Wednesday in the Word

what the Bible means and how we know

Gospel

I’m a new believer. Where do I start?

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I'm a new believer. Where do I start? - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

Welcome to the family! Really you can start anywhere and pick any book of the Bible to begin learning. In addition to finding a good local church and small group, here’s one suggested path to start learning.

Understand the Gospel

01 What is life & death and why should I care?

Understanding the gospel means we must understand the problem that the gospel solves. While the word gospel means “good news,” understanding the gospel begins with bad news.

02 What is justification and why do I need it?

There are 2 consequences to our sin: 1) We experience death and futility. 2) Our rebellion is wrong and we now owe a debt to justice that must be paid. Justification is the payment of that debt.

03 What is saving faith and why is it so important?

Saving faith is the permanent, ongoing trust in God that one day He will free me completely from all the consequences and effects of sin because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Saving faith itself is a gift from God and it involves 4 things.

04 What is hope and how do I know I have it?

The “so what” of being justified by faith is now we have a reason to boast. Paul explains the 3 things we boast about in Romans 5:1-11. The first is hope.

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Understand the journey

In Romans 1-4, Paul makes his case for justification by faith alone. In Romans 5 he begins answering the question “so what? Why is justification by faith so important?”

06 Romans 5:1-11 The Hope of the Gospel

With chapter 4, Paul finishes his case for justification by faith. Chapter 5 answers the question, “so what?”

07 Romans 5:12-21 Grace Abounds

Paul ends his argument for justification by faith with a final summary: grace abounds.

08 Romans 6:1-14 Grace and Slavery to Sin

With chapter 6 Paul begins answering objections to the gospel. First, “shall we sin that grace might increase?”

09 Romans 6:15-7:6 Grace and the Law

Paul answers his second challenge to the gospel: “But without the law there is no incentive to not to sin.”

10 Romans 7:7-25 Law and Sin

Paul answers the question: so if the Law multiplies our sin, is the Law sinful?

11 Romans 8.1-12 Deliverance from Sin

Paul argues that the Holy Spirit produces within believers grief over sin and eager hope for their inheritance.

12 Romans 8:12-25 Grief over Sin

Paul argues that the Holy Spirit produces within believers grief over sin and eager hope for their inheritance.

13 Romans 8:26-39 Confidence in Christ

Paul argues that because of the activity of the Spirit, we can have confidence that everything that happens to us is in our own best interests.

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Faith & Works explained

James 2:14-20 is the “problem” passage of the book of James where it looks like James and Paul disagree. They use the same vocabulary (faith, works and justification) and they both appeal to Abraham. But they address different issues.

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The place of trials

If God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives, then why is life so hard? Why must believers suffer and face tragedy? The Bible teaches that trials and sufferings are part of God’s plan. As hard as they are, we can be confident they are taking us some place we really want to go.

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Start learning the teaching of Jesus

Parables are serious theology. But they are metaphorical theology. They teach through metaphor, simile, and dramatic action rather than through logic or reasoning, drawing us into the story. Here are 3 of the most famous parables of Jesus.

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Where to next?

New Testament Studies

Old Testament Studies

Topical Studies

Bible Study 101

Top Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash

Matthew’s Gospel 1-7: Behold, the King!

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Gospel of Matthew 1-7: Behold the King! - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

Matthew gives us one of the earliest records of the teaching of Jesus. His gospel is famous not only for his use of the Old Testament, but also for recording 5 sermons of Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount. Placed first in the New Testament, Matthew’s gospel provides the necessary continuity between the Old and New Testament.

Matthew wrote this book to tell us who Jesus is and what that means for us — something we all want to know.

Resources: Background, Outlines, Maps, Key Words

Jump to: ** Early Life (Mt 1-2); ** Fulfillment Passages (Mt 2-3); ** Temptations (Mt 4); ** Beatitudes (Mt 5); ** Antitheses (Mt 5); ** Lord’s Prayer (Mt 6); ** Golden Rule (Mt 7) ** Next **

The early life of Jesus

01 Gospel of Matthew Introduction

Jesus claimed that “all authority in heaven and on earth” has been given to him (Mt 28:18). If that’s true, and I believe it is, then we benefit by learning all we can about Jesus. Matthew wrote this gospel to tell us who Jesus is and what that means for us. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 3, 2021. Season 18, Episode 1.

