What Your Eyes Will See

DSCN2577Three years had passed since I had visited the optometrist’s office. I checked in filling out the necessary paper work and was shortly led to a room where a young man did the preliminary tests on my eyes.

Three years ago there had been only one machine to test the pressure of the eye. When I walked in there were three machines! I sat down in front of the first newer machine and asked what it would do, and was told that they needed to see the inside of my eye. Pictures were taken and then I sat in front of the machine that I had sat at before. A puff of air was blown into my eye. The next machine was the newest, and I commented on its newness. This one had a very bright light!

After the pictures had been taken, I was led to the examination room. He took my glasses and said the doctor would be in in just a few minutes and he would bring back my glasses after looking at my previous prescription, and left pictures on the computer screen of my eyes. Not that I could then see them! I sat waiting and wondering what they had seen. I prayed that the Lord would stand by me, and wondered some more! Soon the doctor entered and began my exam. His equipment allowed me to see very large letters and very, very small letters!  He showed me the pictures of the inside of my eyes and told me they looked good. A yellow spot indicated my optic nerve, and I saw the nerve that allowed me to see all these years. I was impressed. God had seen the inside of my eyes since He formed them. Now, through modern technology, I was seeing them! Then he told me what I was not prepared to hear. “Sharon, your eyes are better than they were three years ago. There is no need for you to get a new prescription!”

I smiled a big smile and said, “That is the best news I’ve heard this year!” We shared a laugh and then inquired about each other’s children. He has been my eye doctor for years. He knows I love to teach and I love to teach children. His son had just turned seven and is in second grade. He loves to read.

Then the Holy Spirit put these words in my thoughts and I spoke them to my Doctor. “Could you answer this question? What will every eye see someday?” He thought about it and admitted he didn’t know the answer. As we sat there, I pointed up and smiled as I said, “God. We will all see God someday.”

So, did my doctor learn something that day? Did I learn anything about the eye that I didn’t know before he showed me what his equipment could do? The answer is, “yes”. I’m sure the Lord will do something with his word, for it never returns unto Him empty. I had quoted Revelation 1:7 to my doctor that God wanted him to hear that day. He will do whatever He wants with it. Why did I say it? I don’t know, but God does.

Then, as the two of us walked out of the office, he reminded me to pick up my purse. We walked to the desk so I could pay the bill. There stood my husband, Dave, so I shared the good news with him. And as we stood at the desk discussing Dave’s eyesight, I said, “Doctor, you found out about Dave’s diabetes during an eye exam. Years later you told him that he had cataracts, which he got taken care of.

Thank you.” We then shook his hand and we all smiled.

Had God blessed our day? “YES”! Going to the eye doctor, God had put a verse into my mind that I had memorized when I was a child. People have been praying for us and our ministry for many years! Forty-two to be exact! We are blessed! I shared my thoughts with Dave with tears in my eyes, thankful for all those prayers, as we shared a cup of hot tea that afternoon at the mall. Yes, we have seen a lot together! And someday we will see God!

Looking forward to seeing Him, Sharon

When God Speaks to His People

IMG_0519Isaiah 43:14-17

In the book that bears his name, Isaiah prophesied of the exile of Israel to Babylon. This was difficult news for God’s old covenant people to receive. God had given them the Promised Land. It was the place where he would live among them; it was the place of blessing and peace. The Lord God had warned them that if they did not obey him fully, he would remove them from the land; in fact, he would scatter them among the nations. Exile would mean separation from all they had known, loss of their property, separation of family and friends, and no way to worship the Lord according to the terms of the law covenant. The prophesied exile to Babylon was a warning shot over the bow, and as we sadly know, they did not listen.

However, Isaiah’s prophecy was more than a gloomy message of punishment for their breaking of the covenant. It was also an encouraging announcement of hope. At all times God wants us to understand our situation in his presence and the better life we can experience when we walk with him in faith. For this reason, the Lord talks to Israel through the prophet about “a new thing” that he will do in what was then their future. In order to give them this word of hope, he reminds them of who he is. It is necessary to know God, so that we might be able to lay hold of what he is able and willing to do for those who trust him. To know him, we need to listen carefully when he reveals himself to us.

