The Chosen Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 3

Here again we find another episode, which makes it 3 for 3, where no event in the chosen is drawn from Scripture. There are, however, things that are helpful in understanding the background of the times. But this episode is entirely fictitious and should be understood as such.

Biblical- What We Find in Scripture

• Nothing

Unbiblical- What Contradicts Scripture

• Nothing

Extra-biblical: What Is Made Up but Doesn’t Contradict Scripture

• The opening scene where Jesus is praying. I thought at first that this might be a flash forward to the garden of Gethsemane, but it was in fact not. This scene is not only made up, but may be unhelpful. We are often told that Jesus withdrew from the crowd to pray. This often seems to be a restful and peaceful thing for Jesus. While the garden prayer before his arrest was excruciating, but most of Jesus prayer times seem to be life giving. This opening scene seems to be a trying time of prayer rather than a joyful time of communion with his Father. The second

• The scene where a girl named Abigail stumbles into Jesus camp. The following scenes with Abigail and her family are not found in scripture.

• All of the scenes of Jesus in his camp are not found in Scripture, including the visits of children to see him.

• Jesus quotes Is. 61:1-2 to the children at his camp in one of the scenes. Jesus did apply this verse to himself in Luke 6 when he was rejected in Nazareth after his baptism and temptation. It is not impossible, nor even unlikely, that he used this verse to refer to himself at other times. However, this instance is not found in scripture.

Helpful: What We Might Be Helpful To the Watcher

• Jesus care and affection for children in a day when children were not valued in society is contextually helpful in understanding Jesus interaction with children in Scripture.

• When the larger group of kids leave the camp of Jesus talking about who he is, one girl says that he is a prophet. One of the other children says that there are no new prophets. When Jesus comes on the scene, there has not been a prophet in Israel for over 400 years, with the exception of John the Baptist. The people were living in a time where they had not heard from God in a long time.

• Jesus’ instruction to the children is drawn on Scripture, and might even reflect some things that Jesus taught later, but none of it is direct discourse from Jesus teaching in the gospels.

Dangerous: Things That Have Been Added That Might Be Dangerous to Accept as Fact

• Nothing

The Chose Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 2

Here is my second attempt at an episode guide. It is meant to be a summation of the episode and will not make sense if you haven’t watched.

Biblical- What We Find in Scripture

• James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus were disciples.

• It still remains true that Nicodemus was a pharisee, Peter a fisherman, and Matthew a tax collector.

• Other than these facts, all of the events of this episode are fictional.

Unbiblical- What Contradicts Scripture

• The details of Mary’s exorcism, as she interacts with Nicodemus, seem to be chronologically incorrect. She and Nicodemus both call her exorcism a miracle, and so it was. However, Jesus first miracle is the turning of water to wine in Cana of Galilee. When Mary, his mother, asks him to make wine he states that his time has not yet come. John also indicates that this was the first of his miracles. (John 2:1-12) Note: As the chosen seems to be jumping around chronologically, it is possible that I am simply not understanding their timeline.

Extra-biblical: What Is Made Up but Doesn’t Contradict Scripture

• A boy in Chinereth in Galilee asking about the Shabbat (aka Sabbath).

• Matthew’s visit with the Roman prefect Quintas and, as stated in the previous episode guide, the tax debt of Peter.

• The “pub” scene of Peter and his friends.

• Nicodemus being called before some called the “Av beit din”, which means “father of the court,” regarding the healing of Mary Magdalene. Including the investigation of Nicodemus into the healing of Mary Magdalene.

• Peter and Andrew’s investigation of fishing on the sabbath, including the interaction about Peter and his wife. There is nothing in the gospels about Peter’s wife. We know she existed because of Peter’s healing of his mother in law.

• At this point, anything including the characters Quintas or Gaius is fictional. He is not a biblical character.

• Matthew’s broken relationship with his father.

• Nicodemus interaction with Mary Magdalene, including the name “Lilith” used for her, regarding her no longer being demon possessed.

• We are not introduces to James the son of Alphaeus or Thaddeus until they are called to be disciples. Even at that point, they take up very little space in the gospels. It seems later in the episode that Jesus has already called them to be his disciples.

• Jesus arrival at Mary Magdalene’s for a Sabbath meal.

Helpful: What We Might Be Helpful To the Watcher

• The opening scene helps to provide background on Sabbath observation of the Jewish people.

• Mary’s gratitude is well depicted. While we do not have the details of her exorcism recorded in Scripture, she does choose to follow him. No doubt this following included gratitude.

• I’m going to put something about Nicodemus in this category because everything we have seen about him at this point is made up, yet what Scripture does reveal about Nicodemus shows that he seemed to have been genuinely curious. Ultimately we see him come to follow Jesus, though we do not know at what point that happened.

• The little history we get from Nicodemus about Antiochus and the Hasmonean dynasty is historically accurate even if the conversation between him and his wife is fictitious.

Dangerous: Things That Have Been Added That Might Be Dangerous to Accept as Fact

• Nothing

Anachronisms and errors- Things that are out of place regarding the time, etc.

• The Roman prefect’s office contained windows with clear glass. Clear glass wasn’t likely readily available at this time. If there was glass windows at all they would likely have been translucent

• This may be silly, it appears that Nicodemus, in a made up scene, is writing in Hebrew from left to right. Hebrew is written from right to left.

• Wax candles would unlikely to have been used, and if they were they would not have been as well formed as they are. Small clay lamps used for burning oil would have been primarily utilized.

• Dogs were not pets and not looked well upon. It is unlikely that Matthew would have been willing to throw food to the dogs.

• A woman would not have been likely to lesd a shabbat meal in the way Mary Magdalene does in this episode.

The Chosen Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 1

I have to admit that I have not watched much of the chosen. In fact as I write this I have seen a total of 4 episodes. Three episodes from Season 4 and one episode from season 1. Those who know me know that I have concerns about putting the scripture into a video format. But often those concerns aren’t for the reasons that people expect.

I don’t have much concern about what is imagined in the settings of the places and events that happened. This is actually what narrative invites us to do. To imagine the sights and sounds of what was going on is part of reading narrative. The parts of Scripture that recount historical events, aka narrative, are calling us to picture what happened as the stories of God’s faithfulness are recounted.

What concerns me is that when we put something into a media like film, and when those things that we imagine, or our interpretations of Scripture, are untrue, then we can be prone to accept those as fact.

Please understand that I am not automatically writing off the media of film. I am saying that there is no substitute for Scripture. God could have sent his Son at any time in history. He could have had the life of Jesus recorded in film. He chose to send his Son at the exact right time, as seen in Gal. 4:4, and that God chose to have his Son’s life recorded in writing, not in film. For this reason we do well to pay closer attention to the written Word of God than we do to films about it.

So this guide is not an attempt to bash the Chosen, nor do I have an axe to grind. But since the chosen has become so widely watched, and even appreciated, I thought I would watch my way through it and give us a guide to be able to compare what we see in The Chosen to Scripture. I will use 6 different categories as I go, and I will cite Scripture where I can.

Those categories are as follows:

• Biblical- What We Find in Scripture

• Unbiblical- What Contradicts Scripture

• Historical- What Helps us Understand the History of the Time

• Extra-biblical: What Is Made Up but Doesn’t Contradict Scripture

• Helpful: What We Might Be Helpful To the Watcher

• Dangerous: Things That Have Been Added That Might Be Dangerous to Accept as Fact

What I write in each of the categories will be bulleted with short answers. My goal isn’t to write at length. Rather, my goal is to help you understand. I don’t know if there will be something in every category from every episode. In fact, I would hope that the “unbiblical” and “dangerous” categories would be rarely used, ideally even never used. But I will leave them in just in case.

My plan is to try and release one episode guide per week. I hope that it may help you to better understand the true Word of God, the Written Word (Bible) and the Living Word (Jesus).

So, with no further ado, here is the first episode guide.

S1, E1 episode guide

Biblical- What We Find in Scripture

• Mary Magdalene was Magdala, that is what her name means.

• Mary Magdalene was demon possessed. (Lk. 8:2)

• Nicodemus was a pharisee, and likely the primary teacher in Israel. (Jn. 3:10)

• Matthew was a tax collector. (Mt. 9:9)

• Simon-Peter and Andrew were brothers. (Mt. 4:18-19)

• Simon-Peter was married and lived in Capernaum. (Mt. 8:14-15)

Unbiblical- What Contradicts Scripture

• Nothing

Historical- What Helps us Understand the History of the Time

• While extra biblical, it is true that tax collection districts, purchased by people from Rome, were called a publicany. This term is used early on. A tax collector was then called a “publican.”

• Jews who took up tax collection were despised by the Jews. The porter who transports Matthew is extrabiblical, his fear that he would be ostracized from society is historically accurate.

Extra-biblical: What Is Made Up but Doesn’t Contradict Scripture

• Mary Magdalene’s interaction with her father as a young girl outside their tent.

• Mary Magdalene’s attempt to “kill someone”

• The stopping of Jewish fishing on the Sabbath, including the scenes in the local synagogue.

• The Romans Gaius and Quintas are not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. Almost no Roman leader is.

• Matthew’s porter.

• Simon’s fight and that the man he was fighting with was his wife’s brother.

• Mary Magdalene’s behavior while being possessed and any attempt by Nicodemus to exorcise those demons from her, as well as his later conversation with his wife about those events. (Michael and Gabriel are the only two angels named in Scripture besides Satan. Nicodemus naming of two other angels is probably drawn from tradition, but it is not drawn from Scripture.)

• Mary’s interaction in the local “pub,” for lack of a better word.

• Mary’s cliffside contemplation of suicide and the bird that she then follows. It is possible that this is an allusion to the Holy Spirit.

• Matthews interaction with Simon and Andrew, including Simon and Andrews tax debt and their arrangement to have their debt forgiven.

• Mary Magdalene calling herself “Lilith.” Lilith is the name of a figure that is theorized by some to the be the first wife of Adam.

Helpful: What We Might Be Helpful To the Watcher

• How despised tax collectors were, even to the point that any association with one would ostracize someone in Jewish culture.

• The strict legalism and perfectionism of the pharisees.

• Nicodemus statement regarding the demons that “Only God himself could have drawn them out.” This point to the reality that Jesus is God when he Mary later. While all of this is made up, it is an attempt to show that Jesus is “God himself.”

• The contrast between the compassion and power of Jesus, and the fear and inability of the pharisees.

• The Compassion of Jesus toward Mary.

Dangerous: Things That Have Been Added That Might Be Dangerous to Accept as Fact

• Nothing

What Counselor Wait Lists Can Teach Us About Relationships

It has been quite a while since I posted anything to our blog…but for the 2 or 3 of you who actually read these, I hope you enjoy! This will be quite brief, but it is something that I have been thinking about lately, so I thought I would share.