02 Matthew 1:1-17 The Genealogy of Jesus

Writers are usually told to start their books with a hook that will immediately engage their readers. Matthew begins his gospel with a list of names. Could anything be more boring? Yet Matthew did start with a bang. This list is relevant to every human being who ever lived. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 10, 2021. Season 18, Episode 2.

Fulfillment passages

03 Matthew 1:18-25 The Birth of Jesus

You would think that a passage covering the birth of Jesus would be easy “Christmas stuff” we’re all familiar with. Don’t be fooled. Matthew’s account raises some interesting theological questions. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 17, 2021. Season 18, Episode 3.

04 Matthew 2:1-23 The early life of Jesus

Matthew draws many parallels between the early life of Jesus and the Old Testament to reinforce his main point: Jesus is the Christ, the son of Abraham and son of David, who will fulfill God’s promises. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on February 24, 2021. Season 18, Episode 4.

05 Matthew 2:13-15 Out of Egypt

Matthew tells us the life of Jesus “fulfills” something spoken by the prophet Hosea. Yet Hosea is not “predicting” anything; Hosea is looking backward to the Exodus. What is Matthew doing? He’s pointing out the theological connection between Israel as God’s son and the Messiah, God’s son. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 3, 2021. Season 18, Episode 5.

06 Matthew 2:16-18 Rachel weeping

In this third fulfillment passage, Matthew compares the murder of the young boys in Bethlehem to the Rachel weeping in her tomb for the captives about to be deported to Babylon. In both events, all hope seems lost. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 10, 2021. Season 18, Episode 6.

07 Matthew 2:19-23 A Nazarene

This quotation presents the hardest challenge because no passage in the Old Testament says the Messiah will be called a Nazarene. Instead Matthew is summarizing an idea taught in the prophets. We need both grammar and historical background to understand him. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 17, 2021. Season 18, Episode 7.

08 Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist

John the Baptist was the herald who announced the coming of the King. His message had two parts: repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. The king is coming. It is time to turn back to God and follow his Messiah. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on March 24, 2021. Season 18, Episode 8.

09 Matthew 3:13-17 The baptism of Jesus

At his baptism, God confirms that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, who will rule on David’s throne forever. We also see what kind of king Jesus is: humble and willing to serve. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 7, 2021. Season 18, Episode 9.

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Temptations

For each of the temptations we’ll answer 3 questions: 1) why is the choice wrong? 2) why is the choice attractive? and 3) how does Jesus respond?

10 Matthew 4:1-4 1st Temptation: Stones to bread

Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as the Messiah while God wants to demonstrate that Jesus is worthy to be the Messiah. We’ll look how how Jesus responds when he’s tempted to believe God is no longer taking care of him. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 14, 2021. Season 18, Episode 10.

11 Matthew 4:5-7 2nd Temptation: Jump from the pinnacle

While the temptation to jump to from the top of a high mountain may not appear to very enticing at first glance, it’s a temptation we all face today. When life gets hard or overwhelming, like Jesus, we’re very tempted to believe God has ceased to take care of us and we need to take a “leap of faith” to get back in His good graces. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 21, 2021. Season 18, Episode 11.

12 Matthew 4:8-11 3rd Temptation: Bow down

Satan offers Jesus a shortcut to gaining the blessings God has promised him. But Jesus knows idolatry is looking to someone or something other than God to grant us Life. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on April 28, 2021. Season 18, Episode 12.

13 Matthew 4:12-25 Early Ministry

As Matthew closes this first section of his gospel, he highlights the Galilean nature of Jesus’ early ministry. Matthew summarizes Jesus’ early ministry as marked by healing and teaching. Teacher: Krisan Marotta on May 5, 2021. Season 18, Episode 13.