First, the Lord (Yahweh) calls himself their Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel (43:14). God joins two names that might seem to pull them in opposite directions emotionally. Redeemer is a joyous name. God proclaims that he cares about them and is willing to do what is necessary to set them free. This would fuel confident expectation in people contemplating the horrors of exile. Though they would be exiled, God promises to free them from captivity. Yet at the same time, he is the Holy One of Israel. He is the One supreme over all things, including the false gods they had been worshiping. He is set apart from the sinfulness of people. A study of the Old Testament Scriptures reveals that idolatry was a constant problem in Israel before the exile. Idolatry in the heart is a very serious spiritual problem (Ezekiel 14:3-5). A life based on idols will breed sinfulness in a person’s way of life. So then, God promised to free them from exile, but the deliverance would be consistent with his holiness.

Second, the Lord repeats the truth of his holiness, and then reminds them that he is their Creator and King (43:15). God is asserting his rights in relation to Israel. The Creator has ownership rights of what he has created. This is one motive for people to deny creation and to prefer evolution. God is telling Israel that they belong to him, and so he has the right to send them into exile and to free them. Since he is their King, he also has the power and authority to do this. The people needed to have a proper view of the dependence on God for their destiny, in order to have a firm basis for confident expectation in God’s plan. Simply put, you cannot deny God’s rule and have real hope. Without hope, you fall into defeatism, depression, dread, and despair. God calls to his people to avoid this dark path.

Third, the Lord reminds them of his glory in the exodus from Egypt (43:16-17). He points them to redemption in their past to lead them to hope in a fuller redemption in their future. Egypt had seemed unbeatable, and they had acted arrogantly toward Israel, oppressing them in terrible ways. However, God had set them free from Egypt through ten mighty signs and wonders. But then, Egypt had decided that they did not want to lose their slave labor and pursued them to the brink of the sea. When all seemed hopeless, the Lord made “a path through the mighty waters” and defeated the enemy army totally. In the same way, we need to remember how God has set free those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. His victory in that redemption provides us a firm basis of hope as we contemplate our future. We can know that followers of Christ are now like “scattered exiles”, and yet God has already given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (cf. 1 Peter 1:1-3). Is your hope and trust in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ? You can have eternal confidence when you turn from your rejection of God as God, your refusal to love him first, and your rebellion against him and his ways to trust in Christ for forgiveness and freedom from sin, guilt, and condemnation. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Grace and peace, David

Spiritual Confidence (Part Two)

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Hebrews 10:19-20

Last time we spoke of the liberty that every follower of Jesus has to enter into the presence of the true and living God. Next, let’s explore the kind of entrance that is ours. We enter “by a new and living way”.  It is a new way of entrance. Some matters are not intended by “new”. It was not a new invention of God, because it always was part of his eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Revelation 13:8). A growing Christian will investigate and rejoice in what the Bible says about God’s eternal purposes. Neither was it newly revealed. God had promised this way in the Old Testament Scriptures (Jeremiah 31; Isaiah 53).

Why is this entrance called “new”? “Because it comes after another [kind of entrance], as the apostle teaches us to argue, Hebrews 8:13” (Traill). This was the entrance of Jesus into heavenly majesty as our great high priest. The new covenant could not be put into effect until the Lord Jesus entered heaven for us. It is also new “because it is always new and never gives place to another”. Consider Hebrews 13:20.

It is a living way of entrance. [First four points are from Traill; last is from Hughes]

  • “In opposition of the old way of the law, which is not able to give life.” Cf. 2 Corinthians 3:7
  • “In relation to Christ’s resurrection, who, though he were put to death, yet was he raised again, and ever lives, Romans 6:9.”
  • “In regard to the end of the way, which is life….” John 14:6; 1 John 5:12
  • “In reference to the effect of it. It puts life in us” and makes us alive. John 11:25; Galatians 2:20
  • In conformity with the fact that this way is a person—the person of “our risen, dynamic, ever living Redeemer.”

