Satan

The Love of God

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1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. – Mark 3:1-12 ESV

After dropping the bombshell statement, “the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28 ESV), Jesus simply walked away. Mark provides no details regarding the response of either the crowd or the religious leaders, but it’s safe to assume that it was a strange mix of awe, confusion, and anger. The people were fascinated with and strangely drawn to Jesus. But the religious leaders grew increasingly concerned about His growing popularity and blatant disregard for their oral laws.

Mark faithfully records Jesus’ remarks about the Sabbath and His relationship to it, then skips to yet another Sabbath encounter. Luke makes it clear that this event took place sometime later, but on a Sabbath.

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. – Luke 6:6 ESV

Mark subtly reminds us that this was not the first time Jesus had attended the local synagogue in Capernaum.

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. – Mark 3:1 ESV

In chapter one, Mark described Jesus’ first visit to the Capernaum synagogue and the scene that took place.

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.…And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. – Mark 1:21, 23 ESV

On that occasion, Jesus created quite a stir by casting out the demon and restoring the man to health and wholeness. The people, who had marveled at the authoritative nature of Jesus’ teaching, had been treated to an even more spectacular display of His power.

Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” – Mark 1:27 NLT

Now, on yet another Sabbath, Jesus encountered a man with a withered hand. Was this just a coincidence? Had the man heard what happened the last time Jesus was in town and decided to seek healing? Or was this man a plant, purposefully placed in the synagogue by the religious leaders? This last option is not far-fetched because Mark indicates that these men “watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him” (Mark 3:2 ESV). So they could have encouraged the man with the withered hand to seek out Jesus on the Sabbath just so they could accuse Him of breaking the law.

To them, Jesus was already guilty because He had cast out a demon, healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and allowed His disciples to “harvest” grain, all on the Sabbath. Now, they were looking for additional evidence to convict Him as a serial violator of their Sabbath laws.

Jesus seemed to know that this man was being used and was nothing more than an innocent victim and an unwitting pawn in the evil schemes of the religious leaders. So, Jesus invited the man forward, then addressed His adversaries with an unexpected question.

“Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” – Mark 3:4 ESV

Jesus deliberately juxtaposed the law’s legal requirements with the moral obligations meant to accompany all of God’s commands. The Mosaic law was never meant to be a sterile list of dos and don’ts. God’s commandments were meant to guide His people toward behavior that reflected their love for Him and for one another. Later, some scribes asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” (Mark 12:28 ESV), and He responded, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31 ESV).

So when Jesus asked the religious leaders whether Sabbath laws were meant to produce good deeds or bad ones, they knew the right answer but refused to speak up, and their silence condemned them. They had no compassion for the man with the withered hand; he was just a means to an evil end. Their hearts were wicked, and their intentions were anything but good. They greatly desired to see Jesus heal the man, but not so they could rejoice in his miraculous transformation; they were hoping to use his healing as evidence against Jesus.

And Mark reveals that Jesus was fully aware of their evil intentions and angered and grieved by their actions.

He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. – Mark 3:5 NLT

But rather than lecture them about their faulty understanding of the law, Jesus simply turned to the man and said, “Stretch out your hand” (Mark 3:5 ESV). And as soon as the man did, his withered hand was miraculously and immediately restored.

When Jesus asked the religious leaders, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?” He was asking whether doing something loving and beneficial for another human being could ever violate God’s commands. By healing the man’s withered hand, Jesus expressed love for His neighbor. In doing so, He showed love for someone made in the image of God. It would have been an act of hatred for Jesus to be able to heal the man’s condition and refuse to do so. The apostle John also shows why this kind of loathing of another human being is so dangerous.

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. – 1 John 2:9-11 ESV

And John provides further insight into the danger inherent in our failure to love others.

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. – 1 John 4:20-21 ESV

The religious leaders would have vehemently defended their love for God. Yet, John infers that their lack of love for the man with the withered hand was proof of their hatred for God. They failed to love those that God loved, including the helpless, hopeless, defenseless, diseased, and disenfranchised. By healing the man, Jesus expressed His love for God by loving a child of God.

Just a few verses earlier in his letter, John wrote: “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12 ESV). John is saying that when we love others, we demonstrate God’s love; we become conduits of that love. The Greek word that is translated as “perfected” is teleioō, and it means “to accomplish” or “to carry through.” God’s love flows to us and through us to those around us. And, in the end, He receives glory.

But we get a glimpse into the darkened hearts of the religious leaders when Mark records that they “went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him” (Mark 2:6 ESV). Rather than rejoice over the clear display of God’s power as demonstrated in the miraculous restoration of the man’s hand, they stormed from the room and began plotting Jesus’ death.

But while His adversaries planned and schemed, Jesus continued to express God’s love by ministering selflessly and sacrificially to the growing number of people who flocked to His side.

Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him. – Mark 3:7-8 NLT

News about Jesus spread far and wide, and people came from all over Palestine to see this miracle worker for themselves. Many who had made the arduous journey to see Jesus suffered from various diseases, disabilities, and even demon-possession. And Mark indicates that Jesus “healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him” (Mark 2:10 ESV). Jesus was literally mobbed by the masses of people, forcing Him to have a boat ready to aid His escape should the situation grow too intense.

Every time Jesus healed someone, He was manifesting His Heavenly Father’s love for them. He was living out John 3:16: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” But the greatest demonstration of God’s love was yet to come. And as He would later tell His disciples, the ultimate expression of that love would take the form of His own self-sacrifice.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13 ESV

We have all used the expression, “I love you to death!” But for most of us, it is just hyperbole, an exaggerated form of speech intended to drive home a point. Yet for Jesus, those words were more than rhetoric. He would actually love the world to death. Rather than offering healing from a physical disability, Jesus would offer His life as an expression of love so the spiritually sick might have life.

And it should not go unnoticed that every time Jesus cast out a demon, these otherworldly beings testified to His identity, saying, “You are the Son of God” (Mark 2:11 ESV). These demonic beings recognized His divine nature, power, and authority and were subject to it, but were incapable of experiencing His love. They could confirm His identity as the Son of God and the future Savior of the world, but rejected His loving offer of undeserved atonement. They feared Jesus but showed Him no reverence, and acknowledged Him as Messiah but not as their Master.

Jesus would later accuse the Jewish religious leaders of being in the same camp with the demons, and operating under the influence of Satan. Despite their religious rhetoric, priestly robes, and love for the law, they were blind to the truth about Jesus.

“If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!” – John 8:42-45 NLT

But whether the man with the withered hand had been an unwitting pawn of the religious leaders, He was made whole because of the selfless love of the Son of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sanctification, Suffering, and Scripture

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10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.– 2 Timothy 3:10-17 ESV

Timothy found himself surrounded by false teachers and foolish people whose lack of spiritual discernment led them to accept their heresy as truth. But Paul would not let his young disciple lose hope or abandon his ministry objectives. Timothy still had work to do. The gospel must be preached, new believers must be educated in the teachings of Christ, the truth of God’s Word must be defended, and the promises of God must be believed – at all costs.

If Timothy needed encouragement or an example to follow, he only had to look to the life of Paul, his mentor and friend. After all, Paul wrote this letter while confined to prison in Rome, and he was there solely because of his faith in Christ and his commitment to preaching the gospel. Those who opposed his message falsely accused him and despised him so much that they would do anything to see him eliminated. A group of 40 Jews had even made a pact, sealed by an oath, that they would not eat until they had personally assassinated Paul.

