Biblical self-talk is the deliberate practice of directing one’s inner dialogue according to divine viewpoint rather than human viewpoint. Scripture recognizes that believers engage in mental conversations with themselves, evaluating circumstances, interpreting events, assigning meaning, anticipating outcomes, and processing emotions. David provides a good example of biblical self-talk, saying, “How long shall I take counsel in my soul” (Ps. 13:2a), revealing his awareness of the internal struggle within his own mind (Ps. 13:2b-4), before ultimately redirecting his thoughts toward trust in the Lord, declaring, “But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me” (Ps. 13:5-6).
These inner dialogues can be truthful and stabilizing, or distorted and destructive. Moses acknowledged internal reasoning among the Israelites (Deut. 7:17; 8:17; 9:4), David repeatedly spoke to his own soul during times of distress (Ps. 42:5, 11; 43:5), and even unbelievers are portrayed as reasoning within themselves (Ps. 14:1; Luke 16:3; 18:4). The Christian life therefore involves a continual battle over the direction and content of one’s thoughts. Paul wrote, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Self-talk is never neutral. Thoughts are shaped either by God and His word, by personal desires, or by the fallen world system that operates independently of Him. Fallen humanity naturally gravitates toward human viewpoint thinking, which exaggerates problems, magnifies fears, distorts reality, and often creates unnecessary anxiety and emotional instability. In many cases, people suffer more in their imagination than they do in reality because the mind can create scenarios, assign motives, and anticipate outcomes that may never occur.
The Fallen Mind and the Battle for Thought Control
The mind is a busy battlefield where competing systems of thought constantly seek influence. Scripture teaches that fallen man possesses a natural inclination toward futile and corrupted thinking apart from divine truth (Rom. 1:21; Eph. 4:17-19). The believer lives in a world saturated with messages coming through conversations, entertainment, social media, literature, education, and personal experiences, all of which seek to shape perception and values. The Christian must therefore exercise discernment regarding what is permitted to enter and remain within the stream of consciousness. As Proverbs 4:23 states, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” The mind can absorb contradictory ideas and produce cognitive fragmentation when divine viewpoint and worldly philosophies are allowed to coexist unchecked. Scripture provides the objective standard by which thoughts are evaluated and corrected. The believer must consciously reject aberrant thinking and replace it with doctrinal truth. Paul commands Christians, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2). He also instructs believers to focus continually on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Phil. 4:8). Stable thinking is the product of choice, not chance. It requires intentional discipline through the consistent intake and application of God’s word.
Biblical Examples of Self Correction through Divine Viewpoint
Scripture provides several examples of believers counseling themselves with divine truth during periods of despair, fear, or emotional collapse. David stands as one of the clearest examples. In Psalm 42:5 David asked himself, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God.” David identified his anxiety and despair, confronted his distorted thinking, and redirected his attention toward the Lord. Rather than allowing emotion to govern his reasoning, he inserted divine viewpoint into his mental dialogue. He repeated this process three times (Ps. 42:5, 11; 43:5), revealing that cognitive recalibration is often a repeated process whereby divine viewpoint gradually takes hold and the soul experiences equilibrium. Again, in 1 Samuel 30:6, after the destruction of Ziklag and the threat of death from his own men, “David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”[1] David understood that cognitive and emotional stability depended upon doctrinal orientation, so he took control of his thoughts, inserted divine viewpoint into his reasoning, and thereby strengthened his own soul. Joseph likewise interpreted his suffering according to divine viewpoint when he told his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20). Joseph could not control the sinful actions of others, but he could govern his interpretation of those events through faith in God’s sovereign providence. These examples demonstrate that biblical self-talk involves identifying deviant thought patterns, arresting and isolating them, and replacing them with truth derived from God’s word.
The Discipline of Mental Renewal
The Christian life requires ongoing mental discipline because thoughts and emotions are interconnected systems that influence behavior. Emotions often follow the direction of thought. When the mind dwells on fear, bitterness, anger, lust, jealousy, or self-pity, the emotional life follows. Scripture therefore calls believers to regulate their thinking carefully. Paul instructed believers to “set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2). Peter commanded Christians to “prepare your minds for action” (1 Pet. 1:13). Christians must learn to identify destructive thoughts early, isolate them before they gain dominance, and replace them with biblical truth. This process occurs through regular exposure to Scripture (Ps. 1:2-3; 1 Pet. 2:2), meditation on God’s word (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 119:97-99), prayer, rejoicing, and thankfulness (1 Th. 5:16-18), walking by faith (2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 10:38), casting cares upon the Lord (Ps. 55:22; 1 Pet. 5:7), and dependence upon the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:16). The believer who consistently learns God’s word and trusts in the Lord “will not fear when the heat comes” (Jer. 17:7-8). This teaches that adversity is inevitable, but stress is optional for the believer who consistently interprets life through divine viewpoint and lives by faith. Mental stability is not the absence of pressure, but the presence of divine viewpoint within the stream of consciousness.
Physical Health and Spiritual Stability
The Bible also recognizes the relationship between physical wellbeing and mental stability. Though spirituality is fundamentally rooted in the believer’s relationship with God, physical exhaustion and neglect can impair cognitive function and make a person more vulnerable to emotional instability and faulty reasoning. The brain serves as the physical organ through which thought is processed, and when the body is depleted, mental resilience often weakens.
