to His will (Matthew 7:21-23). For others, it is a day that inspires fear either because grace has not yet had a chance to teach them what Jesus’ coming truly means or because they have chosen to dwell in inactive fear rather than in obedient faith. For those in whom saving, teaching grace has formed saving faith, the coming of the Lord is a “blessed hope.”

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

During our family Bible time recently, one of my sons requested for us to sing, “O Worship the King.” Anyone who knows me well knows that one of my passions is both trying to “sing with the understanding” as Paul instructs and encouraging others to do so (1 Corinthians 14:15). I had therefore already planned on discussing some of the archaic language in this hymn with my kiddos before we started singing but was especially sure to do so after I noticed that my other son was flipping pages in his song book because he already had the words memorized (which was all at once both good and bad). As we discussed the words, I was struck by the powerful descriptive terms applied by the hymnwriter to Jesus and how relevant they are today.

Jesus is of course first identified in the hymn as “the King.” Though some deny the reality of Jesus’ present kingdom, Jesus now has “all authority […] in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). He is now sitting on “the throne of His father David” (Luke 1:32; Revelation 3:21). Jesus has everything that you would expect a monarch to have: a territory (heaven and earth), a law (“the law of Christ” [Galatians 6:2]), and citizens (those “conveyed […] into the kingdom” whose “citizenship is in heaven” [Colossians 1:13; Philippians 3:20]). Since Jesus is both the King and God’s son, He deserves worship (Psalm 2:10-12). However, the hymn’s further descriptions demonstrate that this is not the only reason Jesus should be worshipped.

Jesus is next identified as “Our Shield and Defender.” One of the sadder trends in the United States over the past couple of years has been the “No Kings” rallies. I’ve often thought that if the people who attended these rallies really understood what life was like under an actual despotic monarchy or some other form of truly authoritarian government, they’d be grateful instead of protesting (in fact, they almost certainly would not be allowed to protest!). This isn’t what makes these rallies sad though; it’s sad that these people don’t know what it’s like to have a King who uses His power to serve as a Shield and Defender. Jesus might have all authority, but it’s incredible to think that He “always lives to make intercession” for His kingdom’s citizens (Hebrews 7:25).

I had to really pause when I came to the next description in the hymn, “the Ancient of Days.” The description is found in Daniel 7 and seems to refer to God the Father, as the Ancient of Days is the one who gives “One like the Son of Man” His kingdom in a prophetic vision that was fulfilled when Jesus ascended into Heaven to begin ruling over His kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14). Did the author of the song misinterpret the text, or was He joining Biblical authors in applying descriptive terms that reference the Father to Jesus? Isaiah for example even used the term “Everlasting Father” to describe Jesus (Isaiah 9:6-7). While Jesus is unique in personhood from the Father, He shares His attributes. In fact, Daniel’s vision pictures the Ancient of Days with a “garment […] white as snow” and “hair […] like pure wool,” and both descriptions are later used of Jesus (Matthew 28:3; Revelation 1:14). In Jesus “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).

After discussing the “bountiful care” and tender mercies of Jesus, the hymn concludes with a salvo of descriptions that powerfully reinforce what the previous descriptions establish. Jesus is “Our Maker,” for He was the One by whom, “All things were made” (John 1:3; cf. Colossians 1:16). However, Jesus is not the god of Deism, the watchmaker god who started creation and left it alone; He is our “Defender” as the hymn previously says. To what extent would Jesus go to defend us? He can be called our “Redeemer” because He was willing to pay our earned “wages of sin,” i.e., “death” (Romans 6:23) and purchase us “with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). And yet, in spite of all we owe Him, He was and is willing to call us “friends” (John 15:14-15) so that we too can call Him “Friend.”

While I don’t want to belittle the political concerns of those who cry “No Kings,” my hope for both them and everyone else is that they would give themselves the chance to discover the “King of Kings,” Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 6:15). One day they will “confess that” this King “is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). It would be far better before then if they could “Worship the King,” knowing Him as “the Ancient of Days” who is not only their “Maker” but also their “Shield,” “Defender,” “Redeemer,” and “Friend.”           

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17). Mark and Luke both record this, but neither author gives any further context to the statement other than the events that surrounded Jesus saying it: 1) Some children were brought to Jesus so that He might bless them; 2) The disciples rebuked the ones who had brought them; 3) Jesus was “greatly displeased” with this and told His disciples not to hinder the children (Mark 10:14); 4) Jesus encouraged the children to come, because, as He said, “of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14); 5) Jesus made the above statement and then blessed the children. So, if the context does not explain it, what does it mean to receive the kingdom of God as a child?

I don’t believe there’s only one answer to this question. Whenever we are given a broad, open ended instruction without much context in Scripture, I believe we’re meant to meditate upon it in light of both reason and the rest of God’s revelation and draw as many warranted conclusions as we can. I think one conclusion we should reach relates to the way we receive the seed of the kingdom, the word of God. When we read Scripture, we should attempt to read it as a child would.

I have had the opportunity over the course of my life to read a lot of articles and books about the Bible. Sometimes, I marvel at the conclusions reached or missed by the authors I have read relative to clear, Biblical texts. Sometimes, authors will go to great lengths to deny the clearest, simplest meaning of a given passage. However, I have also had the opportunity on many occasions to sit across the table from someone in a Bible study and see that person reach the clear, simple meaning of a passage he or she had read for the very first time without any help from me. These people have become a living illustration to me of what it means to receive the word of God as a child.

Because Peter was the first, I will be the second to admit that there are some passages of Scripture that are “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). Further, I will also admit alongside of the Ethiopian eunuch that there are some conclusions that are hard to reach “unless someone guides me” (Acts 8:31). When Jesus ascended on high to take the throne of His kingdom (Ephesians 4:8-10; cf. Daniel 7:13-14), the church, He equipped certain individuals for the work of guiding and teaching so that they could teach others (Ephesians 4:11-16; cf. 2 Timothy 2:2). Having said all of this though, there are many passages of Scripture that we can and should take at face value just as a child would.

Each Sunday evening, I am blessed to be able to teach the Bible to a group of children who come early before worship starts. My aim is to get them to learn the books of the Bible by getting them to learn chapter associations. For Matthew, the current book they are studying, they’ve learned to associate “the birth of Jesus” with chapter one, “fleeing to Egypt” with chapter 2, and so on. Before I teach them the association, I overview the chapter with them, which seems to help the association stick a little better.

Some of the harder chapters to overview in this fashion are chapters that contain teachings rather than historical events. It occurred to me though this past Sunday as I tried to boil down the teaching of Matthew 7 that there was actually value in what I was doing for more than just my target audience. By attempting to summarize the chapter for children, I was actually attempting to read the text as a child and take from Jesus’ words the big, simple ideas He was teaching. I drew five simple lessons out of Matthew 7:

• Don’t be harder on others than you are on yourself.
• Ask, seek, and knock for blessings from God.
• Treat others as you want to be treated.
• Look only at what others do and don’t pretend you know what they are thinking.
• Do what Jesus says, not what you think He says.

Is there more to Matthew 7 than this simple list of conclusions that I created? Absolutely. As with the rest of the Bible, there is so much depth and nuance in Jesus’ words! It’s easy though to get caught in the depth and riches of Scripture and lose sight of the big picture. As you might do with a picture on a computer screen, it’s possible to zoom in and examine the pixels of a Bible text for so long that you forget what the picture looks like. It’s hard to do that though when you’re attempting to read Scripture as a child.

I want to offer two lessons therefore in closing. First, before accepting some convoluted explanation of a relatively clear passage of Scripture, ask, “How might a child understand this?” And second, as you study rich passages of Scripture full of meaning, be sure to step back from time to time and think about the big, simple lessons that God is trying to get you to put into your life. Doing this will no doubt help you receive the word of God and the kingdom it proclaims as a little child. 

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Sometimes when I am trying to explain the differences between the four accounts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to someone, I’ll use my hand as an illustration. I’ll begin by showing the palm of my hand as an illustration for Matthew and then reposition my hand twice, still palm up, for Mark and Luke. When I want to illustrate John though, I flip my hand over. While there are a few parts of John that overlap with Matthew, Mark, and Luke (like there are a few parts of my hand that are visible whether it is palm up or palm down), for the most part, John records an entirely different set of circumstances in Jesus’ life than the other Gospel writers record. John’s account is still the Gospel (like the back of my hand is still my hand), it’s simply a very different perspective.

The main reason for the differences between John and Matthew, Mark, and Luke, is that while in the case of the latter three the writers seem to be presenting the life of Jesus with groups of people in mind, John was guided by the inspiration of God to write with a purpose in mind. He even says exactly what that purpose is: “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30, 31).

So, why should we believe in Jesus? Below is my attempt to construct a list of reasons to believe in Jesus taken from the book of John. While my list is intended to be thorough, I make no claims that it is exhaustive. You’ll note that many reasons are related to claims that Jesus made.  While these claims would not stand alone as evidence, they demonstrate that Jesus’ life was not posthumously rebranded by His disciples. Jesus made profound claims and then demonstrated the reality of those claims both through His works and the many lives He touched. I hope this list inspires you to reread this beautiful account and make a list of your own so that together we may say alongside of Peter, “Also we have come to believe and know that [Jesus is] the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69).

Reasons to Believe in Jesus from the Book of John:

