His Word Today

² For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;” (1 Thessalonians 4:2–3 (ESV)

The following article is Pastor Alastair Begg. Dr. Begg is senior pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, where he has served since 1983. He is also host of the radio program Truth for Life. Today’s installment is Part 2 of Dr. Begg’s article.

From Idolatry to Immorality

Such is the state of our culture in the twenty-first century. But how did we get here? A brief reflection on the past several decades of Western culture makes it clear that there has been a strategy at play as it relates to those driving the revolution we have seen.

First, there have been efforts to make sure that the broader society would sympathize with their struggles—both of a personal and societal nature. (And Christians surely ought to lead the world in sympathy, but only of the Christlike sort.) Secondly, there was and is a clear desire to normalize homosexuality, transgenderism, etc. through media and individuals’ platforms. And thirdly, there has been and continues to be a concerted effort to demonize those who oppose the revolution. Dissenters will be canceled at nearly any cost.

The West as a whole, and America in particular, is not, I suggest, in the mess that Phillips describes because it is immoral—not ultimately. We are in such a mess because we worship modern-day Baals rather than the living God. The moral squalor, the brokenness of our culture, is merely the clearest evidence of “the wrath of God” being “revealed from heaven” (Rom. 1:18). The actual immorality is not the cause; it’s the evidence. It’s what happens when we turn in upon ourselves. When we refuse to know God as He has made Himself known, we don’t give up on worship; we actually just worship something or someone else.

And the evidence is all around us. When Paul describes both men and women giving up “natural relations” in favor of those that are “contrary to nature” (Rom. 1:26–27), he uses the word “natural” to describe the material order as God intended it. (In fact, the words that he uses for “women” and “men” are actually “female” and “male” in Greek—a deliberate echo, I think, of Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”) Anatomy, physiology, biology—all of them, even without theology—testify to God’s perfect plan, the violation of which leads to chaos, sadness, and despair.

Homosexuality, then, is not simply an alternative lifestyle. According to Scripture, it is an unnatural decision born of a preceding idolatry. It is an expression of rebellion against God: “I will decide who I am, what I am, what I’m doing, and with whom I am doing it.” It’s not the greatest sin, but it is perhaps the clearest evidence of a society’s defiance of God. When a culture finally reaches the place where even manhood and womanhood, gender itself, is deconstructed and reconstructed according to whatever agenda an individual has, whatever ethical set of norms they’ve decided to embrace, then that culture is in deep trouble.

We see this disintegration not only on a societal level but also on a personal level. When our longings are no longer filled by God, who has made us for Himself, the longings don’t go away. We still have to satisfy our questions about our identity. We still have to answer the yearnings of our heart for peace, for fulfillment, for joy, for satisfaction, for sexual gratification—whatever it might be.

When we read Paul’s words about men and women “receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error” (v. 27), we can easily jump to conclusions about just what he meant. I find William G. T. Shedd’s observation helpful: “The recompense is the gnawing unsatisfied lust itself, together with the dreadful physical and moral consequences of debauchery”² (i.e., excessive indulgence in sensual pleasure). When we reject God as the answer to our longings, we don’t stand on morally neutral ground; we actually become, in Paul’s words, “consumed with passion.”

A Gospel for the Whole World

For the Christian, all of this presents quite a challenge. We must, as John Stott did so masterfully, have one foot firmly planted in the world of the Bible and the other planted in our own context. On the one hand, we’re called to refute false, bad ideas in the awareness that Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18)—even as we treat those who hate us with honor. On the other hand, we have this good news to share: Jesus was delivered up to the cross so that men and women might be delivered from sin and born again to life everlasting. In Him, broken lives are made new.

So how do you honor God, obey His Word, and love your neighbors, friends, and family members who have decided to go on this path? Some people have decided the way to respond to our culture’s broken understanding of human sexuality is by admonition—to simply stand up and keep declaring, “This is terrible,” “This is terrible,” “This is terrible.” Others have decided they won’t say anything at all. Neither is a possibility for a Bible-believing Christian.

In my experience, those who reject God’s plan for their sexuality are either reviled or affirmed by the people around them. By contrast, Christians ought to say, “We will not treat you in either of those ways. We will not revile you, but we cannot affirm you. And the reason we won’t revile you is the same reason we can’t affirm you: because of the Bible, because of God’s love, because of His grace, and because of His goodness.” It isn’t easy to speak about God’s wrath. But I’m glad that when I do address it, I can do so knowing that it is wrapped in the amazing news of God’s grace.

In writing to the Corinthians, Paul urged them, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9–10). If we’re clear-eyed and honest, we will all find ourselves described somewhere in this list. What’s the answer? Look at the next sentence: “Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

The hope for the greedy, for the immoral, for all of us is the same hope. The answer is the same answer: the cross of Jesus Christ. He was given up on our behalf so that we might enjoy all the beauty and goodness that is found in Him. This is what we mean when we say that the gospel is for everyone. It’s a gospel for atheists and agnostics, for Jews and gentiles, for Hindus and Muslims; for the lost and the lonely, for the happy and the successful; for the homosexual or transgender person; for those who experience gender dysphoria and those who don’t—ultimately, for anyone who humbly casts any other identity aside and loses his or her life for Christ’s sake (Matt. 16:25). It is a gospel for the whole world, for the whole world undoubtedly needs it.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a God-honoring day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Alistair Begg at Truth for Life on December 14, 2022.

