The third Sunday of the month of June marks Father’s Day in the United States of America. Therefore, I thought it very timely for us to consider some Biblical truths regarding fatherhood. God is good and His Word is good! The blessed person will delight in God’s Word and meditate on it day and night (Psalm 1). Part of the joy of the Christian walk is being part of the body of Christ which has been commissioned by our Lord to learn to do all that He commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). As believers in Christ, we are to have a biblical worldview in all areas of life and practice, and that includes understanding God’s Word regarding fatherhood.
 
The first usage of the word father in the Bible is found in Genesis 2:24 where we have the first marriage as the culmination of the Creation week. On the sixth day, God created the man from the dust of the ground, and then He created the woman from the rib of the man. Genesis 1:27 clearly states, “male and female He created them.” Therefore, a key foundational truth for a biblical worldview of fatherhood is to recognize that fathers are men! When you get to Genesis 2:24, you read, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother.” Scripture clearly teaches there are two and only two genders; the father is the male and the mother is the female. When a godly foundation exists in a society, that basic truth is accepted. But in a world that is marked by increasing godlessness and lawlessness, even the most basic principles of God and His Word are under attack. With that elementary foundation in place, it is also important to realize that God’s good plan for fatherhood is to be entered into only in the context of marriage.   Genesis 2:24 is the “therefore” or the result of the LORD bringing the woman to the man and Adam responding with some beautiful poetry as the LORD blessed him with a wife. Therefore, sexual sin undermines God’s good plan of fatherhood. God’s good plan of fatherhood was undermined just as much by the sexual revolution in the 1960’s as it is by the blasphemy of what many today celebrate during the sixth month of the year. Furthermore, within the context of marriage, God blessed the man and the woman and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply.” Children are seen as a blessing, not as a burden. When God finished day six of the creation week, “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” Although Adam was not yet a father, God’s good plan looked forward to Adam becoming a father.

The Scriptures also teach us what the role and responsibilities are for fathers. In summary, a father is to rule his house in a manner that leads his children towards godliness. God’s design for marriage and the family was not just that the earth could be filled with offspring but rather with godly offspring (Malachi 2:15). As an image bearer of God, a father’s primary concern is to live a godly life and to testify of God so that his children can know the true and living God (Deuteronomy 6:1-8; Psalm 78; Malachi 4:6). All fathers will bring up their children in the training and admonition of someone or something. The key for us as fathers is to bring up our children in the training and admonition of the Lord! Knowing that “godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8), may we as father’s purpose to fulfill our role and responsibility of being godly fathers. May the words of 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 mark our testimony as fathers; “You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly, and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”  

In the world, it is not surprising that God’s view of motherhood is not promoted or proclaimed. From the world, we hear messages that teach motherhood is a choice, something to be prevented, and something that can be discarded if an unwanted pregnancy comes upon a lady. But biblically, motherhood is a gift and a blessing from God. For all of us who are reading this article, we ought to thank God for the gift of moms because without them we would not be here.

God created mankind, male and female. And God’s initial blessing to mankind involves the gift of motherhood; “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:28a). The first use of the word mother in the Bible is found in the context of the first marriage; “Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). According to God’s design, motherhood is a blessed gift for marriage, as intimacy between a man and woman is to be reserved for the marriage relationship. And in the context of the marriage relationship, the original blessing of God is for the husband and wife to be fruitful and multiply. May God’s view of marriage and motherhood control our worldview of the womb rather than the counsel and thoughts of the ungodly world around us.

Something happened in Genesis 3 that has resulted in mankind perverting and twisting God’s good gift. Sin entered the world. And now we live in a world in which “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs until now” (Romans 8:22). Thus, even some married couples desire to have children but are physically unable. But even in a world that is marked by sin, motherhood is a gift from God that points us to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Genesis 3, when Adam partook of the forbidden fruit, God would have been just to sentence mankind to immediate death. But God was merciful even in judgment. When He spoke to the serpent, He shared good news for mankind as He mentions the seed of the woman; “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” And it is immediately after all the judgments are announced that Adam called his wife’s name Eve. Up to that point she was just called “the woman.” But now she was called Eve, because she was the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20). God’s gift of motherhood to mankind is what gives us physical life. But God also used motherhood, as Mary supernaturally conceived Jesus and gave birth to the Son of Man. “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4). Praise the Lord for God’s gift of motherhood as the seed of the woman was born “to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:5)

God’s gift of motherhood is held high by the Apostle Paul. He exhorts the young widows to marry and bear children (1 Timothy 5:14). In Second Timothy, Paul references the genuine faith of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5) and then implies the spiritual significance of godly moms and grandmothers when he writes, “from childhood [literally the term is infancy and can refer to a baby in the womb] you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). For those who have had the privilege of having a godly mom, you have a double reason to give thanks to God for his gift of motherhood as your Mom not only gave you life, but also taught you, through the Scriptures, how to possess eternal life. May our churches be full of life, where children rise up and bless their virtuous moms who fear the LORD! (Proverbs 31:10, 28, 30-31).

In a world where motherhood is discouraged, discredited, delayed and destroyed, it is right and proper for us to honor mothers (Ephesians 6:2-3). Moms are a gift from God!

In politics what would you rather have, a candidate with the right policies or a candidate with a high approval rating?  In a perfect world, the candidate with the right policies would have the highest approvals; but we don’t live in a perfect world.  Today, it is possible for candidates to hold wrong policies and have a high approval rating.  When that happens, not only are the candidate’s policies in error, but so are those giving their approval to those policies.  In other words, approvals are not always good!  Approvals simply mean that people think well of a certain subject. The Greek word translated, “approve,” is the word, “syneudokeo”. The first three letters “syn” form a preposition denoting union and it is often translated with or together. The main verb, “eudokeo,” is made up of two parts; “eu” meaning well or good, and “dokeo” meaning, to think. By definition, the word means to think well of together or to be in agreement with others.

Romans 1:32 addresses bad approvals, not regarding politics, but ethics. What moral activities and practices do you approve or disapprove?  When it comes to financial ethics, should students who borrow money repay it?  When it comes to ethics of life, is it ever right to approve of those who take a human life? How about sexual ethics, does anything go, or are there activities that you disapprove?  As you are well aware, people are not united in thought about ethics. Sometimes even wrong policies have high approvals.

Why are people not united in thought about ethics?  The short answer is people have a different standard for what is right or wrong.  Romans 1 presents two drastically different standards: the truth and righteousness of God and the unrighteousness of men. These two standards are in conflict as the unrighteousness of men demands approval of various lifestyle choices without regard to God’s absolute standard of right and wrong. Unrighteousness cannot allow for the righteous judgment or truth of God. This conflict was clearly seen in our local news in the last week of March, as an NHL player refused to participate in an event that promoted a certain ethical view of sexuality. The main headlines didn’t focus on God’s standard for right or wrong, but rather on the pressure and importance to approve such an activity.

Romans 1:32 presents a shocking yet sobering reality to those who approve of ethical patterns and practices that are unrighteous; “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”  Wow!  There are people who unite together in thinking well of practices that, in God’s righteous judgment, are worthy of death. How do people get to that point?  Romans 1 explains that sinful mankind suppresses the truth of God in unrighteousness and worships and serves the creature rather than the Creator. In other words, people give “bad approvals” because they willingly seek to live life according to their own thoughts and desires and outside of the authority and control of God.
 
But there is good news for bad approvals. The good news is the gospel of Jesus Christ which reveals the righteousness of God (Romans 1:16-17).  The righteousness of God is God’s perfect moral perfections and it includes His perfect moral judgments. Jesus Christ is the very righteousness of God. And Jesus, the perfect lamb of God died for our sins and rose again the third day proving that He is Lord. The one who believes in Jesus Christ is declared righteous by God the Father, because Christ’s death satisfies the judgment of God that we deserved for our unrighteousness including our bad approvals. The good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for those who make bad approvals!  

If you are approving of things that are worthy of death according to God’s righteous judgment, there is good news. The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). If you have believed the good news of the gospel, then when people are uniting together in making bad approvals, do not be ashamed of the good news of the gospel of Christ. When you are put in a position to approve or disapprove, shift the conversation to the gospel of Jesus Christ which reveals the very righteousness of God.   