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Beatitudes

14 Matthew 5-7 Sermon on the Mount Introduction

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most important passages in Scripture, as it is a profound and unique body of teaching from the Messiah himself. Yet throughout church history, believers have found it difficult to agree on what this sermon means and how it is to be applied to our lives. In this introduction, I’ll contrast the different approaches to the Sermon on the Mount and explain which approach I take. Teacher Krisan Marotta on May 12, 2021. Season 18, Episode 14.

15 Matthew 5:1-12 What is a beatitude?

Before we look at the beatitudes, we need to understand what it means to be blessed, the nature of a beatitudes (Jesus wasn’t the first to employ them) and how Jesus expects us to understand them. Teacher Krisan Marotta on May 19, 2021. Season 18, Episode 15.

16 Matthew 5:1-3 Poor in Spirit

Unlike those who are self-satisfied and see themselves as spiritually rich, the poor in spirit know that they are morally bankrupt and nothing in this world can give them what they truly need. This knowledge is a core conviction of saving faith. Teacher Krisan Marotta on May 26, 2021. Season 18, Episode 16.

17 Matthew 5:4 Those who mourn

Mourning is the appropriate emotional response to being poor in spirit. When you realize that life is not what it should be and you are not the kind of person you should be, the appropriate response is to weep over it. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 9, 2021. Season 18, Episode 17.

18 Matthew 5:5 The meek

While Matthew 5:5 is probably the most famous beatitude, not many people understand what it means. Jesus does not explain what he means by “meek”, but he is quoting Psalm 37 which gives us a very big clue. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 16, 2021. Season 18, Episode 18.

19 Matthew 5:6 Hunger for righteousness

When you’re physically hungry, the desire to eat is so overwhelming you can hardly think about anything else. Jesus is counting on that experience in this beatitude. The truly fortunate ones long for that which is missing in this life, that which only the kingdom of God can fulfill: holiness. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 23, 2021. Season 18, Episode 19.

20 Matthew 5:7 The merciful

Only those will to commit the costly act of being merciful will receive mercy in the kingdom of God, because showing mercy is an implication of having saving faith. Teacher Krisan Marotta on June 30, 2021. Season 18, Episode 20.

21 Matthew 5:8 The pure in heart

The pure in heart are not those who are morally perfect. Rather their hearts have been cleansed of rebellion and rejection of God. The pure in heart live like the gospel is true, though not perfectly. One day they will stand before God and be accepted. Teacher Krisan Marotta on July 14, 2021. Season 18, Episode 21.

22 Matthew 5:9 The peacemakers

Like the merciful, those commit the costly act of refusing to answer injury for injury and seeking a peaceful reconciliation instead will find their inheritance as children of God in the kingdom of heaven. When we realize how deeply we ourselves are indebted to God’s grace and dependent on His mercy, we also realize we’re in no position to condemn the sins of others. Teacher Krisan Marotta on July 21, 2021. Season 18, Episode 22.

23 Matthew 5:10-16 Persecuted

People marked by the being poor in spirit, mourning over sin, hungering for righteousness, pursuing peace and mercy, etc. will draw the hostility of the world, but they will be rewarded with eternal life in the kingdom of God. We, his disciples, are not to shrink from following Jesus for fear that the world might hate us. We are to follow him, even though that invites mocking, scoffing and persecution. Teacher Krisan Marotta on July 28, 2021. Season 18, Episode 23.

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Antitheses

24 Matthew 5:17-20 Surpassing the Pharisees

In the second section of this sermon Jesus warns that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. Unlike them, we must have a genuine commitment to the Scriptures and what they teach if we want to find life in the kingdom of God. We must seek to understand the full demands of the Law and want to obey it. Teacher Krisan Marotta on September 15, 2021. Season 18, Episode 24.

25 Matthew 5:21-26 Anger & murder

The Pharisees believe they are righteous because no court can convict them of murder. But Jesus warns that if courts were in charge of judging righteousness, then responding to others with unloving anger would get you arrested; and calling people insulting names would get you thrown into the fires of judgment. Teacher Krisan Marotta on September 22, 2021. Season 18, Episode 25.

