Sometimes, sharing the private information of others is nothing more than gossip; however, on other occasions, it can be an act of virtue that protects the innocent. The distinction between gossiping and legitimately sharing private information often hinges on the intent, the context, and the potential outcomes.
Gossip generally involves sharing private information about someone with the intent of causing harm or creating division. This information may be true or false. Solomon wrote, “He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret” (Prov 11:13), and “He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore do not associate with a gossip” (Prov 20:19), and “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention quiets down” (Prov 26:20). The general intent behind gossip is to spread information that can be injurious, whether it’s to someone’s reputation, relationships, or well-being. Gossip typically involves sharing private or sensitive information with the purpose or result of causing harm, creating division, or stirring up conflict.
A biblical example of gossip was when “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman” (Num 12:1). In this passage, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of his Cushite wife and questioned his unique status as a prophet. Questioning Moses’ authority and personal life exemplifies gossip, and it seems their remarks were intended to undermine his leadership and create division among the Israelites. Their action angered the Lord (Num 12:9).
In contrast, sharing private information can be appropriate and even necessary in certain situations, particularly when it serves a legitimate purpose such as protecting someone from harm or upholding justice. For instance, sharing is justified when it can prevent harm to someone who is in danger (see examples below). Similarly, there are legal or ethical obligations to share information in cases like reporting abuse, illegal activities, or serious threats to other people’s safety. In situations where you need advice or support, sharing sensitive information might be necessary, but it should be done carefully and with the intent of finding a solution rather than merely spreading rumors. In all cases, the intent behind sharing, the necessity of it, the potential impact, and the respect for privacy should be carefully considered. Sharing private information should be done with caution and only when it aligns with ethical principles and the well-being of those involved.
In the Bible, we see examples of people sharing private information in a valid way that serves to protect the righteous and prevent unnecessary harm. In one sense, integrity is an antonym of gossip, as it reflects a commitment to honesty and truthfulness. An example of integrity is found in 1 Samuel 20, where Jonathan, the son of King Saul, warns his friend David about his father’s intent to kill him. Together, they devise a plan to confirm Saul’s intentions, and when it’s clear that Saul seeks David’s life, Jonathan helps David escape. Part of their plan involves Jonathan sharing private information with David about the king’s intentions. During their planning, Jonathan told David, “If I should indeed learn that evil has been decided by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you about it?” (1 Sam 20:9). The implied answer is yes—Jonathan would indeed inform David about what King Saul communicated in private. When Jonathan learned that his father intended to kill David (1 Sam 20:24-34), he went to David and, by means of a previously agreed-upon method of secret communication (1 Sam 20:18-23), revealed Saul’s evil intentions (1 Sam 20:35-39). The outcome of Jonathan’s actions resulted in David’s safety, enabling him to escape Saul’s evil intentions (1 Sam 20:42). Overall, Jonathan’s sharing of private information was a righteous act, motivated by his love and concern for his trusted friend, David, making it distinct from the harmful and self-serving nature of gossip. Other examples of people who shared private information with others for legitimate reasons include:
- Rahab and the Spies: In Joshua 2, Rahab, a resident of Jericho, shared private information with the Israelite spies about the fear and terror that had fallen upon the people of Jericho because of the Israelites. She also revealed the state of Jericho’s defenses. Rahab’s disclosure was crucial for the spies to complete their mission and return safely. In return, the spies promised to protect Rahab and her family when the city was taken (Josh 2:9-14; 6:22-25). Biblically, Rahab’s actions were motivated by faith and a recognition of God’s sovereignty (Heb 11:31).
- Elisha and the King of Israel: In 2 Kings 6:8-12, Elisha repeatedly shared private military information about the Arameans’ plans with the king of Israel. When the king of Aram learned his private plans were being revealed, he inquired of his servants, and one of them told him, “Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom” (2 Ki 6:12). Elisha’s knowledge of the enemy’s movements allowed Israel to avoid ambushes and defeat. This act of sharing private information protected the nation and demonstrated God’s power and provision.
- Paul and the Roman Commander: In Acts 23:12-22, Paul’s nephew overheard a plot by more than forty Jews who vowed not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. He shared this private information with Paul, who then instructed him to report it to the Roman commander. The commander acted on this information, ensuring Paul’s safe transfer to Caesarea under heavy guard, thereby thwarting the assassination plot.
The above examples of private information shared with others was ethically valid because it was done with the intent to protect others and uphold justice. Jonathan’s disclosure to David was morally justified, as he sought to save his friend’s life from Saul’s murderous intentions. Rahab’s sharing of Jericho’s fears and defenses with the Israelite spies was an act of faith and recognition of God’s sovereignty, which ethically calibrated with her desire to assist God’s people and protect her own family. Elisha’s revelation of the Arameans’ military plans to the king of Israel was ethically valid because it was a divine act that protected the nation from harm. Similarly, Paul’s nephew’s report of the assassination plot was morally right because it averted an unjust murder. In each case, the sharing of private information was motivated by righteous intentions, aimed at achieving divine good, and led to positive outcomes, distinguishing it from gossip, which is typically self-serving and harmful.
Dr. Steven R. Cook
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David provides a good example of an OT believer who lived in regular submission to God. The Bible describes David as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; cf. Acts 13:22). David walked faithfully with the Lord and surrendered to His will. David was an obedient king, for the most part, and subsequent kings were measured by him (1 Ki 3:14; 9:4-5; 11:4-6, 31-34, 38; 14:7-8; 15:1-5; 11-15; 2 Ki 14:1-4; 16:1-3; 18:1-3; 22:1-2). David set the bar for what it meant to be a good king, and this allowed others to have a standard to guide them. However, we should not conclude that David was perfectly obedient and kept the Lord’s will in all matters in his life. He did not. No believer ever does, for there are none who are sinless (Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:8, 10), except the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 John 3:5).
Despite David’s imperfections and sins, he was still regarded as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22). His life demonstrates several key areas of faithfulness that are instructive for Christians. David exhibited a deep love and devotion to God, as reflected in his heartfelt expressions throughout the 73 Psalms he wrote (see Psa 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 8:1; 9:1; 11:1; 12:1; 13:1; 14:1; 15:1; 18:1; etc.).