² For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;” (1 Thessalonians 4:2–3 (ESV)

The following article is Pastor Alastair Begg. Dr. Begg is senior pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, where he has served since 1983. He is also host of the radio program Truth for Life.

A little over a decade ago, English journalist Melanie Phillips, writing on the state of Western civilization, observed, “Society seems to be in the grip of a mass derangement.” There is, she writes, a “sense that the world has slipped off the axis of reason,” causing many to wonder, “How is anyone to work out who is right in such a babble of ‘experts’ and with so much conflicting information?”¹

As I started to reread this book a few weeks ago, I was struck once again by what’s missing in her writing. Phillips writes as an agnostic but observant Jew, and many of the points she makes are profoundly helpful. But noticeably absent from her analysis, I find, is any recognition of the Bible’s account of how the world that God made in its entirety and perfection could have gone so haywire (à la Gen. 3)—particularly, in our day, in the realm of human sexuality.

Sexuality as described and prescribed by Scripture is not just a difficult topic; to address it is also unpopular and in large measure offensive. I come to it somewhat fearful, with caution and, I hope, with a measure of compassion—but also with the conviction that God’s Word and way are absolutely perfect and that God knew exactly what He was doing when He put humanity together. And thankfully, one of the passages that speaks most pointedly to the way in which God’s wrath is revealed against sin, Romans 1:16–28, is also preceded by and followed by the amazing offer of God’s grace.

Living in a Runaway World

Paul’s argument in Romans 1 unfolds from his great declaration in verse 16 that he is “not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Why, we might ask, is the gospel for “everyone”? Because, as Paul goes on to explain, everyone needs the gospel. Every one of us is born in the same hopeless and helpless situation: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18).

Mankind, in other words, lives in a runaway world. Some of us like to suggest that God is hiding, but we are the ones who have done the hiding since nearly the beginning of time (Gen. 3:8–10). We “suppress the truth”—the truth that He has shown us about Himself (Rom. 1:19). We deny the fact that He has made Himself known clearly in the universe in which we live—that “his eternal power and divine nature” (Rom. 1:20) are evident all around us—and as a result, we are absolutely “without excuse” (v. 20) when we choose not to worship Him or to thank Him. When we refuse to know God as He has made Himself known, we don’t give up on worship; we actually just worship something or someone else.

All of this brings us to the matter of human sexuality—not because it is some sort of hobby horse or because we get some (perverse) sense of satisfaction out of being controversial but because that’s what comes next in God’s Word. And if we simply choose the parts of the Bible we like and reject the parts that we don’t like, then we don’t believe the Bible; we believe ourselves.

Why would we ever want to consider a passage like Romans 1 unless we absolutely believe that the Bible is God’s Word, that it is unerring, and it speaks life-giving truth, even in our twenty-first-century Western world? We are not at liberty to rewrite the Bible to accommodate godless perspectives on abortion, on euthanasia, on same-sex marriage, on transgenderism, and more. We are not free to tamper with God’s Word.

And so, as we continue reading Paul’s inspired words, it is clear that having broken our connection with the Creator, who made us purposefully for Himself, we struggle to actually know who we are. As Paul goes on to explain, when men turned away from God and toward idols (including, as we do in our day, the idol of self),

God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves. . . . God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 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. (Rom. 1:24, 26–27)

It’s important that we note here that the exchange of the normal, natural function of human sexuality for that which is contrary is not the first “exchange” mentioned by Paul. He has already described mankind as exchanging “the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Rom. 1:23)—the exchange of the creator God for created idols.

They have also “exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Rom. 1:25)—the exchange of knowledge for ignorance. And it is because they refuse to believe in Him, to worship Him, that God gives men and women up to their “dishonorable passions.” He has given them up to something which contemporary society regards as an alternative lifestyle but which the Bible pronounces to be an abomination, to be a perversion. Idolatry, in other words, leads to all sorts of immorality—and the immorality gets deeper as it goes.

More to come from Dr. Begg. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a God-honoring day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Alistair Begg at Truth for Life on December 14, 2022.

² For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;” (1 Thessalonians 4:2–3 (ESV)

The following article is by John Freeman. He is president of Harvest USA, a Reformed ministry aiding individuals affected by sexual sin. He is author of Hide or Seek: When Men Get Real with God about Sex.

The call came into my office several months ago. A woman requested to be taken off our mailing list. I assured her that we would comply with her request. I asked the reason she did not want to receive our newsletter any longer. “If homosexuality really is a gift from God,” she replied, “then your ministry is doing great damage to people.”

Although her answer didn’t shock me — people in evangelical circles are increasingly being enticed by the same deceptions — her response, considering her background and her church, did. She shared that she had been a Christian for more than twenty years and involved in the women’s ministry in her church. I was also aware of the fact that she belonged to a church, long steeped in a Reformed theological tradition, which had a strong pulpit ministry (and still does) firmly grounded in God’s Word, viewing the Bible as the authoritative, inspired Word of God.