Disclaimer: In a previous post, I expressed my opinion that counseling, which is incredibly popular today, can be helpful when it is done with the hope of the gospel. And while I think there is much in counseling and therapy that can be helpful, it can also be dangerous in the cases where it is contrary to biblical truth. I say this because I know that there are a lot of strong opinions about the benefits and value of counseling out there, and I simply want to go on record stating that I neither wholly discount nor wholly endorse all aspects of counseling.

Now to the point. I recently helped someone get in to see a counselor, and the wait was long. I have heard this from several people in recent days. And if I recall properly, this started during Covid. We all got locked up in our homes, isolated from one another, hyped up by the media to be over-afraid and/or under-concerned, etc., etc. The need for counselors is still at an all time high, wait lists remain long, and people aren’t getting the help they want/need as soon as they would like.

Here is what is so fascinating to me about all of this. We are more connected than we have ever been, we have more information at our fingertips than we have ever had, and yet we are seeking out help from people. You can look up a wealth of information on the internet about whatever ails you, more information in fact than your counselor has ever read. If you suffer from anxiety, you can find entire websites that are thoroughly devoted to helping you. This is profound! And I think it has some incredible implications for our lives.

Why is this important? Because we were made for community, not isolation. We were made for relationships, not information. We can see this is in so many ways in the Bible and our own experiences every day. Whether with Israel in the Old Testament or the Church in the New Testament, God has gathered his people into communities. Articles abound about the terrible effects that isolation during Covid caused to people. We were made for community and there is no way to escape this.

Here is the problem we all face, however. In our information age where we all carry devices in our pockets that can give us a wealth of information at any moment, anywhere…we have started to believe that information can do what God designed relationships to do. Information is important, and in our age there really is no excuse as to why we cannot or should not be informed. However, God has given relationships a special place in our lives.

I would encourage everyone, especially those who call Trinity where I pastor their home, to have 3 communities. The first community is a worshipping community, and by this I mean a church. Gather together with your church each week to hear God’s Word preached and to respond in song and prayer…and do it with others. The second community is a relational community. Here at Trinity we call these Growth Groups. This is a community of people who meet in homes to care for one another, pray for one another, study God’s Word together, etc. This is a community where we know each other, and are known, at a much higher level. And lastly we should all have a personal community. This is the 3 or 4 people who know you best. Who can speak truth into your life even when it is hard to hear, the people who can call you out and you will listen to. These are the people who will laugh with you, cry with you, celebrate with you, and even say the hard things.

To be clear, God has given us both. There is a wealth of information for us in God’s Word. God has always communicated with his people, and if you know me, you know how important I believe God’s Word to be. But God also gave us his Son and his Spirit, both of whom we can have a real relationship with through faith. Whenever and however we get to enter eternity, for those is us who believe we get to be with God forever. For sure we will have his Word forever, but more than that we will be with him forever.

So where and how do you cultivate community in your life? Where is your home church? Does your home church know you? Are you connecting deeper than just showing up on Sundays? Do you cultivate relationships where people can help you follow Jesus closer and better?

I pray that you may know the joy of being part of the relationships for which you were created!

Israel and the End Times...What Should Christians Think?

I was supposed to be leaving today for a trip to Israel, instead I found myself scrolling through YouTube as there is a now a war in Israel that means I can’t go. This morning’s trip through YouTube revealed several thumbnails of pastors and other believers that I follow making statements about how the end is near, and Christians should be looking out for the return of Christ. I thought with all the noise that we are hearing these days, I should probably briefly weigh in on the matter.

End times theology, called eschatology, is complex and detailed, and if theologians are honest, filled with the unknown. The reality is that we don’t know what the future holds, though some things that will happen in the future are revealed to us. So what are Christians to think with all that is going on in Israel right now? I’d like to try an answer that question…maybe with some untypical answers. My intent here is to be brief, and as such I won’t be very detailed. But I will do my best to be biblical. You should weigh these things against Scripture and see if you can come up with some answers, but may be I can get the ball rolling.

Here are the questions I would like to address:

• What will be the signs that we are near to Jesus return?

• What needs to happen before Jesus removes the church from the world (a.k.a. rapture)?

• Are we in the end times now?

• Should Christians be in support of the state of Israel?

• Does Jesus know when he will return?

What will be the signs that we are near to Jesus return?

If you are curious about this, then you are not alone. And I would refer you to the gospel of Matthew, particularly chapters 24-25. In Matt. 24:3, the disciples ask Jesus the same thing. How will we know when you are coming back to set up the kingdom? At Jesus first coming he was full of grace and laid down his life, but the disciples wanted to know when he was going to come and establish order. When there is disorder and chaos in the world, when tragic things happen like what has gone on in Israel over the last week, we often wonder when Jesus will come and establish order. Jesus doesn’t tells us, but he does tell us what to look for.

He uses a couple different analogies, that of the pains of childbirth and of vultures circling. What does Jesus mean by using these two analogies? I think what he is trying to communicate is that while you cannot pinpoint the exact time, you can see some signs of what is coming. As many a mom knows, you can get pretty close to a due date, but when that baby is actually coming is anyone’s guess, unless a doctor has scheduled induction. So how do you know when the baby is on the way? When the contractions begin. In a very different analogy, Jesus mentions vultures. When you see vultures circling, you can be sure that something there is dead. Where exactly is the corpse? Usually that is unknown, but the very presence of circling vultures can tell you that something happened near there. Jesus uses these two pictures to show us that we can see some signs that something is coming, but pinpointing the exact time is impossible.

Jesus then goes on to give us what the signs are that we should be looking for. He lists, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, persecution, false prophets, people turning away from the faith, an abomination that is to take place in the temple according to Daniel, and a great tribulation…and even that is not an exhaustive list. Sadly, as Jesus begins to list the things to watch for, in verse 8 of Matt. 24 he says that all of these signs are just the beginning.

Christians can expect the start of the end times to be chaos, lawlessness, and godlessness. It’s not a very good picture, but in the middle of it all Jesus says “See that you are not alarmed…” (Matt. 24:6). Even when it looks like a mess down here, he is in control!

What needs to happen before Jesus removes the church from the world (a.k.a. rapture)?

There are many views in Christian theological circles about when the church will be removed from the world and taken to heaven to be with the Lord, the big debate is on when. In order to be brief, and I would again encourage you to look at the books of Matthew and 2 Thessalonians for yourself, I would say that the answer is nothing. Nothing needs to happen in order for Jesus to return. The Bible has a clear theme in it that believers should be ready for Jesus to take them to heaven at any point! The parables of Matthew 25 are all Jesus’ illustration of this truth, be ready to go, for Jesus could come for you at any time!

At this point, some may ask, “Didn’t you just say that Jesus wasn’t returning until after a bunch of things happen?” Yes, and no. There are things that need to happen before Jesus is going to come and set up his kingdom on earth, and that comes at the end of the tribulation. At the beginning of great tribulation he come for you and me, and that may come at any moment. Jesus wants us all to live today like he is coming to get us today!

Are we in the end times now?

This is always the big question that people want to know…are we living in the end times? The only honest answer is this: I don’t know. If anyone else tells you otherwise, I would encourage you not to listen to them too closely. Why would I make such a strong statement about this? Because of what Jesus said in Matt. 24:36. There Jesus tells us that no one knows when he will return to set up his kingdom…not people, not angels, not the Son (more on that in a minute).

But Jesus does tell us something about the end times in the verses following Matthew 24:36, that life will seem very normal when the time comes. Jesus compares it to the days of Noah, when people didn’t expect a flood because they had never even seen rain before. Jesus tells us that like in the days of Noah people will be eating and drinking, marrying one another, grinding grain at a mill, walking down a path, etc. Jesus’ point is that when he returns neither believer nor unbeliever will be expecting it. How I do I know that both unbelievers and believers will not expect it? Because he says that as we grind flour and walk down the path, one will be taken and one will be left. The believers will be removed, unbelievers will not.

It is at this point that Jesus gives us the famous “thief in the night” analogy. If someone knew when they were going to be broken into, they would make preparations. But as it is, the thief comes when no one expects him to. So it will be when Jesus comes to take those who are his home.

Should Christians be in support of the state of Israel?

The short answer here is yes, and I am not going to elaborate on this at length, but let me share a few brief thoughts with you concerning this matter…

1. There can be no abomination that causes desolation as referenced in Daniel, Matthew, and Revelation if there is no temple. I think we should expect Israel to be a nation and for it to regain control of the Temple Mount at some point.

2. Scripture commands us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I believe this reference to Jerusalem in Psalm 122 is a synecdoche, the figure of speech where a whole is referred to by a part. E.g., Washington, D.C. as a reference to the whole of the United States. Bottom line, you can’t pray for a nation that doesn’t exist.

3. Romans 11 speaks of a remnant of Jews that are being preserved by God for salvation until God has fully brought salvation to the Gentiles, then he will restore Israel to himself by grace through faith in Jesus. Clearly the Jewish people are still part of God’s plan.

4. The land that is called Israel today is a the land that was promised to the nation millennia ago. God’s covenant to them includes land, and if God is not done with Israel, the the land is still promised to them.

While believers should see the land as belonging to Israel, we should be for the salvation of all who would believe regardless of ethnicity. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Gaza, Iran, etc. Pray for the salvation of all!

Does Jesus know when he will return?

I have chosen to leave this question for last so that those who want to split theological hairs can keep reading and those who aren’t concerned, well you can just be done reading at this point. However, this passage is often used by Muslims and others to say that Jesus isn’t God. This is because in Matt. 24:36 Jesus says no one knows the day nor the hour of his return, not even the son, but only the Father. It stands to reason, as some might purport, that if Jesus isn’t omniscient, then he isn’t God. So how are we to understand this statement by Jesus? There are three options…and I will give my opinion on each.

The first option says that even though Jesus doesn’t know, the Father does, and therefore the Trinity remains omniscient. I find this answer unsatisfactory.

The second answer says that Jesus knows, but it wasn’t for the disciples, nor you and I to know, and therefore he just isn’t giving the answer. This argument isn’t without merit. In Acts 1:6, after the disciples again ask Jesus when he will set up his kingdom, Jesus tells the disciples that it is not for them to know the times that the Father has fixed. Notice that he doesn’t say that he doesn’t know, just that it isn’t for them to know. This answer is getting closer, but still doesn’t seem satisfactory to me.

The third answer, and the one that I believe, has to do with the way Jesus lived during the incarnation, during his time in the flesh on earth. When Jesus, the eternal Son of God and second member of the Trinity, took on flesh and became a human, he subjected himself to living by all the rules of humanity. He was tired, hungry, grew, learned, wept, and laughed. But through it all he only allowed himself to live by the same rules that we all do. This is why Paul, in Philippians 2, says that he didn’t grasp at equality with God even though he was God! He didn’t have any advantage over you and I in his struggle against sin, except that he had no sin nature as we do. He successfully lived a perfect life as a human subject to all the same rules, even the rules of humanity under the curse of Genesis 3, but he did it without sinning. So in Acts 1, when he is no longer subject to the rules of humanity because he has died and been resurrected, he tells the disciples it isn’t for them to know. But when they ask in Matthew 24, he says he doesn’t know…not because he stopped being omniscient, but because he didn’t exercise his omniscience. Like a CEO of a company working the lowest position for the TV show Undercover Boss, Jesus didn’t stop being God, he just agreed to live by the rules of the lowest position during his 33 years on earth.