In Acts 23, the apostle Paul stood before his Jewish brethren, defending himself against unjust charges. After declaring that he had a clear conscience before God (Acts 23:1), Paul was struck on the mouth by order of the high priest Ananias (Acts 23:2). This act of violence was completely unwarranted. The high priest, who was supposed to uphold the fairness of the Mosaic Law in trials, violated this principle by ordering Paul to be punished before the trial had even begun. This behavior by Ananias is consistent from what we know about him historically. The ancient historian, Josephus, said Ananias “was a great hoarder up of money…and he also had servants who were very wicked, who joined themselves to the boldest sort of the people, and went to the threshing floors, and took away the tithes that belonged to the priests by violence, and did not refrain from beating such as would not give these tithes to them”
In that moment, Paul realized he would not receive justice from the corrupt leadership, so he took the offensive by making statements that divided his hearers. Luke reports that Paul, “perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, ‘Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!’” (Acts 23:6). As a result, “there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided” (Acts 23:7). Paul lobbed his words into the Council like a grenade into an enemy foxhole, knowing it would cause an emotional explosion. His tactic succeeded, as his words led to “a great uproar” (Acts 23:9a) and “a great dissension” (Acts 23:10a) among the leadership who were unjustly treating him. The result was that Paul was rescued by a Roman commander who pulled him out of the unjust and dangerous situation (Acts 23:10b).
Jesus’ submission to the Father started when He was very young. By age twelve, Jesus knew God was His Father and what the Father’s mission was for Him (Luke 2:40-47).
For Christians, dedication to God is the starting point for the spiritual life and the advance to Christian maturity. Dedication is a synonym for commitment, devotion, loyalty, and positive volition. According to Charles Ryrie, “There is perhaps no more important matter in relation to the spiritual life than dedication.”
Though God has blessed us, and continues to bless us, it is necessary for each of us to lay hold of those blessings and to walk in submission to the Lord, obeying His directives. Some of these directives include: “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18), “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16), “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12), “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph 4:1), “be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self” (Eph 4:23-24), “rejoice always; pray without ceasing; and in everything give thanks” (1 Th 5:16-18), “do all things without complaining or arguing” (Phil 2:14), and “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jam 1:22). Christians who are dedicated to the Lord, and regularly learn and live His Word by faith, will advance to spiritual maturity.
Whereas Romans 12:1 pertains to the Christian’s act of dedication to God, Romans 12:2 addresses how to begin the process of moving forward in our spiritual life. Paul wrote, “And 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). First, we are not to be conformed to the world in which we live. The word “conformed” translates the Greek verb suschematizō (συσχηματίζω), which, according to Louw-Nida, means “to form or mold one’s behavior in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards—to shape one’s behavior, to conform one’s life.”
Concerning a definition of the word spiritual, there is no single verse in the Bible that defines it. Perhaps the closest verse on this subject is found in 1 Corinthians 2, where Paul wrote, “The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one” (1 Cor 2:14-15 NET). However, in this passage, what we have is more of a description than a definition. Paul explains that unbelievers do not welcome what the Spirit offers and regard it as foolishness because they do not have the Spirit within them and are operating on negative volition. Being devoid of the Holy Spirit, it is impossible for unbelievers to discern the things that derive from the Spirit of God. In contrast, “one who is spiritual discerns all things” (1 Cor 2:15a). That is, Christians have a capacity to discern and welcome things that unbelievers cannot understand or welcome.
I define spirituality as: The life the Christian experiences when properly living in dependence upon the Holy Spirit and walking according to Scripture. Spirituality assumes regeneration, as one cannot be spiritual without being born again to new life through God the Holy Spirit (John 3:3; 1 Pet 1:3, 23). This new spiritual birth—or regeneration—occurs at the moment of faith in Christ, when one believes in Jesus as Savior (John 3:15-16; 6:40; 20:31; Acts 4:12; 16:31). Once they are born again, their spiritual life will advance in proportion to their intake of Scripture and their willingness to apply it as the Holy Spirit directs. Since we cannot live what we do not know, it’s necessary to learn God’s Word in order to live His will. A Christian who consistently studies and applies God’s Word will reach spiritual maturity more quickly than one who studies little. Christians who are ignorant of God’s Word, or unwilling to obey it, will default to human viewpoint thinking, emotion, or experience as the rule for life. Consequently, immature Christians may define spirituality by non-biblical terms or by their feelings at any given moment. This humanistic and emotional metric will inevitably lead to uncertainty, instability, and inconsistency in their walk with the Lord due to incorrect thoughts and vacillating emotions. God wants our thinking to be properly calibrated according to His Word (Psa 1:2-3; 2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), and to live by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), which eventually yields fruit (Gal 5:22-23) and a stable Christian life (Psa 119:165; Isa 26:3; Phil 4:6-7; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 1:7). But time is a key ingredient for the Christian to reach spiritual maturity. Charles Ryrie states:
The disciplined Christian develops over time, as biblical thinking leads to righteous acts, and righteous acts develop into godly habits, and godly habits produce godly character. Spiritual disciplines bring us to the place of spiritual maturity, which is God’s desire for us (Heb 6:1). The writer to the Hebrews references mature believers, saying, “solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb 5:14). Maturity translates the Greek adjective teleios (τέλειος) which denotes one who has attained a level of spiritual growth, which is witnessed in the daily application God’s Word (Heb 4:1-2). Mature Christians are what they are because of practice and training. The word “practice” translates the Greek noun hexis (ἕξις), which, according to Louw-Nida, refers to “a repeated activity—practice, doing again and again, doing repeatedly.”
The successful Christian life starts with positive volition. Jesus said, “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17). The word “willing” translates the Greek verb thelō (θέλω), which, according to Louw & Nida, means “to desire to have or experience something—to desire, to want, to wish.”
James provided a good example of useless faith, asking, “If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” (Jam 2:15-16). Kind words uttered by one Christian to another are useless to help the brother or sister who needs food and clothing (cf., 1 John 3:17). James said, “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (Jam 2:17). For James, a dead faith is a useless faith. Throughout Scripture, death means separation, not cessation or non-existence.
Healthy faith obeys the Lord, even when the action is difficult or costly, such as when Abraham offered up his son, Isaac. Active faith helps us grow spiritually, like good nutrition and exercise help the body develop and grow strong. This seems to be James’ point, as he states, “You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected” (Jam 2:22). The words “was working with” translate the Greek verb sunergeō (συνεργέω), which means, “to engage in cooperative endeavor, work together with.”
The Bible teaches that faith in Jesus is necessary to be saved eternally, for “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16; cf., John 20:31; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Eph 2:8-9). But is faith in Jesus enough, or are we required to confess Him publicly as well? After all, in his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Rom 10:9-10). I’ve heard people voice this passage as a formula for salvation, presenting a two-step process where faith + confession = eternal salvation. But if this is correct, what do we do with the nearly 200 passages in Scripture that reveal salvation is by grace alone (Rom 3:24; Eph 2:8-9), through faith alone (Rom 3:28; 5:1; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8-9), in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)? Furthermore, what do we do with people who cannot speak (perhaps from birth)? And what about people who trust in Christ at the last moment, alone, on their deathbed? Are these denied salvation because there was no one to hear their confession of faith?
