In the first blog I wrote about how important it is when we consider evangelizing that we get our heart right with God with a deep gratitude for what our Lord Jesus did for us by dying in our place on the cross. He did this so that we sinners who repent and put our faith in Him alone for salvation can be justified as righteous before a just and holy God. In the second blog I shared the importance of releasing the power of God’s law to bring conviction of sin to those we share the gospel with. As Galatians 3:24 states, “Therefore the Law has become our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” In this blog we will discuss how to initiate a spiritual conversation, and proceed as God leads to share the gospel with our lost family, friends, and neighbors.

To begin evangelizing we need to get people to talk and open up about spiritual things. Smile and be friendly. People like to talk about themselves, so ask and be interested in them with talk about their family, sports, or whatever interests them. To transition to the spiritual, I commonly ask someone if they have a spiritual background. If they mention they have gone to church I would ask “How does someone go to heaven in your church?” if their answers indicate they may not be saved, I love to ask this great question: “Would you consider yourself to be a good person?” Most would say yes as they may be trusting in their good works to get them to heaven.

At this point I like to challenge people to take the good person test to see if indeed they are a good person. Usually this piques their interest, and they welcome the test. I would go through a few of the Ten Commandments, the test God says you must pass if you think your good works will be satisfactory before a just God to get into heaven. I usually begin with the 9th commandment which states "do not tell a lie.“ Have you told a lie? I ask. “And what does that make you?” A liar they often respond. Then I move on to the 8th commandment which states "do not steal." Have you ever stolen anything? This makes you a thief. It doesn’t have to be a material item; it could be just stealing the bosses time by looking at your social media account while you are on the time-clock. The i would ask about the 7th commandment which states "do not commit adultery." Jesus took this to a heart level when he stated in Matthew 5:28 that "everyone that looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart." This is a high standard. You can go through more commandments, but if you see conviction of sin in the person you are talking to you can stop there. They have already admitted that they are a liar, a thief, and an adulterer before God.

Next, ask this transition question as outlined in the Way of the Master program that we are teaching this Spring here at church. “If God judges you by the Ten Commandments, would you be innocent or guilty?” If they say guilty, I will then ask, “Would you go to Heaven or to Hell?” Surprisingly many will say heaven at this point because they see God as someone who will overlook their sin, and since they tried to be a good person they believe a loving God would admit them to heaven anyway. This is a misunderstanding of the character of our just and holy God. He can’t just shove our sin under the rug and wink like some type of Santa Claus. Present them with a court scenario to illustrate. Suppose you are in a court of law guilty of a serious crime with a $50,000 fine. The judge proclaims you are guilty. Then you state, “But judge, I’m sorry for what I have done, please let me go!” Can a good judge let you go simply because you are sorry? No.  You should be sorry, but a crime was committed and a penalty has to be paid. However, if someone pays the fine for you the judge can let you go. Two thousand years ago Jesus paid that fine for us. He suffered and died on the cross on your behalf. If you turn for your sins and trust Him, God will dismiss your case-not just because you are sorry, but because Jesus paid your fine.

If my friend still thinks he will go to heaven without his sin fine paid I would lovingly let him know that the Bible makes it clear that he will go to hell. Mark 9:44 states that hell is a place of eternal, conscious torment where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” Luke 13:28 further states concerning hell that “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” I sincerely let my friend know that I don’t want him to go there, and then ask him if this concerns him. If this does concern him, I would then ask, “Do you know what God did for you so that you wouldn’t have to go to hell? God did provide a way for you to be forgiven. The question is, how do you obtain this forgiveness?”

You can often tell when God is regenerating a soul and opening eyes to receive the good news of the gospel. I would share with my friend that God loved you so much that He sent his only Son to live the perfect life we could not live, and He then suffered and died in your place, taking your punishment for you so that you could live. Then Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. It is this simple. You broke the law, but Jesus paid your fine. If you will repent and turn from your sin and place your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, God will forgive you and grant you eternal life. He will change you from the inside out and make you a new person in Christ. If my friend is ready, I would encourage him to pray and repent of his sin and put his faith and trust in Christ alone to save Him as his Lord and Savior.

There is nothing more exciting than to see God use you as His minister of reconciliation. As 2 Corinthians 5:20 states, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us;” And what is that appeal that God wants us to proclaim? The rest of the verse states that clearly; “we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God!” If God is nudging you right now to join His fighting force of ministers of reconciliation, please join our evangelism team as we go door to door sharing the gospel in our Canal Winchester area the first and third Fridays of each summer month at 6:30 pm beginning June 2nd.  We would love to have you join us!

One of the most important things we’ve been learning at Grace Bible Church this past year is the importance of interpreting the Bible with Christ at the center. The people, places and things of the Old Testament point us to Christ – even someone as obscure as Naboth in 1 Kings 21. This is how Jesus taught his disciples to interpret the Bible (Luke 24:27).

But not only is it important to ask the question, “Which people represent Christ?” it’s equally important to ask the question, “Which people represent me?” In other words, there are certain people in the Bible that God says, “This is you. You are like this. I want you to see yourself in this character” And it’s our job to identify who those people are.  

For example, in the story of Naboth’s vineyard in 1 Kings 21, we know that Naboth is a Christ-type. But who are we in that story? Well, there are certainly aspects of Naboth that we can relate to: being persecuted for righteousness’ sake, being slandered, unjustly treated, etc. But the truth is, we usually have more in common with King Ahab. Like us, Ahab is covetous, deceptive, temperamental, idolatrous and he throws pity parties when he doesn’t get his way. You and I are King Ahab. Naboth is Jesus, for …

•He refused to compromise God’s Word and accept the enemy’s “deal”
•He was plotted against by evil men
•He was accused and condemned for being a blasphemer of God
•He was taken outside the city and put to death by his own people
•He died in abject shame
•He was vindicated in the end by God’s Word

Many of us, though, do the opposite. We see ourselves in the heroes and good guys of the Bible. Maybe because our whole lives we’re inundated with the message: “Be like Daniel, be like David, be like Moses, be like Abraham.” Or maybe it’s because those men are the redeemed, and we know that we too are redeemed, and so we naturally conclude that “I’m Daniel and the world is King Nebuchadnezzar.”

But that’s not accurate.

The book of Daniel was written to the Jewish people so they would see themselves in King Nebuchadnezzar. Like him, they spurned God’s Word and acted in pride and arrogance. Like him, they too would experience a humiliating judgment. I’m not saying we never act like the Daniels and Naboths of the Bible and we only act like their wicked King counterparts. But, in general, we aren’t the good guys in the Bible. We’re the bad guys. Or, in the case of David and Goliath, we’re the cowardly Israelite army too afraid to fight the bad guys, and Jesus is the David who trusts God perfectly and defeats our enemy with breathtaking valor.

But this leads me to the ultimate place we overlook seeing ourselves: those terrible Pharisees. Have you ever heard someone confess in home group, “I need prayer. Recently my attitudes and actions have been just like the Pharisees - the guys Jesus was always angry with”? I'm guessing "no."

Most people see themselves in Jesus, and they hypocritically think others are the hypocrites. For example ...

The Left would see themselves as Jesus, fighting on behalf of the oppressed and the marginalized, and they would see the Right as the condescending, elite, hypocritical Pharisees who are only out for money as they look down upon the little people of the world. At the same time, the Right would see themselves in Jesus as well: fighting for freedom, standing against the godless Left who, like the Pharisees, have led our nation away from the purity of our beginnings and into a miry, perverse, corrupted pit.

Or, for example, consider people who have sworn off the church. They are so sickened by the hypocrisy. They too see themselves in Jesus - the righteous outsider, rejected by those, who of all people, should know better.

And I can’t leave myself off this list. I also tend to see myself more in Jesus than the Pharisee. After all, I’m the one proclaiming his truth with unashamed boldness. And I believe in the true gospel. But if I’m being honest, I’m probably more like the Pharisees than Christ. Like the Pharisees, I have plotted how I can receive the glory and be in the spotlight. Like the Pharisee praying in the temple, I have more of a capacity to look down on others than I'd like to admit. Like the Pharisees, I work hard to look good on the outside, but I don’t necessarily work with that same vigor when it comes to the rottenness on the inside. Like the Pharisees, I am threatened by those who confront my sin. I too can shamefully enjoy the lofty titles, seats of honor, and adulation. And, like the Pharisees, I’m often willfully blind to it all.

Redeemed Christians are an odd mixture of righteousness, unrighteousness, and self-righteousness. But the good news from God is this:

If we humbly and contritely admit we have more in common with the fearful, untrusting, unfaithful, corrupt hypocrites and lusting prodigals than we do with the admirable, heroic and faithful of the Bible, he will forgive us and start the process of turning us into the latter. 

This forgiveness from God then allows us to do something we weren’t allowed to do before: see ourselves in the heroes, good guys, and even Jesus himself. When we repent like this, God imputes the righteous life of Christ to us and views us as having lived the heroic, perfect life of His Son. We inherit a new identity. And although we must learn to read ourselves into the shady and fearful characters of the Bible, the new creation he’s made us into is our true self now (Romans 7:17). As Paul said to the flunking Corinthian church: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

And so the Lord beckons us: “Become who you are.”  

God wants us to read ourselves into the miscreants, reprobates and villains of the Bible more than we do the saints and victors. When we do that, God’s Word is no longer a book that feeds our spiritual egos, as it was for the false religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Instead, it becomes a banquet of good news that relieves our guilt and shame, safeguarding us from becoming a people who look at those evil Pharisees and say, “I thank you God that I’m not like them.”

Two Sundays ago, Pastor Josh shared about accountability relationships and how we need to learn to speak the gospel to one another when we are convicted of sin, rather than simply beating down an already convicted believer with the law. He shared from Romans 3 that:

"The law is for those who are comfortable with their sin; the gospel is for those who are convicted by their sin. The law is for revealing; the gospel is for healing."

But how do we learn to speak the gospel into each other's lives and what does that look like? One helpful resource for learning to speak the gospel into "the everyday stuff of life" is the book "Gospel Fluency" by Jeff Vanderstelt. The leadership team for our student ministry just finished reading through this book as we aim to speak the gospel into every aspect of our students' lives. If you see the need to go beyond merely rules and regulations (law) as you grow in applying the good news of Jesus (gospel) in your accountability relationships and small groups, I commend this resource to you (even if you just skip to reading the second half of the book).