I don’t know when he will return, and neither does anyone else who is theologically honest. But I do that he is in control, that he is good, and that he knows how to care for his own.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

5 Myths about Your Personal Identity

Sometimes there is little you can do to improve on something. That is why I am sharing this article with you. Because it is copyrighted, I have left it entirely in tact. I believe it is worth your time and attention…

Enjoy!

-Pastor Logan

5 Myths about Your Personal Identity

May 21, 2022by: Brian S. Rosner

This article is part of the 5 Myths series.

Where to Find Yourself

Personal identity is a subject of unprecedented interest in our day. Knowing who you are and being true to yourself are seen as signs of good mental health and well-being, and the keys to authentic living and true happiness.

Most people today believe that there is only one place to look to find yourself, and that is inward. Personal identity is a do-it-yourself project. All forms of external authority are to be rejected, and everyone’s quest for self-expression should be celebrated. This strategy of identity formation, sometimes labeled expressive individualism, is the view that you are who you feel yourself to be on the inside and that acting in accordance with this identity constitutes living authentically.

Despite some clear benefits, key aspects of expressive individualism are open to question.

Myth #1: The best way to find yourself is to look inward.

In principle, there is nothing wrong with looking inward. Personal exploration and self-reflection are valuable. The desire to see many marginalized groups in society, those whose
identity markers differ from the mainstream, given appropriate dignity is commendable. And authenticity as a moral ideal is a good thing.

But there are three fatal flaws with the strategy of only looking inward to find yourself. It generates a fragile self, being easily destabilized and lacking in genuine and lasting self-knowledge; it is failing to lead to the good life, too easily producing selves that are self-deceived, self-absorbed, and self-centered; and it rests on faulty foundations.

In order to find yourself there are three other places to look: (1) around to others; we know ourselves by being known intimately and personally by others; (2) backward and forward to your life story; and (3) upward to God.

The third is the most controversial. Yet, looking up, one way or another, seems to be an irrepressible human urge. The idea that human beings have an incurable predilection to worship is certainly the Bible’s view of human nature. Each of us has a God-given awareness that there is something more to life than what we experience on earth; God has “put eternity in the human heart” (Eccl 3:11). And as Rowan Williams asserts, “without the transcendent we shall find ourselves unable, sooner or later, to make any sense of the full range of human self-awareness.”

Myth #2: The Bible has nothing to say about personal identity.

Given that the focus on personal identity is a relatively recent development, we might assume that the Bible, a collection of ancient texts, has little to say on the subject.

However, although no word is typically translated into English as “identity,” several words in the Bible have a wide range of meaning and include the notion of personal identity and the self. In certain contexts, for example, words usually translated as “soul” and “life” can be rendered “identity.” When Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “life is more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Matt. 6:25), we might translate, “your identity is more than food and clothing” pointing to his insistence on the limited role of material possessions in defining a person. When in Psalm 19:7 it says that “the law of the Lord refreshes the soul,” we can legitimately translate, “The law of the Lord refreshes your true identity,” your very self. The Bible actually includes the injunction to “think about yourself with sober judgment” (Rom. 12:3).

Myth #3: You are your ethnicity, gender, or sexuality.

Many people today define themselves in terms of certain identity markers. Along with your ethnicity, gender, or sexuality, other markers such as your race, nationality, age, culture, physical or mental capacity, occupation, possessions, and marital status are also often critical for self-definition.

However, the Bible judges the traditional identity markers to be inadequate foundations upon which to build your personal identity. According to Galatians 3:28, you are more than your race, ethnicity, nationality, culture and gender, for “in Christ Jesus “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” And according to 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, you are more than your marital status, occupation and possessions, and there is a sense in which you should “live as if you were not married, had no dealings with the world, and did not take full possession of anything that you own.”

While such markers of identity are essential for personal identity, they are not the whole story. The traditional identity markers are all important, but none of them is all-important.

Myth #4: You belong to yourself.

You belong to yourself sounds like a solemn declaration of human rights; being subject to some external authority is almost the definition of oppression. Yet, with respect to finding yourself, the elevation of personal autonomy to ultimate status is misguided. The Bible takes an entirely different course. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19 what sounds like a direct rebuttal of expressive individualism: “you are not your own.”

The cross of Christ proclaims that God has claimed you as his very own; you belong to him.

Even in our day of insisting on the priority and benefits of personal autonomy, there are some contexts in which belonging to someone else is still seen in a positive light. A young child lost in a shopping mall makes no complaint when her parent turns up and claims her as the parent’s own. Likewise, while it is open to abuse, true romantic love has at its heart a mutual belonging. Countless love songs, starting with the Song of Solomon in the Bible, contain refrains along the lines of “my beloved is mine, and I am his” (2:16; see also 6:3).

Indeed, the social animals that we are, nothing gives us more of a sense of value and worth than being loved to such an extent that we belong to another. Far from distressing or oppressive, such an embrace reassures and liberates us. Indeed, love is the context of Paul’s startling assertion that you are not your own. The words following Paul’s rejection of personal autonomy in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 explain why you belong to another: “you were bought with a price.” You belong to another because you are loved beyond measure. That love was expressed in the high cost of your redemption: “you were ransomed from the futile ways . . . not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:18–19).

The cross of Christ proclaims that God has claimed you as his very own; you belong to him. But the surrendering of yourself in this way does not lead to the eradication of yourself or an oppressive subjugation. In losing yourself and belonging to one who loves you with an everlasting love, you will find your true self.

Myth #5: Your unique life story defines you.

Telling your own story is at the heart of expressive individualism. We might even say that our day is characterized by “incessant autobiography,” a term coined by C. S. Lewis, which is a fitting way of describing how everyone seems to be feverishly telling their life stories on the various platforms of social media. It is possible today to document your life story in considerable detail and publish it widely on a daily basis.

Your story is fundamental to your personal identity, but it’s not an individual story. Being social animals, we live in shared stories. It is a mistake to think that our life stories are simply our own making and played out in isolation from others. The metanarrative, or big story, in which each of us lives is a combination of defining moments, goals and expectations of life related to stories handed to us by our families and related to the stories of our nations, ethnicities, social classes, and religious faiths.

There are two big stories to which the vast majority of people in the West subscribe today, and these are playing a big role in forming people’s identities. They are the story of secular materialism and the story of social justice. Both are fueled by the movement of expressive individualism. Like any good story, they each have a basic plot and setting, key turning points, central themes, stock characters, conflicts to be resolved, and an anticipated climax. While they are understandably attractive in various ways, both are seriously flawed. As life stories go, they are ultimately unsatisfying because both have a truncated view of human nature and fail to look up.

The story of God’s people, on the other hand, is the ultimate indictment of the heart of the expressive individualism message. It asserts that you don’t have it within you to define yourself. You need an intervention from outside of yourself. It is both the bleakest and the brightest story on offer, pessimistic about human nature but instilled with a glorious hope. Intriguingly, it is based on the life story of Jesus Christ:

You died, and your identity is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life story, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Col. 3:3-4; my own translation).

Brian S. Rosner is the author of How to Find Yourself: Why Looking Inward Is Not the Answer.

Brian Rosner (PhD, Cambridge) is principal of Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia. He previously taught at the University of Aberdeen and Moore Theological College. Rosner is the author or editor of over a dozen books, including Known by God: A Biblical Theology of Personal Identity. He is married to Natalie and has four children.

© 2001 – 2022 Crossway, USA

Are Sacrifices Still Required of God's People?

Israel killed sheep and bulls and birds and goats… are new covenant believers required to sacrifice something?

You don’t have to read far in the Bible to see the beginning of sacrifices. After they sinned, God killed an animal instead of Adam and Eve and clothed them in their nakedness. This occurs in Gen. 3. In Genesis 4 Cain and Abel get into a murderous dispute when God accepts one offering but not the other. Noah makes sacrifices when he exits the ark.

By the end of the first 5 books of the Bible, Gensis-Deuteronomy which is sometimes called the Pentateuch, all of the sacrifices are lined out for the people of God. How they are to sacrifice bulls, sheep, goats, birds, grain, oil, wine, spices, etc…

Of course none of this could actually atone for sin. Hebrews 10:4 tells us, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” All of the sacrifices commanded in the Old Testament exist to show us 2 things. First, that our sins deserve death. Second, that no matter how many bulls and goats you kill, it will never be enough.

This is where Jesus comes in, who alone is able to atone for sin. Not by being killed over and over, but by offering himself once for all. Hebrews 10 goes on to say in verse 10 that “…we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Once Jesus offered himself there was no need for sacrifices to continue. God emphatically showed us this when, by his providence, he allowed the sacrifices in the temple to stop with it’s destruction in 70 a.d. Those sacrifices have never been reinstated.

Why hasn’t God allowed those sacrifices to continue? I image it’s because they are no longer needed. The sacrifice of the Son of God on the cross was what all those sacrifices pointed to, and now that Jesus has come and paid for sin there remains no need for daily sacrifices in the temple.

But this brings us to our question, are sacrifices still required today? The answer is yes! But they aren’t the same kind of sacrifices. Let me share a few verses with you, explain one principle, and then make a short list of suggested ways that we can sacrifice today.

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

— Romans 12:1

“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

— Ephesians 5:2

“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

— Hebrews 13:15

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

— Hebrews 13:16

“...you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

— 1 Peter 2:5

The Sacrifice Principle

The principle of sacrifice is cost. The idea of a sacrifice is that it actually cost you something. Throughout the Old Testament, men of God refused to give to God what cost them nothing, and the same should be true for us.

In great contrast, the principle that drives so much of America is convenience. We have convenience stores, fast food, microwaves dinners, DoorDash, and a host of other things to make life as easy as possible. And to be sure, there is nothing wrong with making certain things in life easier! After all, I don’t still chop firewood for heat or wash my clothes by hand in a river.

The problem is that many of us begin to approach the Lord this way. We give him the leftovers of our time for prayer and Bible reading, our left over time for spiritual relationships and conversations, our leftover Sundays after we have planned all our trips for the year.

But God wants your firsts. In fact he demands them. Don’t give God your left over anything, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that if the Devil can’t make you bad, he will make you busy!

Suggested Sacrifices

So how can we offer sacrifices to God that are acceptable and pleasing? Let’s look at some suggestions that come from the verses above.

• Live Holy Lives- Rom. 12:1. When what you want to do, entertain yourself with, or otherwise pursue in life isn’t according to the sacrifice of Christ, sacrifice your own desires so that you can live a life pleasing to God.

• Live Loving Lives- Eph. 5:2. The key here is to love as Jesus loved. How did he love, by giving up himself. How can you give up yourself? Come to church seeking to do something spiritually beneficial to others rather than just seeking what you can get from the church. Give up your preferences on seating location, music style, decor, etc. for the sake of serving others. The essence of love is to seek what is good for someone else rather than yourself. This is easy to understand, hard to do. Sacrifice your time and preferences to live a life that is loving towards others.