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.
At the moment of faith in Christ, God’s righteousness is gifted to the believer (Rom 5:17; cf. 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), and he is at once made right with God and declared just in His sight. Divine justification is not by human works at all, “for there is none righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10), “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Rather, Paul reveals we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24). Like our spiritual birth, justification is a one-and-done event, perfect in itself, not to be confused with our experiential sanctification, which occurs over time. According to Norman Geisler, “Justification is an instantaneous, past act of God by which one is saved from the guilt of sin—his record is cleared and he is guiltless before the Judge” (Rom 8:1).”
The imputation of God’s righteousness to believers means we are declared righteous, but not made righteous in conduct. To be righteous in conduct is the lifelong process of sanctification whereby the believer advances to spiritual maturity and lives in conformity with the character and will of God as revealed in His Word. This is the walk of faith. But though we are righteous in God’s sight because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, at the same time we continue to possess a sin nature that continually causes internal temptation and conflict (Rom 6:6; 7:14-25; 13:14; Col 3:9; Gal 5:16-17, 19-22; 1 John 1:8), and we commit personal acts of sin (1 Ki 8:46; Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:10; 2:1). Though the power of the sin nature is broken (Rom 6:11-14), the presence of the sin nature is never removed from us until God takes us from this world and gives us a new body like the body of Jesus (Phil 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2, 5). Martin Luther understood this duality and coined the Latin phrase simul iustus et peccator, which translates as, “simultaneously righteous and a sinner.” Though Christians are declared righteous in God’s sight, sin will constantly be present (Eccl 7:20; 1 John 1:8, 10), to varying degrees, depending on the status of the believer’s spiritual walk with the Lord. Timothy George states:
I have appreciation for some Calvinist teachers who have been valuable sources of theological insight. While there are doctrines I agree with them on—such as the Trinity and the Hypostatic Union—there are also significant points of disagreement. For instance, I differ with them on matters of ecclesiology, as many adhere to replacement theology. Additionally, I find their eschatology lacking, as most adopt a faulty hermeneutic and deny doctrines such as the rapture of the church, the future tribulation, and the literal millennial reign of Christ on earth. Although there are aspects of their soteriology I find appealing, their views on election are troubling. What follows is a critical examination of the five points of Calvinism.
The first example of spiritual death in the Bible is found in the Garden of Eden. God had warned Adam and Eve, saying, “from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Gen 2:17). The warning was that if they disobeyed God, on that very day, they would die. Adam and Eve experienced spiritual death at the moment they disobeyed God. Yet, immediately after the fall, in their state of spiritual death (and death means separation, not cessation), they could sense God’s presence in the Garden, as they “heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden” (Gen 3:8). Furthermore, Adam heard God’s voice when He “called to the man” (Gen 3:9), and Adam responded to Him, saying, “I heard the sound of You in the garden” (Gen 3:10a). Though they could not undo their newly fallen sinful state, it did not render them totally unable to perceive God or to respond to Him when He called out to them. And they did respond positively to the Lord when He promised to provide a descendant, a Seed of the woman, who would crush the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15). They also responded positively by accepting God’s provision of clothing after He killed an animal, took its skin, and covered their nakedness (Gen 3:21).
The Bible teaches that faith in Christ is the sole condition for securing God’s salvation and all attendant blessings (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Gal 2:16; 3:26). Faith does not save; Christ saves. Faith is merely the instrument by which lost sinners receive Christ as Savior. And once we believe in Christ as Savior, we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24), and “justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28). Salvation is free, and it is received freely by “the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Rom 4:5). Our salvation was accomplished entirely by Jesus at the cross when He shed His blood at Calvary, for we are redeemed “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). And because our salvation was fully accomplished at the cross, there is nothing left for us to pay. Nothing at all. Salvation is a gift, given freely to us who don’t deserve it. That’s grace, which is unmerited favor, underserved kindness, unwarranted love, unearned generosity, and unprovoked goodness. Scripture reveals, “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). Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it’s what He’s done for us by sending His Son into the world to live a righteous life and die a penal substitutionary death on the cross in our place, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18).
Third, the Bible teaches unlimited atonement. This is the biblical view that Jesus died for everyone, and though His death is sufficient to save everyone, the benefits of the cross are applied only to those who believe in Him as Savior. Jesus’ 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. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), and “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4), and “who gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Tim 2:6), and tasted “death for everyone” (Heb 2:9), and “is the Savior of all men, especially of believers” (1 Tim 4:10), “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men” (Tit 2:11), and “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2; cf., 1 John 4:10), and “the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). Peter wrote of “false prophets” and “false teachers” who “deny the Master who bought them” (2 Pet 2:1).
Fifth, God gives eternal life to those who believe in Jesus as their Savior and preserves them forever. The apostle John wrote, “whoever believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 3:15), and “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And Jesus pointed others to Himself, saying, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40), and “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47; cf., John 10:28). Eternal life is what the believer possesses at the moment of faith in Christ. This eternal life is connected with being in a relationship with Jesus Christ. 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). At the time of faith in Christ, all Christians are said to be “in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor 1:30), and “Christ in you” (Col 1:27), and “your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). According to Robert B. Thieme Jr., “When anyone believes in Christ, God the Father instantly imputes His own life to that person—‘He who has the Son has the life [God’s eternal life]’ (1 John 5:11–12).”
God will provide gospel information to all who are positive to Him and want to know Him. And when people believe in Christ as their Savior, they “receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43), God’s “gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17), His gift of “eternal life” (John 10:28), are “reconciled to God” (Rom 5:10), have “peace with God” (Rom 5:1), and are “rescued from the domain of darkness, and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13). But if people go negative to God and “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18), and do “not believe” (John 3:18) in Christ as their Savior, then, by their own choice, they reject His offer of salvation, and “the wrath of God abides on them” (John 3:36). Having rejected God’s offer of forgiveness of sins and eternal live, these will be “thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:15), where they will spend all eternity, forever separated from God, because that’s what they chose. They are judged on the basis of their works (Rev 20:10-14), which do not measure up to the perfect righteousness of God; therefore, they are not eligible to spend eternity with Him, having rejected His gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). And God, from His sovereignty, permits this to happen.
The Bible reveals God is holy.