• The witness offered by John the baptizer (1:7, 15, 29-34; 3:31-36)
• Seeing the glory of Jesus through His deeds and teaching (1:14; 13:31-32)
• The grace and truth seen in Jesus (1:17)
• The fact that Jesus was able to see Nathaniel before He met Him (1:48)
• Jesus’ ability to transform water into wine (2:7-11)
• Jesus’ prediction and knowledge of His death, resurrection, and ascension (2:18-22; 3:14-15; 6:61-62; 7:33-34; 8:21, 23; 12:32-33; 13:3, 36; 14:12, 19; 16:5, 16, 22; 18:4, 31-32)
• Jesus’ ability to know what was in man (2:24-25)
• Jesus’ claim to have come from Heaven (3:13)
• Jesus’ ability to offer living water (4:10-14; 7:37-38)
• Jesus’ ability to know all the Samaritan woman ever did (4:16-18, 29, 39)
• The testimony of the Samaritans (4:42)
• Jesus’ healing of the nobleman’s son without even seeing him (4:50), and the nobleman’s witness of faith (4:53)
• Jesus’ ability to heal the lame man (5:5-11), claiming to do so on the basis of His Sonship and equality with God (5:16-23)
• Jesus’ claim to hold the key to life, death, judgment, and the resurrection (5:24-29)
• The multiple witnesses to Jesus spoken of in chapter 5:
• John the baptizer (5:33-35)
• Jesus’ works (5:36)
• The Father (5:37)
• The Scriptures (5:38-39)
• Moses (5:46-47)
• The feeding of the 5000 (6:11)
• Jesus walking on the water and miraculously transporting the boat across the sea (6:19-21)
• Jesus’ claim to the bread God sent into the world and the one who holds the key to everlasting life (6:32-58)
• The witness of Peter (6:68)
• Jesus’ ability to see into Judas’ future (6:70-71; 13:10-11, 18-30; 17:12)
• Jesus’ keen awareness of the timeline of His ministry (7:8; 12:23, 27)
• Jesus’ profound teaching (which was not influenced by any teacher but God) (7:15-18)
• Jesus claiming to be sent by the Father (7:28-29)
• The testimony of the officers of the Pharisees (7:46)
• Jesus’ claim to be the light of the world (8:12; 9:5; 12:35, 46)
• The multiple witnesses spoken of in John 8:
• Jesus Himself (8:14-18)
• The Father (8:18, 26-29, 54-55)
• Abraham (8:56)
• Jesus’ claim, “I am” (8:24, 58)
• The ability of Jesus’ words to make us free (8:31-36)
• Jesus’ claim to proceed forth from God (8:42)
• Jesus’ claim to keep people from death (8:51)
• Jesus’ healing of the blind man (9:6-7) leading to the blind man’s witness (9:35-38)
• Jesus’ claim to help all people to see (9:39-41)
• Jesus’ claim to be the Door and the Shepherd of God’s people and the One who owns them (10:7-16)
• Jesus’ power to lay down His life and take it up again (10:17-18)
• The witness of Jesus’ works (10:25, 32, 37-38)
• Jesus’ claim to be able to offer life to His sheep (10:27-29)
• Jesus’ claim to be one with God (10:30, 33, 36)
• Jesus’ ability to know Lazarus’ condition without being with him (11:11-14)
• Jesus’ claim to be the resurrection and the life (11:25-26) as evidenced by His raising Lazarus from the dead (11:39-44)
• The witness of Martha (11:27)
• The antagonistic witness of the Pharisees (11:47)
• The voice of God from Heaven (12:28-30)
• Jesus’ claim to have been granted authority from the Father (12:47-50)
• Jesus’ claim of going to prepare the Father’s house for believers (14:1-3)
• Jesus’ claim of being the way, the truth, and the life (14:6)
• Jesus’ claim of being a demonstration of the Father to mankind and of being connected to the Father, as proven by His works (14:8-11; also throughout chapters 13-17)
• Jesus’ ability to take our prayers to the Father’s throne (14:13-14; 15:7, 16; 16:23-24, 26)
• The connection between Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit (14:23-26)
• Jesus’ many works “which no one else did” (15:24)
• The witness of the Holy Spirit (15:26; 16:7-15)
• Jesus’ claim of glory before the world was (17:5, 24)
• The witness of the apostles (17:6-8)
• Jesus’ clear claim of oneness with the Father (17:21-23)
• Jesus’ claim of a heavenly kingdom (18:36-37)
• The fact that the enemies of Jesus knew what He claimed about being the Son of God (19:7)
• The incredible way Jesus fulfilled Scripture in the events surrounding His death (13:18; 17:12; 19:24, 28, 36-37)
• The empty tomb (20:1-8)
• Mary’s witness of the resurrection (20:15-18)
• The disciples witness of the resurrection (20:19-21; 21:13-14)
• Jesus’ power to convey the Spirit as He promised (20:22-23)
• The witness of Thomas (20:24-29)
• The miraculous catch of fish (21:5-7, 11)
• Jesus’ knowledge of the future for Peter and John (21:18-23)
• The witness of the apostle John himself (21:24)

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

When Jesus’ command translated “forgive” in passages like Matthew 6:12-15 and Matthew 18:35 is found as a noun in other parts of the Bible, it’s sometimes translated as “remission” (e.g., Acts 2:38) or “liberty” (e.g., Luke 4:18) instead of simply as “forgiveness” (though that word is used too, e.g., Ephesians 1:7). This clues you into the rich meaning behind this word. Built into the noun are ideas such as the full payment or pardon of debts and the release from legal or financial obligations and/or guilt. Also built into it is the idea of a confinement that has come to an end, a liberation from captivity. The verb is even broader in meaning and can carry ideas like sending something away. This reminds me of the words of the Psalmist, “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

If all these ideas are contained in the words “forgive” and “forgiveness,” what would be true of situations where forgiveness has not taken place? Before we received “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7), the Bible describes us as having been subject to the legal ramifications and earned “wages of sin,” namely, “death” (Romans 6:23). It also describes us over and over again as being “slaves of sin” (Romans 6:6, 16, 17-18, 20). Without forgiving and forgiveness, we find ourselves subject to the opposite realities of the beautiful pictures formed by the meanings behind those words. Instead of full pardon and a completely paid debt, we find ourselves owing a debt we cannot pay. Instead of “the glorious liberty of the children of God,” we find ourselves subject to “the bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21). Instead of the weight of sin being removed far away, each of us must say, “my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:3).

Jesus' command to forgive though is not quite the same as the circumstances that led to the forgiveness we received from Him. When we sin against God, neither God nor Jesus are under any obligation to forgive us. This is why translators emphasize that salvation is a “free gift” (Romans 5:15-16). It is different when we sin against each other.

On the part of a person who has done wrong against another person, not much is different. Sinning against God places us in bondage and debt before God, but so does sinning against a person. Jesus' words, “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40) seem to apply to sin as much as they do to the good we either do or fail to do. In fact, many sins against God are also sins against others.

What’s different when one person sins against another is the obligation that is placed on the one who has been sinned against. Jesus’ command to forgive creates an opportunity to respond to sin with sin. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 and 18 demonstrates that our forgiveness before God is directly tied to our willingness to forgive others.

This means that any situation calling for forgiveness creates two sets of chains. These chains bind the offender and offended together, pulling them towards each other. The offender is called to leave his gift “before the altar,” knowing that he can’t even properly worship until he is “reconciled” with his brother (Matthew 5:23-24). The offended is called to “go and tell” the fault he has suffered to his brother alone (Matthew 18:15), escalating the matter to involve others only if this appeal fails (Matthew 18:16-17). Forgiveness requires the offender to seek forgiveness and render whatever fruits are worthy of repentance (cf. Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8). It also requires the offended to seek to offer forgiveness to whatever degree is possible and to be willing to extend forgiveness if/when the offender repents (Luke 17:3-4).

Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness is intended to bring liberty to and restore fellowship between people. Unfortunately, setting it aside has resulted in many tragic pictures of people choosing chains instead of freedom. Sometimes the offended and the offender sit in chains together; the latter sits in the chains of his offense while the former sits in chains created by disobeying Jesus’ command to forgive. Sometimes only the offender sits in chains, not seeking the forgiveness that a Christian is willing to give. And, perhaps saddest of all, sometimes only the offended sits in chains, refusing to forgive “one another, even as God in Christ forgave” him or her (Ephesians 4:32).

How joyous it will be on the day of judgment when people who have forgiven each other and have been forgiven by God stand hand in hand with each other, with all the chains of their past gone and forgotten. How sad it will be though when people who sought God’s forgiveness but failed to seek it from others or extend it to others discover that chains still bind them and will do so for all eternity. Jesus once concluded a parable on forgiveness with these words:

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

In the first century church, gentiles were far more likely to have come from what we would describe today as an “unchurched” background, i.e., a background without any kind of foundation in Biblical faith. For every God-fearing Cornelius (cf. Acts 10:1-2), there seem to have been countless more like the Corinthians who, prior to being “washed… sanctified… [and] justified” by Jesus were “fornicators… idolators… adulterers… homosexuals… sodomites… thieves… covetous… drunkards… revilers… [or] extortioners” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). Jews on the other hand were far more likely to have been “instructed out of the law” (Romans 2:18) and to have come to Jesus from a position of faith in God and in the Old Testament Scriptures.

With that in mind, you can almost imagine the way some first century Jewish Christians might have reacted the first time they heard the material recorded in Romans 1, a chapter which enumerates the many sins of the Gentile world. Knowing nods and hearty amens might have come forth as they heard the chapter conclude, “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32). It may have caught some of those Jews off guard when Paul then said, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things” (Romans 2:1).

Just as Romans 1 had done with the Gentile world, Romans 2 outlines the sins of the first century Jewish world as it existed without Jesus and His Gospel. While people in the Jewish world were not typically guilty of the same sins as their gentile counterparts, they were still guilty: of hypocritical judgment (Romans 2:2-3) and of practices (Romans 2:21-23) that were inconsistent with the Law that they felt themselves to be equipped to teach (Romans 2:20). They needed Jesus just as much as the Gentiles did.

How was it that people to whom were “committed the oracles of God” (Romans 3:2) found themselves unaware of how much they needed Jesus? After all, the law was supposed to be like a “tutor” to bring people “to Christ” (Galatians 3:24). Well, it seems to have been related to the way they read their Bibles. In Romans 3:10-18, Paul draws a series of quotes from the Old Testament (Psalm 5:9; 10:7; 36:1; 14:1-3; 140:3; Isaiah 59:7). These passages constantly reference “they,” “them,” “those,” and “his.” It is very possible that some of those who read these verses heard all of those third person pronouns and said, “Thank God this is not about me.”

After quoting from all of those passages in Romans 3, Paul says this: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law” (Romans 3:19). This implies something very true and very powerful: God never intended for me to read the Bible solely so that I could think of the implications of Biblical teachings and truths for others. No, He intended for me to apply the words first to myself.

Whether it’s the Old Testament or the New Testament, the laws of God do a fantastic job of providing us with “the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). We should never react to receiving this knowledge though by opening our mouth to discuss everyone else who could benefit from this teaching or to discuss why it does not apply to us. No, only one response is appropriate: “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

Praise be to God that while the Old Law had no final solution to that guilt (Hebrews 10:1-4), the “righteousness of God” apart from that Law “is revealed… through faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:21-22). Please remember though that as you read Jesus’ Law, “the Law of faith” (Romans 3:27), that just like the Old Law, it was not written for someone else. It was written for you and for me. It is impossible for Jesus to make you righteous if you already believe that you are. As Jesus said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32).

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

While the core of the Gospel is Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), it wouldn’t really be “good news” (which is what the term “Gospel” means) if there weren’t more to it. From the core proceeds even more good news: we can participate in Jesus’ triumph over death by dying to sin, being buried with Jesus in the waters of baptism, and being raised from those waters to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4). Though baptism “now saves us” from sin (1 Peter 3:21) through Jesus’ blood (Romans 5:9), death still remains a reality (Hebrews 9:27). Perhaps the best news of all then is that Jesus will return, bring the dead back to life (John 5:28-29), and allow the saved to experience His eternal triumph over death (1 Corinthians 15:51-57).

Perhaps more than any congregation in the inspired record, the church at Thessalonica truly struggled to understand the Second Coming of Jesus. At first, they seem to have been afraid that if they died before Jesus returned, they would somehow miss out on the benefits of His return. Even after they overcame that belief, they struggled with the timeline of Jesus’ return, believing that Jesus was coming soon, to the point that some had evidently quit their jobs, perhaps in anticipation for His coming. Over the course of two epistles, Paul worked to correct these understandings and make the fact of the Second Coming the good news God intended for it to be.

The follow is a list of things that can be gleaned from 1 and 2 Thessalonians about Jesus’ Second Coming. While some of this information, particularly Paul’s statements about the “man of sin,” might leave us with more questions, it shouldn’t leave us with any doubt as to the reality of Jesus’ return and its implications for us.