Scripture demonstrates this principle in the life of Elijah. After intense ministry pressure and Jezebel’s threats, Elijah became fearful, isolated, and despondent, even requesting death (1 Kings 19:1-4). Before addressing Elijah spiritually, God first provided him with sleep, food, water, and rest (1 Kings 19:5-8). According to J. Oswald Sanders, “After the drama at Carmel (1 Kings 18), Elijah was so depressed that he wanted to die. The Lord corrected his self-pity in a most common manner, by insisting on two long sleeps and two decent meals. Only then did the spiritual lessons begin, and they made a lifelong difference to Elijah.”[2] Likewise, Jesus instructed His disciples, “‘Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.’ For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat” (Mark 6:31). Adequate rest contributes to clearer thinking and emotional balance. Lewis Chafer states, “We should not mistake worn nerves, physical weakness or depression for unspirituality. Many times, sleep is more needed than prayer, and physical recreation than heart searching.”[3]
Alcohol and drugs impair judgment, weaken self-control, and hinder spiritual perception. Scripture warns, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Intoxication compromises reasoning and places the mind under the influence of the flesh rather than divine truth. Solomon wrote, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise” (Prov. 20:1), and when intoxicated, “Your eyes will see strange things and your mind will utter perverse things” (Prov. 23:33). Therefore, the believer who desires spiritual stability should pursue both doctrinal maturity and responsible stewardship of the body.
Summary
In summary, biblical self-talk is the disciplined practice of directing one’s inner dialogue according to divine viewpoint rather than human viewpoint (Ps. 42:5; Rom. 12:2). Because the fallen mind naturally gravitates toward fear, distortion, anxiety, and worldly thinking (Eph. 4:17-19), believers must continually identify and replace aberrant sinful thoughts with the truth of Scripture through doctrinal intake (1 Pet. 2:2), meditation on God’s word (Ps. 1:2-3), prayer and thanksgiving (1 Th. 5:16-18), walking by faith (2 Cor. 5:7), and dependence upon the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18). As Christians consistently take every thought captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5; Phil. 4:8) and interpret life through the lens of God’s word rather than emotion or circumstance, they develop greater wisdom and stability.
Steven R. Cook, D.Min., M.Div.
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[1] In 1 Samuel 30:6, the phrase “David strengthened himself in the LORD his God” comes from the Hebrew verb חָזַק (chazaq), appearing here in the Hithpael stem, which carries the reflexive idea of “strengthening oneself,” “taking courage,” or “fortifying oneself.” The verse teaches that David, under extreme pressure, deliberately turned his thinking and faith toward the Lord as the source of his inner stability and strength.
[2] J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2007), 160.
[3] Lewis S. Chafer, He that is Spiritual (Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mich., 1967), 139.
Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). And He also declared, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). When we trust in Christ as our Savior, God rescues us “from the domain of darkness” and transfers us “to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13). This domain of darkness refers to Satan’s kingdom, a spiritual realm in which the majority of this world live. When one hear abouts Christ and the good news of the gospel, it affords them the opportunity to “turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). Writing to Christians in Ephesus, Paul said, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light—for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth—trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:8-10).
To us who are in Christ, Paul writes, “walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8c). This is the Lord’s will for us. The directive assumes we can walk in darkness, otherwise it’s an unnecessary command. The word walk translates the Greek verb peripateō, which is used here as a metaphor for how we live. The verb is in the active voice, present tense, and imperative mood. The active voice means we have the responsibility to act as God directs, and the present tense refers to habitual conduct, and the imperative mood means it’s a command to be obeyed. To walk as children of light means living transparently before God who sees all we think, say, and do. It also means we live in way that reflects His glory for others to see, and we seek to bring others to God through Christ and His Word that they might know and walk with the Lord too. But those who love the darkness (John 3:19)—and they are the majority of humanity—will avoid spiritual Christians because our values and lifestyle reveal the darkness of their hearts and lives, and they want nothing to do with us and will avoid biblical conversation and fellowship at all costs, even resorting to violence when they feel threatened.
Paul does not leave us guessing as to what the production of our walk with the Lord should look like, as he states, “for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Eph 5:9). The fruit refers to the qualities that are seen in God Himself (Gal 5:22-23), and when we are filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:15), and walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16), the Light within us will shine forth and bear fruit for others to see. This requires us to walk in fellowship with God, to “walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light” (1 John 1:7), which means submitting to Him (Jam 4:7) and walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7) as obedient-to-the-Word believers. But if we “walk in the darkness” (1 John 1:6), which is always a possibility for the Christian, there will be nothing noticeable to distinguish us from an unbeliever who lives in perpetual carnality (1 Cor 3:1-3).
Those of us who learn and live God’s Word on a regular basis are “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:10). There’s only one way to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord, and that is to learn His Word and walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38). God has revealed Himself and His will through His written Word, and when we devote ourselves to the daily study of Scripture, we come to know what pleases the Lord. Every thought, word, and deed must be measured by the Word God as it speaks to our conversations, friendships, resources, work ethic, and every aspect of life. When we yield our lives to God and walk by faith in obedience to His Word, we know that it pleases Him, for “without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb 11:6).
As Christians, God’s Word directs us not to worry about the future (Prov 12:25; Matt 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-31), to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6), and to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7). This requires divine viewpoint thinking, disciplined mental focus, and a will to live by faith rather than succumbing to worry. It requires believers to “Watch over your heart with all diligence” (Pro 4:23a), to “destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5), and to “keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1).
Wise preparation for the future, on the other hand, is marked by prudence and responsibility. It involves making plans based on sound judgment, taking into account potential challenges, and considering how best to address them. Wise preparation is grounded in trust in God’s sovereignty and provision, recognizing that while we plan, we ultimately rely on God for the outcome. Solomon wrote, “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD” (Prov 16:1). Wise planning is proactive, born not out of fear but from a desire to be a good steward of the resources, time, and opportunities God gives us. Solomon wrote, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage” (Prov 21:5a). The person who wants to build something will “first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it” (Luke 14:28b). This is wise planning. Wisdom involves thoughtful, intentional action, not anxious fretting over things we cannot control.