The third Person of the Trinity bears the specific title of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26), which emphasizes His righteousness and separateness from sin (Isa 63:10; Eph 4:30). Jesus, as the Son of God, embodies the holiness of God in human form. Scripture tells us that Jesus was “holy, innocent, pure, and set apart from sinners” (Heb 7:26). Jesus lived and interacted with sinners (i.e., eating with them, attending weddings, etc.), but He never had sinful thoughts, spoke sinful words, or acted in sinful ways. No matter what was happening around Him, Jesus never crossed the line into sin. Without abandoning righteousness, He loved and spoke truth, displayed compassion, helped the weak, and rebuked the arrogant. He was always holy in thought, word, and deed, and though near to others, He was still “set apart from sinners” (Heb 7:26).
Christians living in the dispensation of the church age are called to holy living. Peter wrote, “like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘you shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Pet 1:15-16). God, who is our Father, is holy, and He calls for His children to live holy lives. For Christians, living holy to the Lord is accomplished by advancing to spiritual maturity and living as obedient-to-the-Word believers (Heb 6:1). It means learning God’s Word (Psa 1:2-3; Ezra 7:10; 2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2), living in submission to Him (Rom 12:1-2; Jam 4:7), walking by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), walking by means of the Spirit (Gal 5:16), accepting trials that help us grow (Jam 1:2-4), being devoted to prayer (Col 4:2; 1 Th 5:17; Eph 6:18), worship (Heb 13:15), being thankful (1 Th 5:18), fellowshipping with other believers (Heb 10:24-25), serving others (Gal 5:13; 6:10; 1 Pet 4:10; Phil 2:3-4), and taking advantage of the time we have (Eph 5:15-16). On the negative side, it means not loving the world (Jam 4:4; 1 John 2:15-16), nor quenching the Spirit (1 Th 5:19), nor grieving the Spirit (Eph 4:30). If we turn to sin—and that’s always a possibility—it means we are not living holy lives as God expects. When Christians sin, it does not result in loss of salvation, but loss of fellowship with God. It also means that if we continue to live sinfully, that God may discipline us (Heb 12:5-11), and deny us eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 John 1:8). Humble believers acknowledge their sin, and God restores them to fellowship when they confess it to Him, seeking His forgiveness (1 John 1:9).
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.
The gospel is the solution to a problem. The problem for us is that God is holy, mankind is sinful, and we cannot save ourselves. Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it’s what He’s done for us through the Person and work of Jesus who is the Son of God incarnate (John 1:1, 14; 20:28; Heb 1:8; 1 John 4:2), whose sacrificial death on the cross atoned for our sins (Rom 6:10; 1 Pet 3:18; 1 John 2:2), who was resurrected (Rom 6:9; 1 Cor 15:3-4), and who grants eternal life to those who place their trust solely in Him (John 3:16-18; 10:28; Acts 4:12; 16:31). Jesus died for everyone (John 3:16; Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), but the benefits of the cross, such as forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), and eternal life (John 10:28), are applied only to those who believe in Him as Savior.
All humanity is quite competent to produce sin, but utterly inept and powerless to produce the righteousness God requires for acceptance. Scripture reveals we are helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies of God (Rom 5:6-10), and prior to our salvation, we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). We cannot save ourselves. Only God can forgive sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:13-14), and only God can give the gifts of righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9) and eternal life (John 10:28) that make us acceptable in His sight. Our good works have no saving merit, as God declares righteous “the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly” (Rom 4:5a), for “a man is not justified by the works of the Law…since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Gal 2:16), 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 God saves us, but “not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness” (Tit 3:5a). We cannot save ourselves any more than we can stop the rotation of the earth, jump across the Grand Canyon, or run at the speed of light. Christ alone saves. No one else. Nothing more.
The Bible teaches that we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24), and “justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom 3:28). Salvation is free, and it is received freely by “the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Rom 4:5). Our salvation was accomplished entirely by Jesus at the cross when He shed His blood at Calvary, for we are redeemed “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). And because our salvation was accomplished in full at the cross, it means there’s nothing for us to pay. Nothing at all. Salvation is a gift, given freely to us who don’t deserve it. That’s grace, which is unmerited favor, underserved kindness, unwarranted love, unearned generosity, and unprovoked goodness. Scripture reveals, “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). Salvation is never what we do for God; rather, it’s what He’s done for us by sending His Son into the world to live a righteous life and die a penal substitutionary death on the cross in our place, “the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18).
God’s children are called “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph 4:1), to “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil 1:27), to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col 1:10), and to “walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Th 2:12). In biblical language, the term “walk” often represents one’s way of life or conduct. It’s a metaphor for the journey of life and how one navigates it. To walk “worthy” emphasizes the importance of living in a manner that is fitting or appropriate for the calling we have received as Christians. We are children of God by faith in Christ (Gal 3:26), adopted brothers and sisters to the King of kings and Lord of lords, and our performance in life should match our position in Christ. Salvation is free. It’s a gift, paid in full by the Lord Jesus who died on Calvary. God’s gift is received freely, by grace, no strings attached, and is received by faith alone in Christ alone (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:31; Eph 2:8-9). That’s all. However, living the sanctified life as a new Christian is radical and calls for commitment to God. This requires positive volition and dedication to learning and living God’s Word on a daily basis. It means prioritizing and structuring our lives in a way that factors God and His Word into everything. It means bringing all aspects of our lives—marriage, family, education, work, finances, resources, entertainment, etc.—under the authority of Christ. This is the sanctified life when we learn Scripture (Psa 1:2-3; Jer 15:16; Ezra 7:10; 2 Tim 2:15; 3 :16-17; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), walk by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38; 11:6), and advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1). As we advance, God’s Word will saturate our thinking and govern our thoughts, values, words, and actions. A sign of maturity is when God and His Word are more real and dominant than our experiences, feelings, or circumstances. This is the place of spiritual maturity and stability.
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).
As those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, we have been transferred from Satan’s “domain of darkness” (Col 1:13) and placed into the family of God. Our new status is as “children of God” (John 1:12; cf., Rom 8:16; Phil 2:15). John wrote, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1a). We do not come into the world as natural born children of God; rather, we are naturally born “in Adam” (1 Cor 15:21-22), as “sons of disobedience” (Eph 2:2), and are “by nature children of wrath” (Eph 2:3). But at the moment of faith in Christ, we receive “adoption as sons” (Rom 8:15; cf. Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5). The term adoption derives from the Greek word huiothesia (υἱοθεσία) which, according to BDAG, refers to “those who believe in Christ and are accepted by God as God’s children…with full rights.”