God saved me in my teen years, and my life completely changed. No longer shy and withdrawn, I keenly experienced forgiveness of my sin and joy as the Holy Spirit began to guide my life to share the gospel with whoever would listen. In my gospel presentations I discussed sin as described in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” But because sin is frankly an uncomfortable topic, I would quickly move on the glorious things Jesus had done for us in sacrificing His life in our place on the cross, and that He rose from the dead to prove He had victory over sin and death. I would describe to them the God shaped vacuum they had in their heart that only He could fill to find true happiness. I would encourage them to put their faith in Christ as their Savior by asking Him into their heart, and God would save them. Then I led them in the prayer of salvation.

A few years later I read Ray Comfort’s book “The Way of the Master” and it rocked my world. I saw that I had been missing a vital link in my gospel presentation. I was missing the power of God’s law to bring conviction of sin, and that asking Jesus into your heart is a nebulous and unbiblical teaching. The Bible teaches that I need to call sinners to repent of their sin and turn from their sins, and then to put their faith and trust in Christ alone to save them making Jesus their Savior and their Lord to let Him lead the rest of their lives. I saw that even having them repeat a prayer with me could lead to a false conversion as I could put words in their mouths that they don’t understand or truly believe.

Growing up as a devout Catholic, I knew the ten commandments, and I tried to keep them. The ten Commandments show God’s holiness and what He expects of a person who believes that their good works will get them to heaven. The problem is that if we are honest, we all have broken every one of these commandments.  Who has never told a lie? Never taken God’s name as a cuss word? Never had a lustful thought as Jesus said that is the same as adultery in Matt 5:28? Never hated a person as God sees that the same as murder described in Matt 5:21-22? Have you ever disobeyed your parents? Have you always put God first in your life? And the list goes on. Knowledge of the ten commandments show us how sinful we are and how we can’t justify our feeble good works as being acceptable to God. God closes our mouth in defending our self-righteousness and pride when we see His holiness in the ten commandments. Romans 3:19-20 talks of this: “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law come the knowledge of sin.” Galatians 3:24 also speaks of the importance of the law in conversion: “Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith.”
 
Let me share a personal example of the importance of confronting people with God’s law to bring conviction of sin. Some years after I learned this biblical teaching, I found my dad in the hospital nearing his death. I had shared the ask Jesus in your heart gospel with him many times over the years with little effect. I began to realize that he responded indifferent because he had considered himself a good person and thought his good deeds would be good enough to get him into heaven. As I approached the hospital room, I knew I had a choice to make. I could express my love for dad and reminisce on all the things he had done for me and the good times we had together. All that would have been appropriate and true. In my gut though I knew if I really loved my father, I would confront his sin in hopes God would draw him to repent of his sin and put his faith in Christ as the only one who could save him. That night as I confronted dad with each commandment and as he admitted his sin, I saw the power of the law to bring conviction of sin to him and then he was ready to grasp onto the cure and hope that only Christ could bring. That day my dad repented of his sin and put his faith and trust in Jesus alone to save him. God’s grace came in like a flood in saving him, and finally he was at peace with God.

Please consider this teaching that Spurgeon and Whitfield also understood. For example, Spurgeon once said, “A lost person will never accept God’s grace till they tremble before a just and holy Law. Therefore, the Law serves a most necessary and blessed purpose, and it must not be removed from its place.” Jesus used the law to draw the rich young ruler in Luke 18 to see his sin. Especially in a post Christian culture that we find ourselves in today where almost everyone sees themselves as a good person, the use of God’s law in our gospel presentations is vital and useful in the drawing our lost friends and neighbors to see their need of salvation.

In the next blog we will discuss how to initiate a spiritual conversation and tips to share the gospel.

Click on the links within this document to go to the resource.

1. Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer 
If you don’t have time to read about the Reformation, and an hour and a half documentary would be most helpful to you, look no further than “Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer.” Put out by Ligonier Ministries (R.C. Sproul), this is a great summary, not only of Luther’s story, but the key points about the Reformation.

2. The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World by Stephen J. Nichols
This is the book I mentioned in my 10/9 sermon. It is an easy-to-understand, enjoyable read that will give you a succinct overview of the major movements of the Reformation.
 
3. Here I Stand: The Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton
This is considered the best biography of Martin Luther by modern day church historians and theologians. It’s a must read for serious students of the Reformation, and it’s not long.
 
4. The 5 Solas Book Series by Thomas Schreiner
If you’re looking for more than just an overview of the Reformation, and would like to explore, at an in-depth level, the main doctrines of this movement, The 5 Solas Series is the best resource.

5. Class: The 5 Solas by Josh Lough
If you don’t have time to read all five of these books, but would still like an in-depth overview of each of the 5 Solas, I taught a class entitled “The 5 Solas" a few years ago.
 
6. John Piper’s Biographies (Audio)
Calvin
Luther
Tyndale 
These lectures about Calvin, Luther, and Tyndale are my favorite resource put out by John Piper’s Desiring God Ministries. I spent days listening to every one of these audio lectures (which also include C.H. Spurgeon, C.S. Lewis, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Bunyon, William Wilberforce and many more) while on a four-week sabbatical eight years ago. You will experience significant growth as a Christian listening to these lectures.

7. Ligonier Ministries
Ligonier.org is the best website you could visit to find many valuable resources on the Reformation. Search through the site to find something that interests you!
 
8. Questions About Election: A One-Class Special Event by Josh Lough
A few years ago, I was asked by my former church’s leadership to defend the doctrine of election and predestination at a one-class special event. This might by my favorite teaching I’ve ever done.

9. Luther Movie
Gather the family around some popcorn and watch this thrilling film about Martin Luther, starring Joseph Fiennes (who also starred in the 2016 hit movie Risen about the resurrection).

Are you looking to grow in your understanding of biblical marriage and dating principles, but you don’t like reading? Have you read the book “Song of Solomon” in your Bible but wondered how this ancient romantic poetry actually applies in your daily life? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then you would love “The Mingling of Souls” by Matt Chandler! Chloe and I recently listened through the audiobook version on our anniversary vacation on the free app “Libby” that allows you to borrow free audiobooks from your local library. We highly recommend listening through this book to glean pastoral wisdom and practical application from Song of Solomon that will prove helpful for any age, whether single or celebrating an anniversary, as the Song of Solomon walks through the story of a couple’s first meeting to their golden years of marriage.

Here are 7 quotes to whet your appetite:

1) “Quit looking for 'the one'. You have a better chance of finding an Oompa Loompa riding a unicorn, fighting Bigfoot.”

2) “When we commit to a spouse for life, we are agreeing to enter a sacred union between two sinners and Jesus, and when you’ve got two sinners walking together over the years, you will see just how sinful he or she—and you—can be.”

3) “In too many marital conflicts, we work too hard at winning the argument and too little at winning the heart. You can express your feelings and thoughts, even share criticisms and complaints, but the end goal of marital conflict should be care for your spouse’s soul, not trying to rack up the most points. Seeking to win is not love."

4) “Men, let me plead with you: The greatest fight of your life is not lust. You may think it is, but it isn’t. The greatest fight of your life will be rejecting the passivity that has infected your heart since the fall. Your natural default, especially as it pertains to sacrificial leadership of your wife, will be to mutely witness.”

5) “You don’t really need to make a vow to stick with someone in the best of times. The inclination to run doesn’t exist then. It’s the low times the covenant is made for.”

6) [In considering what to look for in someone to marry] “I think that church membership is a huge consideration, precisely because there is no such thing as a perfect church, and in our day and age in the West, we have so many options to choose from. Churches are full of sinners, so there will always be some messiness in a church. Churches are like families that way. So when a person stays in a church for a long period of time, there is evidence that she has been able to see that everything’s not perfect, but she nevertheless said, “I’m going to stay. I’m going to try to make this work. My commitment is more important than my desire to run away.”

7) “What we learn in the Song of Songs is that a marriage shaped according to this gospel of grace, forged over years of hard-earned trust and forgiveness, can be an unsafe place for sin but a very safe place for sinners. In a gospel-centered marriage, when two souls are mingled together with the Holy Spirit’s leading, we find confirmation after confirmation that grace is true, that grace is real—that we can be really, truly, deeply known and at the same time really, truly, deeply loved…Grace does not make sin safe. Grace does make sinners safe.”

Think back to the day that God convicted you of your sin that you knew would deservedly send you to hell. In turn God drew you to Himself with the realization that by His grace you could find forgiveness of your sin. How? The plan of salvation became clear to you. God loved you so much that He sent his only Son Jesus to suffer and die in your place, taking the punishment that you deserved so that you could live and spend eternity in heaven. Then Jesus proved He had victory over sin when He rose from the dead. Your response to this outpouring of love was to repent and turn from your sin as you put your trust in Jesus Christ alone as your Savior and Lord.

Since that day, what has been your spiritual journey in making Jesus Lord of your life as His minister of reconciliation? 2 Corinthians 5:20 states, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God!” This verse has always amazed me. God is literally stating that He chose us sinful people as His chosen tool to share the good news of the gospel with others. He even implores us here to beg people to be reconciled to God! When’s the last time you begged someone to get saved?  We must get to the point where we wholeheartedly embrace the privilege God has given us to be His minister of reconciliation.

This is the first of a series of blogs discussing biblical evangelism. Topics will include the use of God’s law to reach the conscience of unbelievers to bring about conviction of sin. Not until our lost friends see that they are sinners under the wrath of a just and holy God will the gospel make sense, and if God is drawing them they will desire to make peace with Him. We will talk about good questions to ask that will help stir up gospel conversations, and walk through sharing the gospel in detail. I plan on giving some helpful bible verses to use when witnessing, and some answers to common questions people may have. At the end we will discuss how to craft your own testimony as a powerful bridge to confront the unsaved God puts in your path.

But for the remainder of this first blog, it’s important that we first get our hearts right with God to be ready to evangelize effectively.

Let Internal heart cardioversion take place

When I counsel my cardiovascular patients on the need to get their heart in a good rhythm, many will eventually undergo cardioversion to reset their heart to a path of better health. In turn, we need a heart reset to get our hearts right to be used mightily by God in sharing the gospel.

The first heart reset we need is to sit at the foot of the cross and develop a deep gratitude to God for what He did for us. Back to my favorite chapter of the Bible, in 2 Corinthians 5:14 it states, “Let the love of Christ control us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died, and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” When we meditate on what Jesus did to save us by redeeming us from our sin, how He in turn gave us His righteousness instead of the wrath of God we deserve, then it is a natural response for us to live for Him and not for ourselves. This practically will compel us to go out on a limb to preach the gospel to our unsaved friends and beg them to reconcile to God.