The vast scope of the mission of the church of Jesus Christ is found in the Great Commission; “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).  Consider those three words, “all the nations”. “All” is in contrast to some, or as the disciples might have been tempted to think, one nation, the nation of Israel.   “The” is a definite article emphasizing the nations!   “Nations” comes from the Greek word, “ethnos” and takes us back to Genesis 10-12. It was at the Tower of Babel that mankind was separated by God into nations and therefore ethnic groups. “All the nations” paints the grand scope of the Lord’s plan for His church. It is not just about one ethnic group, nor is it about some ethnic groups, but rather the scope is for the church to carry the gospel message to the entire world. This is reinforced in Acts 1:8 when the Lord commanded the apostles, “you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

So what is the heartbeat of a healthy church? The other day, I was teaching some of my children a science lesson regarding the heart.   When a heart is beating properly, it will be in “Sinus Rhythm”. The most common abnormal heart rhythm is called A-Fib, short for Atrial fibrillation. A church is unhealthy and in A-fib when it loses sight not only of the mission (make disciples), but also of the scope of the mission (of all the nations). A church is in “Sinus Rhythm” when it is seeking to make disciples in their own Jerusalem, and when that desire overflows to all the nations. The heartbeat of a healthy church desires the gospel to be preached in all the nations and will therefore use its strength and resources in advancing world missions.

It is important for churches to do a regular checkup on the state of their heart. At First Baptist Church of Hamburg, we have a rich history of a strong heartbeat for world missions with a special emphasis on Brazil. Back in 1949, Harold Reiner arrived in Brazil as he was sent out from FBC Hamburg. He was later joined in Brazil by his brother Ray. Some of Harold and Ray’s children also followed the Lord in missionary service in Northeast Brazil. Bob and Esther Howder and Dr. Link and Lenore Nelson were also sent out from FBC Hamburg in the mid 1900’s. Their ministries were focused around the Pacific-rim of Asia.   More recently in 2006, FBC Hamburg sent Filipe and Marina Niel to Caldas Novas, Brazil where the Lord has used them to establish a sound, gospel preaching church. The Lord has blessed FBC Hamburg with a strong heartbeat for world missions over the years. Heaven is going to be a wonderful time of rejoicing as we recount how Christ built His church using faithful disciples who were passionate about the gospel going forth to the ends of the earth.

May the Lord continue to help us be in rhythm with the scope of the Great Commission.   We must beware of the possibility for a person or church to have a healthy heart in one season and be out of rhythm in another. Consider two indicators of a healthy rhythm in a local church regarding the scope of the Great Commission. First, a healthy local church serves those who are sent. Romans 10:15 asks the rhetorical question, “how shall they preach unless they are sent?” The very first missionary team was “sent” by the church of Antioch.  A healthy sending church desires to send out their missionaries well-supported for the mission that they are undertaking. Prayer support, personal encouragement and communication, and financial support are all part of the serving as senders. This February 22nd, eight of us will have the privilege of supporting and serving Filipe and Marina as we take a 2-week missions trip to Brazil. A second indicator of a healthy rhythm is when our prayers and our lives are in accordance to what the Lord encouraged his disciples to pray in Matthew 9:37-38.  “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” A healthy church will not only serve those who are sent out, but they will be praying and desiring more laborers to be sent out. A healthy member would be obedient to leave his comfort zone and be sent at the Lord’s command, because his heart is in rhythm with the scope of the mission, which is to “all the nations.”

Welcome to 2023! As we begin another year it is good for us to consider time. Time is a precious commodity. For each one of us, our time is limited on this earth. And yet every day, we use our valuable time. Assuming we were not born during this last year, all of us had 8,760 hours or 525,600 minutes of time!  And this year we will have the same amount of time to use. But once it is used, we cannot get it back again. We cannot save this asset, but we can redeem it. So as we enter this New Year, it is very important for us to be wise when it comes to time!  

But in order to have the proper foundation, it is vital that we begin our study of time with the Creator of Time, the timeless One!   When time began, God was there. Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” John 1:1-2 reveals, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Time as we know it today, began when God created it, when He created the heavens and the earth. God is eternal, without beginning or end.  But all of creation has a beginning. Therefore all creation exists in the context of time!  

Moses, in writing Psalm 90 understood the importance of a biblical worldview of the eternal God as the foundation for how one should view time. The second verse proclaims, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” This theological foundation led Moses to conclude in verse 12, “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Clearly Moses had a worldview of time that was founded upon the eternal God. This is in contrast to a worldview that gives no thought to God. Psalm 14:1 declares, “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.”
 
If God is going to be the foundation for how we view and use our time in 2023, then what will that look like practically?  Here are three biblical principles that provide a start to answering that question. First and most importantly, make sure you are rightly related to the Lord. Psalm 90 is a prayer of Moses, the man of God. This man was rightly related to God!  And in the first verse he proclaims, “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.” Today, the Lord dwells in His church!  The church is made up of all those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation from their sins. These believers are now reconciled to God and in a right relationship with Him because of Jesus Christ.  By God’s grace, the church possesses everlasting life!  Outside of Jesus Christ, there is only eternal destruction.  
 
Second, check your heart to make sure it has a right reliance upon the eternal God. It is possible for believers in Christ to lean upon our own understanding, even though we know the One who has always been!  Prayer ought to be a vital discipline for those in a right relationship with the Lord. Before you make your New Year’s goals and resolutions, spend time in prayer asking the Lord to teach you to number your days. If the Lord gives us 365 days of life in 2023, begin each morning with the prayer that is found in Psalm 90:12.

Finally, may we make and keep right resolutions. May we use our time to do the things our eternal God wants us to be doing!  May our temporal goals and activities be consistent with the character of our eternal God.   The apostle Paul writes about two good goals in 1 Timothy 4:7-8. The first is “bodily exercise”, this good goal involves our temporal physical well being and therefore it has profit in our temporal days. The second is “godliness” this involves spiritual exercise and sweat in conforming our lives to reflect our eternal God and therefore this superior resolution has profit both in this life and in the one to come! Moses, although most likely in excellent physical condition through healthy exercise and good diet was known as “the man of God.” May our days reflect our eternal God as the moments of our days are founded upon the timeless One!

As we approach the Christmas season, we meditate on the birth of our Savior and the events surrounding His birth. We look back to the time of Christ’s first coming and we look forward to His second coming.

Christ came into the world to bring the gospel of peace. On the night of Christ’s birth, there were shepherds watching their flocks by night. An angel from the Lord appeared and announced to them the birth of Christ who is the Savior (Luke 2:8-12). After the announcement, a great host praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:13-14) This is a proclamation of peace. Importantly, this statement of peace on earth is not a promise of total peace with all governments at all times. However, when we look at this world, we do not see peace on the earth. We need to remember that scripture does promise peace on all of the earth one day with all governments and mankind. Included in this proclamation is our need for peace with God. We do not have peace with God, because we do not measure up to God’s holy standard. We have sinned (Rom. 3:23). We deserve the judgment of God. The Savior’s birth is the beginning of an unfolding plan of man having lasting peace with God. The statement, “peace on earth, goodwill toward men” can be better translated as, “and on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased.” Those who have peace are those “with Whom He is well pleased.” We cannot please God on our own. True peace with God is only possible with His gracious favor toward us in Christ.

At Jesus’ baptism, the Father says, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17b). The Son pleased the Father perfectly in his life. Man could not do this. Thus, the only way for God to be pleased with us is by having Christ’s character and obedience credited to our account. When we rest in Christ’s shed blood to satisfy God’s punishment for our sin, Christ’s righteousness is credited to our account. We are then in Christ (Eph. 1), and God is well pleased with those who are in Christ. Those who are in Christ are the “well pleased” with God, and they will have lasting peace with God (Rom. 5:1). Peace with God has also given us peace with one another. Gentiles and Jews now have peace with across their ethnic groups within the church (Eph. 2:14-18). As believers, we are to live peaceably with all men as much as we can (Rom. 12:18). Our peace with God should bear the fruit of living at peace with one another.
If you look around at this world, you will notice that this world is not at peace. This world is not at rest. Governments war against each other, marriages are torn apart, families are falling apart, and conflict destroys the workplace. There does not seem to be “peace on all the earth”. This world is filled with unrest. We must not fret at this unrest nor be surprised that governments war and fight with one another and within themselves. We must remember Christ’s second coming. The promised “peace on earth” is not only a vertical peace, but it is a horizontal peace that will be established on the earth when Christ comes again.  Isaiah 9:6-7 reminds us that there is only one government that will bring true peace on the earth. The Prince of Peace is the only one who will bring true peace to a world lacking peace. “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…” (Is. 9:7). The gospel of peace with God has come, but we look forward to the Prince of Peace ruling and reigning on the throne of David one day. When that day comes, there will be lasting peace.