Shrewdness is a quality that God’s people should possess. By shrewdness, I mean possessing divine wisdom that leads to thoughtful, wise, and sensible behavior. In the NT, Jesus instructed His disciples, saying, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt 10:16). In this perilous world filled with potential harm from wolf-like individuals, Christians are urged not to adopt a similar aggressive stance or conform to worldly standards. Unlike wolves, who hunt for self-interest, believers are called to emulate the traits of sheep and innocent doves—animals that pose no threat and actively avoid unnecessary conflict. As followers of Christ, our role is that of peacemakers rather than troublemakers. Despite the dangers and hostile forces at play in the world, Jesus doesn’t remove us from the environment but advises us to be “shrewd as serpents” (Matt 10:16b). The word shrewd translates the Greek adjective phronimos (φρόνιμος), which pertains to “understanding associated with insight and wisdom, sensible, thoughtful, prudent, wise.”
Toward the end of Moses’ life, the Lord called Moses and Joshua to a special meeting (Deut 31:14), and appointed Joshua as Moses’ successor. It was at this meeting the Lord told Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them” (Deut 31:16). Here, the Lord informed Moses that those he’d led in the path of righteousness for forty years would begin a journey into apostasy after his death. Surely this was difficult news for Moses to hear.
The prophet Isaiah was given a vision of the Lord (Isa 6:1-7), which was followed by a call to ministry (Isa 6:8a). Isaiah answered the call, saying, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isa 6:8b). But then Isaiah was told his ministry would be met with negative volition and his words would have a hardening effect upon those who were already committed to wickedness (Isa 6:9-10). When Isaiah asked, “how long” his difficult ministry would last (Isa 6:11a), the Lord answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate, the LORD has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land” (Isa 6:11b-12). Isaiah was faithful to the Lord for many years, even though his audience rejected his message.
Of course, there’s no greater display of leadership than the Lord Jesus, Who spoke perfect truth all the time and called others to trust in Him (John 14:1) and to follow Him (Matt 4:19). During His time of ministry on the earth, as the God-Man, Jesus was the perfect leader. He repeatedly offered His kingdom to the nation (Matt 4:19; 10:7), was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), healed to sick (Matt 8:13; 12:15), raised the dead (Matt 27:52-53; Luke 7:14-15), fed the masses (Matt 14:19-20; 15:35-38), and perfectly executed the Father’s will. Near the end of His ministry, Jesus said to the Father, “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). All that Jesus said and did was perfect; yet, the majority of those who heard His message and saw His miracles rejected Him (John 3:19; 12:37). Jesus was faithful to do His Father’s will, and though He was rejected at His first coming (Matt 12:24; John 19:15), He will be welcomed at His second coming, when all Israel will say, “Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt 23:39). At that time, “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26), and Messiah will begin His reign on the earth (Rev 20:1-6).
Virtue love and personal love are distinct. Personal love is based on an individual’s particular likes and affections, which fluctuate and change. Personal love is no greater than the person whose desires and feelings vacillate. Virtue love is greater, because it is tied to God and His love. God’s love is stable, constant, sacrificial, and does good to everyone. Virtue love is based on God’s truth. True love requires truth, otherwise, it becomes a lesser form of love that is subject to personal whims. According to R. B. Thieme Jr., “For human love to succeed, God’s perfect, unchanging truth must be the source, pattern, and basis of that love. Mankind can truly love only by possessing the virtue that derives from God Himself (1 John 4:9–10).”
Being a godly servant glorifies God, benefits others in their walk with the Lord, and helps us advance to spiritual maturity. Having a servant’s heart is in line with that of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus, when speaking to His disciples, said, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant” (Luke 22:25-26). Paul wrote, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal 5:13). And Peter wrote, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet 4:10). No greater picture of servanthood can be found than when Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords became the Servant of servants and washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17). But service to others can happen only when they are open to receiving what is offered. Jesus offered truth and love and grace to others (John 1:14; 14:6), but He was rejected by the majority of those who saw and heard Him (John 1:11; 3:19; 5:39-40; 12:37; Matt 23:37). Being a Christian servant means being obedient to God first, following His Word and walking with Him. Below are a few examples of what being a Christian servant does not mean:
We observe a personal revival in Psalm 119, where the Psalmist positively received God’s Word and it led to holiness of conduct. The psalmist said, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word” (Psa 119:9). He then said, “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psa 119:11). When God’s Word was received into his heart, it reformed his behavior for the better. He went on to pursue God’s Word further so that it might work in his life, revitalizing him. He said, “My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word” (Psa 119:25), and “This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me” (Psa 119:50), and “I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O LORD, according to Your word” (Psa 119:107), and “Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word” (Psa 119:154).
First, we see an example of corporate revival in Judah during the reign of King Josiah (2 Ki 22:1). The revival began when a copy of Deuteronomy was found in the temple and was read to the king who responded positively to its message (2 Ki 22:8-20). King Josiah then read God’s Word to his people. Scripture reveals the king “went up to the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD” (2 Ki 23:2). Apparently the leadership and people responded positively to God’s Word, as they followed King Josiah in many good and godly reforms. The benefit was that Judah was largely purged of idolatry and the temple restored to its proper place of function (2 Ki 23:1-25). However, after Josiah died in 609 B.C., his reforms did not last, as the four subsequent kings all did evil in the sight of the Lord, and this led to Judah and Jerusalem being destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.
Third, Paul taught Scripture in Ephesus for two years (Acts 19:9-10), and “all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10). Paul’s preaching was received by many, which led to regeneration and social reforms. Luke tells us, “many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone” (Acts 19:19). The result was that “the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing” (Acts 19:20). Paul eventually left Ephesus after a great conflict (Acts 20:1)
In 2 Timothy 2:11-13, Paul provided Timothy a short theological statement that seems to reflect a doctrinal creed in the early church. The words may have been set to music as a hymn. Paul’s statement can be broken into four parts, each beginning with a conditional clause (εἰ). The four parts are: “if we died with Him”, “if we endure”, “if we deny Him”, and “if we are faithless.” Paul introduces these four parts with the phrase, It is a trustworthy statement (πιστὸς ὁ λόγος). The phrase is common to Paul, as he employs the exact wording elsewhere (1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; Tit 3:8). The phrase is intended to emphasize the trustworthiness of what follows. The NASB changes the typeset in verses 11-13 to show the saying is poetic or hymnic in nature. According to Thomas Constable, “It may have been part of a baptismal ceremony, a hymn, or a catechism. It consists of four couplets: two positive and two negative. Each couplet represents a condition that Paul assumed to be real, not hypothetical, since each is a first-class condition in the Greek text.”