• Live a Life of Praise- Heb. 13:15. When you sing in the church you minister to others. So show up and sing. Tell others what God has done for you. Sacrifice your words to speak God’s Word and goodness into the lives of others.

• Live a Life of Evangelism- Heb. 13:15. Our lips should acknowledge his name more than just in the church, we should speak of his praises to those who don’t know him yet. One of the ways that God receives praise is when we invite unbelievers to become worshipers by sharing the gospel with them and urging them to respond. Sacrifice your pride and comfort to live a life of evangelism.

• Live a Life of Generosity- Heb. 13:16. We are called to sacrifice of what we have to do good to others. 2 Cor. 8+9 urges us to be generous towards the church and other believers. Gal. 6 encourages us to do good to all people, especially the household of faith. Give to the church, give to the needy, give to whoever needs what you may have. Give away what you have here on earth to store up for yourself treasures in heaven. Sacrifice your stuff to live a life of generosity.

• Live a Life Centered in the Church- 1 Pet. 2:5. We are being built into a temple for God. Why did the temple get destoyed in 70 a.d.? Because doesn’t live there anymore, he is building up all believers into a temple where he dwells. We gather together to offer acceptable sacrifices to God on the merit of Jesus Christ. However, you must be careful not to live your life solely in the church, but merely centered in the church. If all your time is spent in the church you can’t live a life of evangelism or generosity to all people. The church shouldn’t be the whole of your life, but it should be the hub. You shouldn’t live solely in the church, but centered in the church. Sacrifice whatever you have to to live a life centered in the church.

Jesus gave his all, don’t you think he deserves the same?

Who Is Jesus For?

As I have been studying this week for Sunday I came across the following in a sermon from Mark Dever and thought is was wonderful. The following is a quote from one of his sermons.

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In the last twenty-five years, there has been a scientific theory gaining ground called the “anthropic principle” (after anthropos, the Greek word for man). Named at a conference in 1973 by Cambridge astrophysicist Brandon Carter, this principle says that “the seemingly unrelated constants in physics have one strange thing in common—these are precisely the values you need if you want to have a universe capable of producing life. In essence, the anthropic principle came down to the observation that all the myriad laws of physics were fine-tuned from the very beginning of the universe for the creation of man—that the universe we inhabit appeared to be expressly designed for the emergence of human beings.” This is not coming from a Christian group or even individual scientists who are christians; increasingly it is coming from nonbeieving scientists. A good book on this is Patrick Glynn’s God: The Evidence, particularly the first chapter. The “anthropic principle” relates to phenomena such as the exact strength of gravity, the nuclear force, the difference in mass between a proton and a neutron, and how all of these attributes are necessary for a world like ours to exist and, particularly, for human life to exist. Scientists give striking examples of how the slightest change of some force in the universe would make everyone flat or make stars explode or otherwise make life unsustainable. Everything is here for a purpose, it seems, from the synthesis of carbon to the weight of ice vs. water.

For Christians, of course, the existence of such an intelligent, purposeful designer comes as no surprise. It is his work we perceive not just in chemistry, biology, physics, and astronomy but also in history. We think there is an anthropic principle at work through history too. Through history, God has worked purposely in Israel. He had a purpose in calling Israel, and he sovereignly disposed her history to that end. According to Jesus, that end was Jesus himself. Abraham and Moses, David and Solomon, Jonah and Elijah, John the Baptist and even Judas were all there for him.

And why is he here? Why did Christ come? For us!

This message is clear in Matthew. Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. And if you want one more verse for practical application, do not take a verse on mercy or humility. Consider why Jesus came: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (20:28).

Matthew teaches that you and I have sinned. We have separated ourselves from God. And now we are under his just judgment. Every single one of us. But Christ has come in love to take the punishment for our sins on himself and to rise in victory over death. And then he has come to us, calling us to repent and believe, to trust in him, to turn from our sins, and to have a new life in him.

You cannot understand Jesus finally without understanding something of yourself. In chapter 9 of his Gospel, Matthew recounts his own calling by Jesus, and the celebration dinner he threw for his tax collector friends and Jesus:

“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and ‘sinners’ came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and “sinners”?’
On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick....I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

— Mt. 9:10-12, 13b

What a beautifully economical, set-interpreting response! A person’s heart is revealed through the person’s ears, how he or she hears—just as your response to this sermon is revealing something about you right now, about what you love or long for, about what bores you or simply does not concern you.

Jesus is so straightforward and unaffected in this passage. “The sick,” he says. “Sinners,” he says. That is whom the doctor comes for. Righteous, healthy people are not his immediate concern. If you think you are pretty righteous and healthy before God, then in a funny way you are not his immediate concern. No, Jesus has come for the sinners.

Who were the sinners in the room that day? Were they only those tax collectors?

I wonder, when Jesus said to the Pharisees, “It’s not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick…I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners,” did the Pharisees consider, just for a moment, that they might be sick, that they might be sinners? Or did they simply think, “Good answer, Rabbi. Those people are pretty bad off,” and walk away self-satisfied?

I wonder about us: Are you among the sinners? Are you among the sick? Are you among the spiritually needy?

I promise you this. You will finally realize who Jesus is only when you realize who you are. You will understand his fullness only when you come to see your own need.

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End quote.

I hope you find this as enriching to you as it is to me.

Kids in the Worship Service

I hope the title of this caught your attention. Is He for it? Is it a distraction? Do they disrupt the sermon? All questions that might come to mind with a title like that. Let me just say from the get go… I love it when kids are in the worship services.

I have been to churches where kids aren’t welcome. I remember one Sunday when Jennifer and I visited a church with our 4 kids. We were promptly stopped at the door and told that the kids couldn’t come into the worship service and that they would need to go to kids ministry classes. We promptly left.

Why bring all of this up? Because last Sunday was such a joyful day for me here at the church that I pastor, some of the joys are more obvious and some less. Let me set the scene for you in case you don’t attend the church where I serve. Yesterday’s service was absolutely wonderful. We had 7 child dedications (really parent dedications) and 7 baptisms. Because of the opportunity there is to see a visible picture of the gospel when someone gets baptized, we cancel our Trinity Kid’s Sunday morning classes and have the kids sit in service with their parents. For some this is a regular habit and for others it’s new, especially if they have younger kids.

As we introduced the child dedication part of the service I read Deuteronomy 6:4-7.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to you children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. ”

— Deuteronomy 6:4-7

We remind the parents during the dedication that by God’s design they are the primary tool for discipleship in the lives of their children. One of the great ways that we can do this is to worship together with our kids. It brought joy to my heart to see kids with their parents, excited for the service, wanting to see what happened. Let me share with you some of my favorite moments…

Yesterday we baptized a 5th grader. As he entered the water to meet his dad (one of the pastors), there were other kids in the front row. They were excited, standing and moving to places where they could see. Not only did they see someone they know publicly proclaiming his trust in Jesus, but they saw the picture that baptism is meant to be. The picture that we, through faith, are identified with the death and resurrection of Christ.

Another instance involved my son. After the first service, while the host was still wrapping things up, he leaned over to me and said, “Dad, can I skip?” I asked him, “Skip what?” He responded by saying he wanted to “skip kids church so I could stay in the service.” When I informed him that there was no kids church because we wanted kids to participate in worship he told me how glad he was.

Another boy in the second service was so excited about what was going on that he and his mother came down to the front row to watch. He even used her cell phone to record some video of what was going on in the service. What an incredible moment for one of our kids to be excited and enthusiastic about the service. As we started the baptisms I reminded the church that baptism wasn’t just something the individual was doing, but that baptism was a whole church act and required whole church participation. What an amazing picture this boy was of the enthusiasm we should all feel as he joyfully participated in the service. I’m grateful for his example to us all.

I also noticed a mother in second service who patiently and gently taught her son how to sit through the service and participate. Occasionally, she offered some correction too.

These instances, and many others, left me feeling such joy as we wrapped up the worship services yesterday morning. To be clear, I’m not saying it’s wrong to send your children to kid’s ministries… after all, we do offer them. But I love seeing families worship together, especially when they then go off to their classes during one of the other services.

I don’t want to undermine the importance of baptism and dedications, but it would be easy to overlook the joy of some other things that happened yesterday. if we aren’t paying attention it could be easy to miss some other joyful things that happened in the life of the church yesterday too. Things like kids in services, lingering conversations while having cake to celebrate those who were baptized.

I often have parents apologize to me if their kids make any noise during a service, or if their kids are prone to walk around, or in any way act like kids. I also get people who ask me if kids in the service is a distraction to me while I preach… the answer is a resounding no! The sound of kids in our worship services brings joy to my heart.

So parents… keep bringing your kids. Keep letting them see you worship. Keep letting them participate in the life and worship of the church. Keep discipling them. Keep talking to them about God in your house, on the way, when you lie down, when you rise, and especially when you go to church!

What a great day it was yesterday. My heart was full. Glory to God! Thank you Trinity, God loves you and so do I!

Want to read more about this? I would highly commend an article to you, there is audio as well, that you can read/listen to by clicking here.

Is Ukraine Being Invaded because of Its Sin?

I’ve thought all week about what I would write as the world watches with rapt attention at the events going on the Ukraine.

Can we line up the events going on in Ukraine with events in Daniel and Revelation? Probably not… though Matthew 24 might have some things to say about watchfulness.

Is the invasion of Ukraine by Russia categorically wrong? Yes.

Is it right for Ukraine to defend itself? Yes, I think it is.

For more info on just war theory I would highly recommend today’s podcast by Albert Mohler. That can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-briefing-albertmohler-com/id390278738.

But I finally chose to write answering the question above when I saw a meme on Facebook this morning that bothered me. In this meme you see Charlie Brown and snoopy sitting on a dock. The caption above them says “Snoopy, many folks are praying for God to heal our land, but I think he’s still waiting for people to humble themselves, repent and turn from their wicked ways.”

The meme is drawn off of 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

THE BIG QUESTION

So the question before us is this… when something bad happens in our land is it because God is judging us for our sin? Was 9-11 punishment for sin? Hurricane Katrina? Covid? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Is God, like he did with Assyria on Israel and Babylon on Judah, judging the people for their sin and bringing discipline on them for their wickedness? I think the answer is no. And if the answer is no for Ukraine, then the answer is no when bad things happen in the US.

ITS ALL BECAUSE OF SIN

In one sense every bad thing that happens in the world is because of sin. Sometimes it is because of an individual’s sin. For example, the many sins of Vladimir Putin have led to this invasion, ordered by him, of the nation of Ukraine. Or the sins of men who got on planes and crashed them into buildings.

Sometimes it is just the general effects of sin in the world that lead to problems. We see in Genesis 3 that God cursed the world we live in after Adam and Eve’s sin. The reality is that earthquakes and storms and pandemics are part of the effects of living in a cursed world. Thank God that some day he will make a new heaven and a new earth for us to live in with him forever.