26 Matthew 5:27-30 Adultery & Lust

The Pharisees consider themselves blameless before the law if they have refrained from physically committing adultery. But Jesus says righteousness requires more. It requires inward submission to the will of God and accepting the boundaries He has placed on your life, including your sexuality. Teacher Krisan Marotta on September 29, 2021. Season 18, Episode 26

27 Matthew 5:31-32 Divorce

Both Moses and Jesus recognize that we sinners are going to fail in our marriages and so they allowed divorce with some regulations. Moses did not mean divorce was a righteous option. Divorce results from the fact that the parties involved are sinners. God intended marriage to be forever but divorce is a necessary evil because of our sin. Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 6, 2021. Season 18, Episode 27.

28 Matthew 5:33-37 Vows & the 3rd Commandment

Since we rarely make oaths today, at first glance there doesn’t seem to be much to learn from Matthew 5;33-37. However, I think Jesus is dealing with a very important issue which is deeper than telling the truth or meaning what we say. He’s dealing with violating the 3rd commandment, taking the Lord’s name in vain. Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 13, 2021. Season 18, Episode 28.

29 Matthew 5:38-42 An Eye for an Eye

Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for applying instructions for the judges of Israel to their personal behavior. They claim they can be as proportionally vindictive to in the name of seeking retribution and still consider themselves blameless. Jesus says the guiding principle is not “an eye for an eye” but rather “turn the other cheek.” Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 20, 2021. Season 18, Episode 29.

30 Matthew 5:43-48 Love your enemies

Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In one sense, loving your neighbor is a simple, practical guide to good conduct.  But it is also a truth we have to embrace and choose to follow. In that sense, it is a test of faith. Teacher Krisan Marotta on October 27, 2021. Season 18, Episode 30.

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Lord’s Prayer

31 Matthew 6:1-6; 6:16-18 Giving, Praying & Fasting

Being religious is no guarantee that you are genuinely following God.  Whatever you define as obedience to God – being in full-time ministry, church attendance, praying, fasting, giving to the poor, adopting social justice causes – Jesus says: stop and ask yourself who are you doing it for?  Teacher Krisan Marotta on November 3, 2021. Season 18, Episode 31.

32 Matthew 6:7-10 The Lord’s Prayer: Thy Kingdom come

In giving us the Lord’s prayer, Jesus is not giving us a ritual to perform or a spiritual discipline to ensure our prayers are answered. Jesus is challenging us to consider what is our hearts are set on.  Teacher Krisan Marotta on November 10, 2021. Season 18, Episode 32.

33 Matthew 6:11 The Lord’s Prayer: Daily Bread

In Matthew 6:11 we don’t know with certainty what the word translated “daily” means. This leads to much debate and two good interpretations: one literal and one metaphorical. Both understandings have merit. Both use good methodology. Both teach something that is taught elsewhere in Scripture, and in that sense, both of them are true. In this life, we may never be certain which one Jesus meant, but we can affirm the truths both of them teach. Teacher Krisan Marotta on November 17, 2021. Season 18, Episode 33.

34 Matthew 6:12-15 The Lord’s Prayer: Forgiveness

It’s not surprising that we find forgiveness in the Lord’s prayer. For believers neither sin nor mercy are hypothetical concepts. We should be staggered by the power and beauty of mercy as proclaimed to us on the cross because we have been forgiven so great a debt. Teacher Krisan Marotta on December 1, 2021. Season 18, Episode 34.

35 Matthew 6:13 The Lord’s Prayer: Temptation

This last request is not to avoid the choice posed by temptation. This request is to be preserved through the choice. Father, do not let me fall into temptation to my doom. Teacher Krisan Marotta on December 8, 2021. Season 18, Episode 35.

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Golden Rule

36 Matthew 6:19-24 Treasures in Heaven

Why is the kingdom of heaven so incredibly valuable that I would invest my whole heart and my whole life in it? In this passage, Jesus gives one of many important reasons:  We cannot keep the treasures of this earth, and we cannot lose the treasures in heaven. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 5, 2022. Season 18, Episode 36.

37 Matthew 6:25-34 Anxious for tomorrow

At first reading, Matthew 6:25-34 seems simple and straightforward:  Don’t be anxious.  God knows what you need and He will take care of you. The tricky part of this passage is figuring out exactly what we should not do and what we can expect God to do. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 12, 2022. Season 18, Episode 37.