• Turning to God in faith (1 Thessalonians 1:9) involves “wait[ing] for His Son from Heaven… even Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
• Jesus will deliver us at His return from “the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
• Our hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing will be (or should be) our fellow Christians at Jesus coming (1 Thessalonians 2:19)
• Our prayer, like Paul’s, should be that both we and our fellow Christians have hearts that are established as “blameless in holiness” at Jesus’ coming (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
• Jesus will return “with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
• A belief in Jesus’ resurrection should lead us to believe that “those who sleep in Jesus” will be brought with Jesus to be raised from the dead at His return (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
• There is no benefit to being alive at the Second Coming; in fact, the living will not “precede” (go before) the dead to meet Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:15)
• The sequence of Jesus’ coming is as follows:
  • First, Jesus will descend from Heaven accompanied by three sounds: a shout; the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
  • Second, the dead in Christ will rise from the dead and then rise to the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
  • Third, the living will rise to meet Jesus in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
  • This will usher in eternity, when “we shall always be with the Lord’ (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
• The Second Coming is a reality that should bring comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
• The Lord will come “as a thief in the night,” which should lead Christians to be unconcerned with “the times and the seasons” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2)
• The Lord will come unexpectedly, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman (1 Thessalonians 5:3)
• Though the Lord comes unexpectedly, the Day should not catch us off guard (1 Thessalonians 5:4)
• The Day should inspire sober minded preparations and focus on salvation rather than wrath or any fear of death (1 Thessalonians 5:5-11)
• It is right to desire holistic wellness for ourselves and others unto the coming of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
• The Lord will one day be revealed “from Heaven with His mighty angels” (2 Thessalonians 1:7)
• Jesus will punish a) “those who do not know God” and b) “those who do not obey the Gospel” when He returns (2 Thessalonians 1:8) with “everlasting destruction" (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
• Christians shouldn’t fear or anticipate any secretive coming of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)
• Several events will precede the Second Coming of the Lord:
  • A falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
  • The man of sin, the son of perdition, being revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
  • Whatever is restraining the “man of sin” being taken away (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7) leading to the man of sin, the lawless one, being revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
• When the Lord comes, He will consume the lawless one (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
• Salvation at the Lord’s coming is about receiving “the love of the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

I’d venture to guess that most Americans don’t have to give much thought about filling in those blanks; one of our more common cultural sayings is, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” It’s an idiom so often repeated and so seemingly true that, like “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” it may actually be mistaken by some for a Biblical truth. In fact, if you read the book of Proverbs in The Living Bible, a paraphrase created Kenneth Taylor, you will actually find at Proverbs 16:27, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece.” Of course, if you compare Taylor’s paraphrase with any word-for-word translation of the original text, you’ll struggle to see the connection between the Proverb Taylor inserted and the one that the Holy Spirit inspired. Still, when we think of how often idleness causes us to go awry spiritually, we can definitely see the wisdom in this saying.

When we see a statement filled with such apparent wisdom, it’s easy to connect it with God’s wisdom (even if we don’t mistake it for a Bible verse). We might see “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” in the frequent warnings of the Proverbs against being a lazy sluggard (Proverbs 6:9-11; 10:26; 13:4; 20:4; 26:16). We might see “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” as being the motivation for Paul’s command, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10), or as a part of Paul’s statement that the one who “does not provide for his own […] has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). We might see an antithesis to it in the statement, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:22-23). And we might reach the conclusion that, if idle hands are the devil’s workshop, the solution must be busy hands.

I am a big baseball fan. In baseball, once a baserunner takes his base, he has to keep touching the base or he can be tagged out. Every now and then, a fielding player can perform what is called a hidden ball trick. The aim in a hidden ball trick is for the player guarding the base to convince a baserunner either 1) the baseball has been thrown to another base or 2) the umpire has called time on the play. Convinced that the danger either isn’t here or isn’t now, the baserunner steps off the bag, only to realize that the danger was right there all along when he gets tagged out.

Satan, “more cunning than any beast of the field” (Genesis 3:1), loves hidden ball tricks. He knows that we, like baserunners in baseball, will know that there are some dangers in life. In fact, he is very much prepared to allow us to believe that certain things are dangerous. He loves it though when we think that the danger is somewhere else or will only be a problem at some other time so that he can get us “out” of God’s light and into his darkness (cf. 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 2:20-22).

Even though King Ahab was incredibly wicked (1 Kings 16:30), God tried repeatedly to work on both his heart and the hearts of the people of Israel over which he reigned. On one occasion, he was facing almost certain defeat at the hands of Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria/Aram (1 Kings 20:10). A prophet of God appeared though and guided Ahab to three victories over Ben-Hadad and his armies. God was clear what His aim was in doing this: “…and you shall know that I am the LORD” (1 Kings 20:11, 28). As the battles unfolded, it was equally clear that Ben-Hadad was no friend of Israel and no believer in God.

After three successive defeats, Ben-Hadad was humbled. He determined to make an appeal to Ahab to spare his life. Without consulting God or His prophet, Ahab determined to let him live and further to make an economic treaty with him and his country (1 Kings 20:32-34). The prophet reappeared to Ahab, this time disguised as an injured soldier. He told Ahab that on the battlefield he had been entrusted with a prisoner and that his commander had warned him that losing that prisoner would cost him either his life or a talent of silver, an impossible sum for most people in that time to pay. He then lamented, “While your servant was busy here and there, he [i.e., the prisoner] was gone” (1 Kings 20:40a). Ahab had no mercy on him, saying, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it” (1 Kings 20:40b). The prophet then revealed who he was and that Ahab had in fact pronounced judgment upon himself.

Ahab did not have idle hands in this Biblical account. No, like the imagined soldier in the story, he was “busy here and there,” envisioning the cities that could be restored to Israel and the marketplaces he could set up in Damascus. He had no intention of doing nothing, but every intention of not considering God as he did what he thought was best to expand his empire. Like the businessmen of James 4, he “boast[ed] in arrogance,” making plans without considering the Lord’s will (James 4:13-17).

Could it be that the devil has done such a good job of convincing us that idle hands are dangerous that we have not stopped to consider just how dangerous busy hands can be? Could it be that in running from the sluggard of the Proverbs that we’ve forgotten that our resources should have been used to, “Buy the truth,” not some shiny new thing (Proverbs 23:23)? Could it be that while heartily working as Colossians 3:23, we’ve forgotten that “as” is an adverb of comparison? It is impossible to work “heartily, as to the Lord,” if you are too busy with life and your job to work for the Lord at all! Could it be that we are so scared of being someone who has “denied the faith” by failing to provide for our family that we have left ourselves with no time to affirm the faith to our family (1 Timothy 5:8)?

Idle hands are the devil’s workshop… but so are busy hands. Busy hands are not the solution to idle hands; they represent another problem. The Lord wants us to cultivate not idle hands or busy hands but “holy hands” which we lift to Him “without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). May God bless each of us as we seek to cultivate holy hands that know the proper place of work and effort, neither “empty, swept, and put in order” for the devil to take advantage of our idleness (cf. Matthew 12:44) nor too “busy here and there” for the Lord (1 Kings 20:40).  

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

As a parent of four children who at this moment are still young and growing, I’m waging four separate wars that have involved many, many sorties, skirmishes, and outright battles to establish one simple habit: the habit of saying “please” and “thank you.” It’s not helped by the fact that even I struggle sometimes to say these words as I should! These words are often described with the adjective “magic,” and yet in spite of their almost universally acknowledged power, they do not come naturally to anyone.

Why are “please” and “thank you” so powerful? “Please” acknowledges that someone else has something desirable that belongs to them and not to you. That something might be a tangible or intangible thing (like time or effort), but, at the end of the day, the will of that someone must change to come into agreement with your will in order for you to receive that thing. “Please” honors that it is grace, not true necessity, that would effect this change. Once grace has been extended, on the other side of that transaction, “thank you” acknowledges that someone has acted, often with sacrifice, for your benefit rather than his or hers.

When it comes to our relationship with God, “please” comes pretty naturally to us as believers. Though sometimes we can be guilty of not asking for certain things like we should (e.g. James 4:2-3), we typically remember that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,” and find ourselves almost habitually asking for something from God (James 1:17). If we’re not careful, it can be an entirely different story when it comes to saying those other words: “thank you.”

On one occasion, Jesus met “ten men who were lepers” (Luke 17:12). These men might not have been believers in the strictest sense (e.g., Acts 5:14), but they certainly believed in the power and authority of Jesus. They had no problem with the “please” part of the equation, as they said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:13). Even if they did not say “please,” the term “Master” showed Jesus respect,” and “mercy” put the ball squarely in Jesus court. Jesus tested their faith even as He demonstrated His authority; his command to, “Go, show yourselves to the priests” is what they would of done had He already healed them of their leprosy. To their credit, they obeyed, “And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14).

The right thing for the entire group to do at that moment would have been to return with those final two “magic” words, “Thank you,” acknowledging Jesus’ precious gift. However, it seems that nine of them were so excited to go to the priest and get back to their normal lives that they forgot about Jesus altogether. Only “one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan” (Luke 17:15-16). That only one of them returned is an indictment on the group; that this only one “was a Samaritan” is an indictment on all who are believers in the strictest sense everywhere. Jesus said of the Samaritans elsewhere, “You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). This particular Samaritan may not have known what He was worshipping, but at least He knew how to be grateful.

Why was Jesus looking for gratitude, and why is it more than just a common courtesy? According to Paul, before the vast majority of the Gentile world rejected God in favor of sin, there was a time when they “knew God.” However, during this time, “they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful” (Romans 1:21). Do you see how those two things – glorifying God and gratitude – are joined together by Paul? Did you see how they were also tied together in Luke’s account of the healing of the lepers? The Samaritan “glorified God” and then “fell down… giving Him thanks” (Luke 17:15-16). Jesus, commenting on this said, “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:18). Our view of God and His glory is tied to whether or not we have gratitude towards Him.

On top of this, there’s something else incredibly powerful revealed by Luke’s account. Of the ten men who were healed that day, only one heard Jesus say, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19). It stands to reason that though the other nine were indeed healed of their leprosy, their faith (or perhaps lack of it) did not make them well.

Leprosy is a powerful illustration of the corrupting, ruining influence of sin and in fact is frequently used by God for just that purpose. For those of us who have been healed of our sin by the blood of Jesus, we absolutely must live in gratitude. Train yourself to consistently and frequently give thanks to God. As Paul said elsewhere, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Ingratitude is often a big first step away from God and His glory. This means that gratitude is not just for God’s glory (though you cannot glorify God without it!); it is also for your good.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Evangelism and evangelist are loan words borrowed from the Greek language. The etymological components of these words are a prefix that means “good” and a word that means “message” or “news.” This means that evangelism is the telling of good news and an evangelist is one who evangelizes (i.e., tells good news). These words in Greek are tied to one of the more common descriptions of the New Testament found in the Bible. It gets translated as “Gospel,” but it literally means “Good News.” So, since the news is good and the telling of that news is good, it should be a pretty easy thing to be an evangelist, right?

Anyone who has ever shared the Gospel knows that though the message we tell is good, the response we get can be anything but good. “The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one,” John says (1 John 5:19), a state frequently described as “bondage” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:3, 9; 5:1; Hebrews 2:15). Psychologists speak of a condition described as “Stockholm syndrome” which sees captives and hostages come to love the ones keeping them captive. Too many people that live as slaves of Satan are convinced that the Good News of Jesus is worse than the terrible news that fills their lives. When we try to reach out to them with the Gospel, they often bite the proverbial hand that feeds.

When Paul wrote an evangelist named Timothy the letter we now call 2 Timothy, Timothy was afraid. He either was or was tempted to be ashamed of someone like Paul who had been made a prisoner for the sake of Jesus (2 Timothy 1:8). He had to be encouraged to stir up God’s gift and not let fear motivate him (2 Timothy 1:6-7). We can learn a lot about being an evangelist today from Paul’s advice in this short epistle.
Here are some lessons that stood out to me as I read through 2 Timothy. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but I pray that it will be helpful!
 