But we are still left with the question, is God judging the Ukraine right now? Or the US for that matter?

JUDGMENT IS BEING RESERVED

God has revealed to us that he will judge the sin of the world. Both the sins of individuals and the sins of nations. These judgments are revealed to us in the book of Revelation as well as other places in the prophets.

Acts 17:30-31 tells us that “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

God will judge the world! But notice that the day of judgment has been fixed on which he will judge the world. All of this is in the future tense. Romans 1 reminds us that God is patiently bearing with the sins of the unrepentant because he is storing up wrath for the day of judgment.

God will judge the world, but right now he is patiently waiting for that day. Why? Romans 2:4 tells us that it is so people will repent. God’s kindness is supposed to lead us to repentance. And so while judgment will be had, it is being reserved for that day that God has fixed by his own authority!

SO WHAT ABOUT 2 CHRONICLES 7?

So what do we do with a verse that says that God will heal the land if people humble themselves, repent, and pray? Answer: we leave the verse in its context. Let me explain.

Israel was promised more than salvation. Israel was promised a nation, land, kings, and blessing. And in Deuteronomy God tells the nation that if they obey him he will bless them, but if they disobey he will curse them. There are many ways that he promises to do so, but one of those ways is to strike the land that they were promised. And we see this come true as Israel is attacked throughout its history in Scripture by many nations. In the book of Judges God uses several nations to judge his people. Assyria and Babylon are also examples of that. When the people aren’t faithful to the covenant, and they often were not faithful to the convenant, God would strike the land.

2 Chronicles is the last book of the Hebrew Scripture in the Hebrew order. This is because 1 and 2 Chronicles are reviews of Israel’s history. The books of Samuel and Kings are written to draw us into the events like they are happening. The books of Chronicles are historical reviews of the nations history. And as we understand Israel’s history we see that they often depart from obedience and faithfulness to God, God then strikes them with affliction which often includes a strike upon the land, and then the people repent and God heals them…including healing the land.

But the church is nowhere in the Scripture promised land. We are promised a kingdom, but even Jesus told us that his kingdom was not of this world. Peter reminds us that we are exiles on earth because our citizenship is heaven. Paul also reminds us of that in Philippians 3.

HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND?

So what should our response be? I can think of several things.

1. We should stop brow beating America with 2 Chronicles 7:14. After all, revival could break out in America, or any other country, and God will still bring the kingdoms of this world to an end as they are doomed to pass away (1 Cor. 2:6).

2. Pray for the Ukraine. Pray for the safety of the people. Pray for an end to the invasion. Pray that Christians would boldly proclaim the gospel. Pray for peace.

3. Pray for Russia. Pray for all of the same things in Russia. And pray for the repentance of Vladimir Putin (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

4. Share the gospel. If you really want our land to be healed, and you should, then tell people about the great healer who can heal our land by changing hearts.

The kingdom is advanced in this world one heart at a time. One gospel opportunity at a time. Will you be bold enough to tell someone about Jesus? The Ukrainian Christians are a great example to us of boldness in the face of danger. May we learn from them before we are in a situation like theirs.

Counseling: Helpful or Hopeful?

DISCLAIMER: I am not against counseling or some forms what may be called “therapy.” I have seen a biblical counselor in the past and it has been very helpful to me personally. But like Paul pointing to truth of the Gospel at Mars Hill, sometimes the world gives us opportunities to speak the truth.

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

— Proverbs 11:14

I have the news app on my iPhone, which is really kind of annoying. I want to know the news, especially if there is big stuff going on in the world that I ought to be aware of. What I don’t like is the incessant amount of notifications that come across my phone or watch every time an article gets pushed.

I know, I know… turn off the notifications. But then I will never check the app and I might miss something. It’s important info FOMO I guess.

But this morning there was a headline that I just couldn’t help but stop and read. Even the headline made me realize that sometimes the world sees things more clearly than we think.

The article from USA Today is called “The latest dating deal breaker? Not going to therapy.” The article goes on to tell the story of a lady named Kelly who recently broke up with her boyfriend of 10 months because of his “‘disdain’ for therapy ‘and people pursuing therapy.‘“

The truth of the matter is that there is something terribly wrong with people. Most of us, at least if we’re being honest with ourselves, will admit that there are thoughts, desires, patterns, behaviors, etc. in us that aren’t good.

This is what theologians call indwelling sin. Yes, the believer has been forgiven of all his/her sin. Yes, we have been given new hearts, hearts of flesh in place of hearts of stone (Ez. 11:19, 36:26). Believers have been made alive (Eph. 2:1-5). But in the flesh, in the body we still live in, there is sin. It lies in our thoughts, motives, wishes, desires, and actions. It has completely corrupted our operating systems. Apart form divine intervention we don’t even desire God at all (Rom. 3:9-18).

And from the beginning of time, sin is doing what it always has done. It is destroying relationships. Pre-sin, Adam and Eve enjoyed fellowship in the garden of Eden with God and with each other. Post-sin they hid, suddenly self aware of their nakedness, both from each other and from God.

One generation later Cain kills his brother Abel. The story of humanity continues downhill from there. The reality is the world is broken. The song “Is He Worthy” opens by asking the question “Do you feel the world is broken?” The answer, “We do.”

But it’s not just Christians who feel the world is broken. Racial tension, killings, abuse, stealing, etc. all fill the news headlines. We know that we are broken. And it’s not just people in the news. When I snap and my wife or my kid I prove that there is brokenness in me.

So what do you do if you have been dating someone for 10 months and they’re not into dealing with their brokenness? You end the relationship.

But the question must be asked… can therapy provide hope for the broken?

The resounding answer is NO! But it can be helpful.

Jesus is the only who can save us from our sin! He is the only one who can make us whole and new! It is only by beholding him that we become like him (2 Cor. 3:18).

So what do we do with counseling? We see it, when it doesn’t conflict with the Bible, as something helpful. But while counsel, and thus counseling, can be helpful to us as we work at being conformed into the image of Jesus, it does not provide us with hope. For that we look to Jesus!

Do you feel the world is broken? Tell someone about Jesus!

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

— Titus 2:11-13

The Goodness and Greatness of God in the New Year

It’s a new year, 2022. I can’t believe I just wrote that. 2022! We are supposed to have flying cars and robot doctors by now. 2022 seemed so far away when I was a kid, and yet here it is. Some of the technology that I thought we would have, we don’t… and we have some things that I never imagined possible.

Every new year comes with an opportunity to see the greatness and glory of God. As I have for some time, I started a new Bible reading plan this year. It’s not really a new plan, it’s the same old plan. But I have started reading it again. And once again I find myself in Genesis.

In the opening 2 chapters of Genesis we see how God, through his Spirit, creates everything. And he creates everything just by speaking. Interestingly the word for breath, wind, and spirits is all the same word in Hebrew. This is true of Greek too. In Hebrew the word is “ruakh” and in Greek, it’s “pneuma.”

Understanding this helps us to see that as God speaks his spirit/breath/wind goes forth and forms the world and everything in it. And also a couple of people. Adam and Eve. And God places them in this beautiful garden to tend it, rule over it, be creative in it, and also be fruitful and multiply… all aspects of what it means to be created in the image of God.

In this garden, called Eden, God placed a bunch of trees that provided food to eat for Adam and Eve. The trees were also pleasing to they eyes, in other words the food looked good. But there was one fruit bearing tree that Adam and Eve were told not to eat from. And here, in all these trees, we see the goodness and the greatness of God.

The Goodness of God

How? I’m glad you asked. Because it isn’t obvious at first. But all of the trees that were to be food for Adam and Eve show the abundance of God’s provision. In his goodness he delighted to give them an abundance of what they needed for their provision. He also delighted to be with them in the Garden, walking and talking and fellowshipping with the people who he had created in his image.

This provision wasn’t meager or miserly. It was abundant and overwhelming. We should always see that God gives his blessings, from his goodness, overwhelmingly.

The Greatness of God

But we mustn’t forget that there was also one tree that they were told not to eat from. Here is where we see the greatness of God. Despite all of his abundant provision there was still a prohibition. They were not to eat from that tree.

As we read about this tree we should be reminded that God has always been in charge. Obedience was always required. God was always God, and you and I and Adam and Eve… well, we never were. God has always been the great one over his creation, the one who rules all things and thus sets all the rules.

It’s All About Worship

In one sense those rules were put there for our protection. Protection from sin, evil, sadness, and even death. But more than they were there for worship. They were there so Adam and Eve would see that good is both the provider and prohibiter, that he is God and they were not, that his prohibitions were for their protection.

This tree was there so that they would worship God in the fullness of his splendor. Of course they chose a different route. You and I ratify their decision every time we sin. We can’t blame our first parents because we prove over and over again that we would have done the same.

So why did God put that tree in the garden? Why did he allow people to sin? Was it just to show his goodness and greatness? We will answer all of these questions in upcoming posts. For now, ask yourself if you see both the provisions and prohibitions of God as his perfect protection of your soul?

Do I Contribute to My Righteousness?

God demands perfection. If you’re imperfect like me, then this is a big problem.

The good news…Jesus has overcome that problem.

Romans 3:23 is clear that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Did you catch what it takes to be called a sinner, to be imperfect.? All it takes is to fall short of the glory of God. That’s it. And the truth is that we are all guilty, none of us are as perfect and righteous as God!

Thankfully the story doesn’t end there! Romans 6:23 also tells us that “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God did what we couldn’t do by sending his Son to die in our place!

Jesus did perfectly obey. He was perfectly righteous. He never earned the “wages of sin”, which is death.

Divine Accounting

When we trust in Jesus for God’s forgiveness, that’s another way to think of faith, we are forgiven of our sin. The way God does this, according to Romans chapter 4, is by counting the righteousness of Christ to us. The word counting here is an accounting term that carries the idea of crediting to one’s account.

So when we trust Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, the perfect righteousness of Jesus (who didn’t deserve to die) is credited to us! This is incredibly good news.

The Big Question

But here is the question that is before us all…do I now have to contribute to that righteousness? Is the only way to stay righteous before God by being perfectly obedient to him now?

Ephesians 2:10 is clear that God prepared good works for us to do. Galatians 5 shows us that we are to live according to God’s character by being loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self controlled. Are these the things we have to do?

Do all of these add to the righteousness that God has given me in Christ? Here’s another way to think of it…does Jesus provide me with forgiveness and then I work to become a good person?

A Freeing Answer

I think we find the answer to this question in Galatians 2, and it’s wonderful. Starting in verse 11 we see a conflict that arose between Peter (called Cephas there) and Paul. The problem was that Peter was living according to the Jewish law and not in the freedom that he had as a Jesus follower.

But in verses 15-16 we see the heart that Peter had as he lived according to all of the Jewish laws…he was seeking to be “justified” by his actions. He was seeking to add his righteousness to the righteousness that God had credited to him by faith. Paul very clearly tells him that no one will be justified in this way. Justified is a legal term that has the idea of being proved innocent, that is to say that one is proven to have not done something wrong.