38 Matthew 7:1-5 Log in your eye

The log in your own eye versus the speck in your neighbor’s eye is a powerful image of willfully living a lie. Jesus warns that if you condemn other people for their sins, you are ignoring a fundamental truth about yourself in a way that is almost impossible to imagine. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 19, 2022. Season 18, Episode 38.

39 Matthew 7:6 Throwing pearls to pigs

Many people understand Jesus to be saying in Matthew 7:6 something like: you don’t need to share the gospel with hostile, unworthy people. However, I agree with the minority who understand Jesus to be saying: don’t be the kind of fool who throws away what is beautiful and precious. Teacher Krisan Marotta on January 26 2022. Season 18, Episode 39.

40 Matthew 7:7-11 Seek and you will find

Ask God for the life He has promised and you will receive it. Seek the good things that He has promised and you will find them. Knock on the door to the kingdom of heaven and it will open to you. These words are powerful because of the difficult battle they represent. Believing and acting on these promises is the central struggle of the Christian life. Teacher Krisan Marotta on February 2, 2022. Season 18, Episode 40.

41 Matthew 7:12-29 The Golden Rule and the 2 Roads

Matthew 7:12-29 summarizes two great themes we’ve seen in this sermon: 1) You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 2) There is a road that seems right to us, but it leads to destruction. Teacher Krisan Marotta on February 9, 2022. Season 18, Episode 41.

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NEXT: Matthew’s Gospel 8-12 Part 2

Where to next?

New Testament Studies

Old Testament Studies

Topical Studies

Bible Study 101

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I offer my bible studies, podcasts and resources free of charge under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License.  I do not seek or accept advertising, affiliations or donations. But it does encourage me to hear from you about how you used these studies and/or what you learned.

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Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

Podcast Season 18, episode 1-41

02 What is justification and why do I need it?

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What is justification and why do I need it? | WednesdayintheWord.com

Review

  1. Death is the phenomena of human existence where everything physical & spiritual breaks down. It’s the process of decay and corruption.  Life is the opposite of death; tendency toward good in all of human existence
  2. Life automatically and inevitably flows from holiness.  Death automatically and inevitably flows from sin.
  3. God is the sole source of life, because He alone can give holiness.
  4. When we cut ourselves off from God (the source of Life), we inevitably experience death.

The Problem: Rebellion

In the photos below, my right hand represents God and my left hand (wearing the watch) represents mankind.

Fellowhip - Justification Explained | WednesdayintheWord.com
Before, the Fall, we are metaphorically face to face with God.
  • Before the fall we are fellowship with God and God is granting us Life (as we defined it).
  • We are metaphorically face to face with God.
Rebellion - Justiifcation Explained | WednesdayintheWord.com
Mankind rebels and metaphorically turns its back on God
  • When we rebel, it is as if we turn our backs on God.
  • The first consequence of our rebellion is we now experience death.
Wrath - Justiifcation Explained | WednesdayintheWord.com
In response God metaphorically turns His back on us.
  • The second consequence to our rebellion is God’s wrath.
  • The rebellion is wrong and deserves punishment.
  • Our crime incurs a judicial penalty that must be paid.
  • Until God’s justice is satisfied, He will not grant Life.

Romans 1

In Romans 1:18-32, Paul makes these 3 claims: 1) mankind rebelled; 2) the consequence of that rebellion is death (as we defined it) and 3) God responds to that rebellion by abandoning mankind to the custody of death.

We rebelledTherefore: 1) we experience deathand 2) God abandons us to death
1:21 –  For though they knew God they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks. .1:21-22 – . . . they became futile in their speculations , and their foolish heart was darkened.1: 24 – Therefore, God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity    . . .
1:22-23 – Professing to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man . . .1:24 –  their bodies might be dishonored among them.1:26 – For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions
1:25 – For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator . . .1:27…receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.1:28 –  . . . God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, . . .