It was obvious that she had become persuaded that homosexuality was biblically permissible. How have these and other damaging views about sexual sin infiltrated the church? A detailed answer to that question could alone be the subject of an entire book. Simply put, it’s because “other voices” now, consistently as never before, compete for our ears, claiming authority equal to or even surpassing that of the Scriptures. More devastating is the fact that many in our churches are listening to those voices.

Some of these voices call for the ordination of homosexuals to the Gospel ministry. In some denominations, we are seeing this pursued with little or no consequence, if not whole-hearted celebration. In some instances, church discipline is threatened and imposed, not for those advocating sexual immorality, but for those who would contend against non-biblical theology and behaviors. I also think of those churches in the Netherlands that once preached Reformed theology. Today it is illegal to speak of homosexuality in a demeaning way there, and many once thriving churches now stand as museums and thrift stores.

How do we account for our own moral slide towards these same things? These two factors, the competition for our ears and the fact that we’re actively listening, are causing unparalleled confusion — as well as opening the door for un-addressed sin to flourish in the church. Truth is, this caller had fallen for a new wave of theology. I call it “the theology of Oprah, 20/20, and Prime Time Live.” These pop icons and TV programs are now where many, even those in the church, become informed about a variety of biblical issues, especially sexual ones. Church leadership needs to realize that these views are not as rare as we might like to think. They often just remain unexpressed.

Part of addressing this grand distortion and deception of sex and sexuality begins with realizing that whatever is affecting and impacting the culture is always impacting those who sit on our pews. We live in a culture where sex sells everything — a major ploy to attract consumers. Sexual immorality in all its forms is now paraded as legitimate fare for everyone, thanks in a large degree to the media and entertainment sector. It should not surprise us that incorrect and distorted views about sex and, indeed, sexual immorality itself is common in the church today.

Can it be denied that the church has been and will continue to be seduced into these deceptions? When we combine these facts with the reality that believers can and do struggle with various forms of their fallen sexuality and sinful hearts, a potentially explosive and crippling climate can exist.

 For instance, pornography usage among believers is, I believe, at epidemic levels in the church. This of course does immense damage to men’s hearts and always impacts, directly and indirectly, all his duties and relationships. In short, pornography and all forms of sexual sin rob men of the godly leadership they are called to provide in the lives of those closest to them; it robs men of confidence in the truths of Scripture and their enthusiasm for things of God; and finally, it undermines the place of God as the supreme being whom they are called to worship and serve — and replaces Him with a more manageable and predictable object of adoration.

We’re speaking about a severe crisis of worship and idolatry. Indeed, does not Romans 1:24 tell us that “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator”? Is this not the natural bent of the fallen heart? Paul speaks of a culture given over to idolatry.

Dr. Edward T. Welch, in his book Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave, has called such idolatries, at heart, “worship disorders.” This means we are witnessing a massive failure to worship God as creator and are, as a culture and to degrees within the church, pursuing creature worship as a norm. It’s a fact that, increasingly, we live in a “porn is the norm” world.

Paul, again, gives a redemptive mandate to the early church as those now set apart from the idolatrous culture in which they find themselves, saying, “For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thess. 4:3–5).

An interesting observation about these and many other passages, especially in the pastoral epistles, is that they are actually there. A good part of these epistles is devoted to dealing with the fact that unbridled lust and accompanying sexual temptations were realities with which even the early church had to deal. They speak to the fact that both the culture and one’s own sinful heart were powerful forces with which the believer had to deal. They are also a testimony that a person could deal honorably with these things as he or she yielded to a higher allegiance than the culture and the fallen heart!

An important role for the church in today’s complicated and confused world is to nurture an atmosphere where people can be real about what’s going on in their hearts, lives, and marriages concerning the lure towards sexual sin. We must help them be honest about those forces competing for their hearts and cheer them on to ruthless honesty about the temptations (and failures) they are facing. The church is the place where we model truth and grace, and it is the place where we help convince and remind one another that the worship of God offers so much more real life than does the attractions of our petty sins and idolatries. The seduction need not continue, if we are aware of the lies our culture is presenting and are willing to work with what we find impacting the lives of our people for the glory of Christ.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

Having been involved in pastoral, and professorial, ministry for over 40 years, many people have asked me “how can I know the will of God for my life?” Usually, this pertains to whom should I marry and what job or position should I take?

A young man approached me years ago announcing to me God was leading him into a full-time music ministry. He was convinced God wanted him to direct God’s people in worship from the platform. He was ready to do so immediately. No training was necessary. No instruction from other worship leaders, musicians or seminary professors was required.  In other words, this young man knew all the answers to all the questions regarding the will of God for his life.

I admired his passion. There was just one problem; and it was big one. The individual in question did not sing very well. He did not know how to read music. He also did not play an instrument.

Voice lessons can be taken. Reading music can be learned along with playing an instrument. However, this individual was not interested in any of that. He was enamored with the idea of being on stage but not at all interested in the behind the scenes work and study required to lead as a servant.

How do believers in Christ discern the will of God for their lives? To begin with, we must understand there are various levels regarding the will of God.