Another verse that compels me to share the gospel is mediating on Proverbs 24:11. It states, “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter, O hold them back.” In middle eastern lore there is a description of a Judas goat. This refers to a goat who leads the sheep to the slaughtering gate, but as the goat takes a sharp turn to avoid going down the slaughter chute, the rest of the sheep following him keep on going straight to their deaths. This is a word picture of what is happening every day as thousands of people go to their death, many staggering to slaughter to hell if they were counting on their good deeds to save them, and not the blood of the spotless lamb of God Jesus whose blood takes away our sin and leads to eternal life in heaven. This verse in Proverbs encourages us to hold them back! How do we do this? We share the simple truths of the gospel clearly and often to whoever will listen.

Let's get honest. Have you ever been fearful to share the gospel with your family and friends? I know I have. But when we take a moment and look deeper, we will find that the root of our fear is our own pride. I know at times I don’t want anyone to think badly of me. We need to keep in mind, though, that it is only our pride that is injured if people laugh or scoff at the gospel, and that can be a good thing! 1 Peter 4:14-16 states, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ you are blessed.”  How are we being blessed by sharing the gospel you may ask? Personally, I have been incredibly blessed by God when i show my love for Him by sharing the gospel with a lost soul. My appreciation of my own salvation deepens as I see Jesus's love for me intimately in saving me. Jesus promises to do this for you too, in John 14:21 where it states, "he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."

Embrace your calling as a minister of reconciliation sharing the good news of the gospel with all those around you. You can be certain this is God's will as He is always glorified in the gospel, and God will use you in the kingdom building He intends for His church.

It’s August, which means anniversary posts are all over social media. So, this month I am recommending Chloe’s and my favorite book on marriage: “The Meaning of Marriage” by Tim Keller. Every year Chloe and I aim to read another book on marriage or parenting together to keep learning and growing towards Christ as a couple. Below are six quotes from the marriage book we have found to be the most interesting and helpful so far. If you are married and looking for a book to read on your upcoming anniversary weekend or if you are single and looking for someone to marry - I hope you’ll read this book and in so doing be drawn more deeply into the beauty of the gospel of Christ as displayed through marriage!

1. The reason marriage is so painful and yet wonderful is because it is a reflection of the gospel, which is painful and wonderful at once. The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope. This is the only kind of relationship that will really transform us. Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God’s saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us (p. 44).

2. To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God (p. 101).
 
3. ‘Do not waste time bothering whether you “love” your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him…The Christian, trying to treat everyone kindly, finds himself liking more and more people as he goes on – including people he could not even have imagined himself liking at the beginning’…I can guarantee that, whoever you marry, you will fall “out of like” with them…So what do you do? You do the acts of love, despite your lack of feeling…and if you do that, as time goes on you will not only get through dry spells, but they will become less frequent and deep, and you will become more constant in your feelings. This is what can happen if you decide to love (p. 107).

4. Within the Christian vision for marriage, here’s what it means to fall in love. It is to look at another person and get a glimpse of the person God is creating, and to say, “I see who God is making you, and it excites me! I want to be part of that. I want to partner with you and God in the journey you are taking to his throne. And when we get there, I will look at your magnificence and say, ‘I always knew you could be like this. I got glimpses of it on earth, but now look at you!’” (p. 133).

5. People are so appalled when they get sharp, far-reaching criticism from their spouses. They immediately begin to think they married the wrong person. But you must realize that it isn’t ultimately your spouse who is exposing the sinfulness of your heart – it’s marriage itself. Marriage does not so much bring you into confrontation with your spouse as confront you with yourself. Marriage shows you a realistic, unflattering picture of who you are and then takes you by the scruff of the neck and forces you to pay attention to it (p. 154).

6. In the Old Testament, there were often “covenant renewal ceremonies”…When you get married, you make a solemn covenant with your spouse – the Bible calls your spouse your “covenant partner” (Proverbs 2:17). That day is a great day, and your hearts are full. But as time goes on, there is a need to rekindle the heart and renew the commitment. There must be an opportunity to recall all that the other person means to you and to give yourself anew. Sex between a husband and a wife is the unique way to do that. Indeed, sex is perhaps the most powerful God-created way to help you give your entire self to another human being. Sex is God’s appointed way for two people to reciprocally say to one another, “I belong completely, permanently, and exclusively to you.” You must not use sex to say anything less. So, according to the Bible, a covenant is necessary for sex. It creates a place of security for vulnerability and intimacy. But though a marriage covenant is necessary for sex, sex is also necessary for the maintenance of the covenant. It is your covenant renewal service (p. 256).

What is your favorite book on marriage? Let us know in the comments below!

“Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” 
– Charles Spurgeon

I plan to publish a regular reading recommendation each month to help members of our local church find “good books” to “visit” alongside their love of the Bible. This first reading recommendation comes from an early 17th-century Puritan Pastor named Jeremiah Burroughs. It is a 200-page meditation on Philippians 4:11 where Paul says: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Burroughs helps us see that contentment is not a place at which you arrive one day, but a character trait which can be learned, practiced, and grown in. If you long to learn the secret of contentment through slowly ruminating on the Scriptures alongside a wise pastor – this book is for you.

Here are 5 quotes from the book to whet your appetite:

1. Many may sit silently, refraining from discontented expressions, yet inwardly they are bursting with discontented expressions. Inwardly they are bursting with discontent. This shows a complicated disorder and great perversity in their hearts. And notwithstanding their outward silence, God hears the peevish, fretful language of their souls. A shoe may be smooth and neat outside, while inside it pinches the flesh (p. 3).
2.  A great man will permit common people to stand outside his doors, but he will not let them come in and make a noise in his closet or bedroom when he deliberately retires from all worldly business. So a well-tempered spirit may enquire after things outside in the world, and suffer some ordinary cares and fears to break into the suburbs of the soul, so as to touch lightly upon the thoughts. Yet he will not on any account allow an intrusion into the private room, which should be wholly reserved for Jesus Christ as his inward temple (p. 5).
3. Consider what your condition is, you are pilgrims and strangers; so do not think to satisfy yourselves here. When a man comes into an inn and sees there a fair cupboard of plate, he is not troubled that it is not his own.- Why? Because he is going away. So let us not be troubled when we see that other men have great wealth, but we have not.-Why? We are going away to another country; you are, as it were, only lodging here, for a night (p. 51).
4. 'Oh Soul, your happiness is not here, your rest is not here, your happiness is elsewhere, and your heart must be loosened from all the things that are here below in the world.' … Something which is glued to another cannot be taken off, but you must tear it; so it is a sign your heart is glued to the world, that when God would take you off, your heart tears (p. 82).
5. 'When the people were contented with the allowance that God allowed them, then it was very good, but when they would not be content with God's allowance, but would gather more than God would have them, then, says the text, there were worms in it.' So when we are content with our conditions, and what God disposes of us to be in, there is a blessing in it, then it is sweet to us, but if we must needs have more, and keep it longer than God would have us to have it, then there will be worms in it and it will be no good at all (pp. 92-93).

Source: Burroughs, Jeremiah. The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

Last week Joe Bennett, our Pastor of Worship and Young Adults, wrote an excellent article addressing "Theological Humility" where he encouraged us "to always share our theology with humility, to value being righteous over being right, and to emphasize the person of Jesus over the particulars of theology." The importance of this truth and Joe's overall article cannot be overstated. When it comes down to it, demonstrating "theological humility" is not simply a matter of how we express our convictions. In fact, there's something much deeper at stake when we choose to engage in theological warfare: the unity of the church of Jesus Christ. Paul speaks of this in Ephesians chapter 4 and connects a Christian's pursuit of unity to their proper living out of the Gospel. He even goes as far as to say your willingness to maintain unity is the dividing line of living a life that is worthy of the Gospel. 

What does it mean to live a life "worthy" of the Gospel? Pause for a moment and think of a list of ways you feel believers can "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which [they] have been called" (Eph 4:1). What items made it on your list? For me, I naturally think living a life worthy of the Gospel means walking in obedience to Christ, sharing my faith through evangelism, and actively putting to death my sin. While these things certainly fall into the category of living a life worthy of our Gospel calling, none of these are even mentioned when Paul addresses this question in the opening verses of Ephesians chapter 4. In fact, Paul focuses on something that, if we are honest with one another, would probably never make it into our lists of how to live a life that is worthy of the Gospel. 

Instead of listing engagement in the Great Commission, growing in knowledge and application of Scripture, or even properly worshiping God, Paul simply states that in order to live a life worthy of the Gospel you must pursue unity with other brothers and sisters in Christ! In other words, someone who is actively living a "worthy" life is "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:3). Wow! From Paul's perspective, living as someone who has been radically transformed by the power of the Gospel means prioritizing unity within the body of Christ. In fact, not only should a believer who is walking "worthy" pursue unity, they should do it with eagerness! 

Unity is something that is to be fought for, protected, and eagerly pursued by those who are a part of the church of Jesus Christ. In a world filled with disunity, believers are meant to demonstrate a supernatural unity that is brought about "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love" (Eph 4:2). In order to accomplish this, believers must grow in humility to not insist on our own way, gentleness to discuss opposing perspectives, patience to deal with those who may not understand or see things the way we do, and love to cover a "multitude of sins" (1 Pt 4:8). 

The worthy life is a unified life. Rather than jumping at every opportunity to draw theological, practical, or preferential lines, those whom Paul says are walking "worthy" of the Gospel spend time building bridges of grace rather than fortresses of "correctness." In our theological discussions, my prayer is that the people of Grace will lead with humility in our hearts, unity in our minds, and the love of Christ in our spirits. After all, "faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor 13:13).

Just as God’s eternal character combines truth with grace, so the truth of our theology must be combined with the grace of humility (John 1:14). Unfortunately, theological humility often crumbles under pride’s temptation to post on social media as if our opinions are absolute truth, to talk as if our theological conclusions are always infallible, and to look down our theological noses at those who think or speak differently than we do.

Certainly, we must be unwavering on the core doctrines of our faith. But in a world where we can search the internet for endless blogs, sermon videos, and podcasts that offer definitive opinions on seemingly every nook and cranny of theology, I want to caution against unnecessary divisiveness that claims to have answers where the authoritative Word of God intentionally leaves room for questions.

After many long pages and hours of theological study in preparation for both ordination this month and seminary graduation in the spring, I write now for the sake of the church, but even more so for my own sake – to remind us to always share our theology with humility, to value being righteous over being right, and to emphasize the person of Jesus over the particulars of theology.

Thus, I present the case for theological humility:

1 Corinthians 8:2 says that if anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. Theological humility recognizes that we don’t know what we don’t know. Certainly, we should seek answers to hard questions, but we also need to trust that even as we grow in our knowledge, we will not know everything fully like God does.