The Solution: Justification

Justification - Justiifcation Explained | WednesdayintheWord.com
Once we are justified, God metaphorically turns back to us.
  • Justification is the forgiveness of our debt to justice which qualifies us to receive Life.
  • To be justified is to be in a position where God’s justice is satisfied.
  • None of us can justify ourselves by keeping the law.
  • Knowing and understanding God’s Law is not enough; we have to be the kind of people who can keep the Law (Romans 2:13-16).
Fellowship - Justification Explained | WednesdayintheWord.com
Return to fellowship
  • Justification is a gift from God.
  • Justification is based on God’s mercy.
  • Justification is made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23-26).
  • God grants justification to those with saving faith.

For more detail and explanation, please listen to the podcast.

Next: 03 What is saving faith and why is it so important?

Previous: 01 What is life & death and why should I care?

Part of the series: What is the Gospel?

Photo by Julia Caesar on Unsplash

00 What is the Gospel?

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What is the Gospel? | WednesdayintheWord.com
A friend once asked me if I was on an airplane that was about to crash and had only a couple minutes to use my cell phone to call my family, what would I say?   What would I tell them if I knew this would be our last conversation on earth?  At first my mind when blank with the sheer tragic terror of it all, but then the answer seemed obvious:  Hang on to your faith.  But to understand why saving faith is that important, you have to really understand the gospel.

01 What are life & death and why should I care?

Understanding the gospel means we must understand the problem that the gospel solves. While the word gospel means “good news,” understanding the gospel begins with bad news.

02 What is justification and why do I need it?

There are 2 consequences to our sin: 1) We experience death and futility. 2) Our rebellion is wrong and we now owe a debt to justice that must be paid. Justification is the payment of that debt.

03 What is saving faith and why is it so important?

Saving faith is the permanent, ongoing trust in God that one day He will free me completely from all the consequences and effects of sin because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Saving faith itself is a gift from God and it involves 4 things.

04 What is hope and how do I know I have it?

The “so what” of being justified by faith is now we have a reason to boast. Paul explains the 3 things we boast about in Romans 5:1-11. The first is hope.

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Questions? Please ask

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I offer my bible studies, podcasts and resources free of charge under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License.  I do not seek or accept advertising, affiliations or donations. But it does encourage me to hear from you about how you used these studies and/or what you learned.

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Where to next?

New Testament Studies

Old Testament Studies

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Bible Study 101

Photo by Julia Caesar on Unsplash

Podcast Season 12

Christmas

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The Meaning of Christmas - Bible Study | WednesdayintheWord.com

There’s nothing like the Christmas season to force you to face the fact that life is often neither joyful nor triumphant. It raises the question, what is the true meaning of Christmas?

Where to next?

New Testament Studies

Old Testament Studies

Topical Studies

Bible Study 101

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Drawing the Doctrinal Line

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Essentials-580

“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.  Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” – Matthew 10:32-34

It’s no secret that Christians disagree with each other.  Every week Christians all of over the world sing songs like “They’ll Know We are Christians by our Love” in separate groups because the groups have too many doctrinal differences to fellowship with each other.  Very few denominations, local churches and ministries can claim they have never faced a power struggle over theology or a division over doctrine.

So, which of our many differences should we worry about? 

After all, one person’s heresy is another person’s minor difference of opinion.

Should we throw people out of the local church for their views on creation?  Or women in positions of church leadership?   Or who can administer communion and how often it should be served?   What about the various forms of worship, music and liturgy, spiritual disciplines or even which movies to watch? Where are we free to disagree?  And where must we draw a line in the sand?

Truth is a highly valuable yet divisive commodity. 

If you are right in your opinion about X and I disagree with you, then I am wrong.  Truth-seekers cannot avoid that kind of division.   Christians do not believe that truth is relative or that it changes with the individual.

Truth is truth and anything else is a lie.  If I disagree with you, at least one of us is wrong.  While none of us can claim perfect understanding and all of us live with some uncertainty, disagreements within the church are inevitable.

What do we do then?  How should I respond when I disagree with the answers another genuine believer gives to questions of faith and practice?  Which issues are so critically important that we should draw a line and on which issues are we free to disagree?

Clearly, we must draw a line sometimes. 