First, there is God’s eternal will, which He purposed before the foundation of the world in the election and salvation of sinners (Eph. 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; I Peter 1:1-2). This refers to God’s ultimate plan for all of creation. It encompasses everything that comes to pass, including events that may seem negative or difficult to understand. It is God’s purposeful sovereignty or providence.

Second, there is God’s moral, or prescriptive, will. This involves instructions and commands found in Scripture. These are God’s revealed commands and principles for how His people are to live. These are guidelines for ethical behavior, moral decision-making, and living in a way that honors Him. See Romans 12-16; Ephesians 4-6; Colossians 3-4.

Third, there is God’s permissive will. This is unique to each individual’s life and circumstances. It involves seeking God’s guidance and direction for decisions such as career choices, relationships, and other personal matters. See Acts 16:6-10.

Paul addressed the subject of the Lord’s moral will when he wrote to the Thessalonian believers. The Holy Spirit’s God-breathed words, revealed through the apostle, were clear and concise. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;”

The moral will (θέλημα; thelema) or purpose solely originating from God the Father involves the believer’s sanctification. Sanctification (ἁγιασμὸς; hagiasmos) refers to consecration, dedication and holiness before God. It means to be far away from sin.

In this particular context, the will of God for believers in Christ was/is to abstain from sexual immorality. To abstain (ἀπέχεσθαι; apechesthai) is a present, middle infinitive verb. It means to be personally far away from and to avoid sexual immorality (πορνείας; porneias). This refers to engaging in any form of sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage between a binary husband and wife. The English word pornography comes from this Greek word.

“All of God’s word contains God’s will—both affirmations and prohibitions. Specifically, God’s will includes salvation (1 Tim. 2:4); self-sacrifice (Rom. 12:1–2); Spirit filling (Eph. 5:18); submission (1 Pet. 2:13–15); suffering (1 Pet. 3:17); satisfaction (1 Thess. 5:18); settledness (Heb. 10:36); and particularly here—sanctification, which literally refers to a state of being set apart from sin to holiness,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

The Apostle Peter also spoke of this important moral will of God in I Peter 1:13-16. “¹³ Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, ¹⁵ but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  (1 Peter 1:13–16 (ESV)

The first instruction designed to produce greater holiness is abstinence from sexual immorality. Paul called his readers to avoid it, implying the need for exercising self-discipline, enabled by God’s Spirit,” explains commentator Thomas L. Constable in the Bible Knowledge Commentary.

“Christians are to avoid and abstain from any and every form of sexual practice that lies outside the circle of God’s revealed will, namely adultery, premarital and extramarital intercourse, homosexuality, and other perversions. The word porneia, translated “sexual immorality,” is a broad one and includes all these practices.”

“The Thessalonians lived in a pagan environment in which sexual looseness was not only practiced openly but was also encouraged. In Greek religion, prostitution was considered a priestly prerogative, and extramarital sex was sometimes an act of worship. To a Christian the will of God is clear: holiness and sexual immorality are mutually exclusive. No appeal to Christian liberty can justify fornication,” concludes Constable.

There are times when the will of God may seem to be unclear. This is not one of those occasions. God makes His moral will known to each believer in Christ. There is to be no debate regarding abstaining from sexual immorality. We must avoid it at all costs.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1 (ESV)

There are three occasions recorded in the New Testament when God the Father audibly spoke from heaven; at Jesus’ baptism (Matt 3:13–17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22), the Transfiguration (Matt. 1 7:1-5; Mark 9:1-7; Luke 9:35), and following Jesus’ address after the triumphant entrance into Jerusalem (John12:28). It was during the first two of these three occasions God the Father said He was pleased with His Son.

“What higher approval could a person enjoy than to know that what he or she has done is pleasing to God? Every Christian should have a passion to please God. We are to delight in honoring Him. It should be our greatest desire to please our Redeemer,” says Dr. R. C. Sproul.

In today’s text, the word please (ἀρέσκειν; areskein) is a present active infinitive verb.  Pleasing God is to be a present, active and never-ending activity by believers in Christ. To please means to cause someone to be happy, or to be glad, with something or someone. To please God means to cause God to be happy or glad with us.

Consider this. How often do we pray and ask God to make us happy by giving us something we need or want? Rather, believers in Christ should consider how we can make God happy.

The Apostle Paul, Silas and Timothy asked and urged the Thessalonian believers not only to continue to live in a way pleasing to God, but to do so more and more. This means to a greater degree or increasingly. In other words, the Christian life is not about maintaining your faith in Christ, but rather to grow in your faith in Christ.

In his second epistle, the Apostle Peter wrote, “¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:17–18 (ESV)

“Paul is dealing with the Thessalonian believers “as a nurse cherishes (and as a father admonishes) her (his) own children” (2:7, 11). The apostle (supported by his companions, of course) requests (the asking is friendly and polite), and admonishes or urges (2:11; 3:2, 7) “in the Lord Jesus” (see on 1:1)—that is, by virtue of union with the Lord whom he represents and whose spirit inspires him—that they will overflow or excel or abound (περισσεύω see on 3:12) more and more in the business of conducting themselves properly, thus pleasing God,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

“It is evident that what he desires so ardently is that the Thessalonians, in keeping God’s law, shall be prompted by gratitude for their deliverance. With wonderful tact he injects the parenthetical clause: “as in fact you are conducting yourselves.” What the apostle really desires, therefore, is that the branches that bear fruit shall bear more fruit (John 15:2). That was necessary not only in view of the immaturity of these recent converts from paganism and of “the deficiencies of faith” which had to be supplied in their particular case (3:10), but also in view of the more general consideration, namely, that the believer never attains to complete spiritual perfection in this life.”