Let’s face it: life is not fair. Sometimes it is unfair to our disadvantage, but at other times, it is unfair to our advantage. It is interesting how we are prone to cry foul when life is unfair to our disadvantage but are more than glad to accept and rejoice when it is unfair to our benefit. This inconsistency highlights the human tendency to be self-centered and myopic rather than God-focused and biblically wise. Scripture reminds us that we are all undeserving of God’s goodness, for “There is no one righteous, not even one… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:10, 23). If God dealt with us strictly based on fairness, we would face His righteous judgment and eternal separation from Him.
Ultimately, our focus should rest on God’s grace and purposes rather than temporal fairness. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isa 55:8-9), and we trust that His actions are always based on perfect wisdom. By keeping our eyes on His grace, we are reminded of the immeasurable blessings we have received, which far outweigh the injustices of life. In all circumstances, we can trust that God is just, merciful, and working all things together for good for those who love Him (Rom 8:28). In everything, we know that “God’s work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He” (Deut 32:4).
In every situation, we should turn to God in prayer, seeking His wisdom and strength to respond appropriately (Jam 1:5), and trust in His sovereignty, knowing that He will bring justice in His perfect timing (Rom 12:19). We are called to be “kindhearted and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead” (1 Pet 3:8b–9a). Jesus serves as our ultimate example: “While being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23). We are told, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). God has said, “If you do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries” (Ex 23:22). Furthermore, “it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted” (2 Th 1:6b-7a). God is both a defender and a dispenser of justice.
The stability of Christians is largely predicated on the biblical content and continuity of their thinking. It is not only what they think, but what they continue to think that provides stability in their souls. When God’s Word—divine viewpoint—flows through their daily thoughts, it enables them to frame life from a divine perspective and respond properly from a position of strength. The more Christians study, memorize, and apply God’s Word, the greater the benefits they will experience in their walk of faith. Achieving this requires positive volition, a commitment to learning, and a willingness to live as obedient-to-the-Word Christians.
Biblically, there will be times when it’s God’s will that you face hardships, such as when Joseph was sold into slavery (Gen 37:23-36; Psa 105:17-19), or Paul suffered as a minister for Christ (2 Cor 11:23-27). During those times of providential difficulty, God wants you to trust that He’s in control of the circumstances of your life and is directing the outcome for good, like He did with Joseph (Gen 45:5, 7, 50:20). Scripture states, “We know God works all things together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). Therefore, believers are instructed, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6). It is God’s will that you trust His Word and walk by faith, to “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him” (Psa 37:7), and “cast all our anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7), and “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). If you do this, then “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7).
Discipline of mind—controlling your thoughts—is vital to your walk of faith, for what you focus on shapes your mental and emotional state. Isaiah wrote, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You” (Isa 26:3). Jeremiah said, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD” (Jer 17:7). In times of trouble, you can take refuge in God, for “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nah 1:7). As God’s child, you are called to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5), and to “set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col 3:2). If you know and practice these things, you’ll know the peace that comes from the Lord and the walk of faith.
Living by faith is both a science and an art due to the interplay between objective truths and subjective experiences that characterize the faith journey. Faith is grounded in the objective truths of Scripture. Just as science relies on established laws and principles, living by faith involves understanding and applying biblical truths. This includes doctrines such as God’s character (i.e., He is righteous, merciful, loving, gracious, etc.), claiming His promises (i.e., He provides, never leaves, etc.), and the walk of faith that obeys God’s directives as they relate to life (i.e., marriage, education, finances, etc.). Just as scientific methods yield consistent results when applied correctly, living by faith produces reliable outcomes in the believer’s life. When principles of faith are properly and consistently applied—such as trust in God during trials or the practice of Bible study and prayer—believers can expect to experience spiritual growth, peace, and guidance. The art of living by faith involves the personal, subjective experience of our walk with God. Each believer’s journey is unique, with individual responses to challenges they face. How God dealt with Abraham was different than Jeremiah, who was different than Paul or John. Faith requires creativity in how one applies biblical truths to everyday life. And though each passage of Scripture has only one meaning, the applications can be many.
At the moment of salvation, apart from the basics of the gospel, the believer’s mind is generally saturated with worldly thinking that needs to be expunged and replaced with divine viewpoint thinking via God’s Word. This renovation of the mind happens as we prioritize the intake and application of God’s Word to every aspect of life (i.e., education, marriage, finances, work, etc.). This means obeying the directive, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). In this way, we are “trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:10), and to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7). The walk of faith is what God expects of us, as He says, “My righteous one shall live by faith” (Heb 10:38), which we know pleases Him (Heb 11:6). As growing Christians who want to walk with the Lord, we need “the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph 3:10) rather than “the wisdom of this world” (1 Cor 3:19).
When we face difficulties in life, the first area to be affected is our thinking. Having a focused mind that is properly calibrated to God’s Word is crucial for living successfully as a Christian. When Jeremiah faced the crisis of Jerusalem’s destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C., he experienced psychological and emotional disequilibrium, saying, “My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the LORD” (Lam 3:17-18). Here, Jeremiah was close to total despair. Huey states, Jeremiah “reached the lowest ebb of despair in verse 18 with the declaration that all his hope in the Lord had been destroyed…The sufferings were so deeply impressed in the heart of the victim that he found himself constantly thinking about them. His memory left him depressed and despondent.”
After God brought Israel out of Egyptian captivity, He sought to humble and teach them His ways (Deut 8:1-2). God let them experience the hardship of hunger (Deut 8:3a), and then provided their nutritional needs to sustain them, and also ensured their clothing did not wear out (Deut 8:3b-4). God’s trial of privation was educational, “that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD” (Deut 8:3). The end result was that Israel was to “Know in your heart that as a parent disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you” (Deut 8:5).