Jesus called the Pharisees white-washed tombs (Matthew 23:27) and drove the money-changers from the temple (John 2:14-16).  The Apostle Paul publicly opposed the Apostle Peter when Peter’s actions compromised the gospel (Galatians 2:11-21).  The Apostle John called teachers who deny Jesus is the Christ liars (1 John 2:22).  In church history, Martin Luther drew a line that led to the Reformation — and many of us are glad he did.

Yet, just as clearly, we must not draw every line.

“Orthodoxy at all costs” can be just as dangerous as “peace at all costs”.  Jesus ate with tax-gatherers and sinners (Matthew 9:10-13).  Paul urged Timothy not to wrangle about words, but handle the truth accurately instead (1 Timothy 2:14-15).  Church history is littered with the debris of dubious battles, that hindsight reveals should never have been fought.

So where do we draw the line?  What is a “do or die,” “make or break” issue for Christians?

In his first letter, the Apostle John gives us two critically important questions — questions so fundamental to faith that we must answer them correctly or our salvation is in doubt; questions so fundamental we must not alter or abandon the answers or we have compromised the message of the gospel.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. – 1 John 1:4-10

1) The first issue is our view of sin and righteousness.

John claims those of us  who follow Jesus Christ will have a healthy view of our sinfulness (1 John 1:4-2:11).  That is we will understand we are sinful before a holy God, and left to ourselves, we cannot change that fact.  We need a Savior.

Our view of sin is essential because it is one of the marks of saving faith.    Saving faith involves knowing that you are a sinner, grieving over your sinfulness, and longing to be free of your sin.  In church history, when a church begins to abandon the gospel, the first doctrine to go is usually the doctrine of sin.

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.  No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.  1 John 2:22-23

2) The second issue is our view of Jesus.

Just as we must understand our sinfulness, we must also know the only way to escape our sinfulness is by trusting in the blood of Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins.

Saving faith begins with knowing you are sinful and longing to be righteous, moves to realizing you cannot make yourself righteous, and ends with trusting that — even though God does not owe you anything — He sent his Son Jesus Christ to die in your place on the cross, to pay the penalty for you sin and secure your forgiveness.

Doctrine does not save us, but truth matters.  God communicated His plan of salvation through a message and we need to make sure we get His message right.

To be saved, you must know who Jesus is and what he did for you (Ephesians 2:1-10).

Instead of a line with issues above and below it, a better model is a circle with the cross and sin in the center.  The closer we are to the center of the circle (who is Jesus and what did He do for you), the more we must stand firm and refuse to compromise.  The farther we are from the center of the circle, the more freedom we have to disagree.

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5 Questions to Identify a Cult

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5 Ways to Identify a Cult | WednesdayintheWord.com

How do you recognize a cult?  By “cult”, I mean a group which claims to represent genuine, apostolic Christianity but in reality does not.  Based on our study of 1 John, here are 5 questions which separate “the sheep” from “the wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

1. Is Jesus Christ God?

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. – 1 John 2:22

Cults almost always deny the deity of Christ in some way.  They may claim he was an angel or a mere man, a guru or  great teacher or a “god like us.”

2. How is salvation attained and is anyone outside their group saved?

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous — 1 John 1:8-2:1

Cults almost always add some kind of works in addition to belief : keeping a particular set of ethical commands, a way witnessing, a method of using your money, a certain lifestyle, etc.  Scripture says that all true believers are part of the body of Christ regardless of what denominational affiliation they may have (John 10:16; Ephesians 1:13-14,22-23); cults almost always only those inside their own group are saved.

3. Is the Bible alone authoritative?

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. – 1 John 1:1-4

Jesus says that the Old Testament, His own words and the writings of the apostles alone were divinely inspired.  Cults almost always deny biblical authority, either by directly saying that the Bible has errors or is not to be believed, or by elevating another book or teacher above the Bible in authority.

4. How does the group treat its members and other people?

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. – 1 John 2:3

The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. – 1 John 2:9-11

The Bible says that leaders should be servants (John 10) of high moral character (I Timothy 3) and prohibits leading for personal gain  (1 Peter 5).  Cult leaders tend to “fleece the flock” and are often guilty of financial and/or sexual exploitation of their followers.