Paul isn’t forbidding righteous living. He isn’t telling Peter he doesn’t have to obey. He isn’t giving Peter a free pass to sin with no consequence. Rather, he is telling Peter that he has no ability at all to add any righteousness to what God has already credited to his account in Christ!

Paul goes on to share a very famous verse verse with us…

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in Me. And the life that I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

— Galatians 2:20

The very next verse, verse 21, goes on to say that Paul isn’t trying to “nullify the grace of God.” He is saying that we all only have one source of righteousness that makes us acceptable to God. Either that source is Jesus Christ, or that source is our efforts, called works. But this draws us back up into verse 16 where we are reminded that “by the works of the law no one will be justified.”

Conclusion

What this means is that either Jesus provides all of my righteousness or I do. He has rightousness to offer though, while I have none. His righteousness can save me, but mine cannot. We do not add one drop of righteousness, and thereby improve our standing before God, by obedience. We simply live according to the righteousness of Jesus that has been credited to our account already!

We don’t depend upon our works for God’s approval, we live according to the approval of God that we already have.

Obedience is still required. We have to live according to our new nature. We will still struggle with sin as long as we live in the flesh. But here’s the good news…sin can only bring death and sadness. Christ righteousness gives us life and our obedience keeps us out of that which can only make us miserable. Our obedience doesn’t add righteousness, it protects us from what can only harm us.

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

— Romans 8:6

Fasting, Is There Still Value in It?

Last week I invited members of my church to fast with me on Monday’s. Fasting doesn’t really have much of a place in our lives today. As I sit here at about 1:00 pm on a Monday, I am hungry. I haven’t eaten now for over 19 hours. So what exactly is the benefit to this and why would you ask others to join in? These are excellent questions and so I thought it would be good to talk about the value of fasting of why it could be beneficial even today.

But what if I have a medical condition that doesn’t allow me to stop eating? Well then I would suggest fasting something else…TV, a leisure activity, exercise, social media, smart phones, etc. Anything can be fasted as we will see when we see the purposes of fasting below.

Fasting isn’t mentioned much in the New Testament. Most frequently we see that it mentioned in the gospels, but the fasting mentioned there relates more closely to fasting in the Old Testament, which I believe to be a bit different from why we fast today. In fact, the only place we really see fasting in the church is in Acts 13 and 14, and in both chapters fasting is connected to prayer.

Though there are more reasons for fasting, I want to share with you 3 reasons to fast.

Replace

The first purpose of fasting is to replace the time you spend preparing food and eating with prayer. Again, fasting is connected to prayer. We all live busy lives and sometimes it can be hard to devote everything to prayer. So fasting allows us to devote ourselves to prayer regarding something specific…we replace eating with praying.

Remind

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8 in Matthew 4 when he said that man shall not live by bread alone. There is something we need more than eating and drinking. We need Jesus, the bread of life and living water. When we fast it creates a desire. We gut hunger pains, or maybe other cravings if we are fasting something other than food. These hunger pains/urges/desires serve to remind us that we are to desire God more than other things.

Request

The third purpose of fasting is to make a request to God. Maybe it is for someone’s healing, even as David fasted and prayed for the healing of his first child with Bathsheba. Maybe it is for a successful ministry endeavor as in Acts 13. Maybe it is for a wayward child, wisdom for a decision, or any other matter that God lays on our hearts. Fasting is an opportunity to make a request of God.

So what did I ask the church I belong to to fast and pray about? Great questions…

I keep hearing statistics about how many Christians have no urge to return to church after covid. I also see that in many ways both personal and corporate evangelism have been almost completely shut down during quarantines. I don’t believe that either of these things are pleasing to the Lord or good for the church.

For the time being I am fasting breakfast and lunch on Mondays, that means a 24 hour fast, for the purpose of praying for the gathering of believers (aka church) and for the spread of the gospel here in Walla Walla and around the world. Would you consider joining me? Maybe it’s just for breakfast…maybe lunch too. Maybe its something other than food that you fast. But let’s pray for the health and well being of the church and for the spread of the gospel.

You Are God's Temple... and What That Really Means

“…you are God’s temple” according to the apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 3:16. This is a really important verse for us to understand, but it may not mean what we often think it to mean. Here is the full text of 1 Cor. 3:16-17:

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”

— 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

I have heard this verse used in many ways, from reasons not to smoke to arguing that suicide is the unforgivable sin (it isn’t by the way, rejecting Jesus is). The argument usually goes something like this…since God’s Spirit dwells in you, you shouldn’t smoke because you need to take care of God’s temple. Or if you kill yourself, being the temple of God, God will destroy you. Or I exercise because my body is the temple of God.

The question before us is this, is that what Paul meant there?

American Individualism

One of the values in American culture, maybe especially here in the PNW, is rugged American individualism. We proudly proclaim that “I did it my way”, as though this was a good thing. The cowboy spirit says that we should never need or ask for help, after all we are supposed to pull ourselves up by our food straps.

The English language doesn’t help us here either as the pronouns for second person singular and plural are the same. If I speaking to an individual or to a group of people I would address them as simply “you.”

Texas Got It Right

One of the things you will learn very quickly if you go to Texas is that Texans love the word “y’all.” They use it as a second person plural pronoun. So if you are talking to one person you would call them “you.” But if you were talking to a group of people you would call them “y’all” which we probably understand to be an abbreviated form of “you all.”

Paul Was a Texan

Okay, not really. But in verses 16-17 of 1 Corinthians 3, the pronoun that Paul uses is the second person plural. Paul is effectively saying that y’all are the temple of God, not you are the temple of God.

Technically the way it is translated in your Bible as “you” is correct. In English both the singular and plural is the same. Sorry Texas, technically y’all is bad grammar. But I’m in full support of you continuing to use it!

The Church is the Temple

The idea of the temple of God as the church is prevalent in the New Testament. Paul uses the imagery of individual Christians being stones that being used to build a temple where God dwells. This temple is being built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. Similarly Peter calls Christians “living stones” in 1 Peter 2, and these stones are being built up into a temple.

Individual Christians aren’t present to us as being God’s temple in the Bible, though it is true that God does dwell in the individual Christian by his Spirit. The local church is the temple of God.

What is a Church?

Well that is a complex question, and I will probably be preaching on this soon, but I think that the Bible teaches us what a church is. The word “church,” ekklesia in Greek, is simply a gathering. Literally the word means called out, but it came to refer to a group of people assembled together.

You can see this if you read the end of the account of the riot in Ephesus in Acts 19. In verses 32 and 39 of that chapter, the rioting mob is twice called and “assembly.” I’ll give you one guess what the greek word used for assembly is there. That’s right, it’s ekklesia.

So first and foremost a church is a gathering of God’s people called together by him. But is any gathering a church? I don’t think so. I think there are 4 things that must be present to constitute a church. Those four things are baptism, communion, spiritual leadership, and the right preaching of the Word.

I don’t have time in this post to unpack that, but I will be preaching on it soon. But if you remove baptism and communion then all you have is a small group, which is not a church (see 1 Cor. 10). If you remove the right preaching of the Word then you have a cult, a church must get the gospel right. If you remove spiritual leadership, well then you just have disobedience.

A Sharp Warning

With all of that being understood, let’s consider what Paul is warning us about in these verses in 1 Cor. 3. He states that “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him.” In other words, God takes very seriously how his people treat his church!

Later, in 1 Cor. 11, Paul even tells us that God has disciplined some people in the church by making them sick, and some of them had even died, because they weren’t treating the church (there referred to as “the body) in a proper manner.

Why So Serious?

Why would God offer up such strong warnings here? Because the church is precious to him! How precious you may ask? Precious enough that Peter says that you were bought “with the precious blood of Christ”, some thing that he says is more precious that silver or gold (1 Pet. 1:18-19)!

A Helpful Picture

In the next chapter of 1 Corinthians, chapter 4, Paul gives us picture that helps us understand why this is so important to God. In verse 1 of chapter 4 Paul says that he is to be regarded as a “steward.” The word for steward here is something akin to a butler but even higher. Joseph was a steward in both Potiphar and Pharoah’s houses.

A steward was one hired to manage the affairs of the whole household of his master. So here is the picture for us…

The church is Jesus bride. This imagery is all over the New Testament. And this bride is so precious that dowery that he paid to purchase her was not silly things like silver and gold…no he bought her with the price of his own blood. But now he has gone on a journey and is away from his bride and his home, the very temple where the Spirit of God dwells. I am the steward that he has hired to care for his bride in his absence.

If I were going away for a long time and I were hiring a man to care for my wife and family, what kind of care would I want them to provide? Would I want them to be selfless or selfish, neglectful or attentive, generous or miserly, kind or harsh, etc.?

While the use of the word steward is particularly used in reference to those in spiritual leadership of the church, the picture is helpful in helping understand why Paul makes such strong statements in verses 16-17 of chapter 3.

Wrapping Up

So what do I do with this information?

Great question, I’m glad you asked. I would ask yourself a series of diagnostic questions…

Do I contribute to the care of the church, God’s temple?

Do my actions and attitudes bring unity or division?

Do I pray for the body to which I belong?

Do I participate faithfully in the “assembly,” or do I neglect God’s dwelling?

Do I use my gifts and talents “for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7) or do I exacting in my expectations?

The church is Christ’s bride, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Corporately we are not only the bride of Christ, we are his home. How we care for the church matters dearly to the Lord, it should matter to us as well.

Elders and Deacons, Part 7: Can Women Serve as Deacons?

As we begin to bring this series on elders and deacons to an end, we come to the question of whether or not women can serve as deacons. Let me first say that this is not a cut and dry issue. Faithful Christians have arrived at different conclusions on this matter. While all areas of doctrine matter, not all are worthy of division. Whether you agree with my conclusions here or not, I hope we can all agree that whether or not one believes women can, or cannot, be deacons, the gospel is not at stake in regards to this use matter. This means that Christians can, and in fact should, have peace even when there is disagreement on this matter.

From the start I want to say that I am of the persuasion that women can serve in the church as deacons. In order to understand why I believe this to be that case we will have to do some word study in this post. I will try to be brief as we do.

Gender of Greek Words

Greek words, unlike English words, have gender. There are three groups, or declensions, of nouns in Greek. Simply put, this means that a word in Greek is either masculine, feminine, or neuter. Neuter words do not have any gender.

It is important to note that the gender of nouns in greek is NOT connected to the person or object that they refer to. Let me see if I can give an example from Spanish to help with our understanding of this, we will then return to Greek. In Spanish, nouns that end in “o” are masculine while nouns that end in “a” are feminine. For example, the word hermano means brother, while hermana means sister. You can see that the root of the word is the same, but the ending change tells you whether it refers to a male or a female. Greek does not work this way.