Our entry into God’s presence is based on his entry, and our entry “takes place only because by divine grace we are one with him.” [Hughes]

How do we exercise this blessing of entrance into God’s presence? We enter “by the blood of Jesus”. This requires us consciously to recognize Christ’s better sacrifice of himself as the only basis of our acceptance with God. We are not saying that we do this by a perfunctory or unthinking voicing of the words, “In Jesus name. Amen.” Those words can be very meaningful or totally mechanical and irreverent. You and I must always act reverently, whether in public or private prayer, or in prayer before meals, and during any other times of prayer! Instead, by the blood of Jesus we come thoughtfully and reverently into God’s presence, realizing that our access to God is only on account of Christ and his saving work.

Reflect on the hymn “Rock of Ages”: Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling; naked, come to Thee for dress, helpless, look to Thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die!

There is no alternative to this way. We cannot approach God except by the blood of Jesus. Many sing and pray and attend church, but they have never once drawn near to God in his appointed way, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). For example, sometimes you might read on a statement that payment must be made in US dollars. The only payment that the living God accepts is the sacrificial death of Jesus the Messiah on the cross. So then, you must answer this question: “What gives me the right to approach the living and holy God?” Are you relying on your works? Are you depending on your religious experiences? Do you trust in church membership? God will not receive you unless you rely only upon the Lord Jesus Christ and his shed blood.

Please note this. The existence of this new and living way “brings us nothing until we have boldness to enter in. Why stand we without [outside]? Jesus brings us near, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. Let us not be slow to take up our freedom, and come boldly to the throne” (Spurgeon). If we entered a house as a thief, we would not enter boldly but would fear being caught. You and I might enter a stranger’s house, without invitation, but we would feel no boldness there. We might even enter as guests, but we would not feel sufficiently bold to walk to the host’s bathroom and look into their medicine cabinet. However, we do not enter the Most Holy Place as housebreakers or as trespassers or as guests on a visit. We come in obedience to God’s call to fulfill and to enjoy our calling. We come as righteous and as sons in Christ. When we trust in Jesus and his better sacrifice of Himself, we are immediately “at home” with God. “Where should a child be bold but in his father’s house?” [Spurgeon] Believer in Jesus, enjoy your entrance into God’s presence!

Grace and peace, David

Spiritual Confidence (Part One)

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Hebrews 10:19-20

When my sons Kyle and Trevor were in high school in upstate New York, they were both on the high school track team. I was working two and three jobs at the time, but I tried to attend every home meet that I could. This was a small high school, and so the track coach was always looking for help at meets, so he often drafted me to run one of the field events. (When my boys would run, I’d stop my event so I could watch them!) Usually I ran the long jump and triple jump, but at least once, I was in charge of the high jump. Perhaps you know how this works. When all contestants clear a given height or some are eliminated for failure to do so, the bar is raised higher for the next round, until finally one person clears a height above all the other competitors. The Holy Spirit is “raising the bar” in this section. Instead of wandering, as some of the original recipients of the letter to the Hebrews were doing, the Spirit wants Christ’s followers to move to a higher level. If we do not grow stronger, we will become weaker, and that is not an acceptable alternative. So let us listen to what the Lord the Spirit says. If we are to grow, there needs to be a sharpening of our understanding and practice of the doctrines of the Scriptures concerning Christ and what we have in Christ and how we are to live because God has richly blessed us in Christ.

First, we read of a basic possession of every true Christian: “confidence to enter the Most Holy Place”.    This means you, whether you are a new believer, or in a severe struggle with sin, or very weak in body because of cancer treatments and hardly able to pray as you think you should. If we are to appreciate what the Holy Spirit is telling us, we must know what he means by entrance to the Most Holy Place. In a word, this means “God’s presence”, as a comparison of 9:11-12 with 9:24 shows. The writer has already talked about the old covenant shadow (9:1-10). At that time in the history of God’s people, the common people could never enter God’s presence. Neither could the priests, though they could go into the Holy Place. Only the high priest could enter, only he had that privilege. However, even the high priest could only enter once a year, on the Day of Atonement, and then only for a short time in a strictly regulated way. This was part of the bondage of being under the supervision of the old covenant law. God was present among the people, but no one could really draw near to God.

The writer of Hebrews has also discussed the new covenant reality. What we now have in Christ is better than anything the law offered or could do. Now every believer has liberty to enter God’s presence, as our text states. Since Jesus is our Great High Priest and he has sat down at the right hand of the Father and since we are in Christ, we possess this liberty. God encourages us to make full use of this liberty of unlimited access (Hebrews 4:16).