With Christ’s first advent, let us thank our Father for Christ being our peace, and let us remember our ministry of peace with one another. Let us also look forward to Christ’s second advent when He will come and establish His government of peace on this earth

Catchy phrases with ambiguous meanings have become normal in our day!  “Choose love,” “Science is real,” and “End Racism” are slogans that can be found on a football field, a bumper sticker, or a political yard sign!  But what do those messages really mean?   Should we join the chorus and proclaim these statements?   We need to be like the men of Issachar, “who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32).  The Hebrew word for “understanding”, “bînâ,” is closely connected to the Hebrew preposition, “bên”, which means between.    Understanding is the insight and wisdom that is gained from distinguishing between two or more worldviews.   The sons of Issachar distinguished between the various philosophies of their day and as a result they knew how they ought to respond.

The appealing announcements of “End Racism” or “Stop Hate” are subtle statements that are used as pretty packaging for a certain worldview.    The packaging even allures others that don’t align with that worldview by hiding their deceptive philosophies around words that have elements of truth.   For example, the Christian worldview says that hatred is “sinful”   (1 John 3:15).  A Christian should desire to “stop hate.”  However, since the Scriptures warn against false teachers who will twist the truth, we need to be on guard against those who use catchy phrases to promote a false worldview.   False worldviews are increasingly being wrapped even in biblical terminology today.  For example, Governor Newsom of California used the Biblical principle, “love one another” to promote access to abortion on demand.  Likewise, Governor Kathy Hochul, proclaimed that God is on the side of those that support abortion.   How we need understanding to distinguish between truth and error, especially when truth is twisted to support error!

But is there a deceptive worldview behind “end racism”?   Could an element of truth be twisted to promote error in that phrase?  The United Nations Development Program wrote an article on September 21, 2022 entitled, “End Racism.  Build Peace.”   Sounds like a great article!  But the devil is in the details as the worldview of the author becomes apparent in her summary statement, “Let us embrace tolerance and inclusion for an enabling environment for development.”   Tolerance and inclusion are key words used by those who desire to tear down a Judeo-Christian standard for ethics so that morality can be determined by man, not by God!    The ambiguous meaning of “End Racism” intentionally and deceptively draws people into a worldview that rejects God and His Law.

So how should Christians respond when we see the idolatrous worldviews being so frequently proclaimed?   First, we need to keep ourselves from idols (1 John 5:22).   We need to “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”   (2 Corinthians 10:5).  We need to know the King of kings and Lord of lords and His Word so that we can distinguish between truth and error.  Second, we need walk as children of light in this dark world.   The church of Jesus Christ is to be a powerful testimony of peace between various ethnic groups.  True peace is found not by changing God’s standard for ethics, but rather through the forgiveness of our sins against a holy God through the Lord Jesus Christ who died so that all nations could be blessed  (Ephesians 2:14-18; 4:3, 32; Genesis 12:3).   Finally, we need to have our waist girded with truth and we need to speak truth. (Ephesians 6:14; 4:15, 23, 25) Speak the truth that though mankind is separated into various nations and therefore ethnic groups as a result of the tower of Babel (Genesis 10-11), we all come from Adam’s race and God created Adam (Genesis 2:7).   Paul said in Acts 17:26, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth.”  Because Adam sinned, death has entered into this world.   (Romans 5:12).  Sin breaks our peace with God and also with one another.  The hope for the ethnic groups is found in our God, who became a man to die on the cross for our sins, so that there could truly be “Peace on earth” (Luke 2:11-14).  When you bring this message to the world, you will likely find some who will not want to include your worldview or tolerate your worldview.   It is then that you will know that you have struck a chord with those who like to use ambiguous phrases to promote and package a false worldview!   It is then that you will be a person with understanding who will bring clarity to the ambiguous phrases that abound today.

A distinct imperative for every Christian home is for children to be brought up “in the training of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). It is distinct, not because children are not brought up in homes, for they certainly are brought up. Nor is it distinct because children are not taught to love and worship; for all parents are worshippers and in their training of their children they will teach their children to worship and love something. The imperative is distinct, because all training in a Christian home is qualified and emphatically defined by the phrase “of the Lord.” All training in a Christian home is consistent with the authority of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

The word, “training” comes from the Greek word, paideia. According to Strong’s Dictionary, paideia is defined as, “The whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals...).” This training is far more than academics; it is far more than learning a skill for a job; it is a training that teaches a person how to think and how to live. It is an education that teaches the purpose of life, cultivates the passions for life, and establishes the priorities in life. Every child receives a paideia! The paideia that a child receives will influence his entire way of life!

The Greco-Roman world in Ephesus had a huge emphasis on paideia in the life of a child. They took the raising of their children seriously. However, they did not cultivate the minds and the morals of their children in the things of the Lord. Rather, they were walking in the futility of their minds, because they were alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:17). These homes and parents would bring up their children in the training of a false god. After all, if you don’t know the true God, all you are left with is idols. The culture of the city of Ephesus centered on the temple of the great goddess Diana (Acts 19:27). The children of the city were primarily brought up in the training of this false god. There is nothing new under the sun. Although the names of the idol changes, children are either being brought up in the training of the Lord or in the training of a false god.

It is imperative that the Christian home brings up their children in the training of the Lord. And the good news for Christian parents is, in Christ, we are blessed with everything we need to train our children under the authority of the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1-3). The question remains, how does one train a child in the things of the Lord? There is an old expression that is very true in the book of Ephesians, more is caught than taught. In other words, the way you live your life is a paideia for training your children. In Ephesians there is a huge emphasis on our “walk.” To be clear, our walk will include times of speaking the truth (Ephesians 4:15, 25) and teaching our children (admonition of the Lord in Ephesians 6:4 literally means to put in mind), but it includes far more than that. In Ephesians 5:15, the entire church was commanded to see or examine how they were walking.

Here are some questions that will help every parent see how he is walking and therefore how he is training his child. 1. As my children have watched me and listened to me, what would they say is the purpose of life? (Ephesians 1:3, 2:8-10; 3:21) 2. If my children were to follow me, would their passions, priorities and practices reflect the Lordship of Jesus Christ? (Ephesians 5:17) 3. Is the way I bring up my children distinct from the ways that those who do not know God bring up their children? (Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17; 5:12; 5:8).

Parents, and fathers specifically, by God’s grace, may we grow in our walk with our Lord, and be intentional in bringing our children up “in the training of the Lord.”

Through our summer Lifelink study of the book of Judges, we saw the pervasiveness of idolatry in Israel. The lessons from Israel’s disobedience of the Lord’s commands are greatly instructive for us today. When we become comfortable with idols, something is remarkably wrong!
The Command to Tear Down Idols
Israel was given clear commands from the Lord: When they entered into the land, they were to destroy the idols that were there. Deut. 7:5 says, “But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.” In other words, they were to vigorously destroy them. They were not to become comfortable with the idols in the land - to do so would mean that they themselves would be led into idolatry (Deut. 7:25). In fact, this is exactly what happened in Israel’s history when they did not obey this command of the Lord (Psalm 106:34-39, Judges 8:27, etc.)!
Models of Tearing Down Idols
During biblical history, there are notable examples of idols being torn down in obedience to God. We think of Moses, who saw the golden calf of Israel and “burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink”! We observe Gideon’s example in the book of Judges, tearing down his father’s altar to Baal. We see King Josiah commended for burning the Asherah, demolishing the altars, and removing the abominations from the land (2 Kings 23:25).
God’s Acts of Tearing Down Idols
Additionally, God not only commands His people to tear down idols, He Himself is seen tearing down idols. For instance, when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Philistine temple to their false god Dagon, they came in the next morning and found that “Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh.” In the Exodus as God delivers His people, each plague seems to be targeted at one or more of the false Egyptian gods (see Ex. 12:12). As God works out His plan for Israel and the nations, the idolatrous harlot Babylon the Great will be “burned up with fire” (Rev. 18:8) - the same Greek word used in translating the Hebrew command to burn the graven images (Deut. 7:25). God does not look favorably on idolatry (Is. 42:8).
Christ Saves Idolaters
Praise God, though, that we can be saved from our idolatry. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 6:9-11 - “idolaters… will not inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” The description given of the Thessalonians’ salvation is that they “turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9). For those who will repent, Christ has borne their punishment on the cross.
Tearing Down Idols in the Christian Life
Having been forgiven of our idolatry through Christ, we are given marching orders from the Lord. As we fight in this warfare, we are given certain spiritual weapons from God, which are divinely powerful for “tearing down” (the Greek word used to translate the Hebrew command in Ex. 34:13 to tear down idolatrous altars) “strongholds,” “reasonings,” and “every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:4-5). Likewise, in our own walk, we are told to “guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21, see also Col. 3:5). Do not become comfortable with idols! Learn from Israel’s history. Be provoked like Paul observing the city full of idols. Tear them down out of obedience to the Lord.
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It is clear from Scripture that we are to have a multigenerational mindset. As Asaph says in the instruction-oriented Psalm 78, “we will… tell to the generations to come the praises of Yahweh.” (v.4) As Proverbs 13:22 instructs us, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” And yet, as theologian Doug Wilson says, “Christians almost never think about their great-grandchildren.”