The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, “We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way.” – Acts 23:12-15 NLT

So, just in case his memory had lapsed, Paul provided Timothy with a sobering reminder that his own ministry experience had been anything but easy. From the moment he received his commission from Christ, Paul faced opposition, persecution, and suffering. But he had done so with patience, faith, love, and steadfastness. This was not a display of arrogant pride or boasting on Paul’s part; he was simply reminding Timothy of what he had already witnessed with his own eyes. Paul recounts three occasions when he suffered persecution for doing what he had been called to do. The first took place in Antioch of Pisidia. There, Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel of Jesus Christ in the synagogues and saw many people come to faith.

Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God. – Acts 13:43 NLT

But they also met with increasing opposition on the part of the Jews.

But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said. – Acts 13:45 NLT

And it wasn’t long before their jealousy and slander turned to acts of physical violence.

Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. – Acts 13:50 NLT

Railroaded out of Antioch by the Jews, Paul and Barnabas made their way to Iconium. But as Luke records in Acts, their relocation did little to improve their popularity.

The same thing happened in Iconium. Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News. – Acts 14:1-7 NLT

But things took a rather odd and nearly deadly turn in Lystra. Their miraculous healing of a crippled man caused the inhabitants of Lystra to mistake them for gods in human form. They even tried to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas, mistaking them for the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. But Paul took the opportunity to declare the good news, calling their audience to “turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God” (Acts 14:15 NLT).

But the crowds remained undeterred by Paul’s words, still convinced that they were gods. Then, a contingent of Jews from Antioch and Iconium showed up, whose accusations against Paul and Barnabas transformed the adoring crowd from worshipers to executioners.

Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. – Acts 14:19-20 NLT

Paul reminds Timothy, “You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it” (2 Timothy 3:11 NLT). Paul miraculously walked away from his own stoning and made his way to Derbe, where he continued to faithfully proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Then, according to Luke, Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps, returning to the very cities where they had faced opposition and Paul had been stoned and left for dead.

After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. – Acts 14:21-22 NLT

The inhabitants of these three cities must have been shocked when Paul and Barnabas showed back up. But no one would have been more surprised than those who had placed their faith in Christ as a result of the teaching of these two men. They must have assumed they would never see Paul and Barnabas again. But not only did they return, but they also provided a living lesson in what it means to suffer for Christ. It is likely that Paul still displayed the cuts and bruises from his stoning in Lystra.

And Paul reminds Timothy of the message he delivered to the faithful in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch: “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NLT).

The reality of the Christian life is that the godly will suffer while the ungodly will appear to prosper. False teachers will continue to deceive and mislead the innocent and immature. The wicked will appear to get away with their ungodly behavior, even flourishing, while those who follow Christ find themselves facing trials and difficulties of all kinds.

But Paul encourages Timothy to remain faithful at all costs, reminding him to consider the history of his own conversion and calling. Timothy was raised by a godly mother and grandmother who saturated his life with the Scriptures. That immersion in the Old Testament prepared Timothy to understand the truth about Jesus and His claim to be the Messiah of Israel.

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 3:15 NLT

Timothy knew Jesus fulfilled all the Messianic passages in the Hebrew Scriptures. He was the Son of David and the long-awaited Messiah, and He was Timothy’s Savior. Just as Scripture prophesied Jesus’ first coming, it also revealed that Jesus would come again one day. That’s why Paul reminds Timothy to keep trusting God’s written Word because it reveals the truth concerning His Living Word.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. – Acts 3:16-17 NLT

Things wouldn’t be easy. Living the Christian life would not be a walk in the park. But Paul wanted Timothy to know that he could endure whatever came his way because he could trust in the Word of God. It had the power to instruct, discipline, encourage, and equip God’s people. It was divinely inspired and, therefore, spiritually empowered to help every believer not only survive but thrive. Sanctification, suffering, and Scripture are three non-negotiables in the life of the believer. Salvation will result in our transformation into the likeness of Christ. That process will involve suffering and persecution; it comes with the territory. But Scripture, which reveals God’s redemptive plan made possible through faith in Christ, also provides everything we need to live godly lives as we await His Son’s return.

Father, this message is a difficult one for us to hear. We don’t want to think about suffering. In fact, we avoid it at all costs. Instead, we pursue ease and comfort, hoping to create our own little heaven on earth where pain, persecution, and problems have no place. But Your Son said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows” (John 16:33 NLT). He reminded His disciples, “I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19 ESV). So, Paul is right when he warns Timothy that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV). It is an inescapable fact that following Christ will bring down the wrath of the enemy. Satan hates us, and the more we serve God and reflect the character of Christ, the more intense his attacks will become. Our sanctification infuriates him because it proves the truth of the gospel. As we become more like Christ, we reflect the power of the Holy Spirit, the reliability of God’s promises, and the hope of eternal life. Yet, the temptation is to view suffering and persecution as unwanted, undesirable anomalies that have no place in the life of a believer. The enemy wants us to reject them as unacceptable and to see them as unwelcome “gifts” from an unloving God. But Paul describes our persecution, pain, and suffering as small and short-lived, and reminds us, “Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT). Yes, the pain is real, the suffering hurts, and the persecution is difficult to accept, but as Paul promises, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment” (Romans 5:3-5 NLT). Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Goal of Godliness

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1 Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. – 1 Timothy 6:1-10 ESV

As Paul wraps up his letter to Timothy, he focuses on godliness, a topic near and dear to his heart as a pastor. The Greek word for “godliness” is eusebeia (εὐσέβεια), and it refers to piety or reverence for God. In essence, godliness is the outward expression of one’s belief in God.

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul declared his love for them and reminded them of his constant prayers for their spiritual well-being.

I have not stopped thanking God for you.  I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. – Ephesians 1:16-17 NLT

He knew that the key to their spiritual health would be their continued growth in godliness; the increase in their knowledge of and reverence for God.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT

Their belief in God included belief in the power He had made available to them. Through their faith in Jesus Christ, they had access to the very same power that raised the crucified body of Jesus back to life. And that same power could and should produce similarly miraculous changes in their own lives. In coming to faith in Christ, they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit and received access to His supernatural power and gifts. Paul reminded the believers in Rome, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you” (Romans 8:11 NLT).

In Chapter 3, Paul referred to godliness as a mystery (mystērion). He declared that at one time, the key to attaining godliness was hidden from men; anyone’s ability to truly know and revere God was hindered. It wasn’t that they couldn’t have a relationship with God; it simply meant their ability to draw near to God was hampered by indwelling sin. That was the whole reason for the sacrificial system. Sin separated mankind from God, and sacrifices were required to atone for those sins. But all that changed when Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh. That was Paul’s point in Chapter 3.

He was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated by the Spirit,
        seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
    believed on in the world,
        taken up in glory. – 1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

The sinless Son of God became a man and lived a perfectly godly life. He demonstrated love and reverence by fully obeying His Father’s will. Paul emphasized Jesus’ godly behavior in his letter to the church in Philippi.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
   he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

Paul challenged the Philippians to “have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5 NLT). They were to model their lives after Christ’s humility, obedience, and selfless sacrifice for the good of others.