• Live with a “pure conscience” (2 Timothy 1:3)
• Remember fellow evangelists in prayer (2 Timothy 1:3)
• Long to spend time with fellow evangelists (2 Timothy 1:4)
• Pass faith along in your family (2 Timothy 1:5)
• Don’t bury your talents, but employ them in telling the good news (2 Timothy 1:6)
• Don’t be dictated by fear, but embrace power, love, and proper thinking (2 Timothy 1:7)
• Don’t be ashamed of Christ or Christians (2 Timothy 1:8)
• Allow your beliefs to persuade you and create confidence (2 Timothy 1:12)
• “Hold fast the pattern of sound words” (2 Timothy 1:13)
• Keep what has been committed to you (2 Timothy 1:14)
• Refresh fellow evangelists (2 Timothy 1:16) and zealously seek out opportunities to do so (2 Timothy 1:17)
• Teach faithful men as well as non-Christians to multiply your efforts (2 Timothy 2:2)
• There will be hardship, but we must endure it with the discipline of a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
• There are rules in evangelistic service, just as there are in any athletic competition (2 Timothy 2:5)
• We must partake of what we are trying to plant in others (2 Timothy 2:6)
• Seek the Lord’s understanding and wisdom (2 Timothy 2:7)
• Remember the Resurrection (2 Timothy 2:8)
• Don’t let the Word of God be chained (2 Timothy 2:9)
• Focus on the salvation of others (2 Timothy 2:10)
• Put difficulties in evangelism in proper context (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
• Remind the faithful of our goal and don’t get involved in silly disputes over unprofitable words (2 Timothy 2:14, 16, 23)
• Rightly divide the Word so that you can please God and share it faithfully (2 Timothy 2 Timothy 2:15)
• Be mindful of the cancerous influence of the unfaithful (2 Timothy 2:17-18)
• Embrace your foundation in faith (2 Timothy 2:19)
• As a vessel in God’s house, cleanse yourself from dishonorable vessels (bad influences) and seek to please your Master honorably (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
• “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22)
•  Quarreling is not teaching, so avoid it (2 Timothy 2:24)
• Correct others in humility (2 Timothy 2:25)
• Recognize that the unfaithful and the lost have not come to their senses (2 Timothy 2:26)
• Recognize the times we live in and their difficulty (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
• Don’t have a form of godliness while denying its power in faith or action (2 Timothy 3:5)
• Be prepared to turn away from those who are overtaken by the thoughts of this age (2 Timothy 3:5)
• As you tell good news, others are telling bad news (2 Timothy 2:17-18; 3:6; 4:3-4)
• Don’t be so open-minded that you don’t have any convictions (2 Timothy 3:7)
• Not only Satan but also people resist the truth that we are trying to tell (2 Timothy 3:8-9)
• Follow the lives and teachings of faithful and successful evangelists (2 Timothy 3:10-11)
• Expect persecution (2 Timothy 3:12)
• Expect the world to grow worse (2 Timothy 3:13)
• Pursue and mature in the things you know (2 Timothy 3:14)
• Remember that only the Scriptures can “make you wise for salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15)
• Value the Bible as a God-breathed document (2 Timothy 3:16)
• See the Word of God as all sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
• “Preach the Word!” (2 Timothy 4:2)
• Be ready to tell the good news when people are ready to hear as well as when they are not (2 Timothy 4:2)
• Recognize the need for negative teaching: reprove & rebuke (2 Timothy 4:2)
• Recognize the need for positive teaching: exhort (2 Timothy 4:2)
• Recognize the need for patient teaching (2 Timothy 4:2)
• Be watchful and do the work of evangelism (2 Timothy 4:5)
• Remember the salvation that waits at the end of the journey (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
• Try to be useful to fellow evangelists (2 Timothy 4:11)
• Expect people specifically to harm you, but leave them to the Lord (2 Timothy 4:14)
• Don’t hold the failures of others towards you against them (2 Timothy 4:16)
• Remember that the Lord stands with you (2 Timothy 4:17) and will deliver you (2 Timothy 4:18)

Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

Someone once attended a university level New Testament Greek class and quickly found out that it wasn’t for him. When he told his teacher about his plans to drop the course from his schedule, he added, “I’m just thankful you don’t have to know Greek and Hebrew to get to Heaven!” The teacher then quickly responded, “Well, someone had to know Greek and Hebrew for you to get to Heaven!” Though the teacher was absolutely right, the student was too (and, as someone who struggled mightily with my Hebrew classes, I’m thankful he was!). In His wisdom, God foreknew that humanity would be equipped to receive His inspired words in one language and then, through gifted individuals, translate those words into other languages.

The Bible itself seems to uphold both the process and product of translation. Luke records a time in Jesus’ life when, “as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read” (Luke 4:16). Luke then records the quotation that Jesus’ read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah (Luke 4:17–19). Jesus concluded His reading by saying, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Students of language and its translation know that translation always involves making choices about which words to use and what order to put them in. Many have concluded that the reading of Isaiah here in Luke 4 reflects the type of reading found in Greek translations of the Old Testament that existed during the time of Jesus^[1] rather than a more literal translation of the Hebrew text.^[2] If these individuals are right, either Jesus read from or Luke quotes from a translation rather than the Hebrew text, and then Jesus is recorded as calling it Scripture, i.e., holy writing (Luke 4:21). This means that a good translation is not inferior to the true Bible; it is the true Bible.

Having said that, you might have noticed that for us English speakers, there are a lot of translations out there. It is one thing to say that a good translation is the true Bible, but it is another thing entirely to say that all translations are good. The Bible actually seems to disagree with that second thought. Though there are times when readers of the Greek New Testament genuinely believe that the inspired authors are quoting Old Testament passages from the Greek translations of their time, there are other times when they appear to be giving us a more literal translation of the Hebrew text itself.^[3] Again, if this is true, there are two conclusions we should draw: 1) not every translation is a good translation; 2) it is OK to be eclectic when considering the subject of translation, recognizing that there isn’t always a “one size fits all” approach.

Though it is OK, even good, to be eclectic when making use of English translations, it is also good, even wise, to have just one translation serve as your main Bible for study. How do you go about picking that Bible?

The subject of which English translation one ought to use is one that often stirs up a lot of emotion. I’ve seen denominational church signs before that proudly proclaim, “KING JAMES (1611) ONLY.” These signs trouble me in a few different ways. First, the people in these churches almost certainly do not use a 1611 edition of the King James Version (bring up a copy online and you’ll see why!). Instead, they likely use a late 18th century revision of the King James. Second, by insisting that people absolutely must use one English translation, they are creating an undue amount of reliance on a single set of uninspired translators, and in this case ones who lived over four hundred years ago! Third, they are employing a philosophy regarding Bible translation that differs from the one the Holy Spirit seems to employ. And finally, they are potentially creating barriers between modern audiences and the Word of God. As I will say later, it is perfectly OK to use the King James translation as your main Bible, but, as this sentence composed by Jack Lewis using King James vocabulary demonstrates, it almost requires learning another language:
While “King James (1611) Only” represents one extreme as relates to English translations, it is not the only one. Another extreme would see people reject the King James altogether and unwittingly adopt a modern approach to translation that is not without its problems. Yet another extreme would see people uncritically accept all translations, versions, and paraphrases as though they were the Word of God.

If you’ve gotten this far in this article, I’m going to assume you are not interested in extremes but are interested in choosing a reliable English translation. If that’s true, let me give you two things to think about: 1) the difference in source material (i.e., what to translate) and 2) the different philosophies regarding translation (i.e., how to translate).

A discussion about source material is necessary when you think about translation because we do not have the original, hand-written copies of the text penned by Biblical authors. Instead, in the case of the New Testament, we have literally thousands of copies in whole or part of the New Testament as well as a large number of ancient translations. In the case of the Old Testament, though the manuscript evidence isn’t as numerous and varied, we still have the Masoretic Text (our oldest complete witness to the Hebrew text), the Dead Sea Scrolls (containing portions of the Old Testament), and then a number of ancient translations to consider (including the Greek translations New Testament authors themselves appear to have used).

Usually, when people talk about source material, they are talking more about the New Testament than the Old (though the approach one has regarding source material does have implications for how one translates the Old). And, as relates to New Testament source material, since there are literally thousands of copies in whole or in part of the Greek text (let alone the many ancient translations!) and since these copies do sometimes feature minor variations, some compilation and culling is necessary to form something that can serve as the basis of a translation. The fruit of a compilation and culling effort in this case is an edited edition of the Greek text. Without wading too deep in the water here, there are basically three kinds of edited editions of the Greek text used for translation:
 

• Textus Receptus – A small family of Greek manuscripts passed down in the western world form the foundation of this text. The KJV’s translators worked out of an edition of this text, and the NKJV’s translation committee prioritized a later edition of it when making their translation
• Critical Text – Beginning with Westcott and Hort (two scholars from Britain and Ireland respectively), an effort was made to produce a Greek text that included Greek manuscripts preserved outside of the western world. After they produced their edited text, two other scholars (Nestle and Aland) and one society (the United Bible Society) carried forward their work. To create a critical text, priority is typically given to the older, to the shorter, and then to the more common readings found among Greek manuscripts. Most English translations besides the KJV and NKJV prioritize a critical text edition of the Greek text. 
• Majority Text – Recognizing the danger in simply adopting the older and shorter readings, some scholars began to work to create an edited text that honored what was found in the majority of Greek manuscripts. No major English translation relies on a Majority Text edition of the Greek text, but some Bibles will reference a majority text reading in the margin.^[4] 

There are strengths and weaknesses behind each of the methods employed to form these texts. For example, there are times when the textus receptus almost certainly records something not in the original Greek text, such as the record found in John 5:3 of the angel that stirred the water, allowing the quickest person to the pool to get healed. However, there are other times when a critical text is likely wrong, such as the tendency to reduce to a footnote or bracket the longer ending of Mark. They do this because a couple of older Greek manuscripts don’t have this longer ending, but without this ending, Mark ends with the ominous words, “And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid” (Mark 16:8). That doesn’t sound like good news, does it?

Though I believe its helpful to know all of this (people regularly share “missing verses” articles online that stem from this reality), I wouldn’t advise picking an English translation based on the translators’ preference for the Textus Receptus or a Critical Text. At the end of the day, the Textus Receptus and the various Critical Text editions of the Greek text differ remarkably little from each other and in no ways that are eternally significant.^[5] Instead, I would pay close attention to how a translations’ creators answered the “how” question of translation.

The various “how’s” of translation can be thought of as a spectrum. On one end, there is word-for-word translation. Word-for-word represents an attempt to form as close of a bridge as possible between a word in one language and a corresponding word in another; translation happens at the word level. Thought-for thought translation exists in the middle of the spectrum; it represents an attempt to find a “dynamic equivalent” (a phrase translating committees sometimes use) between a thought in one language and a thought in another. On the far opposite side of the spectrum from word-for-word is paraphrase, a method of translation (if it actually is a translation^[6]) that involves just getting across the gist of what’s being said without careful attention to intended words or thoughts.

I sometimes illustrate this through a greeting I often heard when I lived in Singapore from those with a Chinese background: “Have you eaten?” This greeting is a translation of a Chinese greeting. If the greeting were rendered in a truly word for word fashion, it would be, “eat full already?” This is the kind of translation you would find in an interlinear version of the Bible. Even though it is “word for word” in the truest sense, no major translation reads like this. “Have you eaten?” honors the differences in grammar and syntax between Chinese and English.

When my wife and I were first asked, “Have you eaten?”, it confused us. Did people really want to know about our last meal when they first saw us? It became clear after some time that this was actually just a greeting, the dynamic equivalent of which would be, “How are you doing?” in American English. The rationale of the Chinese greeting as I understand it goes something like this: if you have eaten, you are doing well!