Romans 11:33-34 confirms this when it says: Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”

Thus, no one can fully understand the mind of the Lord as Isaiah made clear in the Old Testament when the Lord spoke to him and said: My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Therefore, just as we cannot expect scientists to measure the infinite expanse of the heavens, likewise we should not expect to understand all of God’s thoughts in theology! This leads us to theological humility – an understanding that if we knew everything about theology, we would be God. But we are not God. Nor do we know everything about theology.

Potentially the most interesting classes I took in seminary were those on church history. It is humbling to see that even the greatest theologians, ecumenical councils, creeds, and leadership structures in church history have not been infallible. Just read through the famous first seven ecumenical councils – you will be thankful for the clear Trinitarian theology espoused at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. yet amazed at how much still needed to be clarified or corrected at each of the following councils in 381, 431, 451, 553, 680, and 787.

Pick any great theologian – Luther, Calvin, Aquinas, whomever – these individuals did not have their theology perfect either. Rather, as you read through church history you see successive generations either challenging or clarifying the theology of previous generations. The words of systematic textbooks, commentaries, ancient creeds, and beloved pastors can be incredibly helpful – but they are not infallible. Unless we are bold enough to say that we did what Luther, Calvin, and Aquinas could not do, then we need to recognize that we do not have all of our theology perfected.

So, let us learn theological humility from church history: if you think you have your theology figured out, give it 100 years. After 100 years, either someone smarter than you on this earth will help refine the specifics of your theology or, more likely, you will be in heaven realizing that even your greatest theological understanding was simply a dim mirror compared to your face-to-face encounter with Jesus!

The more that I know, the more that I realize I do not know. I remember being so excited to get a four-year bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies so that I could prepare for ministry, but it seemed that with every theological answer I found in the Bible, I also found five more theological questions that I did not fully understand. The same thing happened these past five years in seminary and full-time ministry. The more answers I get, the more questions I have. This is only to be expected when the imperfect and finite studies infinite perfection.

It is no wonder, then, that I have incredible theologians shaping my life who all share agreement on the essentials of the faith (many of whom also share the name John) – John Calvin, John Piper, John Macarthur, John Perkins, John the disciple whom Jesus loved, a local pastor-mentor named John, and even John Bennett (my father) to name a few – and yet no two of these theologians share full agreement on second and third-tier doctrines nor on their ministry philosophy and practice.

It is no accident, then, that the New Testament is riddled with passages that teach us how to live in unity with a diverse gathering of believers who disagree over various non-essential doctrinal, practical, and philosophical issues.¹ We all have dear brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we disagree at times, we all have more questions than answers concerning God, and we all have the need for theological humility.

I hope that humility drives us deeper into theological study and not further from it. After all, if we humbly recognize the all-surpassing worth of knowing God, then we should rightly emphasize the importance of knowing theology (“the study of God”). We won’t get every question answered through knowing the words of a systematic theology textbook, but we have everything we need for life and godliness through knowing the Word, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3).

This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.­­
– Isaiah 66:2

Recommended Resources for Further Reading:

• “Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage” by Gavin Ortlund
• “Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ” by Andrew Naselli
• “A Call for Theological Triage and Christian Maturity” by Al Mohler
• “Theology is for the Humble” by Brandon D. Smith

¹Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8-10; Acts 15; Eph. 2:11-22, 4:1-32, Phil. 4:1-9; Jas. 2:1-13; Col. 3:11-17; Tit. 3:1-11

The goal of this article is to help us clarify what kind of preaching we expect to hear in the pulpit each week at Grace Bible Church. At Grace Bible, we aim to be both gracious and biblical. This leads us to drawing hard lines on matters of sermon substance while recognizing a both/and continuum on matters of sermon style.

No two preachers are the same, but all must preach from the same book. Grace Bible Church believes firmly in the inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of the Bible and this belief has led us to value expositional (or exegetical) preaching. Within biblical, evangelical Christianity there are numerous definitions of expositional preaching.¹ Some definitions are broader and leave room for stylistic differences whereas some definitions are narrower and delineate stylistic preferences, but the main thrust of expositional preaching boils down to this: it is preaching that derives its authority from God’s Word.

This happens when a preacher is devoted to using exegesis (pulling out the meaning of a text) in the study rather than eisegesis (reading one’s own ideas into the meaning of the text). Exegesis is important because the Bible commands pastors not to preach just anything, but to “preach the Word” (2 Tim 4:2) and to “give the sense” of the authoritative text (Neh. 8:8, 2 Tim 3:16-17). It is clear that our sermon substance must derive its authority from the Bible through exegesis. Thus, we draw hard lines on matters of sermon substance, and in this first chart below only the “Expositional Preaching” category is acceptable.

  

But what does expositional preaching look like practically? Answering this question brings us to matters of sermon style. Some would suggest that practically it looks like Paul’s style of preaching. Others might suggest that it looks like Peter’s preaching. Still others might suggest that James was the model preacher. So, who should our preachers outline like? Who should our preachers dress like? Who should our preachers sound like? Paul, Peter, or James – or maybe John? Although the Bible is clear about sermon substance, it intentionally leaves room for differences in sermon style.

So, what style of sermon can we expect to hear at Grace Bible Church? To answer that question, I have compiled a number of different categories from books on preaching and then paired these categories into what can often be seen as either/or differences. But since we are talking about sermon style here, none of these paired categories exist as true either/or dichotomies but instead function along a both/and continuum. In the chart below, both left and right categories are acceptable. However, somewhere in between these two categories is where we aim our stylistic focus at Grace Bible. First, glance at the chart, then keep reading for an explanation of the categories and our church’s focus in each pairing.

One Main Passage and Multiple Main Passages
Sermons from one main passage of Scripture and sermons from multiple main passages of Scripture can both be exegetical (deriving their authority from the Bible through exegesis). There are times when a sermon can be preached best by using multiple main passages. However, at Grace Bible you can generally expect to hear a sermon preached verse by verse through one main passage.

Book Series and Topical Series
Regularly preaching through books of the Bible (verse by verse) can add extra emphasis to the context of a passage and helps preachers to engage the whole counsel of God. Likewise, a topical sermon series can be beneficial in addressing specific needs in a church community, specific seasons like advent, and specific matters of theology. Thus, at Grace we preach through books of the Bible regularly while also preaching through topics intentionally.

Knowledge and Life Application
Paul says that he wrote Romans, arguably the most theological book of the Bible, in order to bring about “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5) – theological knowledge and obedient life application should always go together. Knowledge of the ancient Words and contemporary application of them must be combined.

The Results of Exegesis and The Work of Exegesis
In math class there are some assignments where you simply give the right answer and there are other assignments where you have to get the right answer and show your work. In preaching, we have established that the “right answer” (a good sermon) always results from the work of exegesis (the work the pastor does in the study, parsing Greek verbs, working the passage out in its historical, grammatical context, etc.). Thus, the results of exegesis are shared in every sermon. Often it is also helpful for the pastor to intentionally share parts of the work behind that right answer to further support a point or teach the congregation further about the exegetical process.

Believer and Unbeliever
Sunday morning services should be for believers, and that is our emphasis at Grace Bible. However, we ought to be prayerfully and intentionally mindful of unbelievers in the room as we aim to make both more and better disciples (Eph 4:11-12, 1 Cor 14:24-25).

Encouragement and Rebuke
These categories have to do with the tone of the preacher. These are not the only two needed tones, but it is helpful to note that preachers are called both to encourage and to rebuke, to instruct and to correct, to “comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable” (Rom 15:4, 2 Tim 4:2).

Humble and Authoritative
Dealing with tone again, the pastor should preach from both the authority of the Word and the humility of being human (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Cor 12:7). As G.K. Chesterton put it, “A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth.”

Hopefully these charts can aide us as a church in being clear about sermon substance and being mindful of our general focus in sermon style, all while leaving room for the different personalities and stylistic nuances that God allows in different preachers (1 Corinthians 1:12-13).

I encourage you to review the charts below one more time, praying that God would prepare your heart to eagerly receive his Word whenever you hear it preached, since his Word is "more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:10).

Singing around other people can be awkward. I think of the movie Elf when Buddy the Elf, in the middle of a busy shopping center, interrupts everyone by singing out: “I’m in a store and I’m singing” – awkward. This Sunday, Pastor Dave taught that “God’s Love Demands Our Best in Worship.” He called out the fact that on Sunday mornings some of us sing with our throats but not our hearts – and others of us don’t even sing with our throats! Awkward. So today I want to remind us of four reasons why each of us should sing from the heart with the throat on Sundays.

Did you know that babies get their vocal cords in the womb around 12 weeks?¹ I’ve been amazed recently to hear my 18-month-old son already singing along with his little vocal cords – we were created to sing! Psalm 98:4 tells us that God’s plan for the whole earth to fulfill its purpose of glorifying God and enjoying him forever involves singing. You may not have been created to sing lead at the Sydney Opera House (I know I wasn’t), but you were created by God to sing!

There are over 50 commands to sing in the Bible (e.g., Ps 96:1, Jas 5:13). Often the commands are to sing publicly with the congregation (Ps 30:4, Col 3:16, Eph 5:19), and what God commands us is always for our good (Deut 6:24). So, just as regular participation in Bible study and prayer are necessary for our spiritual growth as Christians, so regular participation in congregational singing is necessary as well.

Do you love the Bible? Then naturally, you should love to sing! Colossians 3:16 says that part of “letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly” is “singing songs” to one another “with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Conversely, if at any point you do not love to sing from a thankful heart, then you have good biblical grounds to question whether or not the Word of Christ is dwelling in you richly. If we are to be known as Grace Bible Church, we ought to be known for our singing!

Many Sundays in church growing up, my family would sit right in front of a horrible (and horribly loud) singer. But somehow, the way this individual sang helped me recognize that God was real. Likewise, I remember one Sunday where I was not getting into a particular song until my dad raised one hand in worship – and seeing his worship inspired me to worship. The church needs you to sing, which is why Ephesians 5:19 commands each of us to “address one another” in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”

Maybe singing is awkward for you. Maybe you are timid about becoming fully engaged in worship. I hope these four reasons encourage and challenge you to open your heart and your throat to worship God this Sunday with the congregation. God gave his Son for us on a cross. May we give our best to him in worship.

Lord, I choose to worship and serve you today. I come into the presence of the Father, of Jesus Christ the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 13:14) by your prompting and at your invitation (Heb 4:16, Jn 6:37, 43). 

Along with the command of Jesus, I declare: “Away from me, satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only (Matt 4:10).”

I proclaim my only access to your throne is through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose shed blood has paid all the debt for my sins (1 Jn 2:2). In and of myself, I could never earn a right to go to heaven, or to enter your holy presence (Isa 64:6; Eph 2:8-9).