Solomon taught his son to accept God’s discipline, saying, “My child, do not despise discipline from the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke. For the LORD disciplines those He loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights” (Prov 3:11-12). Concerning this passage, MacDonald states, “Too often we tend to think of discipline as meaning punishment, but it actually includes all that is involved in the proper training of a child, i.e., instruction, warning, encouragement, advice, correction, and chastening. Everything that God allows to come into our lives is purposeful.”
God directs us to live holy and righteous lives, and He actively works in our lives to influence our behavior. He is, after all, our heavenly Father, and He loves us greatly. To be corrected by His Word is primary and optimal; however, if we are defiant, or become habitually rebellious, God will educate us by means of scourging (more severe punishment). God’s discipline is always tailored to the individual. The three days of suffering for Jonah (Jonah 1:17; 2:10; 3:1-3) was different than the seven years of suffering for Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:31-37). Furthermore, God’s discipline generally comes in stages (1 Cor 11:30), can result in physical death (1 John 5:16), and loss of eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 John 1:8). Though carnal Christians may face terrible punishment from God in time, and loss of rewards in eternity, they will never face the lake of fire, (John 3:16; 10:28), for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). All Christians have eternal life, and Jesus said, “they will never perish” (John 10:28a; cf., John 3:16; 5:27). Though God’s children should rightly fear His punishment in time, they should not fear their eternal destiny.
The ideal form of self-discipline is seen in the children of God who devote themselves to studying and applying God’s Word on a regular basis. Discipline by learning Scripture is preferred over discipline by means of suffering. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). Here, the word “training” translates the Greek noun paideia (παιδεία), which refers to “the act of providing guidance for responsible living, upbringing, training, instruction.”
Part of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Gal 5:23), and the Christian who is walking by means of the Spirit will show the gradual discipline of mind and life that is advancing toward spiritual maturity. The disciplined mind is a stable mind. It is one that responds to people and circumstances and does not react. It does not allow thoughts to run away like wild horses, but restrains them and brings them in to submission to God and His Word. It is a mind that suspends judgment on a matter until the facts are established, and then it renders a verdict. It is one that is governed by wisdom and not emotion. It focuses on dealing with the difficulties of each moment and leaves tomorrow’s troubles to God. Undisciplined Christians will never organize their thoughts and lives, and will never reach the heights to which God calls them.
I am confident of my salvation, and this confidence is not based on my own efforts or worthiness but on the unchanging character and promises of God. God is a God of integrity, and His nature guarantees the fulfillment of His Word. As Scripture affirms, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19). Unlike humans, who are often subject to inconsistency and failure, God is perfect in truth and faithfulness. His promises are unwavering, and His Word is eternally reliable.
Salvation is never about what I do for God, but what He has done for me at the cross. Jesus is the God-Man (John 1:1, 14), and “in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Col. 2:9). The record of Scripture is that Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Cor 5:21), was “without sin” (Heb 4:15), “committed no sin” (1 Pet 2:22), and “in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). In His humanity, Jesus walked in perfect conformity to God the Father’s holy character and divine revelation. And He came into this world to die for me, for “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) and “to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45b). Mission accomplished! He did it—He accomplished what I could not. He made a way for me to be saved and reconciled to God. At the cross, God judged my sin as His righteousness required, and pardons me, the sinner, as His love desires.
Having believed in Jesus as my Savior, I am “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus…and justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:24, 28; cf. Gal 2:16). God’s salvation comes to me by grace alone (I don’t deserve it), through faith alone (not by good works), in Christ alone. Paul wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9), and “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). God does not lie, and His Word is truth. Eternal salvation is His gift to me—no strings attached. If I have to work for it, it’s no longer a gift but something I’ve earned and am owed.
The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christians in Rome, acknowledged “the sufferings of this present time” (Rom 8:18), our inner “groaning” (Rom 8:23), and our “weakness” as humans (Rom 8:26). However, he shifted the focus away from our difficulties and onto God, stating, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). The phrase “work together” (συνεργεῖ) implies that God is providentially orchestrating every event—whether pleasant or painful—for a good purpose. This aligns with Paul’s statement in Ephesians where he wrote that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11). It emphasizes that nothing is random or outside of God’s plan for those who are His. According to MacDonald, “Our lives are not controlled by impersonal forces such as chance, luck, or fate, but by our wonderful, personal Lord”
In Romans 8:28, the phrase “those who love God” does not primarily refer to emotion. Instead, it points to a deeper, volitional love—a commitment that transcends feelings and is reflected in loyalty and obedience to God. In Scripture, love for God is often tied to obedience and a commitment to His will, rather than being driven by fluctuating emotions. Obedience is a hallmark of love. God spoke of “those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Ex 20:6; cf., Deut 5:10; 7:9; Josh 22:5; Neh 1:5; Dan 9:4). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15), and “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23). The apostle John wrote, “this is love for God: to keep his commands” (1 John 5:3). This shows that love is demonstrated through willing obedience rather than merely emotional affection. Positive volition—making deliberate, purposeful decisions to follow God—is the core idea here. If we do not choose to love God with devotion of mind and will, it does not matter what else we choose, for the end will not be good as we see it.