Paul firmly believed that true godliness should make a difference in the way the believers in Ephesus lived their lives. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead was available to them through the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. To demonstrate the practical necessity of godliness, Paul addressed three different groups of people in the church in Ephesus. His point was to remind Timothy that the Christian faith was to be a practical part of everyday life and to make a difference in how believers lived and interacted with the world around them.

First, he addressed slaves, specifically those slaves who had come to faith in Christ and were now part of the body of Christ. Slavery was a ubiquitous part of the Ephesian culture, and slaves lived and worked in the community and worshiped within the congregation in Ephesus. Some of them had been sold into slavery, while others had been forced into servitude because they were unable to pay their debts. These slaves would have come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, and included Jews and Gentiles. But the ones to whom Paul referred were believing slaves; those who had placed their faith in Jesus Christ and were now part of the local fellowship in Ephesus. Paul encouraged Timothy to teach them to respect their masters and work diligently. Paul doesn’t condemn slavery or attempt to disrupt the social fabric of his day. He didn’t condone or condemn the practice; he simply wanted those affected by it to live in a way that honored God and illustrated godly behavior.

In his letter to Philemon, a Christian slave owner and a prominent leader of the local church in Colossae, Paul asked him to welcome back Onesimus, a slave who had run away and become a believer. Paul encouraged Philemon to see Onesimus differently.

…he is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. – Philemon 1:16 NLT

From a legal standpoint, Onesimus was still a slave. Coming to faith in Christ had set him free from sin but not from slavery. In the cultural context of his day, Onesimus remained a slave and Philemon’s legal property.

Coming to faith in Christ does not always change our circumstances, but it does alter how we should respond and conduct our lives in the midst of them. For Paul, the godly behavior of these believing slaves was paramount.

…slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. – 1 Timothy 6:1 NLT

As believers, the way they responded to their enslavement would demonstrate their reverence for God. It would reflect their belief in and reliance upon God. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul discussed the need for believers to prioritize their status as God’s children over their circumstances, and he included slavery in his list.

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. – 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 ESV

The next group Paul addressed were false teachers, those who refuted his teaching and stirred up “arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions” (1 Timothy 6:4 NLT). These individuals were arrogant and lacked true understanding; they had turned their backs on the truth of God and were concocting their own version of spiritual reality. Their motivation was purely selfish and financially driven. Paul said, “to them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy” (1 Timothy 6:5 NLT). Their ministry was based on what they could get out of it, and their godliness was all for show.

But Paul understood godliness differently. It was the objective, not a means to an end, and it was not to be used as a device to gain respect, power, or financial gain. Godliness was sufficient in and of itself, and when accompanied by contentment, it proved more than profitable to an individual’s life.

…true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. – 1 Timothy 6:6 NLT

That’s why a godly slave could remain a slave and be content with his lot in life. Circumstances have little to do with godliness and should have virtually no impact on the degree of our contentment. Godliness does not depend on material possessions or personal circumstances. The godly individual does not rely upon the accumulation of things to find contentment. That is why Paul wrote, “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content” (1 Timothy 6:8 NLT). The false teachers were motivated by money, but the godly are motivated by Christ.

Paul ends this section by talking about those who display an inordinate love for money. Each of these three groups was part of the church in Ephesus. Slaves, false teachers, and lovers of money were participating in the body of Christ, but not all who had a love affair with money were false teachers. Some in the church were wealthy and desired more, while others were poor and dreamed of becoming rich. In both cases, the love of money could prove to be dangerous.

…people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. – 1 Timothy 6:9 NLT

They lacked contentment and had made the accumulation of wealth their goal, rather than godliness. Money was their provider and protector, putting it in place of God. But notice that Paul does not condemn money or wealth. He simply points out that loving it and obsessing over it can be harmful to the believer. The love of money can have devastating consequences on a believer’s pursuit of godliness.

True godliness is accompanied by contentment. Desiring anything other than Christ can be deadly to the believer. Craving something other than Christ to fulfill our need for contentment, joy, and hope can also harm our spiritual maturity. Slaves were to be content with their circumstances and live godly lives right where they were. The false teachers needed to be content with the truth of God’s Word and the message of Jesus Christ, just as it had been preached to them. They also needed to live godly lives without expecting any financial reward in return. Those who viewed money as their savior were to be content with their current financial status and live godly lives regardless of how little or how much money they possessed.

Godliness combined with contentment is the real currency of God’s Kingdom. Like circumstances, money can be unsteady and unreliable; both can change on a whim. And any version of the truth that doesn’t align with the Word of God will never produce godliness. For Paul, a life without godliness was to be considered unthinkable for the child of God.

Father, in another one of his letters, Paul wrote, “God’s will is for you to be holy” (1 thessalonians 4:3 NLT). You want us to be “godly” because You are godly and, as Your children, we are to reflect Your character. But so many things interfere with our pursuit of godliness. The world offers up a panoply of tempting alternatives, from money and materialism to popularity and fame. We are constantly bombarded by messages that appeal to our need for significance and meaning. The enemy wants to distract us from the truth with shiny baubles and tempting treats that promise us happiness, health, purpose, power, influence, and fulfillment. But they never come deliver. Yet, even as believers, we wrongly assume that a change in our circumstances is the key to contentment. If only I had more money, I would be happy. If my problem would go away, my life would be so much better. If more people liked me, I wouldn’t be so lonely. But they’re all lies, promoted by the enemy and designed to distract us from our real need for godliness. Wake us up. Open our eyes. Help us see that godliness really is the key to contentment, It’s not an option; it’s a non-negotiable necessity, and until we make it our highest priority, we will continue to fixate on our circumstances and wrongly believe that a change for the better would make us happier. Or we will falsely assume that more is better, more money, friends, possessions, popularity, and power. But consumption and accumulation are not the answer, godliness is. But as Paul said, godliness must be accompanied by contentment. You are enough, Your Son is sufficient, and the Spirit is all we need for life and godliness. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

What To Do While We Wait

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6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. – 1 Timothy 4:6-16 ESV

Our lives are meant to make a difference, but not in the way the world would have us believe. In this age, significance is measured in assets, popularity, job title, income, the neighborhood we live in, the kind of car we drive, or even the number of friends and followers we have on social media. We live to impress, influence, and to make a difference in the world, but the terms by which we measure the success of our contribution can be shallow and exceedingly temporal. Paul encouraged Timothy to use a different standard. He wanted his young protegé to keep his eyes focused on what really mattered, so he gave him a few basic tips for living a life that makes a difference.

First, he tells him to teach. Paul wanted Timothy to take what he was learning and share it with those all around him. Knowledge that is never shared is wasted. Wisdom that isn’t passed on to others becomes self-centered and senseless. But Paul’s letter to Timothy wasn’t meant for him alone; his intention was for Timothy to teach the truths it contained to those under his care. He told him to “explain these things to the brothers and sisters” (1 Timothy 4:6 NLT). He challenged him to “teach these things and insist that everyone learn them” (1 Timothy 4:11 NLT). The truths found in God’s Word are meant to be shared, not hoarded. We are to pass on what we learn.

Second, Timothy was to train others, and Paul was quite specific about the kind of training he meant. Paul said, “train yourself to be godly.” (1 Timothy 4:7 NLT). The Greek word Paul uses is gymnazō, and it means “to exercise vigorously, in any way, either the body or the mind” (Blue Letter Bible. (n.d.). Outline of Biblical Usage for [gymnazō] [G1128]. Retrieved August 25, 2026, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/). It is the word from which we get our English word, gymnasium.