Jesus Christ is my Savior, my Lord, my God, and my Friend (Titus 3:3-8, Phil 2:8-11, Jn 20:26-29, Jn 15:11- 16).

Thank you, Lord, for sending the Holy Spirit. He has sealed, secured, and adopted me into the Father’s forever family (Eph 1:13-14, Rom 8:11,15-17, 38-39). Thank you, Lord, for the exaltation of the Lord Jesus by your Spirit (Jn 16:14), teaching me biblical and spiritual truth (1 Cor 2:10-14, Jn 14:26) and bringing me counsel and comfort (Jn 14:16-17, Jas 1:5, Isa 11:2).

Father, you are holy (Matt 6:9). You speak tenderly to my heart and welcome my embrace (Lk 15:11-32, Matt 6:5-8). Like your Son, the Lord Jesus, I long to bring you glory (Phil 2:11, Jn 8:29, Isa 42:8, 43:10-15).

Lord, I know I cannot find fulfillment unless I am rightly connected with you and experience your life flowing in and through me (Jn 10:10, Deut 30:11-20, Eph 5:18, Gal 5:16-25). So right now, I choose worship. I give you all of me (Rom 12:1-2). I love you, Lord, and want to serve you, your people, and your Kingdom purposes (Mk 12:28-34, 1 Pet 4:10-12, Matt 6:10).

I stand opposed to all that is unjust and unrighteous (Jer 9:23-24, Micah 6:8, Mt 6:33), choosing to make a positive difference in this dark world (Eph 5:8-14, 1 Pet 1:13-16, Matt 5:12-16).

I stand opposed to all satanic and demonic influences (Eph 6:10-20, 1 Jn 3:8). I know that satan is against me and against all Church and Kingdom growth. I accept my role as a warrior in this war (Rev 12:7-17, 1 Jn 5:18-20, Jn 17:15-18, Mt 16:18, Col 1:13).

In the name and authority of Jesus Christ who has died for sin and risen in power, in the name of Jesus who is seated in the heavenly places far above all principalities and rulers and every name that is named in this age and in the age to come, I rebuke you, satan (Jude 9, Col 2:15, Eph 1:20-22, Heb 1:1- 4, Isa 14:12-14). In the name of Jesus, I command any and all minions of hell who have targeted me, my family (name family members), my church family (here name particular church pastors and leaders), and those within my circle of influence (may name relatives, friends, co-workers, missionaries, Kingdom projects), to leave us alone today. You cannot touch us spiritually, emotionally, mentally, or physically, for I claim us for the purposes of Jesus Christ.

Only the Holy Spirit sent from on high has permission to influence me and those I have named today. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Josh 24:14-15, 1 Cor 6:19-20, 1 Pet 5:8-9, Jas 4:7, Eph 2:6, Lk 10:17-20).

Lord God, I want to be close to you (Ps 63:8, 42:1, Jn 15:1-12). I ask you to reveal all sin (what I have done and what I should have done — commission and omission) and shortcomings, that I might confess, turn from, change my actions, and lean into grace, all the while thanking you for the precious shed blood of Jesus (Ps 139:23-24, Ps 51:1-19, Rom 3:23, Jas 4:1-12, 1 Jn 1:5-10). (Pause and do this.)

Lord, I reject lies about my worth and my value; for you have declared me to be holy, “a glorious one” in whom you are delighted (Ps 16:3, Phil 2:15; Zech 3:1-5). Empower me today to “act like I am,” which is to live joyfully connected with you, celebrating who it is you say I am, “created in holiness and righteousness of the truth” (Eph 4:22-24, 1 Cor 1:2, 1 Jn 1:3-4). I want my life, from the inside out, to demonstrate that I love Jesus.

Lord, I humbly ask “that I might know you better.” I pray that the eyes of my heart might be enlightened so that I may know the hope to which God has called me, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power toward us who believe.

Out of your glorious riches, strengthen me and those in our church with power through your Spirit in the inner being. As Christ dwells in our hearts, by faith may we grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. May we know this love that surpasses knowledge – that we may be filled to the measure of the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever” (Eph 1:17-19, 3:16-20)!

Lord, I know this world will pull my heartstrings toward settling for less than true fulfillment. I know the evil one wants to take me down (and out). Grant me the discipline to pour biblical truth, spiritual insights, and true fulfillment into my soul. As Solomon taught, “Above all else, guard your heart; for from it flows the wellspring of life” (Prov 4:23, Prov 14:12, Ps 16:11, 1 Jn 2:15-17, Jn 17:14, Heb 12:1-13, Jn 10:1- 30).

May I devote myself to the practices you have instructed, modeled at the birth of the New Testament Church — Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, Service, and Outreach (Acts 2:42-47).

Grant that I may be part of your “intent that now, through the Grace Bible Church family, the manifold wisdom of God might be made known...” (Eph 3:10). I will “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3). O God, I long for my life and the lives of all of us at Grace Bible Church to make a Kingdom impact, communicating that we’ve been eternally transformed by a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

By your intentional grace, may we be found pleasing to God. May we be found extending encouraging grace to others. May we be found living out and talking about the saving Gospel of Jesus to those who have yet to find Him.

“Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Heb 12:28).

In and through the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Pastor Dave Groleau

Over the course of the last four articles, we have examined why good theology matters. Good theology matters because it provides a true knowledge and understanding of God, his creation, and his plans for us. Good theology matters because it allows us to apply Scripture to all areas of our lives. Good theology matters because it provides certainty, grounding, and hope in our uncertain times. Good theology matters because it produces several spiritual fruits in the lives of genuine believers.

Based on Moses’ encounter with God in Exodus 34:5–9, we have discovered four spiritual fruits produced by good theology. First, we learned that good theology always leads us to Scripture. Second, we brought to light that good theology should lead us to humility. Third, we recognized that good theology not only leads us to worship but teaches us how to worship. Fourth, we saw that good theology leads us to dependence and trust in God as evidenced by prayer. In this final article, we will see the fifth spiritual fruit of good theology; that is, good theology leads us to repentance.

God revealed all his goodness and proclaimed his covenantal name to Moses on Mount Sinai. Moses humbled himself and worshiped the Lord in response. Moses then offered a prayer of dependence and trust in God. In his prayer, Moses responded to the revelation of God’s mercy, grace, longsuffering, and justice by acknowledging the need for repentance: “And pardon our iniquity and our sin” (Exodus 34:9). As God’s appointed leader over Israel, Moses repented not only for his own personal sin but also for the sin of the people.

Repentance is defined in Scripture as turning away from sin and turning toward God in love and obedience (Acts 26:20). As such, calls to repentance are found throughout the Old and New Testaments. Noah’s message from the steps going up to the ark was not, “Something good is going to happen to you!” Amos was not confronted by the high priest of Israel for proclaiming, “Confession is possession!” Jeremiah was not put into the pit for preaching, “I’m O.K., you’re O.K.!” John the Baptist was not forced to preach in the wilderness and eventually beheaded because he preached, “Smile, God loves you!” The two prophets of the tribulation will not be killed for preaching, “God is in his heaven and all is right with the world!” Instead, what was the message of all these men of God?

Repent!

Good theology teaches us that biblical repentance comes only after we recognize God’s holy standards and acknowledge our inability and failure to keep them in thought, word, and deed. In fact, one of the purposes of God’s Law is to define sin and thereby to expose our sinfulness (Romans 3:20; 4:15; 5:20a; 7:7; Galatians 3:19).

Besides acknowledging our sinfulness, we must also admit that every sin we commit is a sin committed against God. For example, when the prophet Nathan confronted David for committing adultery with Bathsheba and killing her husband, David admitted, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13). David also reflects on his sin with Bathsheba in Psalm 51:4 by confessing to God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” When the lost son finally comes to himself in Jesus’ parable (Luke 15:11–32), he goes back to his father and acknowledges, “I have sinned against heaven and before you” (Luke 15:21). Finally, Paul admonishes the proud Corinthian believers in 1 Corinthians 8 that when they blatantly and unlovingly exercise their Christian liberty they not only sin against their brothers but they also sin against Christ (1 Corinthians 8:9–13). Consequently, biblical repentance requires that we come face to face with the entire reality and scope of our sin.

Good theology also instructs us that biblical repentance is more than just feelings of regret or a fear of consequences. Biblical repentance requires a change of heart, or a change in our thinking, emotions, and will regarding our sin (Acts 3:19; 26:20). Biblical repentance begins when we change our view of sin to align with how God views sin. Instead of coddling, justifying, or downplaying our sin, we begin to understand how much it defiles us. Because we understand how our sin defiles us, we also change our feelings and attitudes regarding sin. We begin to hate our sin and develop what the Bible describes as “godly sorrow” when we do sin (2 Corinthians 7:9, 10).

With our thinking and emotions about sin aligned with Scripture, we next choose to turn away from our sin and to avoid the situations that tempt us to sin. As Proverbs 7 teaches, we not only avoid the adulteress but we also avoid the street where she lives. These inner changes of heart regarding sin—changes in our thinking, emotions, and will—will lead to outer changes of life. In other words, biblical repentance will lead to genuine life change.

Finally, good theology leads us to the realization that biblical repentance requires more than offering an apology or saying, “I’m sorry.” Biblical repentance requires confession of our sin (Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9). Confession involves personal recognition of guilt and liability and formal admission of this to God and to others whom we have wronged. This type of confession to God is modelled for us in Psalm 51, Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9, and Daniel 9. Interpersonal confession is modelled for us by the lost son when he confesses his sin against his father (Luke 15:21). When biblical repentance is accompanied with confession, this leads next to asking forgiveness from God and others whom we have sinned against.

Please recognize that offering an apology or saying, “I’m sorry” when you sin is not the same as biblical repentance, confession, and asking for forgiveness. An apology is an inadequate, humanistic substitute for the real thing. Nowhere do the Scriptures require, encourage, or allow apologizing. As Jay Adams has written, “To say ‘I’m sorry’ is a human dodge for doing what God has commanded.” Therefore, good theology leads to biblical repentance, confession, and asking for forgiveness; it does not lead to offering an apology or saying, “I’m sorry.”

Church, good theology matters. As we learned from Moses’ encounter with God, good theology leads us to God’s Word. Good theology humbles us. Good theology guides us in our worship of God. Good theology increases our dependence and trust in God through prayer. And, good theology teaches us the necessity and characteristics of biblical repentance. Everyone is a theologian. However, not everyone believes and practices good theology. Which will you choose?

**The views and opinions expressed by the author may not necessarily reflect the views of the elder board of Grace Bible Church or the official position of Grace Bible Church.