Second, focus on the proper attitude of new covenant worship. Under the old covenant all believers, even the best of believers, had to keep what Spurgeon called, “a reverent distance” from God (12:20-21). In contrast, the great call of the new covenant is “let us draw near to God” (10:22; cf. Ephesians 3:12)! The word confidence describes the state or frame of mind that all new covenant worshipers are intended to possess. We have the right, privilege, liberty and boldness of access to the Holy One. We can enter into the immediate presence of the living God in Christ Jesus. All that the old covenant pictures represented, we have a better reality in the new and better covenant. “This is the great fundamental privilege of the gospel, that all believers in all their holy worship have liberty, boldness, and confidence to enter into the gracious presence of God” (Owen).

To say this in a different way, this is the boldness of an adult son or daughter of God approaching their Father in heaven, clothed fully in the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus. Dear brothers and sisters, no law forbids you from coming to God, but infinite love invites you to draw near to God! Then why do you stand far off and tremble like a slave? Draw near in joyous faith.

As the high priest of the law came into the presence of God in the tabernacle or temple, so we truly come into his glorious presence in Jesus Christ. To paraphrase Spurgeon, do not live as if God were as far off from you as the east is from the west. Live not far below on the earth; but live on high, as if you were in heaven. In heaven, you will be with God; but on earth, he will be with you: is there much difference?

Grace and peace, David

A Prayer Meeting

IMG_0522Acts 12:1-18

To the eyes of people, the church in Jerusalem was not experiencing success, and it was less than fifteen years after Christ’s resurrection and ascension. It seemed that the Lord’s great plan for the spread of his message was not working, at least it wasn’t in regard to this gathering. The early years had been very promising. That first assembly of followers of Jesus grew from one twenty to over three thousand on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15; 2:41), and soon there were over five thousand men that were counted part of that congregation (Acts 4:4). In our time we would call that a megachurch.

However, the enemy struck back and persecution came. First, the attack was on the apostles (Acts 4:5-31; 5:17-42), but in answer to prayer, the apostles were freed, and the word of God spread. The number of learners of Jesus increased rapidly (Acts 6:7). Then it seemed that a complete conversion of all Jerusalem was possible. But there was another enemy, a very religious man named Saul, who led a persecution against first Stephen, one of seven leaders of the Jerusalem assembly (Acts 6:8-8:1), and next against the entire church (Acts 8:3). The result was that the entire church was scattered, except for the apostles. That local gathering had to be rebuilt (not a building but the assembly of Christ followers). This the apostles accomplished by God’s grace, though Luke does not give us much information. We only learn that after Saul’s conversion there was again a gathering of disciples (learners) that he tried to join and that grew in numbers (Acts 9:26-31). The group had problems, especially about accepting non-Jewish people from the nations as believers, but the church in Jerusalem achieved a new measure of strength and stability.

Nevertheless, the enemy of the good news stirred up another man to oppose the church. This was King Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, who had tried to kill the infant Messiah Jesus. He arrested some that belonged to the Jerusalem assembly, including the apostle James, whom he executed. When he saw that James’ death pleased the non-Christians in Jerusalem, he decided to arrest Peter, in order to put him to death also.

How did the church in Jerusalem respond to this new wave of persecution? They did what the church had done after the first event of persecution (Acts 4:23-31). They prayed (12:5). They prayed earnestly. They prayed together (12:12). Far too many churches who dare to call themselves Christians have abandoned gatherings for prayer. They seem to think that that a few little words uttered alone in their comfortable homes is all that needs to be done.  And then they mistakenly assure themselves that they are practicing historic Christianity. My friends, never be misled by those who arrogantly claim that there is nothing about meeting together to pray in the New Testament. Such boasts are very wrong. Devoting ourselves to prayer when we come together is a basic description of church practice. Consider Acts 2:42 and 1 Corinthians 1:2, as well as various places in Acts (those mentioned and Acts 20:36; 21:5). The love of ease by grievously mistaken church leaders and those that follow them lies at the root of churches without gatherings for prayer. And could it also be that old unbelief is the co-conspirator with a love of ease? What do I mean?