Paul was expecting Timothy to put effort into his pursuit of the spiritual life. Godliness was to be his goal, not material success, financial reward, physical health, or personal fulfillment. Paul reminded Timothy that he would receive far greater benefits from pursuing a healthy and vibrant spiritual life than he ever would from getting physically fit. Godliness has both temporal and eternal ramifications for the believer’s life; we benefit in the here and now as well as the hereafter.

Third, Paul tells Timothy to typify or exemplify the Christ-like life. He was to be an example of godliness to those around him in every area of his life, through his speech and conduct, in his demonstration of love and faith, and through living a life of purity. Purity includes sexual purity as well as integrity of heart.

The Christian life is holistic, with no room for compartmentalization. In other words, there are no hidden or secret areas where the light of God’s transformative power does not shine. Timothy’s godliness was to touch every area of his life, and it was to be a clear model of Christ-likeness to all those around him. Timothy was never to allow his young age to be a hindrance or an excuse. His chronological age was irrelevant because godliness is ageless. Becoming like Christ has nothing to do with the number of years we spend on this planet, but everything to do with the time we spend in the Word, with the Lord, and being submitted to the Holy Spirit. Godliness is to be lived out for others to see.

Paul gives Timothy one final charge: “Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:15-16 NLT).

Timothy was to teach others, train himself diligently, and typify the life of a believer. And he was to throw his entire energy into making this a reality in his life. The pursuit of a godly life cannot be done half-heartedly; it’s a full-time job that requires our constant attention. We have to regularly examine how we’re doing and constantly assess our spiritual well-being. There is no room for complacency or contentment. Paul modeled this lifestyle of constant commitment to excellence.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

There will always be distractions, and we will be tempted to become complacently satisfied with where we are and how far we’ve come. But Paul warned Timothy that the goal will not be realized on earth; our salvation will be consummated in heaven, not here. This life is not to be all there is, and this world is not our home; we’re just passing through on our way to somewhere better. Our salvation awaits our glorification, and that is to be our ultimate objective. That’s why Paul told Timothy to train himself for godliness; he didn’t demand that he achieve it. Eventually, our godliness will be complete. We will be done with all the training and will have completed the race. The apostle John reminds us, “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2 NLT).

That day is coming. But in the meantime, we are to teach, train, and typify. So let’s get busy!

Father, we have work to do and yet, we find ourselves so easily distracted by the cares and concerns of this world. Rather than focusing on the prize that You have promised, we become fixated on the here and now and overly consumed with temporal things like popularity, possessions, pleasure, and power. We allow the enemy to deceive us with the promise of our best life now, but his sales pitch never delivers. He can’t provide us with true joy, contentment, peace, or significance. He has no concern for our well-being, but simply wants to keep us addicted to the things of this world. That is why John warned us, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 NLT). And Paul called us to teach, train, and typify godliness in this life because we believe in the promise of eternal life. I want to become less worldly and more godly with each passing day., but I know I can’t do it on my own. So thank You for providing Your word and the Spirit to help me. May I become increasingly more focused on living out what I say I believe so that others can see the power of the gospel in me. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

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14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated by the Spirit,
        seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
    believed on in the world,
        taken up in glory.

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. – 1 Timothy 3:14-4:5ESV

The world in which Paul lived was mired in falsehood, much like it is today. It is Satan’s domain, who is the father of lies (John 8:44), and everything in this world is deceptive and deceitful. As Satan has always done, he takes what God made and attempts to distort and twist it in such a way that it leads humanity away from God.

In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul outlined the devastating consequences of Satan’s influence over this world and his impact on men.

…they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:21-23 NLT

While he is deemed the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), Satan is not obsessed with having men worship him; he is content to have them worship anything other than God, including themselves. That is why Paul warned the believers in Rome about the dangers of idolatry.

They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself. – Romans 1:25 NLT

The apostle John reminds us that Jesus “came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:10-11 NLT). Preferring the darkness over the Light, men rejected the truth about Jesus Christ and gladly accepted the lies of the enemy.

So, it’s easy to see why Paul reminded Timothy that the church, the body of Christ, was God’s ordained instrument for spreading and supporting the truth concerning His Son in this world. His whole purpose in writing to Timothy was to help him understand how people were to live within the household of God, the church, the “pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 ESV).

The truth to which Paul referred is the truth regarding godliness. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has provided a means by which sinful men and women might achieve godliness or a state of righteousness in His eyes.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

Paul seems to quote a few lines from what must have been an early church hymn.

Christ was revealed in a human body
    and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
    and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
    and taken to heaven in glory. – 1 Timothy 3:16 NLT

In a few short lines, Paul addresses the truth regarding godliness. First, he defends the truth concerning Jesus’ incarnation. He was God in human flesh, and, according to the apostle Peter, Jesus was “put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18 BSB). That is what Paul means when he states that Jesus was vindicated by the Spirit. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of mankind but was raised back to life by the power of the Holy Spirit. Then His resurrection was announced to the nations, resulting in the salvation of countless individuals. And while Jesus ascended back into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father, He will one day return for His followers. That is the truth of the gospel and the good news concerning godliness.

Paul wanted Timothy to understand that the church was the keeper of that truth. It was to be the disseminator and defender of that truth, conveying the message of godliness to a lost and dying world. Paul was thinking specifically about the local church context, the testing ground of our faith. The church is where the truth must be applied with love and grace. If God’s life-transforming power, made possible through Jesus’ death on the cross, doesn’t work within a local body of believers, the gospel is ineffective. But Paul believed it could and should make a difference.

First and foremost, he viewed the church as a family. It was not an institution or organization, but a collection of diverse individuals who have all shared in God’s undeserved, unmerited favor by placing their faith in Jesus Christ. They have been adopted into God’s family and been declared His heirs, all due to His Son’s sacrificial, sin-canceling death on the cross. Paul describes this as the great mystery of our faith.

This is the truth of God’s redemptive plan for mankind that the church is to support and uphold. There is no other version of the truth, and no other teaching can lead to godliness. God’s truth makes the church a living organism, not an organization, and provides the body of Christ with life through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This life-changing truth gives hope for the present and the future.

The church, the body of Christ, is where the message of new life in Christ gets lived out, and where the Light of the world illuminates the darkness of sin. Paul knew the necessity of these things because he had seen the impact of falsehood and heresy within the local church. The enemy was alive and well, attacking the fledgling new congregations with half-truths, convincing lies, and distorted views of reality.

Where there is truth, there will always be falsehood. The good news regarding Jesus Christ would always be accompanied by counterfeits and knockoffs. One of the things Paul constantly fought was the temptation for people to buy into the formula of Jesus + something. Anything that added to Christ’s all-sufficient work on the cross was to be rejected as false and a lie from the enemy.

The real, ever-present danger to the church is compromise. If the enemy can get believers to compromise their convictions with ever-so-slight revisions to the truth of God, he can destroy their effectiveness. It is exactly what he did with Adam and Eve in the garden. He got them to question the word of God by cleverly twisting it and causing them to doubt its veracity and reliability.