When I responded to, “Have you eaten?”, with a rundown of what I had in fact eaten that day, it typically confused people in return. We sometimes experience something similar in the United States when we ask, “How are you doing?”, and we get a detailed rundown of a person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual health. If I were to paraphrase both greetings in American English, both greetings are really only meant to say, “Hey,” or “Hello.” It’s just a way of acknowledging someone.

Having said all of this, you might think to yourself, “Well, I guess a paraphrase is what I really want in an English Bible, or at least a thought-for-thought translation.” I would really caution against drawing that conclusion though, especially as relates to God’s word. The problem with both thought-for-thought and paraphrase translations is that they really depend on the translator getting the initial message right. Sometimes, translations definitely do not do so! Further, there are times when “How are you doing?” really is a question asking how one is doing, and there are other times when something foreign sounding to our ears really is what the speaker or writer in his context meant to say. While thought-for-thought translations sometimes make good reference tools and paraphrases sometimes express things in a very pithy way, diligent Bible students should try if it all possible to utilize a word-for-word translation. Word-for-word translations force you to see Biblical texts through the eyes of their first audiences, an absolutely vital step in properly understanding them. It is better to pursue understanding as we are each commanded (Ephesians 5:17) than to be totally reliant upon someone else’s understanding.

So, knowing all of that, how should I choose an English Bible? Here are a few things to think about in closing:

• There is wisdom in selecting a commonly used translation, particularly when we are attempting to read Scripture publicly or to study the Bible with others.
• Of the commonly used translations, there are five primary “word-for-word” translations that I recommend: two archaic ones (King James Version [KJV] and American Standard Version [ASV]) and three modern ones (New King James Version [NKJV], English Standard Version [ESV], New American Standard Version [NASB]).^[7] Each of these translations has their strengths and weaknesses. I make no secret of personally using the NKJV, but I value the contributions of each of these Bibles.
• It is wise when picking a Bible to spend some time with it. You can do this through an app, website, church library, or a Christian brother or sister (many mature Christians have multiple copies of their preferred Bible). Once you find a Bible that you understand well, get a paper copy and use it. It is much harder to learn the Bible when you are bouncing around on different translations on an app or website.
• When you pick your Bible, keep in mind the Greek text its based upon and the strengths and weaknesses of that text’s approach. Don’t get embroiled in the “best Bible” debate on the basis of inclusions or exclusions. Instead, study each situation of major textual difference openly and honestly, remembering that no major point of doctrine hinges on these differences (e.g., even in the case of Mark 16:9-20, all of the truths contained in it can be found elsewhere).
• Don’t be afraid to check other translations as you study, especially thought-for-thought ones. As a parent, I have truly enjoyed making use of the International Children’s Bible with my kids and have been very pleased with how it renders most passages. There are likewise some good renderings in the CSB, NIV, and even Bibles more in the realm of paraphrases. While I would not make these my main study Bible for reasons previously discussed, I have found some gems of translation simply by having a look.

 
May God bless you as you pick and ultimately study an English translation!

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

_{[1] These translations are often described by the blanket term “Septuagint” (often written shorthand as LXX). The original Septuagint was the product of an effort undertaken over 300 years before Jesus to translate the Law of Moses (Genesis-Deuteronomy) from Hebrew to Greek. In the years between that effort and the life of Jesus, the entirety of the Old Testament was translated and compiled.  
[2] Whenever the New Testament quotes the Old Testament, scholars compare its quote with both the Septuagint and the Hebrew text. The Septuagint’s translators sometimes appear to have made interpretive choices with various Hebrew phrases that differ from the Hebrew text, so when the New Testament mirrors the Septuagint, it appears that the Holy Spirit both quoted from the Septuagint and upheld the translation choice that was made. An example of this might be 1 Peter 4:18 (Compare it with Proverbs 11:31 which most versions translate from the Hebrew text and also with that same passage in the Septuagint [English translations of which can be found on the internet]).  
[3] An example of this might be 1 Peter 4:8.
[4] If you are a New King James Version reader, “N” in the margin refers to “Nestle-Aland,” “U” refers to “United Bible Society,” and “M” refers to the “Majority Text.” You’ll often see “NU” because the Nestle-Aland and United Bible Society editions often read the same way.
[5] Too much is made sometimes of variations between Greek manuscripts. Most variations are totally inconsequential (word order, word spelling, whether a name in one of Paul’s closing salutations is masculine or feminine, etc.). While there are a few more substantial differences in the many copies of the Bible, no major point of New Testament doctrine hinges on a disputed reading. For example, even if Luke didn’t record the Ethiopian’s confession as some copies of Acts 8:37 read, the realities considered in that confession are all recorded elsewhere.
[6] Some paraphrases are actually based on another English text rather than a Greek or Hebrew text.
[7] The NASB has several editions that differ substantially from others in a few places. Many Bible students that I know prefer the 1995 edition, which was updated and rebranded as the LSB (Legacy Standard Bible).} 

1 Peter was written on the eve of an intense period of trials for Christians. Knowing the future, the Holy Spirit wanted to use Peter’s pen to prepare Christians, many of whom had likely already experienced persecution. 1 Peter 1:1 describes the epistle’s audience as members of the diaspora (“dispersion” in NKJV), a term previously used in Jewish history to describe Jews who had been scattered throughout the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern world by the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires (cf. John 7:35 – “Dispersion” in NKJV). Since a large segment of the audience of 1 Peter seems to be Gentile (1 Peter 4:3-4), it is reasonable to assume that Peter is not referring to a Jewish diaspora, but a Christian one. Christians had already been persecuted, a word which literally describes one put to flight, for over two decades by the time they get Peter’s epistle (cf. Acts 8:1-4; a verb form of diaspora is found in v. 4). It clearly says something about the “fiery” nature of these impending trials that the Holy Spirit felt such a letter was necessary (1 Peter 4:12)

Each chapter in 1 Peter focuses to some degree on the subject of trials. Chapter 1 reminds its readers that they can rejoice in spite of trials (1 Peter 1:6) because of their heavenly home (1 Peter 1:3–5) and the salvation that lies at the end of their faith (1 Peter 1:9). Chapter 2 commends those who “do good and suffer,” following the “example” of Jesus Christ in so doing (1 Peter 2:1 Peter 2:20-21). Chapter 3 therefore encourages its audience to “suffer for righteousness’ sake… for doing good” (1 Peter 3:14, 17). Chapter 4 leaves no doubt as to what lies ahead for its audience: “fiery trials” that would “begin at the house of God,” through which the “righteous” would be “scarcely saved,” forcing Christians to “commit their souls” to God (1 Peter 4:12, 16–18). Chapter 5 provides a note of solidarity as Peter’s audience is reminded, “the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:9).

Though trials seem to be the focus of 1 Peter, it is interesting to note when Peter references “the will of God.” For many people, those two things – trials and the will of God – are very hard to reconcile. If God is all-powerful, all-loving, all-just, and all-good, then why are there trials at all? Early in the letter, when Peter speaks of trials, he says, “if need be” (1 Peter 1:6). However, the Holy Spirit uses “the will of God” to gently guide Peter’s audience to the fact that not only are trials indeed needed; they are in fact “the will of God.”

“The will of God” is found four times in the epistle.^[1] The first mention is the kind of thing that you would expect; it is God’s will “that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15). Likewise, the third mention encourages readers to live “for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2). The second mention though opens the door to connecting the “will of God” and trials: “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:17). The fourth leaves no room for doubt: “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19).

The connection between “the will of God” and trials is challenging. Commenting on the broader question of why evil, pain, suffering, and death exist, one of my teachers once said, “If you have an easy answer to this question, you don’t understand it.” One of the many points of reflection needed though to begin to answer this question can be found in 1 Peter. It’s important to note something that Peter connects over and over again to the concept of the will of God and trials. In chapter 1, it is “the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow” (1 Peter 1:11). In chapter 2, it is the fact that “Christ also suffered for us” (1 Peter 2:21). In chapter 3, “Christ also suffered once for sins” (1 Peter 3:18). In chapter 4, “Christ suffered for us in the flesh,” and Christians “partake of Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:1, 13). And, in chapter 5, Peter claims to be “a witness of the sufferings of Christ” (5:1). Notice a theme?

Christians already know that though the suffering of Jesus wasn’t what God desired (Jesus even passionately prayed against it!), it was overseen by and therefore a part of the will of God. Further, Christians also know that God used the suffering and death of Jesus to work a triumphant victory over both sin and death (Colossians 2:13-15). I think it’s logical to assume that Peter and the Holy Spirit meant for us to connect these thoughts to our own experiences in suffering, particularly when we suffer as Christians for doing good. While we may never know on this side of eternity why we had to endure a particular moment of suffering, we can know that no moment of suffering escapes God’s notice and that, as Paul said, the entirety of what God allows through His sovereign will “work[s] together for good” (Romans 8:28).  

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Have you ever prayed this prayer? While Christians don’t have to identify as fallen sinners (i.e., those of the world who “continue in sin” [Romans 6:1-2]) and instead get to wear the name of Jesus (Ephesians 3:14), I think every Christian with an ounce of humility and a dash of self-awareness knows that if it were not for the covering and cleansing nature of the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7), extended by God in grace (Romans 5:15), we’d be nothing but sinners, “having no hope” (Ephesians 2:12). Yet, as we remind ourselves sometimes in song, we all still feel the need to cry, “Cover me!” It’s a blessing to know that’s exactly what Jesus does.

While the covering of Jesus is all-sufficient, it remains conditional: “If we walk in the light,” John says, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son” effects its wonderous, covering work (1 John 1:7). Part of walking in the light is pursuing the continual aim God has for us “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). It stands to reason that if Jesus gave His lifeblood to cover our sins, those who seek to be conformed to His image should take a special interest in those opportunities that God grants us to cover sins. One of these opportunities is found in both the Old and New Testaments; in 1 Peter it reads, “Love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).  

Before considering Peter’s use of the phrase though, let’s go back to Proverbs where it is first found. It reads, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (Proverbs 10:12). As with many proverbs, there are two lines of teaching that are set parallel to each other to encourage us to make a comparison. Here, it is a comparison by way of contrast. Since we know that hatred is the opposite of love, the parallel lines force us to see the two behaviors of hatred and love as opposites too; stirring up strife is the opposite of covering all sins. Though “all sins” is intentionally inclusive and universal, it is set against the particular sin of strife, which leads us to the first application of the text. We should pause and ask ourselves, “Am I someone who promotes and/or further agitates conflict situations or, seeing the sin present or potential in many conflicts, am I the kind of person who seeks to provide the protection and comfort of peace?”