Look at the text (12:13-15). Even when the Jerusalem church prayed for Peter, they did not expect the Lord to release him. Instead of checking out the servant girl’s message, they insulted her. When she would not abandon her message, they became falsely theological. “It must be his angel.” No, it wasn’t his angel, but it was Peter himself knocking! Thankfully, the Lord had answered their prayers, in spite of their little faith. The church succeeds according to God when it follows him in all his ways. This includes following Christ’s example of prayer.

I think that many churches in the post-Christendom west are deeply infected with unbelief regarding prayer. They have drunk deeply at the philosophical and supposedly scientific wells of anti-supernaturalism. They do not believe that prayer is necessary or can accomplish anything. For example, once Sharon and I were at a Bible conference and were in its bookstore. Sharon was looking at a book called What Happens When Women Pray? Another pastor’s wife remarked to Sharon as she held it, “Nothing.” We were both appalled at this spirit of unbelief.

Mission FifteenFive takes its name from John 15:5. Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, we can do nothing. Relying on Christ requires prayer, and not only individual and family prayer, but prayer together as believers in the true and living God, who is able to do much more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). The church in America needs to return to prayer. Put your hope in God, and we will be able to praise him. But we need to return to earnest, fervent prayer together to the Sovereign Lord of the church.

Grace and peace, David

Life Changer

IMG_0524Micah 1:1-3

We all know of many events that change people’s lives: learning to walk and to talk, going to school, graduating from high school and college, getting a job, losing that job, finding a new job, getting married, having children, and many more. Most of these happen to most people. Once we experience a life changer, our lives are forever altered. We might assume we’re the same person, but the life changer modifies us and our view of life in various ways. When people in our culture contemplate life changing events, it is usually from a very individualistic angle. They start from themselves and work outward, perhaps including other people of significance to them in their deliberations. It is rare to think of God at such times.

Perhaps, it is even rarer to think of God as the Life Changer, to see him in all the events of our lives, including the ones we think are common and the ones that disrupt our lives. What? Would God disrupt our lives? Would he disrupt them without asking our permission? Yes, my friends, he does step into the course of our lives to alter them. This is what happened to Micah one day. We do not know much about him. His message was more important than the man that delivered it. Why can I say that? Because the message he gave was the word of the Lord.

God used the message he communicated through Micah to change him and to be his instrument to change us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Micah tells us that the word of the Lord came to him over a number of years during the reigns of three kings of the kingdom of Judah. This would make him a contemporary of the prophets Hosea and Isaiah. This information tells us his place in the story of God’s glory in Jesus Christ. He proclaimed the Lord’s message around 750 years before the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Micah would be used to tell God’s people important information about the birth of Jesus the Messiah. But for now, think of his place in God’s story and that you and I who follow Jesus also have a place in the same story, since we are in Christ. Nearly two thousand years after the resurrection, God is using his word in and through us.

The message that came to Micah was in the form of a vision (cf. Hebrews 1:1). He saw God’s message displayed before him, so that he could tell it to all who read his words. He saw what God would do (1:3-7) and how he and others would respond to what the Lord would do (1:8-16). God’s word proclaims his actions. It tells people like us how he steps into our lives in judgment and salvation. It lets us know his explanation for his actions (for example, 1:5-7; 7:18). In his vision Micah saw what concerned Samaria and Jerusalem, the capital cities of Israel and Judah. The Lord God takes notice of what happens in the leading cities of the world, like Washington and London. Cities are gatherings of people and what they do is under God’s eyes.

God expects all people to listen to his message (1:2). God’s word speaks to us with his final authority. The word communicates the person, message, and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Judge of all (John 5:21-30). Understand this clearly. God’s word is his living and active communication (Hebrews 4:12-13) that is final authority for what we believe and how we live (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In the Bible God gives a witness against people, which means that we have a problem! He tells us that he will act against anyone who does not listen to him, which means that you can complicate your problem dramatically. Yet the Lord tells us that there is a way of peace with him that is available for all who follow the Lord Jesus (5:4-5).