But the church must be the pillar that supports the truth in the midst of all the falsehood and lies, and those can be subtle and deceptive. Whether it is asceticism, the belief that abstinence from certain physical things leads to spiritual maturity, or legalism, the belief that adherence to certain rules and rituals is essential to salvation, these things must be rejected as lies. They were dangerous and highly destructive, and have no place in the household of God.

God’s truth is the key to the church’s survival in the hostile environment in which it is called to exist. We are to be “faithful people who know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:3 NLT), and it is the truth of God, found in the Word of God, that gives the people of God the capacity to see and reject the lies of the enemy. Knowledge of the truth brings health and vitality to the body of Christ. Living according to the truth makes the people of God a powerful force for change in the world, causing them to shine brightly in the darkness. But compromise is like a blanket thrown over the church, diminishing its capacity to shine.

Father, in today’s world, truth has become relative and virtually unreconizable because everyone has their own version of it. There no longer seems to be a central source for determining what is right and wrong. We live in a day when everyone does what is right in their own eyes, and that obsession with autonomy and self-determination has infiltrated Your church. Relativistic, self-affirming opinions fill everyone’s social media feeds and opposing opinions are deemed to be nothing less than hate speech. This world is filled with dillussional, highly opinionated people who believe their version of the truth is to be defended at all costs. Yet, they are deceived and blind to the reality that there is only one version of the truth. As Your people, we know what that truth is, but we fail to proclaim it. Too often, we present a version of Your truth that has been watered down with manmade rules and flesh-based obligations that turn the grace of the gospel into just another works-based religious enterprise. We take the message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and add our personal opinions and denominational dogmas to the equation. The result is a watered-down, works-based version of the truth that leads to futility and frustration, not freedom from sin. You have called us to defend the truth and to take its life-transforming message to the ends of the earth. Protect us from the lies of the enemy and the temptation to let our opinions water down the message of the gospel. Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Victory In Jesus

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13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. – Ephesians 6:13-18a ESV

This passage deserves a second look. Paul tells us to “put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13 NLT).

He uses two Greek words, ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi) and ἵστημι (histēmi). The first means “to stand against,” and the other means “to stand” (“G436 – anthistēmi, G2476 – histēmi – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). To “withstand in the evil day” carries the idea of standing your ground in the midst of battle. You are under attack and surrounded by the enemy, but you refuse to surrender your position; instead, you resist. Paul is describing a defensive posture, not an offensive one, because the enemy is bringing the battle to you.

Jesus told Peter, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18 NET). Satan is out to destroy God’s people and is constantly assaulting His church from without and within. But Paul calls us to stand our ground, to resist. James uses the same Greek word, ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi), when he writes, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7 ESV).

Paul is calling us to stand firm, immovable, ready, and prepared for action. But how are we to accomplish that? What is the secret to standing firm? Paul makes it quite clear: it is the whole armor of God. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod in the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. These six items comprise the indispensable equipment for every soldier of God. You can’t survive without them. It isn’t a question of whether the enemy will attack; you will see battle, and it will be intense. Satan is bringing the war to your doorstep each and every day, but God has given us all that we need to withstand and stand firm in the heat of the battle.

The belt of truth is the first and most essential piece of equipment. It most likely refers to the truth as revealed in God’s Word. Truth is key to standing up to the enemy’s lies. Remember, the goal is to “stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 ESV). That word, “schemes,” means “deceit or trickery.” Jesus confirmed that Satan is a liar.

“He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” – John 8:44 NLT

He is cunning and clever, and he uses falsehood as his primary weapon of choice. So, truth will be one of our greatest assets as believers.

The breastplate of righteousness refers to the righteousness of Christ. Like the armor of a Roman soldier, this breastplate is designed to be the primary source of protection against the enemy’s assaults. A Roman breastplate was designed to shield the main portion of a soldier’s body, from the neck to the thighs. As believers, we are covered by the righteousness of Christ. It is His righteousness that has made us right with God. When the enemy attacks and hurls darts of accusation against our self-righteousness, we are protected by the righteousness imputed to us by Christ. Satan can accuse us, but he cannot harm us. We must take up Christ’s righteousness daily and understand that it is what He has given us that protects us from the enemy’s assault.

No soldier would go into battle without shoes. How can you stand firm without proper footwear? And Paul describes these shoes as “the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15 ESV). The gospel of peace, the good news, enables us to stand firm without slipping or sliding amid uncertainty or losing our spiritual footing. Because of what Christ accomplished on the cross, we have peace with God. We are His, and He is ours. That is why Paul could confidently claim, “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 ESV).

The shield of faith is not something you wear, but something you hold. Like all of the other pieces of armor, it is provided by God; it is His armor. Our faith is not self-manufactured; it is a gift of the Spirit, provided for us by a gracious and loving God. As long as we stand behind our faith, we are safe. It is when we set aside our faith that we become vulnerable to the enemy’s darts. Faith is our trust in God and in His promises regarding us. The author of Hebrews describes it this way: “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (James 11:1 NLT). God has promised to never leave or forsake us. He has assured us that He is preparing a permanent place for us in His eternal Kingdom. He has also promised to fight all our battles for us and has placed His all-powerful Spirit within us. But we must trust in these truths at all times. A weak shield is of little use in the heat of battle. Strong faith in a powerful and faithful God will provide protection every time, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

The helmet of salvation protects our mind. It is the awareness of God’s ongoing saving work in our lives. It refers not only to our coming to faith in Christ but also to our ongoing sanctification and God’s daily saving work. Through His Son’s death, he saved us from sin and death, but He is also saving us from the flesh, the world, and the enemy. Our salvation was not a one-time event; God continues to save and protect us from the enemy’s attacks, preserving us for the destiny He has planned for us. But we must remain focused on His saving work regardless of the circumstances we face. We must constantly remind ourselves that He is faithful and strong, and that the battle is already won.

The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and it is designed for hand-to-hand combat. The Scriptures are what we use when the enemy gets up close and personal. God’s Word provides us with the truth we need to deflect the lies of Satan. It is both a defensive and an offensive weapon, allowing us to protect ourselves and to bring harm to the enemy. Referring to the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, “when he comes he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:8 NLT). The Spirit of God, in conjunction with the Word of God, is essential in our fight against the forces of this world.

Finally, Paul tells us to keep “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:18a ESV). Prayer is nothing more than communication with God. Like a soldier on the battlefield, timely communication from headquarters is key to victory. We must listen to our heavenly commander, the Lord of Hosts. He is the captain of the armies of heaven, and He has a battle plan in place. We are not to act as freelance mercenaries, operating on our own agenda and implementing our own battle plan. It is through prayer and the reading of God’s Word that we receive instructions. Prayer provides us with a means of sharing our needs and news from the battlefield. Staying in touch with God is essential to our survival.

The battle is real. The enemy is powerful. But our God is great, and our armor is time-tested and proven reliable in the heat of battle. God has designed it and provided it to us so that we might stand firm in the ongoing spiritual battle we face. And John assures us that we can fight confidently, for our victory is assured by God.

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. – 1 John 4:4 NLT

Father, we are the most well-equipped military force on the planet. We have an all-powerful, all-knowing Commander in Chief and have been equipped with the finest defensive and offensive weapons to assist in the battle. We have a training manual that is second to none, a secret source of power in the form of the Holy Spirit, and a battle plan that guarantees our victory. You, the Creator of the universe, have promised to fight alongside us. There is no battle or skirmish we will face that You will not be there with us. And even when we grow weak and tired, Your Holy Spirit will renew our strength and reinvigorate our efforts. As Isaiah said, “those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31 NLT).