At the crucifixion of Jesus, the Lord accomplished His will by means of the wills of wicked men who sought to oppose Him. Luke tells us, “this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23). Here, wicked men did their worst against God and His Messiah, and yet, what was done to the Messiah, was done “by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God.” Luke states something similar when he recorded Peter’s prayer to God, saying, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur” (Acts 4:27-28). These wicked men were “were gathered together against” Jesus, to oppose and crucify Him. Yet Peter says to God they did “whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.” These wicked men—whose pride and power were threatened by Jesus—sought to destroy Him by means of false witnesses and illegal trials, and to put Him to death in the most horrible way possible; crucifixion. But God is sovereign, and by means of His invisible hand, used the very actions of those who opposed Him to accomplish the thing He desired; the death of Messiah for everyone. Here is a mystery that brings awe and bewilderment, as the wills of wicked men became the vehicle of divine destiny to produce exactly what God intended. God was in no way the author of their sin. Those who crucified Messiah acted freely. Yet their free actions were the modus operandi to accomplish His will, and so Messiah was crucified and bore the sins of those who placed Him on the cross.
The Lord instructed Joshua, saying, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (Josh 1:8). This command involves a deep, reflective engagement with Scripture, allowing its truths to shape one’s thoughts, actions, and decisions. The word “meditate” translates the Hebrew verb hagah (הָגָה), which means “to growl…to moan…to read in an undertone…to mutter while meditating.”
Similarly, David wrote of the righteous man, saying, “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psa 1:2; cf. Psa 119:148; Phil 4:8-13). The word “law” translates the Hebrew noun torah (תּוֹרָה), which means “direction, instruction, the law.”
James wrote, “The one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). The word “intently” translates the Greek verb parakuptō (παρακύπτω), which carries the idea of stooping down or bending over to take a closer look at something with careful attention. The aorist tense suggests a focused and intentional effort at one point to deeply examine the law of God. The active voice means the Christian is performing the action, showing that the believer must actively engage in this careful examination of God’s Word. Once learned, the believer must be “an effectual doer” of what God commands, and the one who obeys the Lord “will be blessed in what he does.” Fruchtenbaum notes, The blessing lies in the doing, and he will be blessed further in the future life as the future tense of the verb indicates. The voluntary doing of God’s will, as revealed by Scripture, is the secret of true happiness.”
At the moment of faith in Christ, believers know very little about God, His will, or the many blessings He has provided. Spiritually, they are ignorant babies. This is not a negative, but the reality of the situation. Prior to salvation, the soul is filled with human viewpoint, which is often contrary to God and His Word. This is why Christians are directed to renew their minds (Rom 12:1-2). Living spiritually involves expunging human viewpoint and replacing it with divine viewpoint. A soul devoid of God’s Word lacks the capacity to love and serve the Lord, to love and serve others (according to His standards), and has no defense against Satan’s world system or the sin nature within the Christian. The infusion of God’s Word makes possible the advance to spiritual maturity and the fulfillment of His will, and this is accomplished by faith.
Through the consistent study and application of Scripture, Christians are transformed from the inside out, for “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). This transformative process leads to spiritual maturity, as we learn to discern good from evil (Heb 5:14) and become more conformed to the image of Christ. Additionally, the Word of God equips us “for every good work” (2 Tim 3:17), good works “which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph 2:10). As we immerse ourselves in Scripture and apply it to life, we are prepared to serve others, share the gospel, and live out our faith in practical ways. The Bible provides the principles and instructions needed to navigate life’s challenges, make wise decisions, and bear fruit in our Christian walk.
As Christians, our spiritual growth happens as we feed on God’s Word and benefit from its nourishment. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4; cf. Deut 8:3). Job said, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12b). Jeremiah said, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart” (Jer 15:16a). Paul encouraged Timothy to be “constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching” (1 Tim 4:6). Peter said, “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet 2:2). Pure milk means it has not been watered down. According to Arnold Fruchtenbaum, “The milk is the basics of the Word of God, and it is necessary for young believers. They need this milk in order to grow spiritually…Essentially, the purpose of partaking of spiritual milk is to grow toward maturity so that believers can begin to partake of the meat of God’s Word.”
I tried to reason with her on multiple occasions about work-related matters, but she wouldn’t listen and appeared closed-minded. She then began a process of elimination by marginalizing me, ignoring me in person, and in public settings. This tactic made me feel isolated, devalued, and unsupported, which felt like a betrayal and was very demoralizing. Her acts of rejection, ignoring me, and social isolation were very painful and caused me to experience psychological and emotional disequilibrium. Her lack of communication created uncertainty, making me feel insecure about my job status, performance, and future with the company. Her betrayal as a trusted supervisor hurt me. Biblically, David experienced the pain of betrayal, lamenting, “My friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me” (Psalm 41:9). Even Jesus “was deeply troubled” when Judas was about to betray Him (John 13:21). As people, none of us are exempt from the hurt caused when a trusted person turns against us for no good reason.
My first course of action was to reprioritize my life and give attention to what mattered most. The years of dealing with a toxic boss had negatively impacted my marriage. After reflecting on my situation at work, I decided to step down from my position and assume a lesser role that removed me from daily interaction with my supervisor. I had to take a cut in pay, but I thought it was necessary given my painful circumstances at work. The subsequent separation from my boss was healthy, as it removed me from the line of fire. It took me a few months to recalibrate my thoughts and feelings, but after seeking medical help and digging deeply into God’s Word, the dark clouds rolled away, and the sun began to shine again in my life. What follows are some of the practices I employed during my time of dealing with a toxic boss, and these continue to be part of my daily routine.
Meditate on God’s Word. David wrote of the righteous person who delights “in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psa 1:2; cf. Josh 1:8). Elsewhere it is written, “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psa 119:97). Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:16). Meditating on Scripture involves more than just reading it. It encompasses a consistent practice of engaging with the text, allowing its teachings to permeate the mind. This process includes regularly reading passages from the Bible and taking time to ponder their meanings and implications. Throughout the day, meditation on Scripture encourages reflection on how its principles apply to daily life. This practice helps integrate biblical wisdom into everyday living and supports spiritual growth. This was essential for me during this difficult time.