Let’s see an example from Spanish of how greek does work, and example we will get from words in Spanish for women’s clothing. The word for “skirt” in Spanish is falda, the a ending telling us that this word is feminine. Contrast that to the word for “dress” which is vestido, a word that you can see is masculine because it ends in an “o.” Both of these articles of clothing are worn by women, but that doesn’t matter. It isn’t who wears the dress that makes the word masculine, the word itself is simply masculine. This is how Greek words work.

So the for wind, breath, or spirit in Greek is pneuma, the a ending telling us that the word is feminine. Even if you use this word in regards to a man’s soul, the word remains feminine because the word is feminine and that doesn’t change. Similarly psyche, or soul, in Greek is a word that is neuter.

What Gender is the Word Deacon?

This brings us to the Greek word for Deacon. What gender is it and what does it mean?

Well the word for deacon in Greek is diakonos and it simply means servant. It is the ordinary word in Greek for servant and doesn’t only refer to the office of deacon in the church. The “os” ending of the word tells us that this word is masculine.

There is only occurrence of this word being used to describe a woman in the New Testament and that is found in Romans 16:1 where Paul uses it to describe Phoebe. In the Greek, the word retains its masculine form because the word is masculine, even when it refers to Phoebe.

Most lexicons state that the word occurs in the feminine gender once in the New Testament, this isn’t because the word get’s a feminine ending there but rather because it refers to Phoebe who is clearly a woman.

Was Phoebe a Deacon?

The question before us is this…was Paul calling Phoebe a servant, or was he saying that she held the office of deacon? The answer is simple…we don’t know.

Any attempt to answer this question cannot be derived from the text of Romans because there is nothing in the text that definitely says. I believe that it is likely that she held the office of deacon and that Paul wasn’t merely calling her a servant. Let me explain why.

First, this letter is being penned more than 30 years after the need for deacons arose in the church in Jerusalem. Though Acts 6 doesn’t seem to describe the establishment of the office of deacon, the letter of Romans was penned much nearer to the end of Paul’s life when it’s reasonable to believe that the church had formally starting appointing people to the office.

Second, Paul says that Phoebe is a deacon “of the church at Cenchrae,” and not “in the church at Cenchrae.”

Before I go any further, let me say that neither of these are highly compelling nor decisive on the matter.

1 Timothy, A More Decisive Text

I think that Paul’s instructions to Timothy in the first letter that bears his name is much more clear. But before we can understand why, we must understand a couple more words in the Greek language.

Particularly the words for man/husband and woman/wife. The word for man and husband are not different words in Greek, they are the same word. The same is true for woman and wife, it’s the same word. This means that context determines whether the word gets translated as man or husband and woman or wife.

Now in 1 Tim. 3:1-7 Paul tells Timothy what the qualifications are for an elder. Then in 1 Tim. 3:8-10 he speaks to the qualifications of a deacon. Then in verse 11 he says “Their wives likewise…” in the ESV. The thing is that the pronoun “their” isn’t in the Greek. So either Paul is saying “the wives likewise…” or “the women likewise…” Which does Paul have in mind?

I’m inclined to believe that he has the second idea in mind, that is to say that Paul is saying “the women likewise…” Why do I believe this? Context.

After giving 7 verses of qualifications of elders in the this chapter Paul begins to give instructions on deacons. Then after only 3 verses on deacons he begins to speak to the women. If he has the wives of deacons in view here, and not women deacons, then why doesn’t he give instruction to the wives of elders? If it is important for the wives of deacons to be well qualified, then why isn’t I the equally or more important for the wives of elders to be well qualified?

I think the answer to this is that Paul didn’t have in mind the idea that “their wives” had to meet a certain set of qualifications but that “the women” who served as deacons had to have a certain character quality just as the men did.

Conclusion

The reality is that there is no verse that says only men can be deacons like there is about elders. And it seems to me that Paul includes women who are deacons in his writings to Timothy and the church at Rome. So, I am inclined to have the elders appoint women to the role of deacon along side men.

Faithful people agree on both sides of the issue and there is no need for division in the church over this matter. I can however say that no matter where one falls on this issue, we can all hopefully agree that women are in many ways the heart of the church. They bring beauty and grace to the church as they do to all creation. I pray that the church of Jesus would highly value the role and service of women in the church, and that women would feel valued and appreciated as essential members of the body of Christ.

Elders and Deacons, Part 6: What is the Purpose and Work of Deacons?

Having looked at the precursor to deacons in Acts in the last blog post, we come now to look at the job description of the deacon. What do deacons actually do? The short answer is that there really is no answer. Unlike the elder whose job description of teaching, preaching, praying, and visiting the sick is lined out in Scripture, the job of the deacon seems to be guided biblically more by wisdom and some principles. Let’s look at some principles that will help us understand what deacons do. We will examine the same passage that we looked at last week.

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.”

— Acts 6:1-7

Deacons Protect the Unity of the Church

What is really at stake in Acts chapter six is the unity of the church, not the feeding of widows. Don’t misunderstand me here, the feeding of the widows mattered. The church must “do justice” by caring for the helpless, hopeless, and hurting…but the big issue facing the was unity. The inequity of the Jewish widows receiving food in the daily distribution and the Greek widows being left out threatened the unity of the church. We don’t know why or how the breakdown in equitable treatment happened, but we can see some clues in the text that reveal the mindset of the apostles.

First, they did not propose two ethnically diverse churches. The apostles acted swiftly to ensure the unity of the church. How did they do that? The instructed the church to appoint 7 men who would take up the work of the ministry. The church chose 7 men, all with Greek names, to care for the daily distribution of food. Those who were receiving food trusted those who were not to orchestrate what was fair. This brought unity to the church. Deacons work for church unity.

Deacons Drive the Church’s Organizational

Second, they appointed men to organizational tasks. The fact that these 7 men could give organizational oversight to the daily distribution of food allowed the elders to keep up their work of preaching and praying. The elders job is to feed the flock, the deacons job is to organize it. Elders serve by leading, Deacons lead by serving.

Deacons are Chosen for Spiritual Reasons, not Organizational Ones

Third, they are chosen for their character, not because of their business acumen or experience. This may seem contrary to the previous statement, but I don’t believe that it is. In Acts 7 we see that it was the reputation of the men that qualified them for this ministry, not their skill. Similarly in 1 Timothy 3, where Paul explains the qualifications of elders and deacons, he lists no skills or experience required to serve as a deacon. He simply lists characteristics, particularly spiritual ones. Deacons are qualified based upon their skill, not their experience in the business world or private sector.

Deacon’s Work Is a Matter of Wisdom

These principles drive the role but don’t define the role. Let me give an example. I know a church in a crowded area of Washington D.C. that has almost no parking. The elders there have appointed a church member to be the deacon of parking. Now this wouldn’t make sense at my church, but it does there. In order to make sure that parking goes smoothly, without disagreement, and without breaking any city ordinances the church has called for someone to organize this part of the churches gathering. I’m sure there are many small Baptist churches who could use a deacon of fake flowers…of course I kid here. But if there is a matter that needs organizational attention and could threaten the unity of the church, then it would be wise for the church to appoint a deacon.

One ministry I know of called deacons “shock absorbers.” Their role takes some of the bumps out of the road so that the elders can keep their focus on preaching and praying. It is a great honor to serve the Lord as a deacon in his church. It requires character and testing, but you get a front row seat to see what God is doing in the church’s organizational structure and people.

Next week we will ask and answer the question, “can women serve as deacons?”

Elders and Deacons, Part 5: The Need Arises

We have for the last 4 posts looked at the role, requirements, and responsibilities of elders. I want to turn our attention now to deacons. Who are the deacons? What do they do? Can they be men or women? All of these questions will be answered as this series continues to unfold. However, before we can answer any of these questions we need to see the events that occurred in the church that revealed a need for deacons. This is found in Acts 6:1-7…

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.”

— Acts 6:1-7

The Precursor to Deacons

Though there are some scholars who would disagree with me, I don’t think that Acts 6 shows us the inception of the office of deacon. I think Acts 6 shows us events in the church at Ephesus that would ultimately be used by God to establish the office of deacon in the local church.

The church in Jerusalem grew quite rapidly in its earliest days. The spread of the gospel was so fast that we even find other churches in the New Testament sending money to help support the church there because the church in Jerusalem was likely growing faster than the economy of Jerusalem could keep up with.

But this rapid growth created a problem for this church as it wanted to care for the widows in the church. These widows would have been unable to care for themselves. They couldn’t work, they didn’t have husband to provide for them, and in obedience to the heart of God for the helpless, the church took seriously their responsibility to care for the widows.

A Problem Arises

There was, however, a problem that arose quickly in this church. There were some widows who were being left out of the daily distribution of food. The text doesn’t tell us why they were being left out, but somehow this was the case. The surface level problem was that Greek (Hellenist) widows were being left out of the daily distribution of food. The real problem was the unity of the church.

Notice it isn’t the leaving out of the widows that is addressed in this passage, though this would have been a problem that certainly mattered. The problem is that there arose a complaint between the Greek (hellenist) widows and the Jewish (Hebrew) widows. The church at this point became divided over a perceived injustice in the church.

The People Appointed

The elders of the church in Jerusalem, perceiving the threat to unity, decide that they are going to do something about the problem before disunity occurs in the church. But the elders knew that they had a job to do, a job given to them by Jesus, a job that they could not neglect…the “preaching of the word of God.” As we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks, this is the primary responsibility of the elder/pastor. They are to feed the flock of God with the word of God.

Because the elders knew they could not abandon their God-given appointment of teaching the word…they asked the congregation to identify 7 men, whom they appointed by the laying on of hands, to oversee this sensitive and important ministry so that the elders could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word of God.

The Problem Averted

The result of the appointment of these 7 men was peace. Interestingly, all 7 men have Greek names. This means that the Jewish church in Jerusalem appointed 7 Greek men to care for the problem of the Greek widows being left out in the distribution of food, an indication that the church trusted each other and didn’t want any appearance of division along racial lines. Problem solved.

Applying this Today

As I stated earlier, I think Acts 6 records for us the background story that would ultimately result in creation of the office the deacon. But lets see what we can learn from this passage, here are several principles for us to apply…

• Elders/Pastors need help. We can’t do it all. We need people to engage in the work of the ministry in ways that we simply don’t have the time for. Prayer and preaching must always be at the top of the list of pastoral responsibilities.

• Peace is the Priority. Is there an area in your church that is particularly touchy or volatile? maybe you should consider appointing deacons to areas of responsibility where there is potential for division in the church. Their leadership should help bring peace to those who are uneasy.

• Both the congregation and the elders had a say. The elders just didn’t appoint these men to serve. The congregation didn’t either. The congregation and elders agreed upon the appointment of these 7 men.

I once heard a pastor say that Deacons were “shock absorbers.” They serve as organizational buffers to keep the peace and unity of the church while allowing the elders continue praying and serving up the word. May our churches be filled with such wise and peacekeeping leaders.