I don’t like to think of life as a battle, but my experience tells me that it is. I have learned that the enemy is real and his assaults produce casualties among God’s people. But it’s not because he is more powerful, it is because we fail to wear the spiritual armor You have provided. Many of us refuse to admit that this world is a war zone. We would rather view it as some kind of extended vacation with a few hiccups and headaches along the way. But this life can be dangerous and deadly, because the enemy is alive and well. He is out to steal, kill, and destroy, and yet, he is a defeated foe because of Christ’s death on the cross. But until Your Son returns, we must continue to stand firm, fight well, and trust faithfully. Then we will be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Battle Is Real

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10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. – Ephesians 6:10-18a ESV

Having just addressed the topic of godly submission by illustrating its impact and influence across three different relationship settings, Paul now makes a somewhat jarring shift in thought to spiritual warfare. But upon closer examination, it seems clear that Paul is simply continuing the same thought he began when he called them to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which they had been called.

For two chapters, Paul has emphasized the need for believers to live out their faith in everyday life. He has called them to put off their old selves and to be renewed in the spirit of their minds. They are to put on their new natures, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). They are to walk in love, as children of light, and submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, willingly sacrificing their rights and selflessly loving others as Christ has loved them.

But this was not going to be easy and would not come naturally. Paul knew that their old sin natures, their flesh, would fight them every step of the way. Their natural inclination would be to lord over one another, not submit. They would be prone to pride and self-exaltation rather than humility and selfless service. Submitting to those who don’t deserve it or loving those who don’t appreciate it is not easy. To make matters worse, Paul knew that believers have an enemy at work behind the scenes, making our walk of faith as difficult as possible.

He was keenly aware of the invisible spiritual battle taking place, to which most Christians remain oblivious. What Paul is asking us to do is impossible to pull off in our own strength; we are not equipped for it. Our human nature, apart from God’s help, is not suited for spiritual warfare. We are like the man who brings a knife to a gunfight. So Paul tells us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10 ESV).

Earlier in this letter, Paul told the Ephesian believers that he prayed for them regularly, asking that God would strengthen them “with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Ephesians 3:16 ESV). He prayed the same thing for the believers in Colossae:

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. – Colossians 1:11 ESV

When Paul called the believers in Ephesus to “be imitators of God” and to “walk in love as Christ has loved us” (Ephesians 5:1), he knew he was asking the impossible, but not if they did it in God’s strength. Their insufficiency should drive them to rely upon God’s all-sufficiency. The impossibility of the task should increase their reliance upon God. The life to which God called them was possible only through the power He had graciously provided, and that same power is available to us today.

Paul calls it the whole armor of God. Notice he refers to it as the whole or complete armor. We can’t afford to be selective or picky about it. Not a single piece of the armor is to be left out or left behind. It is only as we are wholly equipped that we will “be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 ESV). God has provided all the armor we need for the battle, but we need to put it on. And we must always keep in mind that his “armor” is spiritual in nature because “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT).

Twice, Paul tells his readers to put on “the whole armor of God.” He is not providing them with a menu of optional items to choose from. They were not to decide which piece of God’s divine equipment they were interested in utilizing. But that is exactly the way many of us, as Christians, approach this passage. Whether we intend to or not, we jeopardize our spiritual well-being by self-selecting the armor of God we want to put on. But Paul would have us understand that when it comes to the armor of God, it’s all or nothing.

And Paul would have us understand that our battle is not against other people. Our enemies are not those on the left or the right, they are not liberals or conservatives, Muslims or atheists, the irreligious or the immoral. Paul reminds us we are fighting “against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). Pul is not trying to intimidate or scare them; he is attempting to motivate them. He also wants them to understand that everything happening around them was an orchestrated effort on the part of the enemy of God to subvert His will and supplant His authority. Satan stands opposed to all that is godly, and that includes every single believer. As Jesus Himself warned, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10 ESV).

So Paul provides the stratagem for facing this formidable foe.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. – Ephesians 6:13 NLT

Notice that Paul says “to resist,” not defeat. Our job is not to destroy Satan, but to resist His efforts to destroy us. James provides invaluable insight into how this all works.

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:7 NLT

Humility before God comes before resistance to Satan. Acknowledgment of your need for God’s strength must precede any attempt to withstand the enemy’s attack. So many of us fail as Christians because we refuse to put on the whole armor of God. God has provided all that we need; our arsenal is complete, and each piece is designed to work in concert with every other. These are spiritual tools designed to fight a spiritual battle. Paul told the Corinthian church, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV).

We live in evil days, and we have a formidable enemy whose mission is to destroy us. We still have our old sin-prone nature that is weak and worthless when it comes to resisting a spiritual enemy. But we have not been left defenseless or devoid of help. Our gracious, all-powerful God has equipped us with the tools we need to do battle with the enemy, and He has given us the indwelling presence of His Spirit to fight alongside us.

Like Paul, we need to recognize our own insufficiency, the enemy’s potency, and God’s gracious provision for our security.

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT

Father, most of us would admit that the battle is real, but we tend to think it is being fought on a physical level. In our minds, the enemy takes the form of an opposing political party or idealogy. We see unbelievers as the ones who are waging war against us, making the world an immoral and unpleasant place to live. But Paul reminds us that our battle is spiritual in nature and our real enemy is not of this world. Yet, from our earth-bound  vantage point, it is difficult for us to see behind the curtain and grasp the reality of the epic battle going on in “the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 ESV). But unless we recognize that the battle is a spiritual one, we won’t recognize our need for spiritual assistance and we’ll end up focusing all our energies on the wrong enemy. Open our eyes to see the reality of what Paul is describing. Help us understand the gravity of the situation and our need for divine assistance. If we don’t think the battle is real, we will find ourselves unarmed and ill-prepared for the enemy’s attack. If we think the war is being fought in the physical realm, we will see other people as our adveraries, rather than Satan. Don’t let us minimize the threat, mistake our foe, neglect our armor, or run from the battle. Help us stand against the schemes of the enemy, not in our strength, but in Yours, equipped with Your weapons and empowered by Your Spirit. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Free But Not Without Cost

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15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. ­– Romans 5:15-17 ESV

Adam’s sin brought death into the world, and his sin was the result of disbelief. He and Eve both doubted God and paid the consequences. When the serpent spoke to Eve in the garden, he got her to question the veracity of God’s word. He planted seeds of doubt in her mind, and she coerced Adam to join her in eating the forbidden fruit. Disobedience is the natural byproduct of doubt, and their disobedience led to the death of all.

But Paul holds Adam responsible for the fall because Adam was the one who received the prohibition against eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil — directly from God Himself. Yet, when God confronted Adam about his actions in the garden, he passed the buck, blaming Eve and, ultimately, God for his sins.

“It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” -Genesis 3:12 NLT

In his letter to Timothy, Paul points out that “it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result” (1 Timothy 2:14 NLT). Adam was not duped by the disingenuous lies of Satan; he knowingly and deliberately disobeyed the revealed will of God. His decision to disregard God’s command and ignore the divine warning of death was costly. But in his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul presents Jesus as the antithesis of Adam.