Rather than seeking for God to make us happy today, let us all resolve, in whatever circumstances we face, to make God happy by living a godly and holy life (I Peter 1:13-16).  May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. (Colossians 4:5 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul continued in his exhortations to the Colossian church. Today’s text addresses the believer’s daily behavior and daily speech.

To walk (περιπατεῖτε; peripateite) refers in this context to living and behaving morally and ethically. It is a present, active, imperative, plural verb. This means the believers’ behavior and lifestyle involves a continual, active, collective obedience in moral living. This behavior does not make an individual a believer in Christ, but rather evidences one’s faith in Christ as Savior and Lord (Eph. 2:10). This command applies to all believers in Christ.

How are believers to walk? The Bible says “in wisdom.” Wisdom (σοφίᾳ; sophia) is the practical application of God’s Word or truth. Wisdom is the capacity to understand God’s truth and to live accordingly in response to God’s truth.

The cultural context of wise walking by the believer pertains to our relationships with non-believers. The word “outsiders” (ἔξω; exo) refers in the context to the unconverted. Like it or not, unbelievers observe the believer’s behavior: the good and the bad.

“Mahatma Gandhi, the leader who helped secure India’s independence from the British in the twentieth century, was once asked why he would not convert to Christianity, even though he professed admiration for Jesus. His answer was, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ,” explains one commentator.

The writer continues by saying, “It is easy to ignore Gandhi’s words because he had a deficient view of Christ — often, it seems, he saw Jesus only as a nonviolent social reformer. It is also easy to say non-Christians should not judge Jesus’ claims about Himself based on His followers’ deeds — though this observation is not without merit. Yet like it or not, unbelievers often base their views of Christianity on the behavior of Jesus’ professed followers (at the very least, they use our hypocrisy to justify their rebellion against the Creator).”

Walking in wisdom involves a keen awareness of each moment of each and every day. Believers in Christ must be aware of their surroundings and situations. Today’s text says, “making the best use of the time.” The phrase “making the best use” (ἐξαγοραζόμενοι; exagorazomenoi) means to make good use of every opportunity. Time (καιρὸν; kairon) echoes this meaning. In other words, every believer in Christ is to make good use of every opportunity to share the gospel to those without Christ.

Dr. William Hendriksen writes, “To the Jew every non-Jew was an “outsider.” And to the Christian every non-Christian is, in a sense, an outsider.” (See 1 Cor. 5:12, 13; 1 Thess. 4:12; 1 Tim. 3:7.) “In the days of the early church believers were often slandered by these outsiders. For example, they were called atheists because they served no visible gods, unpatriotic because they did not burn incense before the image of the emperor, and immoral because, of necessity, they would often meet behind locked doors. The apostle knew that the best way to defeat this slander was for Christians daily to conduct themselves not only virtuously instead of wickedly but also wisely instead of foolishly.”

Therefore, believers must strive to obediently walk in wisdom towards those without Christ. Our moral and ethical behavior must be above reproach (Phil. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; Heb. 13:7; I Peter 5:3). However, when we fail, and we will, we must be honest about our failures, sincere in our repentance, and humble in our request for forgiveness and understanding.

“Paul and the other apostles would have us hear what non-Christians like Gandhi are saying when they note how we fall short of the character of Christ. The problem is not really that we fail to meet Jesus’ standards, although we must strive to do what He says. None of us will ever perfectly follow Him, and the world should not, on its own, expect as much (1 John 1:8–9). The problem is that often we do not admit our own failures to follow Jesus or do not confess that we often preach the gospel in a manner that invites the world to expect an instant transformation of sinners into flawless saints,”explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 (ESV)

The following excerpt is taken from Pastor John Piper’s sermon entitled Advancing and Sustaining the Covenant Community. Dr. Piper preached this message at Bethlehem Baptist Church in February, 1993. The topic concerned church membership.

“Let me begin this morning by putting this series on the church covenant in a wider context of American culture. Up till now we have stressed that local churches like ours come into being and get their meaning from a covenant that believers make with each other, and that this covenant with each other is rooted in the new covenant that God made with his people through the death of Jesus. God says in this covenant: “I will be their God and they will be my people” (Hebrews 8:10).”

“What this means is that the divine covenant creates a human community. The commitment God makes to us in the new covenant creates and shapes the commitment we make to each other in the church covenant. In other words, up till now our focus has been on how the church covenant relates to God and takes its origin and its character from him and his covenant with us.”

“But for just a moment now I want to relate the church covenant to American culture. I don’t know if you feel this or if you are aware of it in any way, but what we are focusing on in these days in calling each other to serious, practical reaffirmation of life together in covenant is very counter-cultural. But we are not unique in recognizing this.”