In this limited space, it would be difficult to do a comprehensive study of the relationship between older and younger generations. Nevertheless, it is clear throughout Scripture that older generations are to instruct the younger generation, realizing that the heritage they leave has an impact on the generations to come (their children’s children, their children’s children’s children, and so on). Parents, particularly fathers, have a responsibility to instruct their children (Deut. 6:6-25). In the church, those that are older are to instruct the younger (Titus 2:2-15). Scripture provides plentiful examples of this reality, both of godly generational impact (2 Tim. 1:5, for example) and of ungodly generational impact (Psalm 78:56-59). As we have been learning from the book of Judges during our Life Link study, even after the generation of Joshua who served Yahweh there arose another generation “who did not know Yahweh, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:7-10).

Though this instruction can take many forms, one clear way that Scripture gives us is to teach through song. We have seen this from the book of Ephesians chapter 5, and it likewise is found in the parallel passage in Colossians 3. Colossians 3:16 makes it abundantly clear that singing has an instructive purpose: “teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”

What we sing is theologically instructive. This can work both ways - if we sing things that are untrue about God, our worldview will be shaped to include things that are not biblically consistent. This is why the command to sing is coupled with the admonition to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” We are to sing a rich feast of deep, biblically-accurate truth.
And though we are commanded to joyfully engage in singing in corporate worship, this singing should not be limited to a Sunday service. One of the powerful, and far too often neglected, ways to leave an inheritance to your children’s children is through family worship. (In fact, in our church covenant we have agreed “to conduct family worship unless providentially hindered”.) Fathers can have a profound impact upon the spiritual state of their family by regularly leading their family in prayer, a simple Scripture reading or study, and a song or two. Even if you believe yourself to be musically challenged, remember that through your singing, you are laying a theological foundation and heritage for generations to come (Psalm 89:1). Through singing, your worldview and the worldview of your children will be formed and given songs to express theological truth.

The Bible instructs us to take time and consider how our actions today are impacting our children’s children. We are to ask - What is the legacy that we are leaving? Though the examples of this multigenerational mindset are many, one specific way to pursue this mindset is through our singing. Through corporate, family, and personal worship, we are to sing theologically rich, biblically-consistent songs that shape our worldview and impact generations to come.

Definitions matter! Words have mean- ing! But meaningful words can fall into a meaningless pit when we attempt to define that word by itself. Teachers for years have pro- claimed that you should not define a word us- ing that same word. Yet today, there are many who attempt to define a very meaningful word, “love,” in a very meaningless way, “love is love.” A closer look at the worldview of those that are promoting “love is love,” which is of- ten times publicly displayed using a six- colored rainbow, will lead you to a worldview where good is called evil, righteousness is called intolerance, and truth is relative. In short, it leads you to a worldview that is mean- ingless and proclaims all beliefs, all behaviors, and all lifestyles are to be affirmed, validated and even celebrated. The only sin in “love is love” is to not affirm or validate or celebrate all lifestyles and behaviors. “Love is love” seeks to eliminate our Creator God by elimi- nating His goodness, righteousness, and truth. In essence “love is love” seeks to replace, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

True meaningful love is rooted in God Himself, because God is love! In the great love chapter of Ephesians 5, notice the two commands in the first two verses: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear (beloved) chil- dren. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.” Imitating the God of the Bible and walking in love go together. Even how we are to imitate God is “as dear (beloved) children.” When God is removed, true meaningful love ceases! As believers we know the great love of God (Eph. 1:4, 2:4). He has saved us from a life of affirming, validating, and celebrating the lusts of our flesh and of our mind. In sav- ing us from the very wrath of God that these sins demanded, we are now able to imitate God as we walk in love.

The believers walk in love is parallel to Christ’s love for us. Christ’s love for us in Ephesians 5:2 is described as an offering and a sacrifice to God the Father. Christ’s love was marked by obedience to the Father’s will as He offered Himself to God. Therefore, the be- liever’s walk in love is to be marked by the believer willingly giving Himself in obedience to God to do the Father’s will. Love is always in accordance with the holy will and holy char- acter of God. That is why a key conclusion of “the walk in love” is not to partake with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather to ex- pose the empty words and the empty conduct that results in the wrath of God (Ephesians 5:6, 7, 11).
Yes, in this great love chapter, God is not just known as a loving Heavenly Father, but He is also known for His wrath and judg- ment of sin. Sadly today, many churches have used the statement “God is love” in the same way that the world uses the statement “love is love.” It is important for us to not reduce our Creator God to a god of our own imagination. The true God of the Bible is love; the god who is only love is a meaningless god and an idol that allows mankind to continue in his own lusts and his own desires to his own hurt.

The fruit that comes from the be- liever’s surrendering himself to God to do His will, will be in all goodness, righteousness and truth. (Ephesians 5:9) Our Creator God is good, He is right and He is truth. And when God is love, the believer will not rejoice in iniquity, but will rejoice in the truth (1 Cor. 13:6). He will not affirm, validate, or cele- brate all beliefs and behaviors and lifestyles. Rather he will only affirm, validate, and cele- brate what is of God; all goodness, righteous- ness and truth. And as the believer exposes the hurtful lies, beliefs, and behaviors that are so unfruitful, he will actually be walking in love as he introduces the one in darkness to the only One who is Light and true Love (Ephesians 5:14).

The month of May is one that is full of new life. As we (try to!) shake off the last vestiges of the Western New York winter, plants are beginning to grow leaves and flowers are coming up. It is fitting, then, that this is also the month in which we celebrate Mother’s Day.

We live in a culture where there is much confusion regarding the sexes. What makes a man a man and a woman a woman? Are the two interchangeable? Likewise, motherhood itself is something culturally detested, with an increased push for stay-at-home husbands and fathers (contrary to Titus 2:5 and Eph. 5:28-29 where husbands are instructed to “feed” and “keep warm”) and worldwide abortions already well over 13 million for 2022 alone.

If we take a trip back to the creation account, we see that God creates man in His image (Gen. 1:26). However, although He uses the word “man” (a singular noun), he is using this to speak of the plural “them,” seen later on in this same verse. Who is the “them”? Genesis 1:27 - “male and female He created them.” Man is made in the image of God, with worth, dignity, and value. Though male and female are both of equal value and worth, there is a distinction between male and female that God Himself made and later called very good (1:31). The two are not interchangeable. There is a reason that men (on average) have 1,000% more testosterone. We are hard-wired to be the sex that God created us to be. Though our society has created a differentiation between gender and sex, disconnecting the outside and the inside, Scripture instructs us that the difference between male and female goes far deeper than outward physical appearance.

This difference is seen in God’s ordering of things before and after the fall. Before the fall, the man is vested with leadership and given specific commands from the Lord (Gen. 2:15-20). The man is cut for the sake of the woman (2:21) and she is formed to be a needed, important helper for the man (Gen. 2:20-24. The Hebrew word used for “helper” is often used of God’s help toward us). Following the fall, continuity with this pattern is seen as God goes first to the man, showing his leadership responsibility (3:9), and indicates that he is to be the provider of bread (3:17-19). The woman, however, is told that she will experience the pain of the fallen world in a unique activity - childbearing (3:16).

Women are designed and tasked by God to do something distinct and superlative - to create and give birth to new human beings. This is something that men are unable to do!
Scripture consistently upholds the goodness of children. Psalm 127:3-5 tells us that children are a gift from the Lord. In fact, having many children is a glorious thing (v.5). In a culture where children are seen as a burden, abortions are rising, and births are decreasing, Christians are to glory in the gift of many children, as the Lord sovereignly allows (Gen. 30:6).
This calling of motherhood continues on into the raising of children, where children are to be nurtured and instructed (Prov. 6:20). Mothers have a special privilege of instructing their children in a Christian worldview, with regular opportunities to do so (Prov. 31:1-9, 26). We could draw from numerous biblical and historical examples to show the tremendous impact that a godly, nurturing mother can have on her children and those whom they impact (2 Tim. 1:5, for example).

Mother’s Day is a remnant in our secular society of these Christian principles. Though our culture has much confusion over what it means to be male and female, the Bible puts forth a captivating vision of God’s original design for male and female. Let us as Christians rejoice in this, upholding the goodness and beauty of motherhood.