It’s worth noting before leaving the Proverbs that there are a few things that the context of this phrase also teaches. Like many other readers, I don’t see a contextual flow of thought in many portions of the general section of the Proverbs, chapters 10-29. For the most part in these chapters, it seems like the Holy Spirit is intentionally forcing us to reflect on ideas two lines of parallel teaching at a time. However, that doesn’t mean that we are meant to totally ignore the context, particularly when a word or phrase is used in other Proverbs. Several thoughts can be gleaned from the context by following the word “covers” in Proverbs 10:12:

• The Hebrew word “covers” is found three other times in Proverbs 10, twice before (Proverbs 10:6, 11) and once after (Proverbs 10:18; “hides” in the NKJV). Each time, it is used in a negative sense, which reminds us that not all coverings are good.
• Proverbs 10:18 speaks of one who “hides hatred” with “lying lips.” Hiding hatred is set parallel to spreading slander in this text as a comparable behavior. While the aim of the text might therefore be to help us to see that slander is actually an action of hidden hatred, and while the Bible would in general guide people away from hating souls made in God’s image (1 John 2:9, 11; 3:15; 4:20), it stands to reason that sometimes revealing feelings of hatred is a good thing. This doesn’t mean it’s godly to say, “I hate you”; it means that sometimes we have to discuss the problems making us feel hateful in order to promote love. While these discussions often initially stir up strife, perpetually hiding hatred will never result in Biblical unity or love.
• Proverbs 11:13, 12:16, 12:23, and 17:9 all speak about times when it is good and prudent to cover or conceal (same Hebrew word) certain things you know, particularly the secrets of others.
• Proverbs 26:26 and, more to the point, Proverbs 28:13 remind us though that it is not good to cover up sins. The sin of Achan (Joshua 7) reminds us of the powerful impact that hidden sin can have on others. There is a big difference between “covering” sin and “covering up” sin.  
• When Proverbs 17:9 says, “He who covers a transgression seeks love,” we are reminded that sometimes we shouldn’t bring up a sin again. Given that sin shouldn’t be covered up, it stands to reason that these are those sins that are forgiven. When we don’t bring up sins that are forgiven, we are like God: “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34; cf. Hebrews 8:12; 10:17). When we don’t bring up sins that are not forgiven, we are unlike God: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10; cf. 1 Peter 4:5).

Since Peter is very likely quoting Proverbs 10:12 when he says, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8), all of the above lessons should be a part of our reflection on his usage of the phrase. However, it’s worth noting that Peter was not inspired to include the whole quotation. While the Proverb forces us to think about the opposite aims involved for one who “covers” compared to one who “stirs up,” Peter focuses instead on love itself. He wants to encourage his readers to love fervently, and the phrase “love covers a multitude of sins” provides the reason and rationale (“for” (NKJV) = “since” [ESV] and “because” [NASB]). This usage along with the phrases context provides even more potential points for reflection:

• If we read the text as we should, looking critically at ourselves before we look at others (Matthew 7:1-5), we recognize an important Biblical truth: the frequency and fervency of love that I give does have something to do with whether or not I stand covered before God. Many passages come to mind: “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38); “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7); “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14, 15; 18:35; Mark 11:25, 26).
• Fervent, mutual love creates an environment where people see the reality, value, and strength of discipleship (John 13:35), which leads people to seek and experience the covering power of the blood of Jesus. Love not only lets us be covered; it also sees a growing community surround us of others who are covered.
• Peter’s instruction follows a powerful warning: “The end of all things is near” (1 Peter 4:7). While this phrase could mean several things, it at the very least points to an impending “fiery trial,” a time of judgment beginning “at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:12, 17). While serious, sober, watchful prayers help to protect us in such moments (1 Peter 4:7), nothing covers and protects like the church Jesus created, provided her members love one another.
• Peter follows his quote by saying, “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). This reminds us of two things. First, in order for the covering of love to be real, it has to be really practical. Hospitality is something that culture taught them to apply to strangers (cf. Hebrews 13:2; the word literally means “love of foreigners”), but Peter tells them they have to apply it to one another. It is hard to cover someone in love who has never come under the cover of your roof or you under the cover of theirs. Second, it reminds us of the fact that choosing to cover someone in love is not always easy. In spite of this, we must do it “without grumbling.”

Clearly, there is so much to be gained if we join our God in the glorious work of covering, and so much to be lost if we don’t. When one thinks of our glorious, covering God, it’s helpful to think of Him in contrast with His enemy and ours. Satan, whose very name means adversary, is also described as “the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10). Think about that the next time you become aware of sin in someone else. Do you want to stand before God, speaking about other people’s sins in a vain attempt to lessen the reality and gravity of your own sins, rather than humbly being covered? Or do you want to join Satan in his work of talking about sin and around sin but never talking to a sinner and never trying to get him or her covered? Do you want to be more like Satan, screaming night and day about the sins of others, or more like Jesus, who with tears and blood streaming down His face said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34)?

As it was in the garden of Eden, so it will ever be: follow God, and you’ll be covered by Him (Genesis 3:21). Follow Satan, and you’ll be left naked and bare in sin, trying to cover yourself (Genesis 3:7). Keep following God though, and His love will compel you to join Him in covering others.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

David said, “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97). But what exactly is meditation? To meditate upon the Word is more than simply reading the Bible, memorizing it, or even seeking to understand it. Meditation is where we allow the Word to fill our thoughts as we internalize it and deeply consider its implications for both doctrine and how we live and pursue godliness (cf. 2 Peter 1:3). Unlike the meditation of eastern religions, which involves either clearing the mind or intensely focusing on one thing to the exclusion of others, meditating on the word allows us to move from what the message says to what it really means (cf. Nehemiah 8:8).

There are many, many ways to meditate upon the Word. One way is to try to engage the content of a book in a different way than you might if you were simply reading through it for understanding. One way to do that is to consider one of themes or focuses of that book and view the entire book through that lens. For example, Ephesians frequently discusses the church that Jesus built (Matthew 16:18), which, as Ephesians states, is Jesus’ body. Having noted that the church/body is frequently mentioned in Ephesians as you read the epistle through for understanding, why not try to answer the question, “What does Ephesians teach me about the church?” I recently did so, and created the following list. My list is not intended to be exhaustive; my intention in sharing it is to inspire you to create your own list or to perform a similar exercise on this or another book of the Bible.

May God bless you as you make His Word your daily meditation!

Things We Can Learn About the Church from Ephesians:

• The church is Jesus’ body (1:22-23)
• Since the church is Jesus’ body, being “in Him” or “in Christ” (frequently repeated phrases in Ephesians) is the same as being in the church
• Every spiritual blessing is accessible in the church (1:3)
• The church as a place of spiritual blessing was chosen by God before the foundation of the world (1:4)
• The unique relationship those in the church hold – adopted children – was also a matter of God’s prior choosing and good pleasure (1:5)
• We are accepted in the church (1:6)
• We have a redemption as rich as God’s grace through Jesus’ blood in the church (1:7)
• We are granted the opportunity in the church to abound in wisdom and prudence (1:8)
• We have been blessed to know the mystery of His will, which is also a matter of His prior choosing and good pleasure (1:9)
• The church is a place where all things in Heaven and on earth are gathered together (1:10)
• The church will receive an inheritance, also granted by God’s prior choosing and His will (1:11)
• The church is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise as a guarantee of what will be later received (1:13-14)
• The church is a place of glorious riches and exceedingly great power (1:18-19)
• Since the church is Jesus’ body, it along with Him is exalted above everything else (1:20-21)
• The church’s head is Jesus, not man, and because He “fills all in all” there is no room for sharing the exclusive authority He holds (1:22-23; cf. 2:6)
• In the church, we have been made alive though we were once dead in sin (2:1)
• God desires to one day show the church just how rich His grace and kindness are (2:7)
• The church has been fashioned in Jesus to walk in “good works” which were also a matter of God’s prior choosing (2:10)
• The church is a place where the far off and hopeless have been brought near (2:12-13)
• The church has no walls of separation (2:14)
• The church is a place of unity and peace that sees souls reconciled in its one body (2:15-16; cf. 3:6)
• The church has access by the Spirit to the Father (2:18)
• The church is God’s household (2:19)
• The church is built upon the teachings of apostles and prophets, but is entirely oriented on Jesus, the cornerstone (2:20)
• The church is a holy temple (2:21)
• The church is God’s dwelling place in the Spirit (2:22)
• The church makes known God’s manifold (multifaceted) wisdom (3:10) and demonstrates God’s eternal purpose (3:11)
• The church is a place where we may boldly and confidently access God through faith (3:12)
• The church is a part of the whole, singular family in Heaven and earth (3:15)
• The church should be Christ’s dwelling place and contribute to Paul’s prayer that we would comprehend Christ’s love and be filled with God’s fullness (3:17-19)
• The church is the place of God’s glory for all generations (3:21)
• The church must walk worthy of its precious calling (4:1)
• The church must endeavor to keep unity and peace amongst itself, by being lowly, gentle, longsuffering, and forbearing in love (4:2-3)
• There is only one universal church since there is only one body (4:4)
• The church is the recipient of Jesus’ gifts (4:7)
• The church’s gifts include special roles like apostle and prophet (in the times of the New Testament), and today, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (4:11); these individuals equip and edify the rest of the church (4:12)
• The special teaching roles Jesus gave should work to unity, mutual knowledge, and perfection in the whole body (4:13)
• The church must not be tossed about by the winds of manmade doctrine (4:14)
• The church must speak the truth in love (4:15)
• The church grows up into its head, Jesus (4:15), by the effective working of each part, i.e., each person doing his/her share (4:16)
• The church must therefore not walk like the unsaved do (4:17-19)
•  The church must put off its old life with all of its old behaviors (4:20-23)
• The church must put on the new man which God created (4:24)
• The church must not lie (4:25), allow anger to lead to sin (4:26-27), steal (4:28), speak corruptly 4:29), or grieve God’s Spirit (4:30)
• The church must tell the truth (4:25), handle disputes before sundown (4:26), give (4:28), and speak what is needed to build up (4:29)
• The church must constantly put off negative character traits and put on positive ones (4:30-31)
• The church must imitate God as loving children who walk in love (5:1-2)
• Sinful behavior and speech must be put off in gratitude (5:3-4)
• The church must be careful not to be deceived by “empty words” (5:6)
• The church should have no fellowship with the world as it seeks to find out what is acceptable to God (5:7-11)
• The church should expose darkness and call those who sleep in darkness to wake up (5:12-14)
• The church should walk with circumspection in wisdom (5:15-17)
• The church should not be filled with any alcoholic spirits but with God’s Spirit, living under His influence (5:18)
• The church should seek to be filled with the Spirit by singing (5:19), giving thanks (5:20), and practicing submission (5:21).
• Submissive wives illustrate the church to Jesus, and sacrificing husbands illustrate Jesus to the church (5:22-33)
• Jesus is the Savior of the church (5:23)
• The church is totally subject to Jesus (5:24)
• Jesus gave Himself for the church (5:25)
• The church is cleansed by water and the Word (5:26)
• The aim of Jesus is to present the church without spot or blemish to God (5:27)
• The Lord nourishes and cherishes the church (5:29)
• Members of the church are members of Jesus’ flesh and bones (5:30)
• The church should live differently inside families (6:1-4) and at work (6:5-9)
• The church must equip itself with God’s armor to stand in might against Satan (6:10-17)
• The church should pray “always with all prayer and supplication” (6:18)

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

When God created Eve for Adam, He didn’t simply provide a companion for a single man; He also created an institution that provides all of mankind with a beautiful and enduring picture. God hoped the institution of marriage would prepare mankind for the union Jesus would ultimately achieve with His church and forever provide mankind with an illustration of that union (Ephesians 5:22-33). At its best, marriage mirrors Jesus and the church even as the church, a “kingdom… not of this world” (John 18:36; cf. Colossians 1:13), mirrors Heaven itself.

Satan hates the glimpse that marriage gives us of Heaven. Since the time of that first marriage, he has made every effort first to divide marriages and then, if possible, to see those marriages end in divorce. All at once, divorce seeks to divide “what God has joined together” (Matthew 19:6), destroys the Divine picture God sought to create, and, because of the unique strain and turmoil it brings, very often succeeds in driving a wedge between countless souls and their God. Not only husbands and wives but children, all subsequent progeny, communities, and whole societies are impacted by divorce. Can you see why Malachi records, “For the Lord God of Israel… hates divorce,” and further that divorce “covers one’s garments with violence” (Malachi 2:16)?