Why does theology matter? Over the course of the last three articles, we have argued that theology matters because everyone is a theologian. Everyone, even an atheist, has a particular understanding and knowledge about God. This knowledge not only determines what we believe about God, his creation, and his plans for us, but it also determines how we worship God. For this reason, A.W. Tozer writes in his book, Knowledge of the Holy, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Good theology is not only a disciplined study of God, but it is also the application of Scripture to all areas of our lives. Without either diligent study or purposeful application, our theology will be fruitless (2 Peter 1:3–8). If we rely on popular conceptions of God instead of engaging in a disciplined study of God, we will lack certainty, grounding, and hope. If our increased understanding and knowledge of God only makes us theological curmudgeons, we’ve missed the point of theology entirely (Colossians 1:9–10).

On the other hand, good theology will produce spiritual fruits in our lives. We’ve already seen three fruits of good theology based on our study of Exodus 34:5–9. In this passage, God revealed all his goodness to Moses and proclaimed his covenantal name. Moses’ response to God’s revelation is instructive for how we too should respond as we become more intimately acquainted with God. Moses teaches us that good theology begins with God’s revealed Word and therefore leads us to Scripture. Moses also teaches us in verse eight that good theology leads us to both humility and worship. Next, Moses teaches us in verse nine that good theology leads us to prayer. This is the fourth fruit of good theology.

After humbling himself and worshiping, Moses responds to God in prayer: “And he said, ‘If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance’ (Exodus 34:9).” Notice how Moses makes three petitions to God.

First, he prays for God’s presence: “please let the Lord go in the midst of us.” Moses understood that the Lord’s presence meant blessing for his people while his absence meant a broken spiritual relationship with his people and coming judgment. Second, Moses prays for God’s pardon: “pardon our iniquity and our sin.” Moses sought the Lord’s forgiveness for the people’s idolatry as well as for their penchant for stubbornness (“it is a stiff-necked people”). Third, he prays for God’s protection: “take us for your inheritance.” In referencing Israel as God’s inheritance, Moses is asking for the Lord’s favor and protection for Israel as Yahweh’s son (Exodus 4:23).

From Moses’ prayer, we learn two primary lessons about good theology and prayer. First, good theology leads us to prayer because good theology teaches us that we are completely dependent upon the Lord. Psalm 123 poignantly expresses the psalmist’s complete dependence upon God:

To you I lift up my eyes,
          O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants
          look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
          to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
          till he has mercy upon us (Psalm 123:1–3).

Like the psalmist, we are completely dependent upon God for his mercy. We are also dependent upon God in other areas of our life.

We often lack understanding and wisdom. God is omniscient and all-wise. That is why James calls us to pray to God for wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5 ESV).

Our hearts are idol factories, and we are continually tempted to sin. That is why Jesus teaches his disciples to ask God, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13). Jesus also tells Peter in Gethsemane, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

As Job writes, all of us are “born to trouble as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). That is why the Psalms repeatedly encourage us to take our cares, concerns, and distress to the Lord (Psalms 40, 77, 118).

Good theology leads us to prayer because prayer acknowledges our dependence on the Lord.

Second, good theology leads us to prayer because good theology teaches us that we can completely trust in the Lord’s promises.

When the Lord revealed himself to Moses in Exodus 34:7, he described himself as “forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Moses takes God at his word two verses later when Moses prays, “pardon our iniquity and our sin.” In other words, Moses trusted in the Lord’s character and promises, and Moses’ prayer reflects his trust in the Lord.

Nehemiah provides another example of someone whose good theology led him to prayer. While serving as Artaxerxes’ cupbearer, he received heartbreaking news about the Jewish remnant and the dilapidated state of Jerusalem. Nehemiah knew and understood that God was the “Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love” (Nehemiah 1:5). Because of his good theology, he immediately fasted and prayed to God and acknowledged his complete dependence on the Lord.

But, also notice in his prayer how Nehemiah demonstrates his trust in the Lord (Nehemiah 1:8–9). Nehemiah reminds God of his covenantal promises to Moses. By doing this, Nehemiah expresses his trust in God’s promises to restore and regather the repentant nation. Nehemiah was intimately acquainted with God, and his good theology led him to pray in complete dependence on and trust in the Lord.

Church, good theology matters. Our Lord practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth (Jeremiah 9:24–25). He is faithful to all his promises and worthy of our trust (Numbers 23:19). This understanding of God should ignite and fuel a fervent prayer life and give us great confidence that our God will supply what we need and will do what he promised. Good theology leads us to prayer because prayer acknowledges our dependence on the Lord and demonstrates our trust in him.

I recently preached a sermon from Luke 10:25–37. This is the familiar encounter Jesus has with an expert in the Mosaic law that leads to the Good Samaritan parable. The first part of this passage addresses the lawyer’s first question, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” The second part addresses the lawyer’s second question, “And who is my neighbor?”

In the first part of the passage (Luke 10:25–28), Jesus responds to the lawyer’s initial question by pointing him back to the Torah: “What is written in the Law?” The lawyer then quotes from Deuteronomy 6:5 on one’s duty to love God and from Leviticus 19:18 on one’s duty to love his neighbor. Instead of rejecting the lawyer’s answer as legalism, Jesus actually affirms his answer and commands him, “Do this, and you will live.” In other words, Jesus affirms that one way to inherit eternal life is to keep the Law.

Of course, the key to understanding Jesus’ command is to realize that in order to inherit eternal life by keeping the law, you have to love God and your neighbor perfectly and continually. The fact is, none of us are able to do that. Thus, the 82nd question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism:

Q: Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
A: No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

Because we are unable to keep God’s law perfectly and continually, we must humble ourselves and admit we are sinners who deserve eternal wrath instead of eternal life (Romans 3:23; 6:23). We must turn from our sin and place our faith and trust in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; 3:19). Not by keeping God’s law but by believing in God’s son—by grace through faith—can we receive everlasting life (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8–9).

This is the gospel.

The expert in the law recognized he was unable to love his neighbor as the law required. However, instead of admitting he was a sinner who needed God’s grace and forgiveness, he sought to loosen the demands of the Law by narrowly defining who his neighbor was. “And who is my neighbor?” he asked Jesus. You see, rabbinical teaching during this time taught that one’s neighbor could be narrowly defined as a fellow observant Jew. Tax collectors, gentiles, and especially Samaritans were excluded.

By narrowing the definition of his neighbor, the lawyer sought to appear as though he was keeping God’s Law. That is why Luke prefaces the lawyer’s second question with the narratorial insight, “But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus…” (Luke 10:29a). We, like this first-century attorney, often respond to the imperatives of Scripture in the same way: “Jesus, what is the least I can do and still be a considered a ‘good Christian’?”

In response to the lawyer’s second question and his attempt to redefine who qualifies as his neighbor, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37). Jesus makes it clear in this parable that our neighbor is anyone around us, regardless of their ethnic, religious, or socio-economic status. Further, Jesus highlights four actions that practically demonstrate love for our neighbor:

First, Jesus highlights in verse 30 that loving our neighbor means we must acknowledge the realities of our broken, sin-cursed world and their effect on our neighbor. As Christians, we cannot stay cloistered in our rural or suburban bubbles and believe that our urban, poor, or minority neighbor experiences life like we do. We cannot pretend that the sins of past and present prejudice and racism don’t have generational impacts on our black, Latino, or Native American neighbor. We also need to recognize that our poor or black neighbor often has a different experience with the police and justice system than we do.

Second, Jesus highlights in verses 31–32 that loving our neighbor means we must expose the emptiness of religious belief that lacks practical love for others. Look, we can profess we believe the gospel, we can regularly go to church, and even evangelize the lost; but, Scripture is clear that all of that is just vanity and meaningless noise if we’re not living out the gospel by loving our neighbor in practical ways. When our neighbor is hurt, we need to bind her wounds. When our neighbor is hungry, we need to feed him and, where appropriate, teach him to feed himself. When our neighbor is oppressed or experiencing injustice, we need to seek justice and righteousness for our neighbor.

Third, Jesus highlights in verse 33 that loving our neighbor means we must challenge and reject the prejudice that exists in our own hearts and in our society against our neighbor. In Jesus’ day, there was open animosity between Jews and Samaritans. Samaritans were half-breeds and religious compromisers. Samaritans were “unclean,” and Jews were forbidden to eat with them or step foot in their homes. In fact, many Jews who travelled in Palestine purposely avoided traveling through Samaria. When we think about our urban, poor, or minority neighbor, what immediately comes to mind? “They’re lazy.” “They lack personal responsibility.” “They’re just getting what they deserve.”

Or, worse.

Brothers and Sisters, Scripture tells us we need to challenge and reject this kind of thinking. To truly love our neighbor means we must believe the best about our neighbor and reject the stereotypes and generalizations that either we’ve been told or we believe about our neighbor.

Fourth, Jesus highlights in verses 34–35 that loving our neighbor means we must be willing to sacrifice our own time, money, and convenience for the betterment of the poor, helpless, and oppressed. If we are going to love our neighbor as ourselves, we need to get out our pocketbooks, get our hands dirty, and sacrifice some of the comforts of our suburban or rural life to meet the real needs of our urban, poor, or minority neighbor. As James writes, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15–16) In other words, Christians are commanded to do more for our neighbor than offer cheap talk and well wishes.

These four actions demonstrate love and mercy to the helpless, poor, and oppressed, and they are practical ways we can love our neighbor as ourselves. With that, Jesus ends his teaching in verse 37 with an emphatic command: “You go, and do likewise.” Jesus didn’t give a vague command to a nameless throng of his disciples. Jesus commanded this specific lawyer to love his neighbor by showing mercy. By implication, each of us individually are commanded to love our neighbor. It’s a responsibility that each individual believer bears, not just the church in general.

Church, this teaching shouldn’t be controversial with believers in our congregation. In fact, this teaching is found elsewhere in Scripture, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. For example, Both James and John address the need for Christians to demonstrate love to their neighbors in practical ways (James 1:27; 2:15–17; 1 John 4:20–21). Both of these men even double down on their exhortation and state that professing Christians who fail to love their neighbor in practical ways are most likely not genuine believers.

Believing in the gospel should always lead to living out the gospel. When our lives don’t reflect the realities of the gospel, something is wrong. Based on what we read in Scripture, the gospel has tremendous implications for how we as Christians love our neighbor and respond to prejudice, oppression, and racial reconciliation in our current cultural context.