First, “For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him” (2 Tim 2:11b). This phrase parallels Paul’s words in Romans, where he states, “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him” (Rom 6:8; cf. Col 3:3). The phrase, For if we died with Him (εἰ γὰρ συναπεθάνομεν) refers to our being united with Christ in His death on the cross. In a very real sense, we were with Jesus on the cross. His death is our death. Death means separation. Spiritual death is separation from God in time. The Second Death is separation from God in eternity (Rev 20:14). Those who died with Christ will never experience the Second Death in the Lake of Fire. As Christians, we died with Christ when He died on the cross (Rom 6:8-11). He bore the punishment that rightfully belongs to us. Though Christ’s death is sufficient for all (Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), it is effective to those who believe in Him as Savior (John 3:16; Eph 1:7). The blessed benefit for us who have trusted Christ as Savior is that we will live with Him (καὶ συζήσομεν). The phrase, we will live, translates the future active indicative of συζάω suzao. The future tense points to a reality yet to come for the Christian, and the indicative mood is declarative for a statement of fact. This seems to refer to the future resurrection life that is ours in Christ (1 Cor 15:20-23).
Second, “if we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Tim 2:12a). The phrase if we endure (εἰ ὑπομένομεν) refers to phase two of the Christian life; that is, our sanctification, in which we advance to spiritual maturity, which glorifies God and edifies others. Biblically, there are three aspects to our salvation: justification, sanctification, and glorification. Put differently, it means we are saved from the penalty of sin (John 5:24; Rom 8:1, 34; Gal 2:16), the power of sin (Rom 6:11; Col 3:5), and ultimately from the presence of sin (1 John 3:2-3, 5; cf. Rom 8:17). The first and third aspects of our salvation are entirely the work of God. However, our sanctification requires us to exercise our minds and wills in conformity with the mind and will of God. As Christians, we must endure the hardships of life and advance spiritually. To endure (ὑπομένω hupomeno), according to BDAG, means “to maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure.”
Third, “if we deny Him, He also will deny us” (2 Tim 2:12b). To deny (ἀρνέομαι arneomai), according to BDAG, means “to disclaim association with a person or event, deny, repudiate, disown.”
Fourth, “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13). Some Bible scholars believe Paul shifts here to talk about unbelievers who are faithless (i.e., MacDonald, Farstad). However, Paul’s use of we—which would include himself and Timothy—rules out that possibility. To be faithless (ἀπιστέω apisteo), according to BDAG, refers to “one lacking a sense of obligation (of disloyal soldiers) of relation of humans to God or Jesus.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 is perhaps one of the best-known passages in all of Scripture. These words written by Solomon are found on many plaques, posters, and paintings that hang on home and office walls. Like any proverb, it encapsulates a big truth in a small phrase. The words are an exhortation to trust in God in everything we do (Prov 3:5-6a), with a promise that He will make our paths straight if we comply (Prov 3:6b). As believers who are called to “walk by faith” (2 Cor 5:7), we are to know God’s Word and rely on it more than our own inadequate understanding. As believers, our walk of faith requires a discipline of mind and will, for fear and pride—our perennial enemies of the heart—can derail our walk if we let them.
If we turn away from the Lord and trust in mankind (or any created thing), then we place our confidence in something that is, by its very nature, weak and subject to failure. Elsewhere, Solomon wrote, “He who trusts [בָּטַח batach] in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf” (Prov 11:28), and “He who trusts [בָּטַח batach] in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered” (Prov 28:26). And a psalmist penned, “Do not trust [בָּטַח batach] in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation” (Psa 146:3). I don’t think these verses are to be taken to mean we never trust in people at all, for practical living requires it. Rather, the idea is that we do not trust in things, self, or others to provide direction or meet needs that only God can provide.
The word acknowledge translates the Hebrew verb יָדָע yada, which means to know. But this is not merely an academic knowledge of God’s Word, but the experiential knowledge that one has by applying the truth of Scripture. Living by faith is a two-step process. First, it requires us to know God’s Word, which means studying it carefully and thoroughly on a regular basis (Psa 1:2; 2 Tim 2:15). Second, it means we make choices in the light of His revelation and follow His directives and cling to His promises, being “doers of the word, and not merely hearers” who deceive ourselves (Jam 1:22). To acknowledge the Lord is an intentional act, in which we consciously and purposefully set our minds upon the Lord and insert His Word into everything we think, say, and do. And “the LORD knows the way of the righteous” (Psa 1:6), as we walk with Him in the light of His truth. But this way of living can be risky business as we cast ourselves fully upon the Lord, trusting that His ways are best and that He will keep His promises to us, all in His time and way.
Sometimes, we’re the source of our own suffering, as we make bad choices that affect us physically, socially, financially, etc. The wise will learn from their bad choices—even choices done in ignorance—and be better. And sometimes our mental and emotional distress is the product of irrational fears in which we manufacture imaginary negative situations that upset us. These are the mental dramas we construct in our thinking in which we are under attack by someone or something and feel helpless to stop the assault. These self-produced mental plays can include family, friends, coworkers, or anyone we think has the power to hurt us. But we have the power to redirect our thoughts, shut the story down, change the characters, or rewrite the script any time we want. Of course, this requires introspection and the discipline to manage our thoughts. As I’ve shared in other lessons, the stability of the Christian is often predicated on the biblical content and continuity of our thinking. It’s not only what we think, but we keep on thinking that provides mental and emotional equilibrium.
In Paul’s second letter to the Christians at Corinth, he recorded an incident in which he’d been caught up to heaven and “heard inexpressible words” (2 Cor 12:4). But Paul’s heavenly experience came with a price. The Lord knew Paul would become prideful because of the experience, so the Lord gave him a “thorn in the flesh” that was intended to cause him suffering and humility (2 Cor 12:7). Though Paul did not like the suffering, he eventually came to understand it was divinely purposeful. Twice he declared it was given “to keep me from exalting myself” (2 Cor 12:7). The word “exalt” translates the Greek verb ὑπεραίρω huperairo, which means “to have an undue sense of one’s self-importance, rise up, [or] exalt oneself.”