My friend, has the written word of God come to you with power, so that your way of life and your destiny is forever changed? Micah had his life altered by God’s word. How is the message concerning Jesus the Messiah changing you today?

Grace and peace, David

The Sword of the Spirit (Part Two)

20150523_101132Ephesians 6:17

Next, let us think about relationship between the Spirit and the word. What are some reasons the word of God is called the “sword of the Spirit”? The Holy Spirit is the author of the word. He spoke through the human writers (2 Samuel 23:2; Mark 12:36). He guided the human writers to accomplish his intended goal (2 Pt 1:20-21). The Spirit did this so that what they wrote would be the word of God. When we engage in spiritual battle, we are to take with us the word of the Almighty Holy Spirit of God. As we strike with it, he is very able to accomplish his purpose (Isaiah 55:11).

The Holy Spirit enables people to understand the word (1 Corinthians 2:10b-14). Every human heart by nature is unable to understand the truth of the Scriptures. Yes, people can comprehend what we say, but it does not convince them, it does not change their outlook. For example, someone might say, “I just don’t get it; how can the death of Jesus save anyone?” But the Spirit is given to Christ’s followers, so that we do understand (1 Corinthians 2:12). Then we accept the word and it effectively works in us. When we take the sword of the Spirit, we must rely on Christ’s power to work through the Spirit to achieve results. Don’t just post a Bible verse; pray for spiritual application. The Holy Spirit uses the word to produce spiritual results. For this reason, we must avoid overemphasizing one truth at the expense of another. Don’t rely on the Spirit without the word of God. Don’t rely on the word of God without the Spirit.

God’s word is very useful to us in our spiritual warfare. The word of God is essential in practical sanctification or Christian growth. The classic example of this is Christ’s use of the Scripture in resisting the temptations of the evil one (Matthew 4:1-11). In every situation Jesus rightly applied the word to his way of life. He lived out the word. Every Christian needs to have a large supply of ammunition from God’s word against every temptation to violate God’s commands, whether the temptations are to commit what God forbids or temptations to fail to do what God commands. A good section to put to heart is Ephesians 4:17-6:9, or in a more concise form Colossians 3:1-4:6. Read either passage many, many times and think through them until you know them well. However, the Lord intends that his entire word has a wider use in our lives (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12). The Spirit says that the word can work comprehensive changes in us, down to our thoughts and attitudes. We must see change at this inner level to realize outward change. For example, if you want to speak godly counsel, his word needs to be operating in your heart or inner person (Matthew 12:34). You must be convinced in your heart before you will truly change. This is why we must read and study and think about God’s word. In this whole study, we have been urged to put on the full armor of God. That is the goal, but if we will begin to put on one part, it might cause tremendous changes in our lives and in the churches we attend!

The word of God is essential in evangelism. The word of God is the spiritual seed used by the Holy Spirit in producing regeneration (or the new birth from above). As the Spirit works in us with the word, a change of mind and faith are given, and we turn from our rebellion against God to rely on Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Has this happened to you?

Grace and peace, David

The Sword of the Spirit (Part One)

IMG_0105Ephesians 6:17

Since 9/11 we have been engaged in a global war on terror. Our world changed on that day, and we should always remember what happened, those who lost their lives, and the grief of their families. As we have seen too many times during the years after that horrible event, terrorists have no mercy. They are heartless and ruthless murderers. But behind them and all the other evil in this world is a more sinister, cruel and desperately wicked enemy—Satan. We are also at war spiritually with the powers of darkness, and God has provided us with spiritual armor for our protection.

The sixth piece of armor is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Let’s think briefly about the nature of the ancient soldier’s sword. In ancient warfare, a soldier might carry two different kinds of swords. One was called the rhomphaia. It was the heavy, great sword. But the other was called the machaira, which was the short sword. The soldier in man-to-man combat used this short sword, and it is the one spoken of in this verse. So the apostle is reminding us of the close encounter we will have with our spiritual enemies. The sword is the only piece of the armor mentioned that has both an offensive and defensive purpose. In fact, among these six, the sword is the only one that can be used offensively. Let us consider the value of the sword of the Spirit to the followers of Christ.