Live by faith. I understand the Christian life starts and ends with faith, which provides stability for my soul during difficult times. God said, “My righteous one shall live by faith” (Heb 10:38a). I need to trust God at His Word, claiming His promises and obeying His directives. Scripture teaches me to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7) and to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6). As a Christian, I need to “trust in Him at all times” (Psa 62:8a) because “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psa 46:1). My challenge was to make sure my faith was greater than my feelings.
Pray for leadership. God’s Word directs me to pray for leaders, and I made it a discipline to pray for my boss on a daily basis. Paul wrote, “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim 2:1-2). Praying for leadership is an act of faith and obedience to God, even though a leader may be unjust. I did not approve of my supervisor’s values and practices, but I did not hate her either. I chose to pray for her and to seek God’s best in her life.
Realize God uses difficulties to develop my character. God sometimes places me in the furnace of affliction to burn away the dross of weak character and to refine the golden qualities He wants to see in me. And whenever He turns up the heat, He never takes His hand off the thermostat. My response is always to be one of faith, as I trust Him in the trial. Paul wrote, “we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope” (Rom 5:3-4). To “rejoice” in problems is surely an act of faith. James wrote similarly, saying, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jam 1:2-4). My faith was not always as strong as I would have liked, and there were times when darkness invaded my soul. Still, I learned to apply these verses to my boss and situation and, over time, grew stronger.
Let God deal out retribution. It is valid for Christians to operate from a place of justice, but never revenge. Scripture states, “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil;’ wait for the LORD, and He will save you” (Prov 20:22). It also says, “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God” (Rom 12:17-19a). Additionally, it is written, “See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people” (1 Th 5:15). Peter wrote, “All of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing” (1 Pet 3:8-9). God will dispense justice in His time and way, as Paul states, “It is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted” (2 Th 1:6-7). I chose to operate from a divine viewpoint and to place the matter in God’s hands, letting Him administer justice as He sees fit.
Forgive the offender. I chose to forgive my boss, even though she did not apologize or change her behavior. I think of the words of Jesus, who said, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matt 6:15). It’s interesting that Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). This did not remove the guilt of His attackers but did express the heart of Jesus toward those who harmed Him. Wanting to be like my Savior, I chose to have a forgiving heart toward my boss. Unconditional forgiveness benefits me personally, for holding on to unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. It doesn’t work out very well for me.
Take time to rest and pray. As a caregiver, it’s important that I make time to rest and pray, for I cannot pour from an empty vessel. Even Jesus, during His earthly ministry, made time to get away by Himself to rest and pray. In Luke’s Gospel, we’re told, “Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Luke 5:16), and “He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12; cf. Matt 14:23). Making time for rest is a necessity for good mental health. Lewis Sperry Chafer wrote, “It is a serious thing to remove the element of relaxation and play from any life. We cannot be normal physically, mentally, or spiritually if we neglect the vital factor in human life. God has provided that our joy shall be full” (Lewis S. Chafer, He That Is Spiritual, p. 61).
As a Christian, it is possible to have correct thinking (orthodoxy) and not live by it. James wrote, “To one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (Jam 4:17). There are times when believers know God’s Word, but because of negative volition, do not apply it. Solomon, a true believer, is a good example of this. God called Solomon “My son” (2 Sam 7:14), heard his prayer (2 Ch 1:8-10), made him king over Israel (2 Ch 1:11), granted him “wisdom and knowledge” (2 Ch 1:12), used him to write three books of the Bible (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon), directed him to build the temple in Jerusalem over a period of seven years (1 Ki 6:38), made him ruler of Israel for forty years (1 Ki 11:42), and we are told that “Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David” (1 Ki 3:3a). These are all signs of a true believer. However, according to Scripture, Solomon disobeyed God’s command for the king of Israel, which stated, “He shall not multiply wives for himself” (Deut 17:17a). Despite this directive, Solomon practiced polygamy, having “seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away” (1 Ki 11:3).
As Christians, God calls us to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim 2:22; cf. 1 Tim 6:11), to “present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom 6:13b), and to “present your members as slaves to righteousness” (Rom 6:19a). Addressing the Christians at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light, for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:8-10). Peter also wrote, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet 2:24a). Righteous living—that’s what God desires from us. He wants our thoughts, words, and actions to align with His righteous character and written Word as it applies to us as Christians. But this requires positive volition and a commitment to the Lord (Rom 12:1-2), to learn His Word (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:2) and live His Word by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38).
Is there sorrow that leads to repentance? Yes, there can be true sorrow that leads to repentance. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul said, “the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Cor 7:10). Though sorrow may lead to repentance, it does not always do so, as “the sorrow of the world produces death” and not salvation (2 Cor 7:10b). That is, one may be sorrowful, and yet never turn to Christ. Judas, when he betrayed Christ, “felt remorse” for his actions (Matt 27:3), and then “went away and hanged himself” (Matt 27:5). Arnold Fruchtenbaum notes, “If repentance is used merely as a synonym for believing in the Messiah—the way the Bible uses it—only in that sense is it truly a condition for salvation. But if—as some groups use it—repentance means ‘to feel sorry for one’s sins,’ then it indeed becomes a false addition to salvation.”
Is repentance necessary for eternal salvation? Yes, repentance is necessary concerning salvation if one understands it to mean having a change of mind about salvation being obtained solely in Christ. Unbelievers cannot stop sinning, which means they cannot save themselves, and their good works have no saving merit (Isa 64:6; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). The lost need to understand that salvation is 100% in Christ alone. Peter said, “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). And when the Philippian Jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30), the simple reply was given, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). The gospel is simple. It means believing in the One who died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day, as Scripture teaches (1 Cor 15:3-4). And salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (John 3:16), and not by any human effort (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5), for “the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Rom 4:5). For Christians, turning from a life of sin and producing good works should follow salvation (Eph 2:10; Gal 6:10), but they are never a condition of it. Robert B. Thieme Jr., states, “Salvation repentance occurs when the unbeliever hears the Gospel, understands it, and makes a decision to accept Christ’s saving work (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30; 2 Pet 3:9). Believing in the Gospel message and repenting inherently operate together (Acts 20:21; Mark 1:14–15).”