Elders and Deacons, Part 4: Accountability and Submission

Is the church to submit to the elders or are the elders to submit to the church? Who has the authority in the congregation? Who is in charge? These are the questions that I want to try and address today, but the answers are a bit complicated. I believe that the authority of the elders and of the congregation is both taught in Scripture as a system given to us by God for checks and balances in the church.

Scripture seems to indicate that the elders and the congregation have real authority vested to them by Jesus. So today we will see that Christ is the ultimate authority in the church and then that there is both submissions and authority delegated by him to both the church membership and the elders.

So let’s look at who has authority in the church, in descending order.

#1: Jesus, the Head of the Church

Scripture is clear that Jesus has all authority in all things.

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’”

— Matthew 28:18

“For ‘God has put all thing in subjection under his feet.’”

— 1 Corinthians 15:27

“And he put all things under his feet and game his as head over all things to the church...”

— Ephesians 1:22

Notice that Jesus has not only been given as head of the church, he has been given to the church as head over all things. Jesus rule over all things, including you and me, is a good gift of God.

This means that anywhere there is authority…in the workplace, home, government, and especially the church…is a delegation of that authority. The bottom line is that Jesus is in control over all things.

#2: The Word of God

The apostles knew that they were writing Scripture. The full explanation of that is probably best saved for another blog, but they knew that what they were writing was from God. Because of this obedience was expected.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling...”

— Philippians 2:12

“If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.”

— 2 Thessalonians 3:14

Scripture is filled with such commands to obey the Word of God. I will not take the time to list every one here, but Jesus mediates his rule through his Word. It is for this reason that the church of Jesus is called to preach the word in season and out!

#3: The Congregation

I am a congregationalist. This means that I believe that the church has real authority, and even is next in line of authority, in the local church. I will explain why I believe this and include verse references, but these would be better for you to look up on your own.

Matthew 18:15-20 is the first mention of the word “church” in the Bible. Thus this is Jesus first instructions to the church. You may know that it is a passage that deals with correcting the sin in the lives of others (yes, this is a loving thing to do as sin is always destructive to the sinner). But in the case that a believer is unrepentant, the matter is to be taken to the church. Not the church leaders, apostles, elders, pastors, deacons, etc., but to the church!

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 is a case of unrepentant and willful sexual sin. Paul informs us in this chapter that the sin is not only being committed, but the one committing it is actually bragging about it. When it comes time to discipline this brother according the above passage in Matthew 18, Paul gives his instruction to the whole church. He doesn’t write a separate letter to the elders of that church, like he did to Timothy or Titus, he calls the church to act on the matter.

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 potentially deals with the same individual from 1 Corinthians 5. Whether or not it is the same individual, here Paul calls the church to welcome back and reaffirm its love for someone who was removed from fellowship but is now repentant of the sin in which they were caught.

Galatians 1 tells of false teachers who have crept into the church and taught salvation comes by faith in Jesus and obedience to the Old Covenant law. Paul reserves his harshest words for these teachers and offers the church there no encouragement for good works, the only letter Paul penned that doesn’t have any encouragement in it. Again we see a patter where the congregation is charged with having the responsibility of ensuring that false teaching stays out of the church (though this is a responsibility of an elder as well).

We can see briefly in these 4 passages that when the most sensitive and dangerous of matters are dealt with in the church, it is the congregation who has the ultimate authority to do/ensure what is right, not only the churches leaders.

#4: Pastors/Elders, Stewards of the Household of God

This is where things get a little bit tricky to understand. If the congregation’s authority exceeds that of the elders, then how can the elder have any real authority? Let me share with you a few verses and then I will explain some principles to understand how this works.

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.”

— Hebrews 13:17

“Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

— Titus 2:15

“[S]hepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willing, as God would have you...”

— 1 Peter 5:2

These verses make it plainly clear that elders/pastors have real authority, exercise real oversight, are to be submitted to, and are to even be obeyed!

Principles for Putting is All Together

Here are some points to ponder as we think about understanding all of this.

1. The elders primary responsibility is to teach the word of God, thus their authority comes not in their calling, but in their preaching of the word.

2. The church affirms and appoints its elders, thus it is to submit to them in all matters. BUT, when the elders move out of alignment with the word of God, the church is to remove them.

3. Elders will give an account to God, and even a stricter judgment, for how they handle the word of God. So even when they get things wrong, and they do get things wrong, God will ultimately be the judge.

How does this all work? Here is the bottom line…

Appoint men as elders who character reflects the list of qualifications already listed in this series, AND who are capable handlers of the word of God in preaching and teaching. Then submit to them as they instruct you. Ephesians 4 reminds us that they are Jesus’ gift to the church. And the “aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” in order that “we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

Elders and Deacons, Part 3: Why and How Should We Pay Pastors/Elders?

As we continue to look at the issue of elders and deacons we come to the matter of pay. How should we pay a pastor? Why should we pay a pastor? Should we even pay a pastor at all?

I must admit that this is a weird thing to talk about as a pastor. It just feels weird to talk about such a touchy issue, but since Scripture speaks clearly to the matter I will do my best to only say what the Bible says.

Should We Pay Our Pastors/Elders?

The first question that we must ask is whether or not Scripture even calls for churches to pay its pastors. And the answer seems to be yes and no. It seems that the Scriptures anticipate that some pastor/elders will be paid, and that some will not.

There are two main passages that I want us to consider, we will come back to these several times throughout this post. These passages are 1 Cor. 9 and 1 Tim. 5.

Let’s consider 1 Cor. 9 first, below is verses 3-12

“This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?
8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.’ Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? ”

— 1 Cor. 9:3-12

We can see in this passage that Paul believes that one who labors over spiritual matters should share in the material things that are needed for living.

In verse 9 Paul quotes Deuteronomy 25:4, a verse that he also quotes in 1 Tim 5 which says…

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages.’”

— 1 Tim. 5:17-18

The word “honor” in this passage is a hard word to understand. It is a word that means honor, wage, or price. For example, when Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of land and lied about the “proceeds” from that sale…the word “proceeds” is the same word that is used in 1 Tim. 5 to say that an elder is worthy of double honor.

Paul is here clearly speaking of monetary compensation as he then quotes the same passage from Dt. 25:4, but here he also ads a quote of Luke 10:17, “The laborer deserves his wages” (Cool side note, here Paul calls Luke’s Gospel Scripture. I may do a series of posts soon on how the apostles new they were writing Scripture).

From these passages I think that we can see there is a biblical case for paying pastors, but…

Should We Ever Not Pay a Pastor/Elder?

It seems as though there is a case to be made as well for not paying some church leaders.

In 1 Cor. 9 Paul goes on to say that thought he has the right to be paid by the church in Corinth, he surrendered his rights to them in the matter. I can think of a couple ways this could be applied.

First, if a man is independently wealthy and does not need to be paid by a church then he might surrender his rights. Though I am not a fan of the book, this is what happened when Rick Warren wrote his book titled The Purpose Driven Life. The proceeds were such that he was not only able to stop taking a salary, he paid back to the church all that he had ever been paid. There is something commendable about this.

Second, if a church in a poor area is in need of a pastor but couldn’t afford to pay one then it would be fitting for churches that had money to support the pastor of a poorer church/area. This was the case with the Jerusalem church and others as seen in Acts and 2 Corinthians, but I will let you look for these as you’re reading the Bible yourself.

It is also true that elders/pastors who don’t labor particularly in the area of teaching might not need compensation. We often call these “lay elders.” Sometimes we use the word “pastor” for those who are paid and “elder” for those who are not. But again in 1 Tim 5:17 that elders are “worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.”

Preaching and teaching is hard work. There is somewhere between 10-20 hours put into every sermon. And as the elders main role is to feed the flock of God, this takes a significant amount of time.

Here is how I think of it. The church doesn’t pay me for a service as it pays for commodities. The members of my church have graciously chosen to provide a living for me so that I can have the time to “especially labor in preaching and teaching,” a labor that most church members simply do not have the time for.

Does the Bible Give Principles for How Much to Pay a Pastor?

But let’s say you can afford to pay a pastor, how much should you pay him? This is where things get a little sticky. And the principles to which Scripture speaks has often led to problems with the matter in the church.

Principles for the Church

There really only is one principle for the church…generosity.

But there are a few principles given in the New Testament that may point to this reality.

1- Pay your pastor enough that his wife doesn’t have to work (1 Cor. 9:5)

This is much lost in our culture as it has become the norm for American households to be 2 and 3 income households. However, Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:5 “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?” It seems that the expectation was a that a wife would not have to be left at home to work in the case of Paul who was a missionary, nor for Peter, James, Jude and other leaders in the Jerusalem church. One of the qualifications of an elders that his home be in order and essential to this is a wife who is able to love, serve, and lead her family according to God’s design.

2- Pay your pastor well beyond what is necessary (1 Tim. 5:17).

My Greek professor in my undergraduate program understood 1 Tim. 5:17 to mean that a church should pay it’s pastor double whatever was necessary as a minimum to live in the area of the church. While I don’t think this is the exact formula that Paul is presenting, the point I believe he is making is that a church she pay her pastors generously, well above the minimum they need to survive.

Why Should We Pay Our Pastors/Elders in this Way?

But why?

This question is important. I would give 3 reasons. The qualifications for an elder in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1 include the requirements that an elder be (1) hospitable and (2) generous, also (3) families are expensive. The reality is that the paid pastor ought to be one who is inclined to give his money away. The second reality is that hospitality is expensive. If you want your pastor to be able to give away money, as he ought, and open his home to people, as he ought, it will require money. Families, something that is near to God’s heart and often churches too, are expensive. If your pastor has a family, love his children enough to pay him well enough that they don’t begin to resent the church.

A Couple Other Thoughts to Churches

Here are two other factors to consider as you think about supporting a pastor(s).

First, in our day health care is both expensive and necessary. Most churches, even medium to large churches, do not or cannot provide health insurance to their pastors. Usually the healthcare that pastors can afford is expensive and has poor coverage, especially if you pay your pastor generously.

Secondly, many pastors either have small retirement packages or none. Often times pastors will choose not to contribute to available retirement plans because they have difficulty paying for the things they need today. Some pastors even opt out of social security. Because pastors are considered self employed they are required to pay the full 12.4%, not the 6.2% that most employed people pay. Because they sometimes cannot afford the social security, and because they may need the money to pay for living expenses now, they sometimes opt out which can leave them without social security or medicare when they retire.

A Couple Thoughts to Pastors

Greed is something that we are all susceptible to. Brother pastor, whatever you are paid, please keep in mind that you agreed to that salary. Far too often we agree to a salary that is less than we can live on and then grumble against the churches we are called to serve. Be honest with your needs. Be humble enough to be open with your elder or congregation if you are in need. Be responsible. And be in the fight against your own flesh when it comes to sin regarding how much, or how little, you get paid.

As I stated, this is a weird thing to talk about. While it doesn’t seem strange to talk about compensation in the “for profit” arena, it does seem strange in the “non profit” workplace of the church. Where Scripture speaks, so must I.

Next week we will begin looking at the role of deacons. Who are they, and what do they do?