“In 1985 Robert Bellah, Professor of Sociology at the University of California at Berkeley, published with several others a very popular book called Habits of the Heart. It was a study in American individualism and a warning that the loss of ideals like commitment, community, and covenant will be the undoing of America.”

“He took his start from a Frenchman named Alexis de Tocqueville who came and described America 160 years ago like this: ‘Such folk owe no man anything and hardly expect anything from anybody. They form the habit of thinking of themselves in isolation and imagine that their whole destiny is in their own hands.’”  

“Now my point in connecting our focus on the church covenant with the peril of American individualism is not to justify our focus as part of America’s salvation. Our church covenant is justified by God in Jesus Christ and will be valid whether America stands or falls. America is not God’s main commitment.”

“The glory of God is God’s main commitment. If America sinks into individualistic anarchy where everybody does what’s right in his own eyes, God will still be Lord of the nations; his purposes will be on track; and his people, who live for his glory and not for any finite, narrow nationalistic cause, will endure to all generations.”

“My point in making the connections with American individualism is to wake us up to the fact that the whole idea of covenant and mutual commitment is counter-cultural and, to the degree that we have all been influenced by our culture, it might feel strange or un-American, and for many, therefore, exhilarating and liberating and strengthening and stabilizing in a world turned upside down and falling apart.”

“Secondly, the aim is to show that this need for covenant relationships and stable community commitments is so deep in the human heart that even outside the church in America there is a rising tide of urgency and hope that we may as a people discover this before it is too late.”

Notice in 3:12 Paul prays (in the form of a benediction), “May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all men.” Our life together originates in the covenant love of God and so one essential mark of our covenant relationships in church is love. And this love is the work of God. “May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love.”

“This is exactly the way we expect Paul to pray for new covenant blessings because the new covenant (as we have seen in the last two weeks) says, “I will write my law on their hearts . . . and I will circumcise their hearts to love me . . . and I will put my Spirit within them and cause them to walk in my statutes” (Jeremiah 31:33; Deuteronomy 30:6; Ezekiel 36:27).”

“So here Paul says: you promised to do this in the new covenant; so, I pray that you will now do it: “Cause them to increase and abound in love.” So, the covenant requirement of love is first and foremost a gift in the new covenant.”

“Look at the connection between 3:12 and 3:13. If God causes them to abound in love, they will have the holiness they need to meet the Lord. I infer from this that love is the essence of holiness. And that means, then, that the covenant requirement of holiness is also a gift as well as a command, because the love that is the heart of holiness is a gift and a command.”

“Paul wants the church to be holy and so he prays: Lord cause them to abound in love so that they will be holy. You have promised in the new covenant to write your holy law on our hearts. You have promised in the new covenant to give us the Spirit and cause us to walk in your holy statutes. So, Lord, do it now, and do it by making love increase and abound.”

“Which leads to the final point from the text, namely, that the new covenant community in this fallen world is not a perfect community, not a completed community, but a community growing and advancing toward perfection. Look again at 3:12, “May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love.” If our love were perfect or complete, there would be no room for increase. But Paul prays for increase.”

“This means that the new covenant community is a pilgrim community. We have been saved from condemnation and transferred from death to life and from darkness to light and from the dominion of darkness to the kingdom of God’s Son, but in this new relation to God we are not yet perfected or completed, but are on the way to becoming what we ought to be.”

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 (ESV)

Biblical faith contains both a subjective and an objective aspect. Subjectively, faith is the trust people have in God and His promises. However, faith is also an objective concept in God’s Word, referring to the truth of God each believer in Christ trusts, depends, commits, and honors.

“It is possible to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, to fight for the compendium of truth taught by the Apostles and prophets (Jude 3). Objectively, it is possible to be “lacking” in faith, to not have a complete understanding of what is included in divine revelation. In that respect, all of us are lacking in faith, for we can always go deeper in our grasp of what God has revealed to His people,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Paul refers to faith in this objective sense in 1 Thessalonians 3:10, telling the Thessalonians that he prays continually to see them face-to-face in order to supply what they lack in faith. In today’s passage, he continues on the theme of prayer, not describing his practice but recording a prayer for the Thessalonians. Paul notes that he expresses his prayer not only to God the Father but to the Lord Jesus as well. This is noteworthy because as a faithful Jew, Paul would only pray to Jesus if he considered Jesus to be fully and equally God with the Father.”

In Arthur Pink’s book Gleanings from Paul: The Prayers of the Apostle, the author explored every New Testament prayer by the Apostle Paul. Today’s text is one such prayer. It was a supplication offered by a pastor watching over a group of believers in Christ. It was Paul’s first prayer on behalf of the Thessalonian believers.

His second prayer for them is found in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 (ESV) which, when referring to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 1:5-10 Paul prayed, “¹¹ To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Pink pointed out five things to observe in Paul’s first prayer to the saints in Thessalonica. (1) It’s Necessity; (2) It’s Intensity; (3) It’s Objects; (4) It’s Petitions; and (5) It’s Design. Pink’s observations form our outline for today’s essay.