Let’s face reality; it is not every day you hear a claim that someone rose from the dead!   We would rightfully doubt a claim that a person was raised from the dead, if it involved only mere men. Mankind doesn’t have the power to cause one to rise again. We would rightfully laugh or mock if a human claimed to have that power. But there was a man who walked this earth that was not just an ordinary man.  This man was not just fully human, but He was also fully God.  He made the world and everything in it.  He, who gives to all life and breath, became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ.  And the truth that He rose victoriously from the grave is the primary proof that the Apostle Paul uses in witnessing to the unbelievers in Acts 17 that Jesus Christ is not just an ordinary man, but rather that He is God, the One who will judge the world in righteousness.

The spiritual state of the people of Athens in Acts 17 is that they were very religious and very polytheistic.   Their lives were marked by idolatry and therefore they were ignorant of the one true God.   So how does Paul address their idolatry?  He preaches “to them Jesus and the resurrection.” (Acts 17:18).  The reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ confronts the idolater with the reality that Jesus is the true God.   To the ears of the philosophers of the city this was a strange and new doctrine.  This was a teaching that didn’t fit the description of any of their idols.

Ironically, the philosophers invited Paul to explain this new doctrine to them at a location that was called the Areopagus or Mars Hill.   The Areopagus was the supreme court of the city of Athens.   And it was on this hill that the Supreme Judge of the earth was going to be preached to them.   Paul, in response to their idolatry confronts them with the true and living God by proclaiming to them Jesus and the resurrection.

Now why did Paul preach to the people Jesus Christ and the resurrection?   First, Paul was addressing the idolatry and false teaching of the city. For example the Epicureans (vs. 18), believed that after death man just ceased to exist. None of the false gods of this city taught resurrection. Their gods were “like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising (vs. 29).   Their gods were like mere men and didn’t allow for a supernatural Creator. The resurrection confronted their false gods. Secondly, Paul wanted them to know and worship the true God.   The focus of his message is God.   And he used an object lesson of a city altar with the inscription:  “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD” to proclaim to them, their Creator God whom they worshipped without knowing (vs. 23).  This leads to the conclusion of calling the false worshippers to repentance (vs. 30).   But why have repentance, if there is nothing after death?  Verse 31 gives us the answer, “because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.  He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”  After death is the judgment and that judgment is going to be done in righteousness, by the God-man, Jesus Christ.  The proof that Jesus is not just an ordinary man is that He rose from the grave.  Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and He is Lord.

Without the resurrection,  the Christian’s faith is in vain!  But because of the resurrection the idolater’s faith is vain!   Preaching Jesus and the resurrection not only confronts idolatry, but it also gives hope to the idolater!  Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again and all those who believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.   Praise God for those who believed (vs. 34) in Jesus and His resurrection. May we proclaim the same message in our communications today!

For the Christian seeking to faithfully follow Christ, it is imperative, out of love for Christ and others, to proclaim the good news of the gospel. There necessarily is a follow up question: how should we go about evangelism and the defense of the faith? We are presented with a pleothora of answers to this question today. Many promise to provide a new and innovative way of winning converts.

I want to provide us with a fundamental commitment that will ground us as we seek to proclaim the truth: The Triune God of the Bible Exists and Has Spoken. This helps us navigate the maze of various books and videos on apologetics and evangelism (A&E). Is this fundamental commitment the basis of these resources, or do they begin with agnosticism?

Here’s what I mean: many methods of A&E start with nothing (agnosticism) and try to reason up to God. This might mean, for example, convincing unbelievers through reasoning from the complexity of creation to the existence of a god. From there, you can convince them of this god being a moral god, and eventually persuade them that this is the God of the Bible. The existence of God is not the starting place, but an attempted end result.

Paul reveals to us some of his ministry methodology in 1 Corinthians 1. He describes for us the situation that he faces: “For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom” (v.22). These unbelievers had set up idols in their lives. Their willingness to believe in God was subject to their belief in philosophy¹ and miraculous signs. Paul could have indulged them in their idolatry. Instead, he starts with the foundational commitment ¹ we have described above. His method of reaching these unbelievers? “But we preach Christ crucified” (v.23).

Our desire is for unbelievers to turn from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thess. 1:9). Therefore, our method of A&E must not indulge them in their idolatry. The power of our A&E rests not in our ability to satisfy man’s idolatrous standards, but instead rests in God’s power to save through His message of the cross (1 Cor. 1:21, 24, 30, 2:4).

This is the paradox of A&E. We must rightly proclaim the right message. Why would we want to present the wisdom of the world when it cannot lead to a saving knowledge of God (1:21)? Yet, we simultaneously acknowledge the power ultimately lies not in our presentation or persuasiveness, but in God’s work, using our feeble efforts to accomplish the salvation of His elect (2:4, 1:24-27, 30-31). Even if we “get it wrong,” the Lord is still accomplishing His purposes. God can even use evangelism done for the wrong reasons (Phil. 1:17-18)!

This is a significant paradigm shift for many today. Many would verbally affirm that Scripture is sufficient (2 Tim. 3:16-17), but deny this with their actions when they seek to do evangelism. A belief in God is not the beginning of their knowledge (Prov. 1:7). God exists, and He has spoken! His Word then provides a sure, sufficient foundation for our A&E.

As we go throughout this month, we know that we have been sent out on mission by God. My prayer is that we ground our A&E in Scripture, trusting not in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God, knowing that He is Sovereignly accomplishing His purposes.
     Pastor Cory will be teaching a 6 week class on Wednesday nights in March entitled, “Biblical Apologetics and Evangelism.”
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¹This is not to say that all philosophy is wrong, but that true philosophy is “according to Christ” (Col. 2:8). True philosophy starts with God’s existence, rather than reasoning upwards to God.

One of the most well-known men in early New Testament times was Herod the Great. The title of being the Great was not easily accomplished. To obtain this position of greatness, Herod sought to scheme and kill many people to procure the throne. He won the people’s favor through building things that the people liked. Having an indifference to God, he rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem to gain favor in the eyes of the people. He also constructed many theaters and racetracks to win over the favor of the Romans. All of the great accomplishments of Herod were for the purpose of serving his own self-interests. The title attributed to Herod for all his great actions was “King of the Jews”. Herod had his throne secured and no one was going to get in his way…so he thought….
There was another Man who was also considered to be great. However, this time an angel determined that He would be great (Luke 1:32). This Man’s greatness would be different. His leadership and teachings on greatness would be very different than what His followers were expecting. One day strange men from far-away lands were search-ing for this Man, but He was only a young Child at the time. They considered this Child to be the “King of the Jews” (Matt. 2:1-2). Alarmed that his throne again was at stake, Herod the Great inquired of the scribes. When he realized that Micah’s prophecy refers to a King born in Bethlehem who will rule over Israel, Herod once again sought to protect his throne by ordering the death of all the male children under the age of two (Matt. 2:16). After all, this was all in his best interest of being on the throne. Herod was the model of greatness in that day.
Years later, the Child, who had es-caped Herod’s plan, grew into a Man. He had a following, and people began to think that this Jesus of Nazareth was a great Man. How-ever, this Man’s goal was not to make Him-self great like Herod, rather it was to do the will of His Heavenly Father. One day, Jesus taught that greatness was not in exercising authority or being the one in charge. This was how the people of the day define greatness, but this is not how the Son of God defines greatness. Greatness, in God’s eyes, is serving others rather than being served by others (Matt. 20:25-26). Jesus was not wanting to be served. He came to serve and to be “a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:27-28). And that is what He did.
Not long after that teaching, Jesus did become a ransom for many. Jesus did serve in the humblest of ways. We see that Jesus hung on the cross, dying a sinner’s death, even though He was the perfect Lamb who was totally guiltless. Deserving to be worshiped, He was mocked. Deserving to be praised, He was beaten. And what was the title given to him? He was the “King of the Jews” (Matt. 27:37). This is truly the King of the Jews. He was truly the greatest servant. Herod was not the true example of greatness, Jesus was. Herod was not the true king, Jesus was. And one day, Jesus will return, not only as “King of the Jews” but also as the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev. 19:16).
What we learn from this is that great-ness is not determined by what people think or by what man determines as great. God is the one who determines who is great, and He determined that Christ is the greatest because he served in the humblest of ways (Phil. 2:5-11).
After which king are we modeling ourselves? Are we following the teachings and example of Herod’s greatness or Jesus’ true greatness? My prayer is that we define greatness in accordance with scripture. As a church, may we seek to serve in our homes, workplaces, and social gatherings rather than to be served. Which king are we following?

There are two potential mistakes that can be made when we view every day based on the present. First, we can mistakenly think that the present is the key to understanding the past.    This error leads to the erroneous philosophy of uniformitarianism, which denies God’s catastrophic judgment of the world through the worldwide flood. The uniformitarianist thinks every day in the past was just like today as they proclaim, “all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4b).