First, learn the nature of the sword; it is “the word of God”. At the very foundation of the Christian faith is the word of God, the sixty-six books of the Old and the New Testament Scriptures. God chose to reveal himself to humanity by word communication, and he chose to record his words in written form (2 Timothy 3:16). Since it is from God who cannot lie, it is accurate, true, and without error. Some people have claimed that there are errors in the Bible, but a study of these supposed errors shows a variety of mistakes by the skeptics. Their wrong opinions are matters of a difference of worldview (for example, “miracles are impossible”), of a failure to understand the text, of a failure to understand the way the Bible presents events (for example, God doesn’t tell us everything that happened and they let their imaginations run astray), of various kinds of ignorance, of a neglect of the context, or a failure of translation or other human factors. Serious Christians have sufficiently answered their objections countless times.

We know that the Bible is God’s trustworthy word, because of the work of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:32; 1 Thessalonians 1:5), because of the Scriptures claim to be God’s word and their subject matter agrees with the claim, and because human experience demonstrates the truth of the Bible. Consider what God says in the Bible in the following passages, and you will discover that the experience of the suppressor of truth agrees with it.

  • Do you fear God? Romans 3:18
  • Do you feel the gospel is foolish? 1 Corinthians 1:18
  • Do you want to do things your way? Isaiah 53:6
  • Do you think Christ’s Second Coming and the final judgment is a joke? 2 Peter 3:3-4
  • Would you rather go out partying or to church? 2 Timothy 3:4
  • Do you think Christians are weird for the way we live? 1 Peter 4:3-4

What does their way of life proclaim? You might say to them, “Thank you for proving to me that the Bible is true!”

The Holy Scriptures are God’s present communication to humanity (1 Peter 2:6; Matthew 21:13; 22:43). They direct our viewpoints and conduct continually. A study of Christ’s use of the Scriptures during his earthly ministry will demonstrate this point. Read and follow God’s word.

Grace and peace, David

The Helmet of Salvation (Part Two)

IMG_4272Ephesians 6:17

The present tense of salvation is that we are now saved. We are being rescued from sin, condemnation, and death. We ought to enjoy the present blessings of salvation. I will mention two of these. The first is adoption. We all have the position of adult sons and daughters in God’s family (2 Corinthians 6:18). When God saved us, he did much more than to guarantee us an eternal home in heaven. God also provides us with an honorable place in his family, placing us as adult members. We can learn this from a careful reading of Galatians 3:26-4:7. There we see that though old covenant believers had the position of minors in God’s family, we new covenant believers are adults. So then, we ought to have a filial attitude at all times. “My Father loves and cares for me. I ought to live in such a way as to glorify my Father in heaven.” This kind of approach is absolutely essential in spiritual warfare.

Since we are adult sons and daughters, we have been given the promised Holy Spirit, who now lives within us—to help us, to assure us, and to lead us (Romans 8:14-17). This means that we must look at our struggle within the context of being Spirit-led sons and daughters of God. We are not slaves to sin or minor children under the law. We are adults in God’s family! Live like an adult sons and daughters, which means living a life of love to God, striving to conform to be like God in holiness.

A second current blessing is security. We are kept by the Lord Christ and we continue to follow him. One of the great energizing factors for any soldier is the expectation of success. An army that anticipates conquering will take the field more readily than one that expects defeat. The Lord Jesus has saved us with an eternal salvation (John 6:37-40, 47; 10:27-30; Romans 8:29-30, 35-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; Colossians 3:3-4; Hebrews 9:12, 15; 10:14; 1 Peter 1:3-5). It is certainly true that only those who continue in the faith will be saved (Matthew 24:13; Colossians 1:23; etc.). Although such verses teach the necessity of the saint’s perseverance, they do not imply that a saint may not continue. All those who truly repent and believe will continue, because God keeps them (Philippians 1:6; 1 John 5:4; Jude 1:1, 24-25). Therefore, with salvation as a helmet, we hope or confidently expect total victory. This fills us with energy to do battle—to press on after holiness (1 Jn 3:1-4).