As Christians, it’s legitimate that we ask God to remove our suffering; however, what He does not remove, He intends for us to deal with. This was true with Paul. God did not want to remove Paul’s discomfort because it served a purpose, and that was to keep him humble, to keep him close to the Lord. When Paul understood what God was accomplishing in him through the suffering, Paul chose to embrace it, knowing it came with divine help to shape him into a better person. Paul responded properly, saying, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Cor 12:9b). This was done by faith and not feelings. Furthermore, Paul said, “I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10). The word content translates the Greek verb εὐδοκέω eudokeo, which means “to take pleasure or find satisfaction in something, be well pleased, [to] take delight.”
As humans, volition is a feature of our humanity, given to us by God who made us in His image (imago Dei). The image of God consists of mental, moral, and volitional capabilities that were originally given to Adam and Eve to enable them to walk in relationship with their Creator and to function as His theocratic administrators within the world He designed (Gen 1:27-28; 9:6). God imputed to Adam and Eve a vocabulary bank that enabled them to understand Him, each other, and the world around them. Erickson states, “The image refers to the elements in the human makeup that enable the fulfillment of human destiny. The image involves the powers of personality that make humans, like God, beings capable of interacting with other persons, of thinking and reflecting, and of willing freely.”
God has blessed us with His written revelation, which informs us about matters we could never know, except that He has spoken, and it has been recorded in Scripture. Furthermore, as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit Who illumines us to know God’s Word and empowers us to live righteously. Chafer states, “Man’s highest end is realized when he conforms to God’s will. Even Christ came not to do His own will, but only the will of the Father. There is nothing higher for man than to find and do the will of God. Heaven always has a specific purpose for the bringing of each person into the world, and that purpose comprehends every moment of life.”
Lastly, as we grow spiritually and walk with God, learning and living His Word (2 Tim 2:15; 3:16-17), we stand in opposition to Satan’s world-system and sow the seeds of spiritual insurrection in the lives of those who live and walk in his kingdom of darkness. We disrupt Satan’s kingdom when we share the gospel, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). When anyone places their faith in Christ, trusting solely in Him as Savior, they are forgiven all their sins (Eph 1:7), gifted with eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28), and given the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; cf., Rom 4:1-5; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). And they are liberated from Satan’s enslaving power, as God rescues them from the “domain of darkness” and transfers them into “the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13). The gospel is the only way a person can be delivered from spiritual slavery; “for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). Once saved, we seek to influence the thoughts and lives of other Christians through fellowship (Heb 10:23-25), prayer (Jam 5:16), edification (Eph 4:29), encouragement (1 Thess 5:11), love (1 Thess 4:9; cf. Eph 4:14-15), words of grace (Col 4:6), and consistent biblical teaching (2 Tim 4:1-2). As Christians, we are responsible for output, not outcomes. We control the biblical content of our thoughts, words, and actions, but the response of those who hear and see is between them and the Lord.
Those who pursue good, and regularly do good, are good. Those who pursue evil, and regularly do evil, are evil. And the good are always good by choice and never by chance. Likewise, the evil are always evil by choice and never by chance. Solomon said, “A good man will obtain favor from the LORD, but He will condemn a man who devises evil” (Prov 12:2). The wicked are those who hate the Lord and devise evil against others, and they are always among us, like tares among the wheat. The wicked exploit the weak and kill the innocent. The Bible tells us “God is good” (Psa 73:1; cf. Psa 86:5). And the psalmist says of the Lord, “You are good and do good” (Psa 119:68). The Old Testament, in several places, mentions the “good man” (Heb. טוֹב tov; cf., Prov 13:22; 14:14; Eccl 9:2). Delitzsch states, “the good man is thus a man who acts according to the ruling motive of self-sacrificing love.”
A good man, in the biblical sense, is a man who models his life after Christ. He is a Christian in the fullest sense of the word. He is, first and foremost, in a relationship with the Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, and has been born again into a new life (1 Pet 1:3). He puts on “a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col 3:12), and denies “ungodliness and worldly desires” and lives “sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age” (Tit 2:12). He continually studies Scripture in order to live God’s will (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), and strives toward spiritual maturity (2 Tim 3:16-17; Eph 4:11-16). He regards others as more important than himself and looks out for their interests (Phil 2:3-4). He is filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and walks in the Spirit (Gal 5:16). He lives in fellowship with God (1 John 1:5-7), trusting Him to guide and sustain him in all things. His life is being transformed, to think and act less like the world (Rom 12:1-2), and to conform to the image of the One who saved him (Rom 8:29). He does not love the world (1 John 2:15-17), but shows gracious love to his enemies who live in the world (Matt 5:43-45; Rom 12:19-21). He shows love within the body of Christ (1 Th 4:9; 1 John 3:23), and helps the needy, widows and orphans (Jam 1:27). As a son, he honors his father and mother (Eph 6:1-3), as a husband, he loves his wife as Christ loves the church, providing, protecting, and honoring her always (Eph 5:25; Col 3:19; 1 Pet 3:7), and as a father, he teaches his children the ways of the Lord (Eph 6:4; cf. Deut 6:5-7). These are not all the characteristics of the good Christian man, but they are among the most important.
As Christians, we are directed to “encourage one another and build up one another” (1 Th 5:11). To encourage (in-courage) someone is to impart courage to them so they can be sustained in a difficult situation. It is to cheer them on, to build them up, to boost their morale, to strengthen them internally so they will move forward to achieve a goal. Athletes understand the power a coach or fans have when cheering them on. Words are often the most common means of encouraging others. Solomon tells us, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad” (Prov 12:25), and “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may kno
Discouragement is the lack of courage. It means one has lost the will to fight. I know Christian leaders—pastors, teachers, elders, deacons—who stand or fall depending on the level of support of those around them. No one can stand alone for long. Even great men such as Moses and Elijah became discouraged and even asked to die when the pressures of life became overwhelming. Moses got discouraged with the Israelites in the wilderness and cried out to God, saying, “I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me. So, if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness” (Num 11:14-15). And Elijah, when threatened by Queen Jezebel, ran for his life and “went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers’” (1 Ki 19:4).
Both Job and Jeremiah, when facing great pressure, slipped into severe depression and wished they’d never been born (Job 10:18-22; Jer 20:17-18). In the midst of his sadness Job said, “why then hast Thou brought me out of the womb? Would that I had died and no eye had seen me! I should have been as though I had not been, carried from womb to tomb” (Job 10:18-19). Because of his sorrow, Job saw his life as a “land of darkness and deep shadow; the land of utter gloom as darkness itself, of deep shadow without order” (Job 10:21-22a). During his time of sadness, the prophet Jeremiah wished that his “mother would have been [his] grave, and her womb ever pregnant” and in his great anguish went on to ask, “why did I ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow, so that my days have been spent in shame?” (Jer 20:17-18).