Those who hold to uniformitarianism are also guilty of the second mistake, that the present is the key to understanding the future - “All things continue as they were.” But sometimes even believers can be guilty of buying into that philosophy when we live as if all things continue as they are. Consider the following truths from the Scriptures that teach us not only that all things will not continue as they are, but these future events ought to impact our lives today:

First, things will not continue as they are for us personally. There is coming a day when we will depart from this earth. We don’t know when, but the Scriptures clearly teach that our lives are “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14b). Only the Lord knows the number of our days and therefore we ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15). Furthermore the Scriptures tell us that “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”(Hebrews 9:27).  All things will not continue as they are for us personally! Are you ready to stand before the Lord?  I’m thankful that the Scriptures not only tell us what to be prepared for in the future, but also how to be prepared. The Scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). The only way to be prepared for the judgment is to believe on Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins and rose victoriously from the dead. Salvation from judgment is found by faith alone in Christ alone!    Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ today and you will be prepared for that coming day!

Second, things will not continue as they are for the church of Jesus Christ. There is coming a day when the trumpet will sound and Jesus Christ will come and receive His bride to Himself (John 14:1-3). There is coming a day when those who are dead in Christ will rise and those in Christ who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thess. 4:13-18). That coming day will be completely different than any other day in human history!  Believers ought to live in anticipation of this future day known as the rapture.   We don’t know the day or the hour, but we do know that He will come again. All things will not continue as they are! Again this truth has ramifications for our lives today: “But we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him (Christ) purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2b-3).

Finally, things will not continue as they are for the nations of this world. After the church of Jesus Christ is caught up to be with the Lord, the nations of the world will be deceived (Rev. 18:23). They will form a one-world government under the control of the anti-Christ, not allowing people to buy or sell unless they worship the anti-Christ and receive his mark (Rev. 13). The nations will say, “Peace and safety,” yet sudden destruction will come upon them (1 Thess. 5:3).   They will experience the day of the Lord’s wrath and judgment which will culminate in the Great Tribulation. All things will certainly not continue as they are, as Jesus speaks concerning this future day with these words, “Then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). This future judgment of the nations ought to cause all unbelievers to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ! It ought to cause every believer to warn people to flee from the wrath to come!  All things will not continue as they are! This could be the year!

There is a fascinating adjective that Paul uses to describe the city of Athens. In Acts 17:16 as he saw the city he described it with this transliterated Greek word, “kateidols.” The last five letters, “idols” point us to the main focus of this word. The word begins with the preposition, “kata” which serves as an intensifier. This one word is translated with a variety of phrases in our English translations such as, “wholly given to idolatry” or “given over to idols” or “full of idols.” When Paul saw the city of Athens, he observed an idolatrous city. What makes a community, city, or nation idolatrous? What adjective would Paul use to describe our local region? Why did he describe Athens as “kateidols”?

Athens had a synagogue, was inhabited by religious people, was economically prosperous, and was marked by human philosophy (Acts 17:17-18). Paul later describes them as very religious (Acts 17:22). Yet, he describes them as fully given to idolatry. What brings him to the conclusion that this city is “kateidols”? The answer can be summarized by the reality that the city didn’t know or recognize the true God. When Paul preached to them Jesus and the resurrection, they knew nothing of that truth. To them, Paul was preaching a “foreign god” (vs. 18). Later as Paul comes across a statue to the unknown God (vs. 23), he makes it known that the city doesn’t know the true God. They had gods, but they didn’t know the true God. And the gods that they worshipped had replaced the true God! They devised their own gods (vs. 29) through their educational systems, business adventures, art and entertainment platforms, political establishments, and philosophical systems to the point where the true God was no longer acknowledged or recognized.

Because the true God was replaced with gods that the people of Athens devised, Paul was able to easily tell that the city was wholly given to idolatry. Idolatrous beliefs affect the policies, the principles, and the practices of the city. Ideas and beliefs have consequences. They worshipped the earth and the sun and the moon and the stars instead of the Creator of the heavens and the earth (vs. 24). They had gods that they worshipped that would provide health and fertility instead of worshipping God who gives life and breath and all things to us (vs. 25). Yes, they had stone idols dedicated to those gods, but those gods permeated from their religious and philosophical institutions into everyday life in the marketplace. It is good for us to ask, who is worshipped in our day and age when it comes to giving us breath or life? Do we recognize the true God as our sustainer? Or is He not even recognized? For example, our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator God. He therefore made our immune system! For years scientist have acknowledged something called “natural immunity.” It should not surprise God-fearing believers when we hear studies showing how effective “natural immunity” is against COVID! Sadly, what should be a reason to worship our Creator God, the one in whom we live and move and have our being (vs. 28), is often times not even acknowledged because of philosophies that devise an idolatrous god as the supreme god for our life and health.

Another consequence of idolatry is the usurping of power and authority that ultimately belongs to the Lord of heaven and earth (vs. 24). Idolatry doesn’t acknowledge that someday Jesus Christ will judge the world in righteousness (vs. 32). The majority of the people mocked (vs. 32) Paul when he preached about Jesus and the resurrection. Mockery is a form of persecution that wants people to suffer for their religious beliefs. Mockery doesn’t allow for religious liberty, but rather it usurps the Lord’s authority and sets itself up as the final authority.

Thankfully in Athens there were some who wanted to hear the gospel message again. And some who were marked by “kateidols”, yet they repented and believed (vs. 32). Let us, like Paul, take opportunity to daily testify of Jesus Christ and the resurrection in a context that is increasingly marked by “kateidols” and not knowing or acknowledging the true God.

As the leaves are changing and the air starts to become rather crisp, we look forward to many celebrations and plans during the holiday season. Celebration is a Biblical concept. The scriptures are loaded with details on how God’s people are to celebrate and remember His goodness and faithfulness. For example, celebrations were utilized to remember His character that He is holy, that He is just, that He is the provider, that He is the One who satisfies us, etc.
In fact, God commanded the people of Israel to celebrate regularly. After spending many years in the wilderness, Israel did not have a common practice of celebrating and resting because they had been slaves for several generations. But then, God commanded them to routinely remember His character through celebrations (Deuteronomy 16:1-17).
Because the United States had a godly heritage, it has been engrained in our culture to celebrate Thanksgiving once a year. What makes this holiday so important? Most would rightfully say that giving thanks is a regular command in the Scriptures for believers. Christians are right to assert that. However, there are often two precepts that people might forget when it comes to giving thanks.
The first precept is the purpose of giving thanks. A regular practice for many families is to say something that they are thankful for before stuffing themselves with mashed potatoes and turkey. We thank God for different things on this earth, but we tend not to go further to recognize the attributes of His character while thanking Him for the practical things in life. Having a balance of both the practical and the characteristics of His nature should be evident in our thanking Him. This can be seen in Psalm 136 where the psalmist gives thanks to the LORD for the things he has done and then going further in thanking Him for His character on display in what He did (“His mercy endures forever”). The ultimate direction and purpose of giving thanks should be to God for the purpose of acknowledging His character and giving Him glory. My hope and prayer is that we would make this our purpose during this season of celebrating Thanksgiving.
The second precept that we need to recognize is the consequence of failing to give thanks. Over the past two months we have been studying rocks and fossils in one of our Wednesday night classes. In this class we have been delving into scripture and seeing how holding to a Biblical worldview is extremely important in the Christian life. One of the passages that we examined during our study is Romans 1:18-23 where unbelievers willfully forget His power and divine nature that is made evident in creation. The consequence for not recognizing that He is God and for not giving thanks is that they are given up to go deeper in their sinful ways. As believers, we must take heed to the weight of this passage. When we fail to give thanks, we operate our lives as if we are like unbelievers who are destined to wrath. Thankfully, we who have trusted in Christ as the foundation of our salvation will not be given up to our sinful ways. But are we operating in the new manner of life that we have in Christ? Are we living in thanksgiving, recognizing that God is truly the Creator and Sustainer of life? We owe Him thanks for every good thing…so why not thank Him?
As we enter this season of giving thanks, let us remember that the purpose is to worship His character. And let us remember the great significance and consequence of not giving thanks to our Heavenly Father. May we be encouraged to thank our Heavenly Father for all that we have, and may we enter this season with grateful hearts for His abundant mercy through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We undoubtedly live in a world where our perception of success is driven by numbers. A business is only seen as successful if it generates value for its stakeholders. An event is seen as successful if it draws a large crowd. A social media page is successful if its number of followers grows.

Is this business-oriented model applicable to the church? More specifically, what does success look like in our evangelism and apologetics?