What this looks like will be different for each believer and congregation. There will be differences of opinion as to the strategies and tactics that each believer and church should employ to address these issues. In some cases, believers and churches should work to alleviate the hurt, that is, to treat the consequences of poverty, prejudice, racism, and oppression. This may involve volunteering, donating, tutoring, or leaning into hard conversations with our neighbor. In other cases, believers and churches should act to directly address poverty, prejudice, racism, and oppression. This may involve peaceful protesting, contacting politicians, mentoring, and confronting prejudice within our own circles. What we chose to do requires wisdom and discernment. But, do something we must.

This is the gospel.

Good theology matters. Theology matters because it teaches us about God and applies Scripture to all areas of our lives. Theology anchors our souls to the firm foundation of God’s Word, and it produces spiritual fruit in our lives.

In our last article, we examined two specific fruits that come from good theology. Based on a study of Moses’ encounter with God in Exodus 34, we saw first that good theology leads us to Scripture. When we begin a disciplined study of God, we by necessity become students of God’s Word. Second, we saw that good theology leads us to humility toward God and others. The more we know and understand God, the more we should cultivate humility in our lives. Continuing in Exodus 34:8, we next see that the third fruit of good theology is worship: “Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.”

Moses worshiped the Lord on Mount Sinai in response to the Lord’s revelation of all his goodness and the proclamation of his name. When we engage in a disciplined study of God, we become intimately acquainted with God’s character, his divine attributes, his redemptive plan, and his dealings with humanity throughout redemptive history. This knowledge and understanding of God should produce an overwhelming desire in our soul to worship the Lord for who he is and for what he has done. Like David, our souls should cry out,

I will bless the LORD at all times;
          his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
          let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
          and let us exalt his name together (Psalm 34:1-3)!

Good theology leads to doxology.

This principle is demonstrated throughout Scripture. In the midst of Job’s sorrow and suffering, his understanding and knowledge of God led him to worship the Lord (Job 1:20–21). Moses and the children of Israel worshiped the Lord in song in Exodus 15 after they saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians. David wrote psalms of thanksgiving and praise after experiencing God’s deliverance, grace, and forgiveness. Worship was the heart cry of Jeremiah, even as he lamented the destruction of Jerusalem (Lamentations 3:22–24). Nebuchadnezzar worshiped the Most High after God staged an intervention in the proud Babylonian king’s life (Daniel 4:34–37). Upon seeing Jesus as a child, the magi fell down and worshiped him (Matthew 2:11). Each time Jesus revealed more about himself to his disciples, they responded with worship (Matthew 14:33; 28:9; Luke 24:51–52). A deeper understanding and knowledge of God leads us to worship.

The Apostle Paul also models this principle for us in Romans. After writing eleven chapters on how the gospel is the power of God for salvation, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles, Paul concludes chapter eleven with this hymn of praise to God:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
          or who has been his counselor?"
"Or who has given a gift to him
          that he might be repaid?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33–36).

This connection between theology and worship did not escape John Calvin. In the first book of the Institutes he writes,

The knowledge of God, which is set before us in the Scriptures, is designed for the same purpose as that which shines in creation, viz., that we may thereby learn to worship him with perfect integrity of heart and unfeigned obedience, and also to depend entirely on his goodness.

In describing how our worship of God should be informed by good theology, H.B. Charles Jr., pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church, comments, “As we rejoice, our worship should not be an emotional response to man-centered entertainment masquerading as worship. As we rejoice, we should recognize the holiness and the sovereignty and the majesty of Almighty God.”

Don’t miss what these men are saying. Good theology not only leads us to worship, but good theology also teaches us how to worship. That was also the point Jesus made to the Samaritan woman:

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:22–24).

Church, good theology matters. Good theology is the key that unlocks true worship of God. It fascinates me when I meet professing Christians who claim to have a great understanding of Scripture and theology, but who engage in corporate worship like curmudgeons. The same is true for professed theologians who spend their time during corporate worship nitpicking the song selection, the instrumentation, the sound volume, or the singer’s voice rather than actually spending their time worshiping the Lord. I know these people personally. Sometimes, one of them is me.

Here’s a challenge to all of us, but especially to those of us who can be crusty curmudgeons or nasty nitpickers: this week, read and meditate on Psalm 103 and Psalm 104. In these psalms, David enjoins his soul to bless the Lord for who he is and for all he has done. When you and I are tempted to grump and complain about something we don’t like, let us instead enjoin our souls to bless the Lord and forget not all his benefits.

"I can't breath." These were the last words of an African American man, a fellow image-bearer of God, before he was killed at the hands of Minnesota police officers. His name was George Floyd. Since his death, the world has erupted into chaos. Peaceful protests quickly turned into deadly and violent riots. Store owners have lost their livelihood. Innocent people have been injured. Some have even lost their lives. Division and racial tension continue to plague our country, our cities, and our neighborhoods. 

For some, recent events are nothing more than a political ploy, an opportunity to push an agenda and seize power for personal gain. For others, the news of George Floyd's death came in a long line of injustices served at the hands of organizations designed to serve and protect. Church, let's make one thing clear. Racism, or injustice of any form, is not merely a social justice, political, personal, or ideological issue. Racism is a gospel issue.

At the heart of the cross stood a division of cosmic proportions: sinful man separated from a holy God. And yet, Christ in his wisdom, mercy, and love, brought worlds that stood infinitely apart together through the shedding of his blood. Christ is the ultimate example of reconciliation and peace. Paul notes this in Colossians 1:20 as he says, "[Christ] reconciled to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross." 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is one of reconciliation and unity, a "pulling together" of people that are equally diverse and undeserving. When viewing recent events through this proper gospel lens, it becomes clear that racism is far more than simply men wronging other fellow men. It is a direct assault on the gospel itself and the unity it provides in Christ. The Bible tells us that Christ, along with his followers, have an "adversary," someone who "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). 

What better way to discredit the legitimacy and harmony that the gospel provides than to send the world into a divided and hostile frenzy over racism? The gospel pulls together. Racism pulls apart. The gospel creates and promotes unity. Racism creates and promotes disunity. The gospel makes all "one in Christ" (Galatians 3:28). Racism inappropriately distinguishes and elevates from the oneness that is found in Christ. 

The "adversary" Peter refers to is systematically, methodically, and intentionally working to reverse the life-transforming effects the gospel is meant to have on this broken world. Racism is but a tool in his tool belt to accomplish just that. Church, the fight against racism is a fight for the gospel...the life-transforming, eternity-securing, worship-inspiring gospel. 

As Christians, it is our responsibility to be "salt and light" of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). That means it is our job to promote what God promotes and "fight" for what God fights for. And the gospel makes it clear. God fought for sinners of all nations, tongues, and cultures. He fought for reconciliation. He fought for unity. And He did it by sending His Son, His only Son, to die on a cross for those who were considered His enemies. 

So, as you continue to think and process through everything that is going on in the world, remember what is at stake. The enemy is seeking to undermine and discredit what Christ did on the cross. The gospel is a message about unity, peace, and reconciliation. It is a message that our world desperately needs to hear. May God grant ears to hear and eyes to see the beauties and glories of the gospel that reconciles sinful man to a holy God. 

In my last article, I wrote about why good theology matters. Theology matters because it allows us to know and understand God, his creation, and his plans for us. Theology not only teaches us about God, but it also applies Scripture to all areas of our lives. As a result, theology provides certainty, grounding, and hope in our uncertain times.

In this second article, I wish to begin to explore what good theology does. When we begin a disciplined study of God, what spiritual fruit should begin to develop in our life? To explore the fruit of good theology, let us examine Moses’ encounter with God on Mount Sinai in Exodus 34.

Before we examine Exodus 34, we need to understand the context preceding it. The Lord had led the children of Israel out of Egypt and had brought them to the foot of Mount Sinai. The Lord made a covenant with the people there and delivered the law to Moses. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law, the people broke their covenant with the Lord and created and worshipped a golden calf (Exodus 32).

Because of the people’s idolatry, the Lord became angry and desired to consume them in his wrath. In response, Moses interceded for the people and came down the mountain to confront their great sin. After the Lord sent a plague on the people, he commanded Moses to lead the people away from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land.

Moses, however, did not want to begin the journey to the Promised Land without the presence of the Lord. Moses asked the Lord to “show me now your ways, that I may know you” (Exodus 33:13). Because Moses found favor in the sight of the Lord, the Lord promised Moses that he would “make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord’” (Exodus 33:19).

In Exodus 34, then, the Lord reveals himself to Moses. After learning about God’s ways and his glory, Moses responds beginning in verse eight with humility, worship, prayer, and repentance. What, then, does Exodus 34 teach us about good theology?

When we begin our disciplined study of God, we by necessity become students of God’s Word. God does reveal his existence, character, and moral law in nature (Psalm 19:1–5; Romans 1:19–20), history (Job 12:23; Daniel 2:20–21), and human conscience (Romans 2:11–16). This is known as general or natural revelation. General revelation communicates just enough about God to condemn us for our sinfulness and rejection of God. However, it does not communicate redemptive truth and is thereby insufficient for our salvation.

Divine or special revelation, on the other hand, is the primary means by which God personally reveals to us both himself and his redemptive plan. Divine revelation is initiated by God the Father (Deuteronomy 29:29), revealed through God the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10), and personified in God the Son (Hebrews 1:1–3). Today, God reveals himself to his church in his Word. Good theology, therefore, always leads us to Scripture.

So, what does God reveal about himself and his redemptive plan to Moses in Exodus 34? We learn in verse six that God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” In verse seven, we learn that God keeps steadfast love, he forgives our wickedness, rebellion, and sin, but he will not exonerate the unrepentant sinner. If we had time, we could unpack each of these revealed characteristics of God. However, our focus now is on how Moses responds to this revelation. Moses just had a personal encounter with God and a doctoral course in theology. What did this knowledge and understanding of God produce in Moses’ life?

After the Lord revealed his ways and his glory to Moses, Scripture records that, “Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth” (Exodus 34:8a). Moses humbled himself before the Lord. Humility and reverent fear are the same responses found throughout Scripture when men and women encounter the Lord.

The prophet Isaiah had a similar encounter with God. His response to the vision and proclamation of God’s holiness in Isaiah chapter six was to humble and curse himself because of his sinfulness: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). These responses of “dread and amazement,” as Calvin describes them in the Institutes, occurred to all those in Scripture who beheld the presence of God.

In the same way, when we begin a disciplined study of God, one of the first fruits of our study should be a profound recognition of God’s holiness and majesty and of our own complete sinfulness. This recognition should, at the very least, humble us. Good theology, therefore, leads us to humility toward God.