Frist, why was Paul’s prayer necessary? It was necessary because the Thessalonians had, and would, increasingly encounter trials because of their faith in Christ (1:6 2:14-16; 3:4). Paul, Silas and Timothy encountered such opposition when they first preached the Gospel in the city and synagogue (Acts 17:1-9; I Thess. 2:1-2). Paul wanted to supply what was lacking in their faith in Christ (I Thess. 3:10).

Second, the intensity of Paul’s prayer was due to the interdependency contained in the very nature of the church. In other words, believers in Christ need other believers in Christ. We are not only dependent upon the LORD (Deut. 8:18; Acts 17:28), but also upon each other (I Cor. 12:12-26; I Thess. 3:12). Paul, Silas and Timothy needed the Thessalonians as much as they needed them.

Third, the objects of the apostle’s prayer were, as previously stated, the Thessalonian believers. He prayed the Lord would direct the missionary trio back to them (3:11).

Fourth, Paul’s petitions were for the believers to increase and abound in love for one another and for others (3:12). Paul prayed this for himself and his companions.

Finally, the design or purpose of Paul’s prayer is found in vs. 13. He prayed the Lord would establish their hearts blameless in holiness in the presence of God our Father; who is transcendent and intimate. To establish (στηρίξαι; sterixai) means to strengthen and make more firm.

This is the Lord’s infinite work within the heart, or soul, of the individual believer. The ultimate goal is for each believer to be holy in word and behavior. This is especially significant in light of the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The example of Paul’s team (2:10) as well as their instruction (4:1-3) emphasized the call for the Thessalonians’ faith in the Lord Jesus to be expressed in holy living, particularly with respect to sexual purity and marital faithfulness (4:3-8). Blameless holiness will be central to his, Paul’s, benediction to these believers (5:23),” states Dr. R.C. Sproul.     

“Here we see the close connection between love and holiness in Christian practice. There can be no true love without holiness, and there can be no true holiness without love for God and neighbor (see also 1 Peter 1:13–25). Love and holiness coexist perfectly in our Creator, for “God is holy” and “God is love” (Ps. 99:9; 1 John 4:8), so they must coexist in believers, who are being renewed after the image of God in Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). These attributes will not coexist perfectly in us until we are glorified, but we will grow in them both over the course of our Christian lives so that others can say that we are truly, though not perfectly, loving and holy servants of God (2 Peter 1:3–11).”

Pray for God to increasingly strengthen you for holiness and love. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!    
 

⁹ For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, ¹⁰ as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?” (1 Thessalonians 3:9–10 (ESV)

Joined with the attitude of thanksgiving and joy for the Thessalonian believers, was the earnest and consistent prayer conducted by the Apostle Paul, Silas and Timothy on their behalf. All three were involved in this discipline, evidenced by the personal pronouns “we,” and “our.” The phrase “as we pray” (δεόμενοι; deomenoi) is a present, middle plural participle. The three church planters prayed continually, personally and collectively for these believers.

In this context, to pray was to beg, and to ask with an urgency for a presumed need. In other words, the prayers by Paul, Silas and Timothy were not for what the Thessalonians wanted, but rather for what they needed.

These prayers were most earnestly brought to God night and day. The adverbial phrase “most earnestly (ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ; hyperekperissou) means beyond all measure, to an extreme degree, involving a considerable excess in what would be expected. It describes the attitude of prayer. The image of praying night and day emphasizes the duration of these earnest prayers; they prayed throughout a 24-hour period. Hyperbole? Perhaps, but then again perhaps not. Can you recall situations or individuals for whom you prayed, or pray, for each and every day and well into the evening hours? I’m sure you can.

What was the reason, or reasons, for these earnest and ongoing prayers by Paul, Silas and Timothy for the Thessalonians? They had to be important.

To begin with, it was for the opportunity to see them again, face to face. The phrase “face to face (πρόσωπον; prosopon) is another way of saying to see someone in person or to be in their physical presence. Telephone calls, emails, texts, Twitter, Facetime and Zoom calls are all nice. How much nicer to see someone physically in front of you in order to touch, to talk and to be together.

The second reason for these ongoing prayers was to supply what was lacking in their faith. To supply (καταρτίσαι; katarisai) means to restore or provide what is lacking. Paul does not mention anything specifically, but whatever he sensed they needed, it was obviously important. The phrase “what is lacking” (ὑστερήματα; hysteremata) refers to what is needed and has not been acquired or received in their personal trust, dependence, commitment and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Even though Paul is still struggling with the problem how to make an adequate return for blessings already received, this does not deter him from asking for still more! In fact, the very manner in which previous petitions have been answered makes him all the more earnest (note over-abundantly or with intense earnestness) in praying for something in addition to what has already been received. Hence, thanksgiving (“rejoicing before our God”) is accompanied by prayer. Note how Paul, though working at a trade by night and by day (see on 2:9), still finds time to pray, and this also by night and by day,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

“The content of the prayer or petition is stated in two infinitive-clauses, but the two really express one idea, namely, that God’s providence may permit the missionaries to return so that they may once more see the face(s) of (that is, be present among, and rejoice in the fellowship of) the Thessalonian believers in order to supply the deficiencies (see also 1 Cor. 16:17; Phil. 2:30; Col. 1:24; then 2 Cor. 8:13, 14; 9:12; 11:9) of their faith. The verb to supply has the primary meaning to knit together, to unite (1 Cor. 1:10). The idea of knitting together (think of the work of an artisan, which is related to the Greek verb), by an easy transition, has become to make whole, to round out (cf. Gal. 6:1 to re-instate or restore) or, as here, to supply what is still lacking.”