Luke provides us with a focal point to consider in Acts 17 when he describes for us, in narrative form, the apologetic methodology of the Apostle Paul. Paul comes on his second missionary journey to the city of Athens and is conversing with the philosophers of the day - Epicureans and Stoics (17:18). Paul is brought to the Areopagus to be heard on this teaching. Standing before two key philosophical schools of his era, does he present a carefully constructed evidential argument, reasoning to the existence of God? Does he seek to present a Christianity that is palatable to the sensibilities of these schools of philosophy in order to get as many possible decisions for Christ as he can?

Paul, entering into the situation, unashamedly declares the truth of Scripture. He declares that God made the world and everything in it. He declares God’s sovereignty over nations. He declares our contingency on God. He declares their need to repent. He declares the resurrection of Christ, evidencing that Christ is the One sent by the Father. In his defense of the faith, Paul starts with the presupposition of Christ as Yahweh (1 Peter 3:15, Isaiah 8:13) and the truthfulness of Scripture, and proclaims Christian truth.

The reception of Paul’s truth proclamation might be deemed by some as less than a success. Some wanted to hear him again, but others mocked Paul (17:32). By secular standards, his approach largely seems to have failed. There was not a flood of new converts.

Fortunately, faithfulness for the Christian is not found in pragmatic, numerical concerns. Our measure of success is seen in Galatians 1:10 - “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” Our success is determined first and foremost by our faithful service to Christ - we seek to please God, not man. Our proclamation of the Christian faith must be rooted in the veracity of Scripture and the Christian worldview.¹

In light of this, we will be beginning a five-week elective class called Transformation on Wednesday, October 13th. This class is a biblical overview highlighting five key elements of the Christian faith from creation to consummation. This class is designed specifically for outreach - it is a great opportunity to invite unbelieving friends and family members! The class is based on the truthfulness of Scripture and proclaims the gospel through the realities of creation, fall, and redemption. This class is also an opportunity for those who would like to learn the material and pass it on to others evangelistically.

We plant and water with biblical faithfulness, trusting God to give the increase. Success is measured not numerically, but by our work being pleasing in the sight of the Lord. Soli Deo Gloria.
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 ¹Contrast this with other apologetic methods such as classical apologetics, which set aside the certainty of Christianity to reason with the unbeliever as to the possibility of God’s existence. This ignores the reality that logic and reason exist because the triune God exists.

If there really was a worldwide catastrophic flood, what would you expect to find today? Genesis 6-8 describes a year-long event that not only had a catastrophic impact on the earth, but also on the life on the earth. Regarding the catastrophic impact on the earth, we read that the fountains of the deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened (Genesis 7:11). The waters increased greatly on the earth for 150 days, covering the highest mountains by approximately 22.5 feet. The impact on the living creatures on the earth was also catastrophic; “all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive (Genesis 7:21-23).

In recent weeks, there has been flooding associated with Hurricane Henri and also in Tennessee. When you look at pictures of those flood events you can see evidence of the flood: sand deposited on roads, great erosion of soil, trees uprooted and sadly, even the loss of life. If small local floods leave evidence behind, we ought to expect to find evidence of a worldwide flood even though it happened approximately 5,000 years ago.

The scope of the evidence for the Genesis flood is too large for this article, so I will focus on just a few pieces of evidence that I was able to observe last month as I spent a few days on the Colorado River. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to discover that most of the visible rock layers that make up the Grand Canyon are sedimentary rock layers. In case you forgot from Earth Science days, sedimentary rock is rock that has formed through the deposition and solidification of sediment, especially sediment transported by water. The walls of the Grand Canyon contain up to a mile high deposit of sedimentary rock. While it is true that sedimentary rock can be deposited by other means such as wind, the layers of the Grand Canyon including the angles that are found in the various rock layers are consistent with rock that has been laid down by water. Many secular scientists now agree that the rock layers seen in the Grand Canyon were laid down by water. Of course if there really was a worldwide flood that destroyed the earth, we would expect to find sedimentary rock layers all over this earth!

Another interesting observation that can be seen throughout the canyon is that the sedimentary rock layers are not the deepest rock layers observed. In other words, there is a different type of rock layer below the sedimentary rock layers. This rock layer is commonly identified as PreCambrian rocks. The boundary between these two rock layers shows evidence of a great erosion event. Where these two different types of rock meet and this erosion event takes place is called the Great Unconformity. Ironically, it can be found all across this globe. For those that hold to a literal interpretation of Genesis 6-8, we would expect to find a “great unconformity” distinguishing the rock layers that were left intact from before the flood and those that were laid down by the prevailing and receding waters during the year long flood event.

Furthermore in the Cambrian layers or the Sedimentary rocks is where all sorts of fossils “suddenly” appear. In other words, the fossil record is abundant and prolific above the Great Unconformity. Again if there was a catastrophic event that not only destroyed the earth but at the same time destroyed every living creature we would expect to find a significant fossil record in the sedimentary rock.

Because God’s Word is true, believers can be confident that what we see in the geological record of the earth will be consistent with the truth of Scripture. God’s Word is true and the geological and fossil records provide evidence of its trustworthiness. True science will never conflict with the truth of God’s Word. However, beware as God’s Word warns us of scoffers that will reject the Word of God and replace it with empty deception, so-called “scientific” theories, and blatant lies that attempt to explain reality without allowing for the supernatural work and judgment of God (Colossians 2:8; 2 Peter 3:1-10; Romans 1:18-24). Even though what one would expect to find is consistent with the Scriptures, they cannot accept it because their heart is opposed to the truth of God and His Word.

If you made a list of the most important dates in the history of the world, what dates would be included on that list? One date that should make everyone’s list is the seventeenth day of the second month of the 1,656th year from the creation of the world. The significant events of that day are recorded in God’s history book in Genesis 7:11-16. Genesis 1-9 gives us the history of the first 1,657 years of this earth. Obviously, in nine chapters, we do not have a detailed account of every day. Many days were ordinary or routine, but there were several days that God wanted us to remember as important days. In Genesis 1, we have a description of the various days of creation week. Genesis 2 provides some specific details about the sixth day of Creation week. Genesis 3 marks a very significant historical event, as mankind sinned for the very first time. Genesis 4-5 outlines for us approximately 1,500 years worth of history. But then God writes four chapters to draw our attention to a significant historical event, the worldwide flood, which began on the seventeenth day of the second month of the 1,656th year of the history of the world. This event made God’s list of the most important dates in the history of the world and it ought to be on our list.

Genesis 7:11 describes what happened on the seventeenth day of the second month of the 1,656th year of the history of the world: “All the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.” The two verbs, “were broken up” and “were opened” are in the passive or reflexive voice, which means the subjects of the sentence weren’t doing the action. Rather the subjects were being acted upon! This was not just a natural disaster, but rather God caused all the fountains of the deep to burst open and the LORD God caused the windows of heaven to be opened. In Genesis 7:4, the LORD spoke to Noah and said, “I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights.” This day is significant because it teaches us that our Creator God is involved in the affairs of this world. Psalm 29:10 declares that this day shows that the LORD reigns over the earth, serving as a historical reminder that the LORD as King, has and will righteously judge the wickedness of mankind.

Now it is important for us to consider the catastrophic and worldwide ramifications of the events of this day. During the last few weeks in Western New York, we have had several rounds of rain. One weather report warned that an inch of rain could cause flooding in light of the saturated ground. The seventeenth day of the second month of the 1,656th year of the history of the world marked the beginning of 40 days and 40 nights of heavy rain! Imagine the flooding from that much rain. But that day also marked the day that God caused all the fountains of the deep to burst open. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and destructive geysers began to take place all over the world. And these events continued for 40 days so that “all the mountains were covered”(Genesis 7:20) and He destroyed all living things from the earth” (Genesis 7:23).

Today, approximately 5,000 years later, evidence remains all over this world in the fossil records of death and destruction that began on the seventeenth day of the second month of the 1656th year of the history of this world. Every major mountain range includes marine fossils. Some have been found nearly 15,000 feet above sea level. Yet with the overwhelming evidence of the fossil record, some deny or doubt the historic events of that day (2 Peter 3:1-7). What they really reject is the truth that the LORD is the righteous King over all the earth and there is coming another day in history when He will destroy the earth again because of the wickedness of mankind (2 Peter 3:10).

“On that very same day Noah . . . entered the ark . . . and the LORD shut him in.” (Genesis 7:13-16) This important day in history not only teaches that the LORD will judge this world again, but also that the LORD is a merciful King who will save all those that put their faith in His gracious provision of salvation (2 Peter 3:8-9). God, in His goodness, wants His creation to know this important day in history, so that we don’t make the same mistake of history and perish in the judgment to come.