The future tense of salvation is that we who trust in Jesus Christ will be saved. Consider two future blessings of salvation. The first is glorification. We have the prospect of sharing eternal glory with the Lord. From God’s point of view, this is so certain that he speaks of it in the past tense (Romans 8:29-30), though in the present state of things, we still wait for that time (Romans 8:18-19). Our glorification rests firmly on our union with Christ. Since he was raised from the dead, we too will be raised (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 42-49). In answer to Christ’s prayer, we will see his glory (John 17:24). As Colossians 3:4 says, when he appears, we will appear with him in glory. At times the battle is very rough. The enemy seems to have beaten you down into the mire and the mud. But do not give up (Micah 7:8).

We will enter into our inheritance. Sharing glory with the Lord is surely enough, isn’t it? Not to God! You see, we are not only sons of God, but also heirs (Galatians 4:7; Romans 8:17). Since we are in Christ and heirs with him, we have an inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). What is it? Yes, yes, I know that it includes the new heavens and the new earth (2 Peter 3:13), but our God is a greater giver than that! He gives us all things (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). God Almighty gives us Himself (Psalm 73:25-26)! This should fill us with hope (confident expectation). But do you have this hope? You may have it today by turning from your empty way of life that leads to judgment and by trusting in Jesus Christ for eternal life (John 6:35-40).

Grace and peace, David

The Helmet of Salvation (Part One)

20150101_151010Ephesians 6:17

Helmets. I see them constantly on my walks around Valley Forge Park. They are worn by men and women, girls and boys. Why do I see so many sporting such unfashionable headgear? Why are bicycle riders required to wear helmets? That’s right—to protect their heads. In the same way the helmet is probably the most important part of the armor. A soldier might be able to survive and continue to fight with wounds to other parts of the body, but most wounds to the head are either fatal or crippling. “The Roman soldier’s helmet… was usually made of a tough metal like bronze or iron. ‘An inside lining of felt or sponge made the weight bearable. Nothing short of an axe or hammer could pierce a heavy helmet, and in some cases a hinged vizor added frontal protection.’ Helmets were decorative as well as protective, and some had magnificent plumes or crests” (Stott).

Here Paul compares salvation to a helmet. Why is salvation in general such an important part of the armor of God? How can this helmet offer such protection? It might help if we consider the three “tenses” of salvation. Every true follower of the Lord Jesus can say, “I was saved; I am being saved; and I will be saved.

Today, we will consider four past blessings of salvation. The first is election. For reasons known only to God, he decided to save a people from the wreck and ruin of human sin. God could have justly passed by all humanity, allowing all of us to perish, as he did the angels that rebelled against him. But to magnify the fame of his name, God chose to save some from the guilt and pollution of sin. This election was of people in relation to Christ from before the creation of the world without any regard for anything they might do (Ephesians 1:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 8:33; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29; James 2:5). Everyone who follows Christ should gain confidence from the Bible’s teaching of election. God wanted us to be his people, and we need to hear this when the enemy or our doubts cause us to wonder about that. Before the first seraph ever cried out, “Holy, holy, holy!” God had chosen us to salvation in Christ.

The second blessing is redemption. Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed his blood as the ransom price, and so he redeemed us to carry out God’s eternal purpose. In every way the Lord Jesus Christ has the honor of saving us (Ephesians 1:7). His redemption set us free from the penalty and curse of sin, from our slavery to sin, and from bondage to the law. He has bought us and now we are his bondservants. See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Redemption teaches us our liberty in Christ (Galatians 5:1). When the enemy attempts to fill you with false information that you are in slavery, assert your freedom in Christ!

The third blessing speaks of the application of redemption: regeneration (the new birth from above) and effectual calling. Securely bound in the darkness of sin and dead in sin, God made us alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5). When the Spirit of God made alive spiritually, we received the gifts of repentance (a change of mind) and faith, by which we turn from the pursuit of sin and trust in the Lord Jesus alone for salvation. A battlefield becomes filled with corpses, and the evil one may tempt you to think that you will share that fate. But do not give in to such thoughts. The great promise of salvation is that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

The fourth blessing is justification. Having believed, we are declared right with God ­(Romans 5:1). We have already talked about Christ as our righteousness in the article about the breastplate. Again the great goal is confidence for all followers of Jesus. We are on God’s side and fully accepted by him! He has saved us, and we have a new relationship with the living God. More on this relationship next time, God willing.

Grace and peace, David