The free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin.” Adam’s sin brought death. God’s free gift brought righteousness. Adam’s sin brought condemnation. God’s free gift brought justification. And the free gift that Paul is talking about is the grace of God made possible by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. He speaks of this same amazing gift of God’s grace in his letter to the Ephesian church. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ­– by grace you have been saved. –Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV

For some reason, Adam chose to doubt God’s warning of judgment for disobeying His command. He ate the fruit, somehow believing that he had impunity. But he was wrong, and his doubt caused him to disbelieve God, and that disbelief led to disobedience and death. But Jesus’ faithfulness to His Father’s will resulted in a life of obedience, even to the point of willingly facing death.

In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul described Jesus’ unfailing determination to do the will of His Heavenly Father, even when it demanded that He face an excruciating death by crucifixion.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:8 ESV

Jesus’ obedience to the Father resulted in justification for all men, not just Himself. His death paid the penalty for the sins of all men for all time.

Adam’s sin brought the reign of death to mankind; Christ’s sacrifice ended the reign of sin and death. The apostle John wrote, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ESV). Jesus Himself said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24 ESV).

Paul describes the gift of God’s grace as being free, but it must be accepted. It requires no payment on our part, but it does demand belief in the message of God’s grace as offered through the death of His Son. Any hope we have for being seen as righteous and acceptable in God’s eyes is found only in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Adam’s sin brought death and condemnation to all mankind, but Jesus brings the offer of eternal life and freedom from future condemnation to anyone who places their faith in Him as their sin substitute and Savior. In Chapter 8 of this letter, Paul writes, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 ESV).

Many struggle with the idea of imputed sin. They find it unfair that one man’s sin could have infected and impacted an entire race of people. That God should hold humanity responsible for the sin of one man committed all those years ago seems to portray God as a tyrant. But it is not as if we stand guiltless and innocent before God. The sin of Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world, and it didn’t take long to take root. Adam’s own sons inherited his sin nature. Cain murdered Abel out of jealousy and anger.

And Paul clearly pointed out that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV). It is not as if anyone can stand before God with their hands clean and their hearts free from sin and rebellion against Him. Adam’s sin brought about God’s condemnation of all sin, and everyone has sinned. Death became the penalty for man’s disbelief and disobedience.

But God also brought the cure for man’s inescapable and inevitable death sentence. He sent His Son as the payment for the sins of men. He satisfied His own wrath against sin with the life of His own Son.

The first Adam could not remain faithful to God; he doubted and disobeyed God. But Jesus Christ, the last Adam, lived a life of obedience and faithfulness to God, fully meeting His righteous requirements and fulfilling His law. Which is why Paul writes, “‘The first man, Adam, became a living person.’ But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45 NLT).

All Adam could pass on to us was his human nature and, along with it, his sinful disposition. But Paul delineates the further distinctions between the “two Adams.”

Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. – 1 Corinthians 15:47-48 NLT

With our belief in God’s gracious and merciful gift of His Son, we become new creations. We receive new natures and become children of God. He transforms us from being his enemies, alienated and under His wrath, to members of His family. As His children, we find ourselves standing in His presence, covered in the righteousness of Christ and freed from the condemnation of sin and death. And none of this is based on our merit or hard work, but it is solely a free gift of grace made possible through “the one man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17 ESV).

Father, Adam sinned, but so do I. He disbelieved Your word, and there are times when I do as well. Yet, because of Your grace and mercy, I stand before You as your child and not Your enemy. I am still a sinner, yet You see me not as condemned and unclean, but as righteous and sanctified. And I did nothing to deserve it. You paid my sin debt with the life of Your own Son. He willingly sacrificed Himself for me — out of love. He owed me nothing. I was unloving and unloveable. I was unworthy and unable to do anything about my sin problem, but You did it for me. Purely out of grace, mercy, and love. And as the old hymn states, “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean” (Charles Hutchison Gabriel, “I Stand Amazed In the Presence,” 1905). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

God Never Disappoints

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1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. – Romans 5:1-5 ESV

Having settled the case of whether justification is by works or by faith, Paul now moves on in his discussion about the gospel of God. Paul emphatically and confidently states, “since we have been justified by faith” (Romans 5:1 ESV). The tense of the Greek word he uses is extremely important because it speaks of an event that has already happened. In essence, Paul is saying, “having been declared righteous, we have peace with God.” It is in the past tense and describes an event that has already taken place.

Once someone places their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are immediately declared righteous or are justified by God. Their debt to God is paid in full, their sins are removed, and they receive the righteousness of Christ. It is a done deal, accomplished entirely by God and as a result of faith. We no longer have to justify ourselves to God because we have been freed from trying to earn His favor. We have been released from the impossible burden of living up to His righteous standards in the hopes that He will accept us. Our salvation is accompanied by our justification.

One of the greatest benefits of our justification is the peace we enjoy with God. In verse 10 of this same chapter, Paul makes it clear that, before salvation, we were all enemies of God and subject to His wrath. We stood condemned and deserving of His righteous, just judgment. Paul emphasized this vital truth in his letter to the church in Colossae

…you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. – Colossians 1:21-22 NLT

God’s gospel, His plan for man’s salvation, has provided a means by which sinful, guilty, and rebellious men and women can be made right with Him, enjoying a state of permanent peace and the uninterrupted joy of His presence. The Greek word Paul used for peace carries the idea of harmony, security and safety. It is “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is” (Outline of Biblical Usage).

We enjoy this peace with God because of God’s grace; it is His unmerited favor that has made it all possible. We did nothing to deserve or earn it, and Paul reminds us that we obtained access to this grace-given position through faith. In other words, we have access into the very presence of God as a result of God’s mercy. And it is our faith in the graciousness, goodness, mercy, and kindness of God made evident in the death of His Son that makes our reconciliation with Him possible.

And the best part of this God-ordained transformation is that our newfound peace with Him is permanent and includes the future hope of our eternal relationship with Him. This is why Paul states, “we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2 ESV). There is a day coming when His Son will return, and those who have been made right with God through faith in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross will enjoy an eternity of permanent peace with God.

But in the meantime, Paul encourages us to rejoice in our present sufferings. While we wait for the hope of the glory of God, we find ourselves living on this earth and facing trials and troubles of all kinds. Our newfound peace with God has put us at odds with the world we live in. Jesus warned His disciples that their relationship with Him would draw the ire of the enemy and the world over which he rules.

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.” –John 15:18-19 NLT

The apostle John painted a bleak but accurate picture when he wrote, “the world around us is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19 NLT). In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul warned them that Satan was a very real enemy who, as the god of this world, had the power to deceive and dissuade humanity.

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT

As a result of our newfound righteousness with God, we stand in stark contrast with the world around us. As we live by faith and in submission to His indwelling Holy Spirit, our suffering will intensify. Paul reminds us, “Continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. (Colossians 1:23 NLT).

When facing suffering, we will be tempted to bail out or give up. But we must constantly remind ourselves that the trials and difficulties we face have a divine purpose. That is why Paul encourages us to rejoice in them rather than run from them. 

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. – Romans 5:3-5 NLT

Our reconciled state with God will produce irreconcilable differences with this world. But any suffering we encounter will produce patient endurance in us. As we suffer, we learn to persevere, and that perseverance increases our Christlikeness. The author of Hebrews states that Jesus had to suffer as well; it was all part of His Father’s redemptive plan.

Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. – Hebrews 5:8-9 NLT

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. – Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT

As we patiently endure the sufferings of life, our character is tested and proven true. Our faithful endurance reveals the character of Christ in our lives, as evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

As those divine characteristics show up in our lives despite our suffering, our hope increases, our faith is strengthened, and our confidence in God grows stronger. We become increasingly more certain that we belong to Him and that we truly are new creations. Our hope in God will not leave us empty-handed or disappointed. We will never find ourselves ashamed or embarrassed because of the faith we placed in God’s promises. Our trust in Christ’s redemptive work on the cross will not fail to deliver what God has promised.  We can suffer, endure, grow, and hope “because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5 ESV).

The very presence of the Spirit within us is a reminder of God’s love for us, but He is also the source of our enduring love for God. We love because God first loved us. We endure because we rest in God’s love for us. We rejoice in trials because we know that God is using them for our good and His glory.

But as Paul has made clear, it all begins with faith, a confident hope in our faithful covenant-keeping God. Our justification is by faith, our sanctification is by faith, and our capacity to endure is the result of faith. And, as Paul reminds us, our faith in God will never disappoint.

Father, this is one of those difficult passages that seems so illogical. Rejoicing in trials is counterintuitive and seems impossible to pull off. The concept of suffering well sounds more like an oxymoron than a way life. I have no trouble believing in the reality of trial because I face them on a regular basis; it is the rejoicing part I struggle with. Yet, the older I get and the longer I live, the more I realize that Paul was right; You do use difficulties to transform us. You never said trials would be fun, but You did say they would be beneficial. When going through them, I find myself becoming far more dependent on You. Of course, I will always try to come up with my own solution. But, inevitably, my efforts fall short and I find myself turning to You for help, hope, and deliverance. And You have never disappointed me. You are always faithful and, while Your timing is not always to my liking, Your solution is always perfect. But like so many others, I am prone to forget and find myself facing the next difficulty with the same sense of hopelessness and confusion. I fail to remember all that You have done in the past. Please help me recall Your goodness and greatness when the next trial shows up so that I can rejoice in Your faithfulness long before Your deliverance appears. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22

The Fallacy of Free Will

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26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. – Romans 1:26-27 ESV

What happens when man abandons the truth of God for “the lie?” The lie is that God does not exist at all or that He is a figment of man’s fertile imagination. And if the one true God does not exist, then man is free to be the master of his fate and to choose his own moral agenda. With God out of the picture, man can determine what is right and wrong and create his own laws for life.

Three times in this section of Romans 1, Paul uses the phrase, “God gave them up.” Paul is attempting to demonstrate what life looks like when God releases men to pursue and believe “the lie.” Thinking themselves to be wise, their foolish hearts become darkened, and they lose any ability to make decisions based on the wisdom and righteousness of God. In this moral free-for-all, they find themselves believing and practicing every imaginable lifestyle choice.

“Those who turned against God turned everything on its head. For those who forsook the author of nature could not keep to the order of nature.” – Pelagius, Commentary on Romans

Paul refers to women who “exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature,” and he mentions men who “gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another” (Romans 1:26-27 ESV). There are those who attempt to write this off as Paul’s personal opinion. There are others who try to dismiss what Paul says by insinuating that he is only speaking against “improper” homosexual acts, not the act itself. Still others want to believe that Paul is only referring to homosexual acts that were taking place in the context of pagan worship. But these are not the words of Paul; they are the words of God. They are part of the powerful explanation Paul has provided in this letter regarding the gospel of God.

Men are without excuse; they have abandoned the truth about God and His will for mankind. They have ignored His clear revelation of His invisible attributes and divine nature in His creation. Rather than worship God, they have ended up worshiping anything and everything but God. And Paul makes it painfully clear that sinful man always ends up distorting the truth of God. They exchange the natural for the unnatural, what is right for what is wrong, the holy for the unholy, and the will of God for the will of self. They become consumed with passions, all kinds of passions, both good and bad. But the time comes when they can no longer tell the difference, and the lines become blurred. Their consciences become seared, and they lose the ability to discern right from wrong, even becoming rabid defenders of their actions and attitudes.

It doesn’t take a biblical scholar to read the words of God recorded in Genesis 1 and to reach a conclusion.

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.” – Genesis 1:27-28 NLT

They were to bear fruit, to multiply their kind. That is why God created a male and a female. It was together, as man and woman, that they were to fulfill the command of God. Adam could not do it alone. Eve was incapable of procreating on her own. God built the ability to multiply their kind into their very nature and physiology. But man, in his sin, determined a “better way,” a preferred way. Natural passions are replaced by unnatural, ungodly passions. Paul calls them “dishonorable passions.” The Greek word he uses is atimia, and it carries a very graphic connotation. It was “used of the unseemliness and offensiveness of a dead body” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). It was also used to refer to the dishonorable use of a vessel or container. Bodies were meant to contain life. That is why a dead body is unnatural and offensive to our senses. It is lifeless and no longer operating as intended. The same thing is true of those who are consumed by same-sex attraction. They are no longer operating as God intended, and their acts are unnatural and against the ordained will of God.

But in our day and age, any attempt to make this claim is met with disdain, hatred, cries of bigotry and intolerance, and a violent defense of individual rights and freedoms. But, according to Paul, we should not be surprised. Their foolish hearts are darkened. Claiming to be wise, they boast in their enlightened understanding and progressive outlook on morals and ethics. But they are fools who have “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man” (Romans 1:23 ESV). Of course, Paul was referring to idol worship here, but the real issue is that of man-worship. When the best expression we can come up with for God’s revealed power and divine nature is the image of man, we are in trouble. When we make a god out of man, we end up worshiping ourselves, sacrificing truth at the altar of our own corrupt passions and desires. Self-satisfaction and self-gratification consume us, and God releases us to pursue our increasingly perverse passions.

We must not lose sight of the fact that Paul was attempting to explain and expound upon the gospel of God. The good news of Jesus Christ must be displayed against the backdrop of man’s darkened, sinful state. Paul was showing that man is in trouble. Without God, things always go from bad to worse. In Paul’s estimation, it doesn’t matter if you’re pagan or pious, immoral or a moral icon of virtue. Without God’s glorious gospel, all men ultimately receive “the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:27 ESV). A man without God is hopeless. Left to his own devices, he will always gravitate toward ungodliness and unrighteousness. But the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed” (Romans 1:16-17 ESV).

Father, You created us and You know what is best for us. But, in our sinful condition, we have determined that we know better. We are like the clay pot telling the potter that he has made a mistake. In our arrogance and ignorance, we have decided that our will is preferable to Yours and so we stubbornly follow our own agendas and rationalize our rebellious behavior as nothing more than our right to free will. But rejecting Your will never results in freedom; it produces slavery to sin. Without Your divine guidance, our passions become self-consuming and self-destructive. The enemy convinces us that self-willed lifestyles are making us god-like, when, in reality, they are making us godless. But the gospel provides an escape from this downward spiral of spiritual and moral enslavement. Through faith in Your Son, we can experience true freedom from sin and the soul-stifling lie of self-rule. Thank You for opening my eyes to the gospel and setting me free from the destructive power of sin. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.22