What deficiencies were these believers experiencing in their faith?  Since Scripture interprets Scripture, this letter itself may provide the answer. First, the Thessalonians were confused about the doctrine of Christ’s return. Therefore, Paul is already preparing them for what he is going to say in 4:13–5:3. Second, although the Lord had blessed these recent converts with many a spiritual grace, there is always room for improvement. The virtues already present must begin to abound more and more (4:1, 10). Third, some members of the congregation were disorderly, some were fainthearted, and others were weak (5:14).

“The Thessalonians enjoyed a positive state spiritually, but that does not mean they knew everything there was to know about Christ or that they had reached the end of their spiritual growth. They had come far, but they still had far to go, for believers never reach a point where they cannot advance further in the faith,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

John Calvin comments: “Those who far surpass others are still far distant from the goal. Hence, whatever progress we may have made, let us always keep in view our deficiencies, that we may not be reluctant to aim at something farther.”

Philippians 3:10–14 (ESV) says, “¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. ¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Let us resolve to press on and to pray for others to do the same. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.  

Soli deo Gloria!

⁹ For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, ¹⁰ as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?” (1 Thessalonians 3:9–10 (ESV)

Joined with the attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude for the Thessalonian believers, was the joy felt by the Apostle Paul, Silas and Timothy. The Holy Spirit revealed through Paul all three shared this inner happiness and peace by the apostle’s use of the personal pronoun “we,” and “our.” Joy is a positive human experience that is both an emotion and an action. The Bible uses “joy” in both senses.

In today’s text, joy (χαρᾷ; chara) refers to the emotion of gladness or great happiness. Joy is felt because of well-being, success, or good fortune. A person automatically experiences it because of certain favorable circumstances. It cannot be commanded. Paul. Silas and Timothy felt joy in part because of the faith, love and hope in God by the Thessalonians (I Thess. 1:1-4).

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary says, “The shepherd experienced joy when he found his lost sheep (Matt. 18:13). The multitude felt it when Jesus healed a Jewish woman whom Satan had bound for 18 years (Lk. 13:17). The disciples returned to Jerusalem rejoicing after Jesus’ ascension (Lk. 24:52). Joy was also the feeling of the church at Antioch when its members heard the Jerusalem Council’s decision that they did not have to be circumcised to keep God’s law (Acts 15:31). Paul mentioned his joy in hearing about the obedience of the Roman Christians (Rom. 16:19). He wrote to the Corinthians that love does not rejoice in wrong but rejoices in the right (1 Cor. 13:6; see also 1 Sam. 2:1; 11:9; 18:6; 2 Sam. 6:12; 1 Kgs. 1:40; Est. 9:17–22).”

In Psalms 137:1–6, the psalmist shows joy cannot be commanded. The Jews’ Babylonian captors wanted them to sing in the land of their exile. However, this was something they were unable to do. Faraway Jerusalem was their chief joy.

There is a joy that Scripture commands. Joy as an action can be expressed regardless of how the person feels. Proverbs 5:18 tells the reader to rejoice in the wife of his youth, without reference to what she may be like. Christ instructed his disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted, reviled, and slandered (Matt. 5:11–12). The Apostle Paul commanded continuous rejoicing (Phil. 4:4; 1 Thess. 5:16). James said Christians are to reckon it all joy when they fall into various testing’s because they produce endurance (James 1:2). Joy is possible since as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, it is present in every Christian (Gal. 5:22).

“Paul was greatly comforted in the afflictions he faced in the course of his ministry (1 Thess. 3:1–8). Their well-being brought fresh joy to his soul, for he understood his deep connection to them by virtue of their common union with Christ (Rom. 12:5). Ultimately, this joy was a gift of the Savior. Paul even describes Timothy’s report as “good news,” using a word that elsewhere in the New Testament always refers to the preaching of the gospel (1 Thess. 3:6). The good state of the Thessalonians, then, was “gospel” to Paul. Why? Because their perseverance was ultimately a gift of Jesus—the One announced in the gospel—to them. Their faith was evidence of Christ’s work in them and thus a reminder of and testimony to Christ’s salvation,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Today’s passage helps us understand even better the depth of joy that the Apostle enjoyed after hearing of the Thessalonians’ progress in faith. His question that begins “What thanksgiving can we return to God for you . . .” implies that the joy he felt was so profound that he was having difficulty finding the words to adequately express his thanks to God for the Christians in Thessalonica (v. 9). But the difficulty in finding the proper words was not due to Paul and his companions’ lack of trying. We see in 1 Thessalonians 3:10 that they were spending day and night in prayer for the Thessalonian believers. Paul and his friends were regularly offering up prayers for the Thessalonians, thanking God for them, for the Lord was sustaining their faith.”

Besides the LORD, who has brought joy into your life? What circumstances have not only brought you joy, but also caused you to glorify God by counting it all joy when facing those circumstances?

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a joyful day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!