In 1405 B.C., as Moses was nearing death, the Lord gave him instructions concerning Joshua, who was to take his place and lead His people into the land of Canaan. The Lord said, “Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it” (Deut 1:38). Moses was to encourage Joshua in order to strengthen him for the task that lay before him. The word encourage translates the Hebrew verb חָזָק chazaq, which means “to be strong, grow strong, to be stronger than, to prevail over, to have courage.”
In the New Testament we learn about a man named Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). Here was a godly man whose words and actions were characterized by the quality of encouragement. As an example of his character, we read that the church at Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:22), and “when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God” (Acts 11:23a), he “rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord” (Acts 11:23b). Here, the word encourage translates the Greek verb παρακαλέω parakaleo, which means to “call to one’s side.”
I too desire to be positive. It’s good for the soul to have an optimistic outlook on life as well as the future. But my positivity is rooted in God’s Word, not the faulty reasonings of fallen people. God’s Word is my reference point for reality. The Bible, plainly understood, is the ground upon which my reasoning ideally operates, as it provides an honest and true perspective on everything it addresses. It helps me to understand metaphysical issues concerning the origin of the universe (Gen 1:1), mankind (Gen 1:26-27), and that people are special because we are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). The Bible teaches me about the reality of angels and demons (Eph 6:12), that everything is in a state of decay because of sin (Rom 8:30), and that God provides the only solution to sin in the person of Jesus (Acts 4:12), who offers redemption through His work on the cross (Rom 3:24; Col 1:13-14). The Bible helps me have hope for the future because I know Christ is coming back (Tit 2:13), and that He will rule the world in righteousness. Isaiah says of Messiah, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this” (Isa 9:7; cf., Jer 23:5; 33:15; Dan 2:44). Finally, I know God will destroy the current heavens and earth and create a new heavens and earth (Rev 21:1—22:21); for “according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet 3:13).
When the men of Sodom did not get what they wanted, they resorted to force and tried to break into Lot’s house. This mob would certainly have committed a great evil against Lot and his guests, but fortunately, “the angels reached out, brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door” (Gen 19:10). Since the mob was not rational, the angels were required to use force, so “they struck the men who were at the entrance of the house, both young and old, with a blinding light so that they were unable to find the entrance” (Gen 19:11). The Hebrew verb נָכָה nakah “is often used for ‘hitting’ or ‘smiting’ an object with one, non-fatal strike.”
When the idolaters in the city woke the next the morning, “they found Baal’s altar torn down, and the Asherah pole beside it cut down” (Judg 6:28). After a short inquiry, the men of the city learned the altar to Baal had been destroyed by Gideon (Judg 6:29), so they went to Joash, Gideon’s father, and said, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he tore down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it” (Judg 6:30). God’s Law for Israel required that pagan altars and idols be torn down and destroyed (Ex 34:13; Deut 7:5; Judg 2:2), and those who worshipped the idols were to be put to death (Deut 13:6-10). However, this account reveals how corrupt the Israelite community had become, as many were willing to defend Baal and kill God’s servant.
Example #5 – Jesus Before Pilate (Matt 27:1-26). By the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, we have an example of how the religious leadership in Jerusalem manipulated a crowd in order to help bring about Jesus’ crucifixion. In the Gospel of Matthew, we are informed that “all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. [And] after tying Him up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate, the [Roman] governor” (Matt 27:1-2). And when Jesus was brought before Pilate, He did not defend Himself against the charges because He knew His hour had come for Him to be crucified according to the Father’s will (Matt 27:10-14; cf. John 7:30; 8:20; 12:23, 27; 13:1; 17:1; Acts 2:22-23; 4:25-28).
Stephen did not have a way of escape, and rather than reacting with violence, he committed himself to the Lord. Luke wrote, “They were stoning Stephen as he called out: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin!’ And saying this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60). Stephen’s words and actions modeled the humility and love Jesus displayed toward His enemies while being crucified (Luke 23:34, 46).
It’s a sad commentary when city officials, who should have upheld law and order, actually joined the mob in their violence against innocent men. It’s interesting that God did not stop their unjust and violent behavior, but used it as an opportunity to have Paul and Silas placed into a jail where they shared the gospel with a jailer who came to faith in Jesus and was saved, along with his household (Acts 16:24-34). But the very next morning, “the chief magistrates sent the police to say, ‘Release those men!’” (Acts 16:35). And the chief jailer told Paul and Silas, “The magistrates have sent orders for you to be released. So come out now and go in peace” (Acts 16:36). But Paul refused to let the illegality of the situation go unaddressed, saying, “They beat us in public without a trial, although we are Roman citizens, and threw us in jail. And now are they going to smuggle us out secretly? Certainly not! On the contrary, let them come themselves and escort us out!” (Acts 16:37).
Example #8 – Paul and Silas in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9). Right after Paul and Silas left Philippi, having experience mob violence there, “they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue” (Acts 17:1). Luke informs us, “As usual, Paul went to the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, saying: ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah’” (Acts 17:2-3). Paul’s teaching was having a positive impact, and “some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, including a great number of God-fearing Greeks, as well as a number of the leading women” (Acts 17:4).
Paul requested the Roman commander allow him to address the crowd, which he was permitted to do (Acts 21:35-40), and Paul gave a defense of his ministry (Acts 22:1-20). The crowd listened to Paul until he mentioned his ministry to the Gentiles (Acts 22:21), and that suddenly set them off. Luke records, “Then they raised their voices, shouting, ‘Wipe this person off the earth—it’s a disgrace for him to live!’” (Acts 22:22). The Roman commander saw things were getting out of control again, and as the mob “were yelling and flinging aside their robes and throwing dust into the air, the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, directing that he be examined with the scourge, so he could discover the reason they were shouting against him like this” (Acts 22:23-24).
Words are the currency of the heart, for by them, we reveal our moral wealth or poverty. For some, a person’s word is gold. We trust what they say is true and that they will keep their promises, even at great cost to themselves. Faithfulness to keep a promise is a measure of one’s integrity. God wants us to have integrity, because He has integrity. To say God has integrity means He is honest in nature, that He always speaks truth, and that He is faithful to keep His Word. Because of who He is, God does not lie, and when He makes a promise, He always keeps it. The Bible reveals, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19; cf. 1 Sam 15:29). Elsewhere it is written that God “cannot lie” (Tit 1:2), and that it “is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18a). Scripture reveals that even “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13). This reveals the character and immutability of God as well as the integrity of His Word, which is comforting to His people, especially since there is much falsehood and many promise-breakers in the world.