Forgiveness is the act of pardoning or releasing someone from an offense, wrongdoing, or debt. At the moment someone sins against me, it’s important that I forgive them and let the matter go. When I forgive, the matter is transferred to God, and the offender must deal directly with the Lord, and the Lord with him. By faith, I have fulfilled what the Lord requires of me. To ruminate on the offense only relives it in my mind and enflames my emotions which, if not controlled, can neutralize my ability to think and reason biblically. Forgiveness, at its core, transcends the realm of emotions and operates by faith in God and His Word. It is a conscious decision to align with God’s will, even when my feelings urge me otherwise.
Forgiveness often comes from a place of pain. Remember, it was while Jesus was on the cross, suffering and dying, that He forgave those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Jesus’ persecutors were not asking for His forgiveness, and they certainly did not deserve it. By His actions on the cross, Jesus modeled the love He taught His disciples, saying, “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28).
Forgiveness leaves justice for God to administer. Jesus, while He was on the cross and being attacked, did not retaliate. Peter wrote, “while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23). When suffering unjustly, we are to look to the Lord, and “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom 12:19). We believe that God will administer justice in His time and way. Paul wrote, “it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you” (2 Th 1:6). It’s okay to be hurt, but never to hate, or retaliate.
Atonement for sins is the basis for reconciliation, because God has judged our sins in the Person of Christ who died on the cross in our place. The death of Christ has forever satisfied God’s righteous demands for our sin and it is on this basis that He can accept sinners before His throne of grace. Paul wrote, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Rom 5:10-11). And, “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18-19). In both of these passages on reconciliation, Paul employs the Greek verb katallassō (καταλλάσσω), and the noun katallage (καταλλαγή) which, according to Louw-Nida, means “to reconcile, to make things right with one another, reconciliation.”
Biblically speaking, guilt implies one has acted contrary to God’s moral character and laws. Divine laws are a reflection of the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God may be defined as the intrinsic, immutable, moral perfection of God, from which He commands all things, in heaven and earth, and declares as good that which conforms to His righteousness and as evil that which deviates. God’s character is the basis upon which all just laws derive; either divine laws from God Himself or human laws which conform to His righteousness.
Those who reject God are left to create and impose arbitrary values on others, and the tyrants of the world are glad to bully and control others by means of strong arm tactics, whether social intimidation, economic coercion, or brute physical force. The only objective standard for measuring righteousness or guilt is set forth in God’s Word which defines reality. The Bible reveals God is “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), and He “is a righteous judge” (Psa 7:11), and He “judges righteously” (Jer 11:20), and “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” (Ex 34:7). Yet, the Bible also reveals God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psa 86:15), and One “Who pardons all your iniquities” (Psa 103:3), when we come to Him in honesty and humility. And for those who come to Him in humility, who are like the tax collector, who “was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’” (Luke 18:13), will find Him to be merciful. For those of us who trust in Christ as Savior, we are blessed with “forgiveness of sins” (Eph 1:7; cf., Acts 10:43), the “gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17; cf., 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), “eternal life” (John 10:28), and become “children of God” (John 1:12), with a promise that we will spend eternity in heaven with Him (John 14:1-3). J. Dwight Pentecost notes, “If you should be without Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you stand guilty before God because you are still in Adam’s race. Even though Christ bore that sin, it means nothing to you until you are related to Him by faith. The righteousness of Christ cannot be imputed to you unless you personally receive Jesus Christ as your Savior.”
When Jesus was on the cross, He prayed for those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). From this passage we see that Jesus harbored no hatred toward His attackers who crucified Him. Certainly His attackers were operating on hatred and were not seeking forgiveness, yet Jesus asked the Father to forgive them. That’s unconditional love.
Conditional forgiveness has a give-and-take dynamic and depends on certain conditions being fulfilled by the offender who has stopped causing harm, confessed his sin to us, and seeks reconciliation. When this happens, we are to forgive and let him back into our lives, assuming they’ve corrected their bad behavior. Jesus said, “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4). This is an amazing statement, for if the offender repeats the same sin over and over, presumably against us, our first order is to rebuke that person for their sin. And if the person who keeps repeating the same sin comes to us, even seven times in a day, and says, “I repent”, then each time, we are to forgive him. Forgive. That’s the directive. This kind of forgiveness requires faith, for it will never be accomplished by feelings. Jesus’ apostles understood this and “said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’” (Luke 17:5). Forgiveness is an act of faith. When we forgive others, we are obeying the directive to “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph 4:32).
In our relationship with God, there are two kinds of forgiveness. One is judicial and the other is parental. Judicial forgiveness is the forgiveness we receive from God when we stand before Him as the Judge of all humanity. This forgiveness occurs at the moment of faith in Christ, where “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43; cf. Eph 1:7; Col 1:14). This is a one-and-done event that is never repeated, as we are “forgiven us all our transgressions” (Col 2:13). Parental forgiveness is the ongoing forgiveness we receive from God as our Father and is repeated many times throughout a believer’s life. Judicial forgiveness brings us into a right relationship with Him at the moment of faith in Christ. Parental forgiveness restores our fellowship with Him. Joseph Dillow states, “There are two kinds of forgiveness in the New Testament. One pertains to our eternal salvation (justification by faith), and the other to our temporal fellowship with the Father.”