In spite of Malachi’s words, some Jews in Jesus’ day felt it was “lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason” (Matthew 19:3; see Mark 10:1-12 for a parallel account). Not everyone agreed with this of course, and the Pharisees saw an opportunity here. If they could get Jesus to weigh in on the debate surrounding divorce, it would guarantee that at least someone would be angry at Him. When they approached Him about it, Jesus simply pointed people back to the beginning, to God’s original design for marriage, adding, “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:6). This was too radical for even the Pharisees; aware of Deuteronomy 24 and its provision for divorce in at least some situations, they asked, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” (Matthew 19:7).

It’s telling to note that while they used the word “command,” Jesus used the word “permitted” (Matthew 19:7-8). Before we got married, my wife and I agreed never to even mention divorce as though it were an option. In cultures plagued with divorce though, I think people do tend to see divorce as an inescapable conclusion of marriage, an inevitable outcome rather than an avoidable choice. Seeing divorce like the Pharisees did (and like many others did and do) colors the way we see its aftermath and consequences.  

Jesus however knew that Moses did not give his instructions because of the inevitability of divorce but, “Because of… hardness of heart.” Further He knew that divorce wasn’t in the original design of marriage: “from the beginning it was not so” (Matthew 19:8). To bring people back in line with God’s original design for marriage, He authoritatively instituted the truth about marriage that would become a part of His New Testament: “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9; though the last phrase is missing in some Greek manuscripts and therefore also in some translations, it’s found in a parallel text recorded in Matthew 5:32).

Some have summarized this passage as well as the remainder of the New Testament’s teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage as follows: marriage involves one man joining together with one woman for one lifetime, with only one exception granting one party the freedom to divorce and remarry. One lifetime should be understood in light of the common phrase repeated in marriage vows (“till death do us part”) as death severs the marriage bond and leaves the living party free to remarry (Romans 7:1-3). The one exception allowing for divorce and remarriage is found in Jesus statement above: “sexual immorality,” not simply “immorality” as in the NASB and better understood as a sexual union taking place outside of the marriage bed (cf. Hebrews 13:4). This one exception doesn’t create divorce; it creates the only justifiable reason for one party who is innocent of sexual immorality to divorce and remarry. Some spouses choose to forgive sexual immorality and keep their marriage together, and, by the grace of God, some marriages do recover from this sin.

If Jesus’ exception sounds incredibly narrow in light of today’s culture of divorce, it should. In fact, it had the same impact on even Jesus’ disciples. I find that a lot of people who seek to reinterpret or ignore Jesus’ words don’t take into account their reaction when reading the text: “His disciples said to Him, ‘If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry’” (Matthew 19:10). Evidently even they had accepted the standard of the day, namely, that marriage had an easily accessed escape hatch that could be used with relatively few consequences. Jesus didn’t shy away from the truth or soften it, saying, “All cannot accept this saying,” and further speaking about some “eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake” because of the truth’s implications (Matthew 19:12).

Though some New Testament Christians have accepted Jesus’ words for what they are, others have seen just how challenging these words are and have tried to find another exception for divorce and remarriage. Some of these people believe they have found one in the words of Paul recorded in 1 Corinthians 7:15: “But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.” These individuals see “depart” as implying “divorce” and “bondage” as referring to marriage or being bound to a spouse, and believe that the verse implies a freedom to remarry.

I want to point out here a few things. 1) Divorce is not something I speak about as an unaffected bystander; I have seen divorce play out in several important relationships in my life. Even though I have not been divorced personally, this truth affects me deeply. 2) Whole books have been written on this subject, debates have been waged, and, sadly, battle lines have been drawn. I don’t expect my little article to solve all of the problems or answer all of the questions people have. However, as I did with Matthew 19 above, I do hope to encourage a simple, contextual reading of 1 Corinthians 7:15 and point out some things that I believe are sometimes overlooked by the proponents of the so-called “Pauline privilege.”

At least two things should influence the way we read everything in 1 Corinthians 7, not just 1 Corinthians 7:15. First, it should be pointed out that 1 Corinthians 7 contains responses to some questions that the Corinthians wrote to Paul about: “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me” (1 Corinthians 7:1). As we read 1 Corinthians 7, we are getting one side of a two sided conversation. I believe we can figure out roughly what the Corinthians asked, but we have to first be aware that there’s a need to try to do so. Second, it should be pointed out that as Paul answers, the information he gives is colored by a “present distress” (1 Corinthians 7:26). Some external difficulty is making marriage difficult (probably Christian persecution), and Paul’s teaching is tailored to that fact.

Starting in 1 Corinthians 7:10, it seems as though Paul is answering a question about Christians being married in this time of distress. To answer this question, Paul was able to turn to the teaching of the Lord we discussed above. Simply put, Paul said, there’s no exception here; the married need to remain married and not allow distance or even seeming abandonment to create another reason for divorce. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11).

But what about when Christians were married to non-Christians? Jews had to leave unbelieving gentile wives in the Old Covenant (e.g. Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah 13:23-31); was this true in the New Covenant? When Paul says, “But to the rest I, not the Lord, say,” we should remember that he goes on to say that he has “the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 7:40) and even later that he writes “the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). Paul, “a bondservant of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1; Titus 1:1) is absolutely not being inspired by the Holy Spirit to put himself above his Master or to contradict Him. Instead, it’s reasonable to assume that Paul is writing about something that the Lord could not have spoken about in His lifetime. The New Covenant did not come into effect until after Jesus’ death (Hebrews 9:16), so the situation of a Christian bound by that New Covenant being married to a non-Christian could not exist, necessitating further teaching through Paul and the apostles.

With that in mind, Paul walks through the situation one step at a time. First, our spouse’s unbelief does not invalidate our marriage, so if an unbelieving spouse is not deterred by a believing spouse’s faith, the marriage should continue (1 Corinthians 7:12-13). Christians should take comfort in the fact that their presence in their marriage brings a sanctifying influence to the marriage and any children it produces (1 Corinthians 7:14).

What if though an unbelieving spouse departs? Note several things about this text: 1) In agreement with the Lord’s teaching, Paul previously said departure was not grounds for divorce and that, in facing departure, Christians should “remain unmarried” (1 Corinthians 7:11); 2) Divorce is not mentioned in this text on either side of the issue (for believer or unbeliever); 3) Remarriage is also not mentioned. And, just as we should use Matthew 19:10-12 to help us understand Matthew 19:9, two important details that follow in the text should influence how we see Paul’s teaching and should likewise be noted: 4) The believer needs to remember that he has been called “to peace” (1 Corinthians 7:15). 5) In the answer given, Paul envisions a way to save an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:16).

As we seek to reconstruct the Corinthians’ questions to which Paul is responding, these considerations might lead us to see the Corinthians saying something like this: “Paul, there’s a distress here in Corinth. Some non-Christian spouses are threatening to leave us if we don’t leave the faith. Even some of us are running away! What do we do?” Paul cuts through the emotions of the issue with some simple logic: “The Lord’s already spoken here: abandonment is not grounds for divorce. If one of you flees, remain faithful and open to reconciliation. If your non-Christian spouse doesn’t make an issue of your faith, don’t make one yourself. However, if he/she throws down the gauntlet and says he/she will abandon you if you don’t abandon your faith, just remember, you are never so enslaved to marriage so as to lead you to cease being a slave of Jesus. God has called you to peace; don’t let it go! Stick with your faith, and you may just win your spouse.”

Even if my reconstruction of the Corinthians’ questions and my paraphrase of Paul’s answer here isn’t correct, I think those who see in 1 Corinthians 7:15 another exception allowing divorce and remarriage should ask themselves the following: 1) Why isn’t divorce or remarriage mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:15? 2) What in Scripture would lead you to believe that marriage is rightly considered to be bondage or slavery? 3) How does divorce and remarriage lead to peace? 4) More to the point, how does divorce and remarriage afford an opportunity to save your spouse?  

Divorce is such a difficult, emotional subject, and the teachings of Jesus that surround it are definitely “hard saying(s)” (cf. John 6:60). In today’s world, I know the temptation can be to try to find ways to soften these teachings to accommodate the many situations into which people get themselves. Let’s remember though, that marriage is NOT slavery or a curse, but a “good thing,” and a way to obtain “favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22). Let’s remember further that marriage as God designed it, not as we prefer it, was created in part to teach us something important about Jesus and the church (Ephesians 5:29-32); it’s bigger than any two people. Let’s therefore commit to supporting those who are struggling with the harsh realities of divorce in prospect or in fact while upholding the important truths revealed by God surrounding marriage.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

“If you want to be perfect,” Jesus told a certain rich young man, “Go, sell what you have and give to the poor” (Matthew 19:21). Sounds like a pretty tall order right? What about when a man wanted to follow Jesus but said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” What was Jesus response? “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8:21-22). That doesn’t exactly sound easy. Or how about when Jesus flat-out promised, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:34-35). I doubt anyone who has ever lived through the kind of family drama that Jesus is describing would call that a light experience.

With these instances in mind (and the many more like them), consider Jesus’ words here: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). The image of a yoke is one borrowed from the farming and agricultural world; it is used synonymously with “burden” and effectively speaks of the overall difficulty involved in being connected as a follower to Jesus. So, how could Jesus speak of the high price of discipleship on other occasions and then describe following Him as “easy” and “light” here?

Before I try to answer this question, let me say this: I don’t believe for a second that Jesus did not understand the stress or strain involved in the challenging instructions he gave to would-be disciples (cf. Hebrews 4:15). When Jesus told the rich young man to sell everything, He spoke as a man who had nothing: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). When Jesus talked about disappointing and even dividing from family, He spoke as a man whose brothers did not believe in Him (John 7:4) and who had prioritized receptive disciples over His family, including His mother (Mark 3:31-35). Jesus practiced what He preached, and He did not do so callously or dispassionately, as a scene from the cross involving His mother highlights (John 19:25-27). There are many reasons besides the cross why Jesus is described as, “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).

So let me offer three things to keep in mind as you try to harmonize “easy” and “light” with some pretty hard instructions surrounding the cost of discipleship. First, Jesus was the master of telling people what they needed to hear in a given moment (cf. Mark 4:33). Even with my (very) limited knowledge, I know as a parent that sometimes my children need different approaches. At those times when they are not taking something seriously, they need for me to take a more heavy handed approach and convey to them how important that thing really is. However, at other times, that same heavy handed approach might crush them. For all the startling statements that Jesus made about the cost of discipleship, Scripture promised about Him, “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench” (Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20). He knew when to startle people with hard truths, and He knew when to gently and positively encourage people.

Second, Jesus sometimes purposefully worked to form a contrast in people’s minds between following Him and following the typical religious leaders of the day. Elsewhere, he said of these leaders, “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders” (Matthew 23:4). As Jesus vented His frustration over His “generation (Matthew 11:16) and the entire cities full of people who did not respond to His works (Matthew 11:21, 23), these leaders and their heavy burdens can’t have been far from His mind, as they had helped to harden the hearts of these dear souls. After thanking God for the receptive few (Matthew 11:25), Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 11:28-30 to as many as will hear: “I am not like the others!” In comparison to the religious leaders of His day, Jesus yoke really was easy and His burden really was light.