History records that the early church faced intense pressure to obey man instead of obeying God. The religious leaders of the Jews were filled with indignation as the Apostles were preaching the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name throughout all of Jerusalem. These leaders had the apostles threatened, beaten, and thrown into prison in an attempt to stop the spread of the gospel and of people becoming followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, the apostles boldly proclaimed to the religious leaders an essential component of Christian discipleship, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29; 4:19-20). For the sinner who repents, Jesus Christ is Lord and therefore He is to be obeyed in all areas of life. Obedience to Christ is synonymous with those who love Christ and (John 14:15, 23) it is the conclusion of the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). As the Christian obeys Christ, he ought to expect persecution and resistance in this world.

In Acts 5:33-39, the Lord provides encouragement to His followers from a very unlikely source. Gamaliel, a member of the ruling class of the Jews, was part of the opposition. Gamaliel was a Pharisee who was on the council that commanded the Apostles to stop preaching in Jesus’ name. Although he was part of the opposition, he recognized a truth that ought to encourage every follower of Jesus Christ to obey God no matter the consequences. Gamaliel’s council began with two historical examples of Theudas and Judas of Galilee. These two men had disciples, who followed and obeyed them, but when they died, their disciples dispersed. He observed the truth that Theudas’ and Judas of Galilee’s “ministry” were of men and not of God and therefore came to nothing. Then he advised to leave the apostles alone (Acts 5:38), implying that time will tell whether their claimed supreme obedience to God was of man or of God. By this, he was inferring to the council that if the Apostle’s message was of men that it too would come to nothing. Then he shares, “But if it is of God, then you cannot overthrow it; lest you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts 5:39)

Nearly 2,000 years later in 2021, we recognize that the gospel message is of God and that no man, no matter how fierce his opposition, has been able to overthrow the church of Jesus Christ, because it is a work of God. These last 2,000 years of history affirms the words of Gamaliel and the reality that our Lord is worthy of our complete obedience and his gospel message must be proclaimed to all nations. Gamaliel’s council encourages us to obey God even when opposed by man, tempting us to obey man rather than to obey God. Gamaliel’s council also exposes the state of those who are opposing obedience to God through the preaching of the gospel message; they are actually fighting against God. Whenever one encourages obedience to man over obedience to God he is actually fighting against God. The true follower of Christ will want no part in fighting against God and will therefore go against the teachings of man that are contrary to obeying God.

As the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name continues to be under attack today, and as efforts continue to grow to prevent Christians from proclaiming that message, be encouraged to obey God by preaching the truth, because “it is of God.”

“The lawless one” is the description that God uses to describe the coming Anti-Christ in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. He will be lawless because he will have no regard for the laws of God. He will live in open rebellion against his Creator. Just like the serpent of old (Genesis 3) had no regard for the commandment not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so too the Anti-Christ will have no regard for the commandments of God. He will be lawless regarding the laws of God.

However, the lawless one will make and enforce laws. In Revelation 12:9, the serpent of old will be cast down to the earth during the tribulation period and he will deceive the whole world. He will influence and control the coming lawless one, the Anti-Christ. As he makes and enforces various laws, they will represent the laws of Satan’s kingdom. In Revelation 13:12, a law is made regarding worship; only the Anti-Christ is to be worshipped. In verse 16, laws are made regulating commerce; no one can buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast. From a human level, when the Anti-Christ rules the world during the Tribulation period his government will not be limited. There will be no Bill of Rights limiting the power of government; rather he will control all aspects of a person’s life by not allowing them even to buy food unless they become a worshipper of the creature, instead of the glorious Creator!

Back in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we read that “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” There were things in Paul’s world nearly 2,000 years ago that paralleled the coming of the lawless one. Those parallels include the serpent of old deceiving people and nations and governments to disregard God’s laws and to establish laws that go against God’s truth. Since we are nearly 2,000 years closer to the coming of the Anti-Christ it should not surprise us to see those same parallels in our world today. However, during this time there is something restraining the lawless one. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, “For the mystery of the lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”

What is restraining the lawlessness today is the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth and is sanctified or set apart from the world by belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13). But when the church is caught up in the air, the ministry of the Spirit of Truth through Christ’s church will also be removed from this world (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and the lawless one will be revealed.

It is important for Christ’s church to know the times in which we live. We must beware of the spirit of lawlessness which is currently at work. The serpent of old, who deceives the world, is still throwing his fiery darts at the church. He wants the church to doubt and disregard the Word of God, just like when he deceived the Woman in the Garden. But the church is to above all take the shield of faith (believe the truth of Christ and His Word) with which the believer will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one (Ephesians 6:16). In these “unparallel” days of the last 15 months in the history of the world, know there are “parallels” to the way the serpent of old has worked and the way the coming lawless one will work. Cling to Christ and His truth and do not be deceived by the laws of men that are contrary to God’s laws.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Wow! The potential to bring life or death is wrapped up in the use of our words. Solomon, in the great wisdom that he received from the LORD, knew the power of the tongue. And that is why so many proverbs deal with our tongue. When we recognize the power of the tongue, we will desire God’s wisdom for our words. It is good and right for us to consider some of these proverbs.

1. Do I speak too much? Proverbs 10:19 states, “in the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”
2. Do I speak enough? Proverbs 31:8-9 says, “Open your mouth for the speechless; In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”
3. Are my words true? Proverbs 18:8 declares, “He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit.”
4. Do my words stir-up or turn away wrath? Proverbs 15:1 proclaims, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
5. Do I think before I speak? Proverbs 15:28 reveals, “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.”
6. Am I growing in my words or do my words still get me in trouble? Proverbs 16:23 describes the one who is growing, “the heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.” Whereas, Proverbs 18:6-7 describes the foolish mouth, “A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for blows. A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”
7. Do I speak too quickly? Proverbs 20:25 warns of making a rash vow, “It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, and afterward to reconsider his vows.”
8. Do my words come from a heart of pride as they focus on me? Proverbs 27:2 clearly teaches, “let another man praise you and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”
9. When speaking words of correction do they heal and help? Proverbs 24:17 reminds us, “do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.”
10. Are my words seasoned with grace? Proverbs 22:11 encourages us with these words, “He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the king will be his friend.”

When we trust in the Lord with all of our heart, our tongues will be springs of life. May the God of life control our hearts so that our lips bring life. And when we recognize that we have leaned on our own understanding and have destroyed people with our words, then may we speak words of confession to our God. Proverbs 28:13 gives us this hope, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whosoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”

On Palm Sunday, the followers of Christ cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” The word, hosanna, is a command that means “cause us to be saved now.” Those who cast the palm branches along the road as Jesus traveled to Jerusalem desired Jesus to save them now. Specifically, they wanted the Son of David, the rightful heir to the throne of David, to save them immediately. The salvation that they demanded was a political salvation, not a spiritual one. They wanted Jesus, the King of the Jews, to redeem Israel from the hand of the Romans, not from the bondage of their sinful rebellion against God (Luke 24:21). They wanted a political savior, not a personal savior who would deliver them from their sins. And they wanted Jesus to save them NOW!!

But these followers of Christ were wrong about what was supposed to happen now and what was supposed to happen later. They wanted the glory of Christ’s reign at that moment. They wanted the glory now, but that glory was reserved for later. The Scriptures taught that “now” was the time for Christ’s suffering! “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26) Suffering now; glory later! After the events of Palm Sunday, Jesus taught that He would come again with great glory! (Luke 21:27) But now was the time for the Passover Lamb to be sacrificed. (Luke 22:7)

The first and second comings of Christ, the now and the later, outline a pattern that is wise for all of us to consider as followers of Christ. As followers of Christ, now is a time for suffering, later will be a time for glory. “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). “But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:13). “That you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you also suffer” (2 Thessalonians 1:5). That is the now! “When He comes in that Day to be glorified in His Saints” (2 Thessalonians 1:10). That is the later!

It is important for us to think correctly about what we should expect in both the now and the later. Today, when you live godly in Christ Jesus, you should expect persecution. But it is the glory that will be revealed that allows us to rejoice in partaking in the sufferings of Christ. When we live life in this fallen world we should expect pain and sickness and suffering. But in glory there will be no more pain, sickness or death. The disciples, when they had the wrong expectation concerning the now and later, were full of gloom and sadness (Luke 24:17), but when they understood the necessity of the death and resurrection of Christ for their salvation they were exceedingly glad (Luke24:52). Luke 24 concludes with the disciples walking back to Jerusalem. It is very likely that this road took them past the place of the crucifixion, but they were no longer sad that Jesus didn’t save them now, but they were full of great joy as they fixed their hope on the gospel of Christ and the glory which shall be revealed in them later.