Judicial forgiveness relates to our eternal salvation and right relationship with God. Paul wrote, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph 1:7), and God has “forgiven us all our transgressions, having erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross” (Col 2:13b-14). God’s forgiveness is not arbitrary, as though He simply releases someone from their sin-debt without any payment for the offenses that were committed. The payment for sin was not made by us, but Christ. Peter states, “you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:18-19). God’s judicial forgiveness was made possible by the blood of Christ, which refers to His sacrificial atoning death on the cross where He died in our place, where “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18). The blood of Christ is the only coin of the heavenly realm that the Father accepts as payment for our sin debt. This is the forgiveness we receive because Christ shed His blood on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins. Harold Hoehner notes, “The shedding of blood is necessary (Lev 17:11; Eph 2:13; 1 Pet 1:19) for without it there is no forgiveness of sins (Heb 9:22), and Paul makes it clear that God has been propitiated in Christ’s redemption, which was in connection with his blood (Rom 3:24–25), and that one is justified by means of Christ’s blood (Rom 5:9).”
The second kind of forgiveness is the parental forgiveness we receive as God’s children who have committed sin and broken fellowship with our Father. As Christians, we continue to live in a fallen world with all sorts of external temptations, and we continue to possess a sin nature that tempts us internally. The sin nature is what Paul referred to when he gave instruction to “make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Rom 13:14), and to “lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit” (Eph 4:22). Paul, as a Christian, described his own struggle with ongoing sin (Rom 7:14-20), saying, “I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good” (Rom 7:21). As Christians, we constantly deal with internal struggles as along we live in this world, as we have two opposing natures. Paul wrote of this struggle, saying, “the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Gal 5:17). When we yield to temptation, whether internal or external, we sin, which means we are operating according to Satan’s world-system (1 John 2:15-16), have grieved the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30), and broken fellowship with God as we are walking in the darkness and not practicing the truth (1 John 1:6). At that moment we are sinning saints, and we are not in fellowship with God. Being honest with God and ourselves is important, for “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us…[and] If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:8, 10). When we accept this truth, we can then be humble and honest with God and come before His throne of grace and find mercy (Heb 4:16).
The Bible reveals God is absolutely righteous and set apart from all that is sinful (Psa 11:7; 99:9; Hab 1:13; 1 John 1:5) and He hates and condemns sin (Deut 25:16; Psa 5:5; 45:7; Prov 8:13; 15:9, 26; 20:9; Zech 8:17; Rom 1:18; Col 3:6; Heb 1:9). The problem for us is that all mankind is sinful (Gen 6:5; 8:21; 1 Ki 8:46; Psa 143:2; Eccl 7:20; Isa 59:2; 64:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10; 3:23; Eph 2:1-2; 1 John 1:8, 10). Not only are we sinful, but our good works have no saving merit (Rom 4:4-5; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5). Our salvation was accomplished 100% by Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. Salvation is never what we do for God, but what He’s done for us at the cross (Rom 5:8; 6:10; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Pet 3:18). God offers to justify and save us freely as a gift, totally apart from any good works we may perform (Rom 3:24, 28, 4:5; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 3:18). God’s salvation comes to us who have trusted in Christ as our Savior (John 3:15-18; 6:40; 10:28; 11:25; 14:6; Acts 4:12; 16:31; 1 John 5:12). Salvation means we have forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), eternal life (John 10:28), are part of the family of God (Gal 3:26; 1 John 3:1), are blessed with many spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3), and will never face condemnation (Rom 8:1, 33).
When we understand these truths by studying Scripture and accept them by faith, we have assurance of our salvation because we trust in God and His Word (Psa 119:160; John 17:17). The apostle Paul wrote, “I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Tim 1:12). The apostle John wrote, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:11-12). The assurance of salvation does not come by looking to ourselves, but to the One who saved us. John also wrote, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Assurance of salvation is not a guessing game for those who have trusted in Jesus as their Savior, but is a confidence that is rooted in the revelation of God’s Word. For those of us who have trusted in Jesus as our Savior—believing He died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day—we have eternal life. According to Zane Hodges, “It should be said here that all true assurance of salvation and eternal life must rest on the ‘testimony of God,’ for only that testimony has full reliability and solidity.”
The Word of God is the objective basis for what we believe, and our focus should always be on learning and living His Word so that we can expunge any false ideas and properly calibrate our thinking to align with His divine revelation. Jesus said we have “eternal life…and will never perish” (John 10:28); therefore, there is no danger of us losing our salvation, for there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1), and “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies” (Rom 8:33). The matter of our eternal destiny was settled at the cross when Jesus paid the penalty for all our sins. And Jesus’ work on the cross was perfectly applied to us at the moment we trusted in Him as our Savior.
Of course, to talk about reconciliation is to assume there are two or more persons who need to be reconciled because of a fractured relationship, because at least one person has been offended by the actions of another. Biblically, God is the one who has been offended by His sinful creatures. Because of our offensive sin, our relationship with God was broken. God loves us, but not our sin. We are quite apt to produce sin, but are powerless to deal with it. God initiated the restoration of the relationship by dealing with our sin. This is why the cross was necessary, for “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). At the cross, God judged our sin as a His righteousness required, and offers salvation as His love desires. All our sin, which is an offense to God, was imputed to Christ on the cross where He was judged in our place and paid the penalty for all our sin. Jesus tasted “death for everyone” (Heb 2:9), and is Himself “the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). God did His part to reconcile us to Himself. The positive human response to believe in Christ is what actuates the benefits of the cross to us and brings about the reconciliation God desires. When we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are given the very righteousness of God as a gift (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), and are justified by the blood of Christ “and shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Rom 5:9).