Third and perhaps most importantly, the cost of discipleship only seems great when viewed from the wrong perspective. Take the rich young man of Matthew 19 for example. How much did he stand to lose in following Jesus, and how much would he gain by way of comparison? No matter how much money he had, I am certain he did not have all the money in the world. And yet even if he did, Jesus said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). When viewed from the proper perspective, any thing we have to do, endure, or give up for Jesus is a “light affliction” compared to “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

So, while there was definitely a reason why Jesus described His yoke as easy and His burden as light to that particular audience on that day, no matter how you view it, what He said really is true. In fact, all yokes and burdens besides Jesus’ are life-destroying and soul-crushing in comparison. Indeed, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” (Hebrews 12:1), take up Jesus’ yoke, and follow Him.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

It’s quite possible that the ground was still wet with “the blood of righteous Abel” (Matthew 23:35) when God’s question, “Where is Abel your brother?” fell on Cain’s ears (Genesis 4:9). God’s mention of the fact that Abel was Cain’s brother marks the fourth time in the first nine verses of the chapter that this is mentioned, with two mentions in the verse preceding (Genesis 4:8). God will point out this fact twice more before He is finished talking with Cain (Genesis 4:9-10). It is impossible for readers of the text to escape the reality of the relationship Cain had with Abel before “Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him” (Genesis 4:8).

Improper worship, Cain’s choice to offer “the fruit of the ground” (Genesis 4:3) instead of making an offering “by faith” as Abel did (Hebrews 11:4; cf. Romans 10:17), and God’s response to said worship ought to motivate us to investigate carefully how we approach the throne of God. Cain’s anger at God’s rejection and God’s gentle rebuke coupled with a beautiful promise (Genesis 4:5-7), remind us that “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20) and that God’s “commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). The text therefore encourages us to respond with repentance and obedience rather than anger and disobedience when God’s word differs from our own thoughts, opinions, and actions. The fact that anger led to murder illustrates why our Lord connected the two and encouraged us to avoid both through love (Matthew 5:21-22; Romans 13:8-9).

These lessons and many more could (and should) be extracted from the text. However, to ignore the contrast between Cain’s actions and his relationship with his brother is to ignore perhaps the most obvious feature of the text. Cain’s words, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9), stand out in stark contrast not only to his behavior, but to the six affirmations in the context that Abel was his brother. Disobedience is wrong, as are anger, murder, and lying. But there is something especially wrong about what Cain did – something so wrong in fact that a God Who authorized the death penalty for murder in every epoch of time (Genesis 9:6; Leviticus 24:17; Acts 25:11; Romans 13:4) chose not to use it but chose instead to allow Cain to live a marked, cursed existence for the rest of his life (Genesis 4:11-15). As Israel’s sin caused it to become “an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword” (Deuteronomy 28:37), so too did Cain become a living testimony to the evil of fratricide.

Connecting the lessons of this powerful account to Christians today begins first by reflecting on the answer to Cain’s question. Was Cain his brother’s keeper? Some who have studied the word translated “keeper” have discovered that in terms of a legal requirement, the answer is no; as far as we can tell, man was never given a command regarding his fellow man involving any form of the word “keeper.” We have no way of knowing for sure whether or not such a command existed during the patriarchal dispensation in which Cain lived, but the fact that he asked the question seems to confirm that he believed the answer to be no.

Interestingly, while man was never commanded to be a “keeper,” the Bible regularly affirms that God is one. Possibly the greatest affirmation of this fact is Psalm 121, where God is said either to be a Keeper or to keep six times.^[1] It is impossible to know whether Cain thought of God this way or not, but the conclusion is clear and powerful: whether he intended it or not, both Cain’s question and his behavior said to God, “I am not like you. I am the opposite of you.” Whereas God would “neither slumber nor sleep” to keep His servants – His family – “from all evil… from this time forth, and even forevermore” (Psalm 121:4, 7-8), Cain walked with his brother into a field and murdered him. When God sentenced Cain to a cursed existence rather than to death, He provided man with living proof of the foolishness of behaving so contrary not just to God’s will but to His nature.

While fratricide is not unheard of today, many of us would recoil at the thought of killing kin even without hearing about Cain (and, inversely, if we were tempted towards this sin, Cain’s story by itself would probably not dissuade us). In fact, if we believe that one of the thirty-nine books written for our learning (Romans 15:4) included this account simply so that we would know that killing a sibling is a bad idea, we have probably missed Moses’ point. Jesus expanded the scope of application of this account by bringing the blood of Abel down on the heads of those who would persecute anyone righteous (Matthew 23:34-36; Luke 11:47-51). Let’s connect the dots and go a step further.

While behavior can be understood as black and white, right and wrong, etc., on either side of the line of God’s will, behavior should also be considered to exist along a spectrum on either side of that line. Consider Ephesians 4:28: “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” Without a doubt, one has done well not to steal but to work instead. However, true progress towards godliness – God-likeness – has not been made until one learns to give as God gives (Matthew 5:43-48). To borrow from the image Jesus paints, one has not truly and fully differentiated himself from those who persecute the righteous until he gives, even to his enemy.

Do you see the point? Brother killing and brother keeping exist on a spectrum just as stealing and giving do. I have not learned the lesson of Cain until I have learned to emulate my guardian God.

While killing my brother may be quite an unnatural thought, so too is keeping my brother. This isn’t necessarily because we don’t understand family love; it is because as a Christian my brothers are those “who hear the word of God and do it,” not those who share my birth or adoptive mother (Luke 8:19-21; cf. Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35). Some of us come to Christ knowing how to love our physical family, but God calls us to develop those feelings towards His church. It’s crucial to our faith to learn how to become a brother’s keeper.

Paul said, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love” (Romans 12:10). In the language behind the text, Paul uses the word for emotional love twice, each time compounding it. The first compound word in the order of our English text (“kindly affectionate”) takes the Greek word for emotional love (philos) and connects it with the word for natural love (storge). The second compound word (“brotherly love”) takes emotional love (philos) and combines it with the word for “brother” (delphos). The teaching is simple but profound: Paul tells us to take the image of a healthy, caring relationship between two siblings and apply it to our brethren in Christ until it becomes natural.

Loving my brothers in Christ like members of a family love one another is not enough. Jesus said our love is not perfect until it is like God’s (Matthew 5:48). To learn how to be a brother’s keeper, I must model myself after my Father.

Turning back to Psalm 121 seems like a good place to start. Learning about Israel’s Keeper provides me with some wonderful points of reflection as I strive to be a keeper myself. Read the text and ask yourself some questions: 1) Have I allowed my brother’s foot to slip from the faith (Psalm 121:3a; cf. Hebrews 2:1)? 2) Have I slept while my brother is asleep to Christ and His light (Psalm 121:3b-4; cf. Ephesians 5:14). 3) Have I provided shade to the weary in my church family (Psalm 121:5-6; cf. James 5:20; 1 Peter 4:8)? Have I protected my brother’s path and made His way easier, or have I passed by on the other side (Psalm 121:7-8; cf. Luke 10:25-37)?


Am I my brother’s keeper? Maybe that’s the wrong question. Instead, we should be asking, “Am I becoming a keeper like my God?” May God bless us as we put the example of Cain behind us and walk towards the example of our God.

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4). It is so easy to intellectually know this and to still be incredibly anxious over the prospects of your future. In no previous era has the average person been so aware of the macro situation, i.e., the big picture state of one’s country and the countries of the world. At the same time, in no previous era has the average person been so aware of his own micro situation, i.e., how the overall economy affects his employment prospects, his vital statistics (blood pressure, medical conditions, etc.), local crime rates, and so on. Saturated by negative news, it’s hard to keep sight of the Gospel, the good news concerning Jesus Christ.

If you believe though that Jesus brought answers to life’s greatest problem, sin, then it stands to reason that He would also have some answers regarding life’s many lesser problems. In fact, there are many passages in the Bible that provide potential help with fear and anxiety. One that immediately comes to mind though is a text that actually discusses anxiety, written by a man who had every reason to be afraid. Paul knew from the word go “how many things he must suffer” for Jesus (Acts 9:16). Widespread travel gave him a macro picture of a powerful but corrupt government that was growing more and more antagonistic to the faith he preached, and on a micro level, he was able to say that he stood “in jeopardy every hour,” and further, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:30-31). Either of those perspectives would bring anyone anxiety, and yet from a Roman prison he wrote encouraging the Philippians to “stand fast in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1), offering five incredibly helpful pieces of advice for combatting fear and anxiety.

After telling the Philippians to stand fast, Paul immediately encourages two sisters among them to stand together. Euodia and Syntyche are both active in the church; Paul describes them as women “who labored with me in the gospel” (Philippians 4:3). At the same time, Paul has to beg them, “be of the same mind in the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). From this very personal message, we can extract our first piece of advice: to overcome fear and anxiety and stand fast in the Lord, you have to stand together with your brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s sad how many Christians forget that the greatest tool God has given them to overcome the world apart from Jesus’ Gospel and its powerful salvation (Romans 1:16-17) is the body of Jesus Christ. A journey through 1 Corinthians 12 ought to be enough to convince anyone that it is foolish to do anything but draw as close as you possibly can to your brothers and sisters. Having “the same mind,” i.e, the mind of Christ (Philippians 4:2; cf. 2:5) helps.

Paul then offers the simple exhortation, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). You remember the hymn right? “If the skies above you are gray, you are feeling so blue; if your cares and burdens seem great, all the whole day through… sing and be happy today.” That’s probably the last thing you want to be told if you are anxious and afraid, and yet it might be exactly what you need to do, since James tied the two together: “ Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms” (James 5:13). Specifically, you need to reflect on the words of another hymn: “When upon life’s billows, you are tempest tossed; when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings.” Fear and anxiety typically overwhelm us when they convince us that everything is wrong or that what is wrong is what matters most; to overcome fear and anxiety, we must focus on the never-ending power of what is right. There is “always” a reason to rejoice when you are “in the Lord.”

Paul’s next words may seem out of place in a set of prescriptions for fear and anxiety: “Let your gentleness be known to all men” (Philippians 4:5). That is, until you reflect upon what these words require. Fear and anxiety represent inward facing emotions; they cause us to dwell upon how things have affected, are affecting, or might affect us. To overcome fear and anxiety, our inward focus must become an outward focus. We have to think about how we can affect our circumstances instead of how our circumstances can affect us. Do we project the gentleness of God’s love, or the fear that God’s love should have already cast out (1 John 4:18)?  

I wonder if “The Lord is at hand” in Philippians 4:5 might be better suited to stand next to the central instruction that follows Paul’s encouragement to stand fast: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Instead of envisioning ourselves as drowning in our problems, we should see the Lord near us and act in a way consistent with that powerful truth. Yes, to overcome fear and anxiety, we must take advantage of our Lord and Mediator and pour out our hearts before God in prayer. The peace of God can then come to rest upon our unburdened hearts as we remember Jesus is the Christ, and Christ means king. It’s interesting how this is one of those times where Paul puts Christ first in the text; it’s powerful to remember that regardless of what is making us anxious, Jesus is Lord and King over this too.

Paul closes out his encouragement to stand fast by reminding the Philippians that their minds are gardens and that gardens must be cultivated. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Negative thoughts are like eight track tapes (an audio format that was designed to play on a continuous loop) in that they play over and over again in our heads. To overcome fear and anxiety, we have to consciously replace negative thoughts with thoughts that pass the test of this text. It might help if, every once in a while, we turn off or tune out the doomsayers on both sides of the news media spectrum and find some news consistent with the good news of Jesus and dwell upon it. I promise, it’s out there.  

Fear and anxiety are powerful (as are the many forces that motivate them), but who is prepared to say that either they or anything is more powerful than the Lord? Don’t let the floods of life convince you that are is any danger to those who have built their lives “on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-27; cf. 1 Corinthians 10:4). Indeed, “stand fast in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1).

-Patrick Swayne  
patrick@tftw.org