Good theology also leads us to humility toward others. I know from first-hand experience how easy it is to become puffed up with pride when our knowledge and understanding of God increases. After studying through my first systematic theology in my twenties, I thought I knew more theology and Bible doctrine than almost everyone at my church including my pastor. I made sure everyone knew that I was now a serious theologian, able in a single bound to untie the knottiest theological issues. I may have been a serious theologian, but I was definitely not a good theologian. Good theology leads us to humility toward others, not pride.

Wayne Grudem, in his Systematic Theology, says it best:

In our study and understanding of theology, it would be very easy to adopt an attitude of pride or superiority toward others who have not made such a study. But how ugly it would be if anyone were to use this knowledge of God’s Word simply to win arguments or to put down a fellow Christian in conversation, or to make another believer feel insignificant in the Lord’s work…. Systematic theology rightly studied will not lead to the knowledge that “puffs up” (1 Corinthians 8:1) but to humility and love for others.

When we begin a disciplined study of God, what spiritual fruit should begin to develop in our life? Good theology leads us to Scripture, and it leads us to humility toward God and others. In my subsequent articles, we will explore the next three fruits of good theology: worship, prayer, and repentance.

During this time of physical, emotional, and social uncertainty, we can benefit from the certain truths found in God’s Word. These biblical truths form the foundation of what we know about God, his creation, and his plans for us. When we speak about our knowledge or understanding about God, we are referring to our theology. As Abraham Kuyper, the great Dutch Christian philosopher, once wrote, “theology is knowing God.” Now, while the term, “theology,” may sound a bit pretentious, everyone is a theologian because everyone has a particular knowledge or understanding about God (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:19).

But, good theology is more than just knowing God. If knowledge about God were the only qualification for good theology, the demons would make excellent theologians (James 2:19). On the contrary, good theology is also the application of Scripture to all areas of our lives. In other words, we must be doers of the word and not hearers (or readers) only. Consequently, when we engage in a disciplined study of God but fail to apply what we learn to our lives, we are like the man in James chapter one who looks intently at his face in a mirror, goes away, and at once forgets what he was like (James 1:22–25).

Good theology is more than just knowing God, but it is not less than a disciplined study of God. In other words, good theology involves using our minds in the process of comprehending, questioning, reasoning, and synthesizing the various truths we find in God’s Word. Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God (Proverbs 2:1–6; Isaiah 1:18; Jeremiah 3:15; Hosea 4:1–6; Matthew 22:37; Philippians 1:9; Colossians 1:9; 2 Peter 3:18). Without this scriptural knowledge and understanding of God, we cannot rightly know him or worship him (John 4:24). At best, we will end up worshipping an “unknown god” (Acts 17:23) or a god made in our own image instead of the God of the Bible.

Additionally, without this scriptural knowledge and understanding of God, we cannot rightly live for God. A.W. Tozer, a 20th-century American pastor and author, writes the following in his book, Knowledge of the Holy:

Of course, Scripture is clear that to truly know and understand God, we need the illumination of the Holy Spirit that comes at salvation (1 Corinthians 2:11–13). Without the Holy Spirit, we would view the narratives of Scripture as moral fables, the miracles in Scripture as religious myths, and the truths of Scripture as antiquated foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14). Scripture is also clear that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary to truly benefit from a disciplined study of God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Consequently, while it is true that our relationship with God is based on faith, it must be based on an informed faith.

I once attended a church where this sort of disciplined study of God’s Word was considered irrelevant, even harmful, to one’s faith. Studying theology, it was believed, tended to lead to a lack of gospel witness and even to theological liberalism. This church also did not see the need for extensive teaching of God’s Word or expositional preaching. Instead, the pastor preached on a handful of themes and topics, which he regularly rotated and repeated using different passages of Scripture. Not surprisingly, this church held to several peculiar doctrines regarding English Bible translations, church history, personal holiness, and revivalism.

In the same way, when we personally neglect a disciplined study of God’s Word, we rob ourselves of the certainty, grounding, and hope that good theology provides. Instead, we remain like the immature believer described by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter four who is, “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). No wonder there are so many professing Christians today who get caught up in cults, deviant doctrines, and conspiracy theories. Additionally, in uncertain times like today, many Christians are often quick to turn to man-centered theories and remedies for dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression instead of anchoring their souls with the firm foundation of God’s Word (Psalm 18, 46, 91).

As I wrote at the start, during this time of physical, emotional, and social uncertainty, we can benefit from the certain truths found in God’s Word. It is my intent over the course of the next several articles to answer the question, “Why does theology matter?” In other words, I desire to demonstrate how good theology not only informs us about God, his creation, and his plans for us, but also applies to all areas of our lives.

The prophet Jeremiah writes in Jeremiah 9:23–24:

Church, let us pursue a study of theology so that we might better understand and know our God and, as a consequence, live in obedience to his will and for his glory.

As humans, we often miss the forest for the trees in times of hardship or uncertainty. The chaos of life has a way of stealing our attention and focus, making it difficult to reflect on the circumstances that we find ourselves in. 

The effects of COVID-19 have been devastating for many, to say the least. I've watched the waves of emotion sweep across our country. From panic and fear to frustration and anger, there seems to be a general consensus that things are not the way they are "supposed" to be. 

And yet, as Christians, this should come as no surprise. In fact, a fundamental truth of the Christian life is the tension of living in a world that "should not be," a world that is plagued with circumstances that we rightfully long to change. COVID-19, if anything, serves to show us a contemporary representation of what we should already know to be true. This world is not what it should be.    

The Apostle Paul knew this well as he penned these words to the Corinthians: "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). 

According to Paul, the sense of longing that many of us feel for things to "go back to normal" is a glimmer of a deeper spiritual reality. The "momentary afflictions" that we face in this life are meant to reorient our gaze to "an eternal weight of glory," things that are "unseen," and things ultimately that are "beyond all comparison." 

The ache for wrongs to be made right, for health to be restored, and for "freedoms" to be reestablished is but a shadow of the gospel truths that all Christians face as sojourners in this foreign land. We do not live for the things that are "seen." This world and everything in it will one day pass away. We live for the things that are "unseen," the things that await us one day in future glory. 

So, as we continue walking through this quarantine season, don't miss the forest for the trees. The longing for something better, while heightened in this season because of COVID-19, is ultimately a profound truth that Christians experience everyday. We should long for the day when Christ will set us free once-and-for-all from our "light momentary afflictions." Then, my friends, wrongs will be made right, health will be restored, and freedom in Christ will be realized in ways that are "beyond all comparison." 

There seems to be a phenomenon currently sweeping across our nation. Closed businesses, lost jobs, financial strain, health concerns, and seemingly unprecedented restrictions have created a sort-of "corona-crazy" that has left many feeling tired, discouraged, and frustrated. 

Tensions continue to rise as politically-charged debates take place amongst both Christians and non-Christians alike. When should the country reopen? When will life return to some sense of normalcy? Is the government operating outside of their legal and constitutional jurisdiction? How do we best care for the at-risk demographics? 

These questions, among countless others, have risen from the periphery as everyone tries to make sense of what is happening in the world.  As Christians, it is all-too-easy to "forget our training" when put in positions that challenge us in ways that may be uncomfortable. However, let's be unmistakably clear, God cares about how you respond in the midst of this crisis. While there is no book, chapter, or verse in the Bible that says, "Respond this way to the coronavirus," there are many biblical principles that should shape our thoughts, words, and actions. Let's consider several together. 

Here's a command we love to throw at our children to silence their complaining. However, Paul's instruction as he writes to the Thessalonians extends far beyond Christian catch phrases or Thanksgiving prayers. He writes, "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Did you catch that? Paul says "give thank in all circumstances." The attitude and response of a follower of Christ (yes, even during the current pandemic) is to "give thanks," to be filled with a supernatural gratitude that comes from knowing and being known by Christ. For icing on the cake, Paul says to have this attitude and response is to enter into the will of God. How are Christians to respond to the current events? Give thanks.   

If there was ever a person who had license to complain, it was the Apostle Paul. His liberties and freedoms were forcefully taken by the powers at be on more than one occasion. In fact, several of the New Testament letters that he penned were composed during his time in prison. Talk about isolation and social distancing! But what was Paul's response? In the midst of one of his wrongful imprisonments, he writes these words to the Philippians, "do all things without grumbling or disputing" (Philippians 2:14). What a stinging rebuke for many of us! I mean, does he really mean all things? In a time where it is easy and all-too-tempting to voice frustrations/annoyances on digital platforms, God's Word calls for a grateful heart and a resolve to not complain. 

I get it. All of your "social outlets" have been taken away. Processing everything that is going on cannot necessarily be done in the company of those you consider friends. As a result, many of us have turned to social media to voice our thoughts, opinions, and frustrations. While this is not necessarily a bad thing in itself, it certainly has the potential to lead us down a path in which God would not be pleased we are walking. Proverbs 10:19 says, "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." Let me say it another way. The more you talk, the more you sin. I cannot begin to tell you how true this has proven in my life personally. Scripture often speaks on how we should and should not use our words. In fact, it is one of the primary reoccurring themes throughout the book of Proverbs. The lesson is clear. Let your speech be used to build up, edify, and strengthen rather than tear down, divide, and put-down. What an important reminder, especially amidst the current circumstances. 

This quarantine has gone much longer than many of us anticipated. What started as supportive submission in order to "love our neighbor" has, perhaps for many,  grown stale. Reserves of "patience" have been depleted and have slowly been replaced with an insatiable desire for things to "go back to normal." A soul that lacks patience often becomes embittered and resentful in times of trouble. Paul, writing in the book of Romans, clearly states, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer" (Romans 12:12). In the midst of trying circumstances, the response of Christ-followers should be patience that is anchored in the unwavering hope that is provided in and through Jesus Christ. My friends, whether in this life or the next, this too shall pass. Resolve to be patient, rejoicing always for the hope that is in you. 

Global pandemics have a way of throwing a wrench into our routines. Unfortunately, what often accompanies an interrupted routine is a discombobulated mind that loses focus on the "marching orders" that all Christians have been given...to go and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Many of us have been in "survival mode" over the last several weeks, keeping our heads down to simply "make it through" everything that is going on. With the necessity of "online church," the ill-conceived divide between vocational ministers and regular church members has widened. The Bible is extraordinarily clear on this point. The command to go and make disciples is for all Christians for all time. Now, perhaps more than ever, is the time to sharpen our resolve to focus on the mission that Christ has given us. There truly is no greater purpose or higher calling.

This list could undoubtedly go on and on. However, the point remains. Your response amidst the coronavirus pandemic is not simply inconsequential. It is a matter in which all believers should take the time to pause and evaluate. May these five simple points stir and encourage you towards greater faithfulness to Christ, regardless of what is happening in the world around us.