Additionally, cults usually practice excessive use of authority.  While the Bible teaches that Christians can be disciplined by other believers, that discipline should be only over scriptural issues; the person is free to leave at any time and all leaders are subject to same discipline (1 Timothy 5:17-22).

By contrast, cult leaders frequently impose non-scriptural proscriptions on their members (where to live, who to marry, what job to take, etc); the follower is frequently coerced into staying in the group and there is no accountability for the leader.

5. Does the group have secret or private teaching only the privileged can learn?

As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. – 1 John 2:24-27

The Bible says that the message of the gospel should be spoken openly (Acts 20:20-21), but cult members often refuse to answer  pointed doctrinal questions.  Only after a follower joins an instructional class or attends a retreat, are they given the “true understanding”.  Sometimes this deceit is justified by claiming it takes time for people to understand spiritual things.

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What is the Word of Life?

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What is the Word of Life? | WednesdayintheWord.com

In the 1John 1:1-4, the Apostle John claims that the gospel is about the Word of Life.  It’s easy to confuse this phrase with John’s use of “word” in the prologue to his gospel. While there are similarities, the gospel emphasizes WORD, but this letter emphasizes LIFE.

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life — and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.    –1John 1:1-4

John claims the message he heard from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry was about the “the message of Life,” i.e. the way to obtain eternal life or life in the “age of ages”.

The “age of ages” will begin with the second coming of Christ with new heavens and new earth. Death, tears, mourning and pain will be ended, and all things will be made right and perfect.  Life is this age will be free from sin, death and evil in all its forms. No corruption. No futility  (Revelation21:1-5).

‘Here and now’ or ‘pie in the sky’?

John implies that the gospel is more concerned with how to gain life in the age to come rather than how to be successful, happy or build a utopian society now.

Yet a large segment of modern Christianity believes that Jesus came to make THIS life better.  While the name changes (“victorious Christian living”, “health & wealth gospel”, the prayer of Jabez phenomenon), the underlying idea that the Jesus came to teach us how to make our lives here and now abundant remains.

However, the overwhelming message of the Bible is life now is not completely happy or fulfilled.  This life has troubles, tragedies and tribulations.  Life in this age is marred by evil and corruption.  Even if you manage to tame evil down to its barest possible minimum, it’s still there.  In this life, we will never completely and totally escape it.

But you have a place in heaven secured for you by the blood of Christ where God will solve that problem.  That ought to give us great comfort and security in this life.  I can be content despite my circumstances because of the supreme value and worth of what is promised by the blood of Christ.

But didn’t Jesus teach us how to treat others?

The “here and now gospel” folks might object saying:  “If the gospel is about life in the age to come, why does Jesus spend so much time teaching us how to treat others? He has much to say about  how to love one another, how to care for the poor, how to treat the rich, how to be respectful and forgiving to our fellow human beings.”

Granted, Jesus does teach a great deal about how we ought to treat others and how we ought to live our lives here and now.  Of course, the gospel makes a difference now!  Believing the gospel changes us at a deep fundamental level.  Part of that change is visible in how we treat others.

But the fundamental message of the gospel is this behavioral change only results when I am freed from my sin. There is only one way to become free of sin: faith in the blood of Christ.  I don’t gain eternal life by proving myself worthy by loving others and caring for the poor.  Rather once God has healed my heart of stone and freed me from bondage to sin, my behavior and attitude toward others will change;

If tomorrow is secure, why not live selfishly today?

The next objection is usually, “If message of the gospel is a message for the next age and not a message for the here and now, then why should I give to the poor?  Why shouldn’t I just be completely self-centered on making sure I understand the words of life and I can ignore everything and everyone else?”

We can read the teachings of Jesus from the perspective of he was a quasi-socialist, he came into the world to teach us how to live this life right and how to do human relationships better and how to share and share alike and love one another in the best sense.  There is a sense in which that is true.

But there is a sense in which it is not.  I would argue that Jesus came into the world to teach us how to do ‘me’ right – in the sense of gaining eternal life.  One of the essentials in “doing me right” is being other-centered, not self-centered.  If I am selfish and impervious to how I affect others, than I am not doing me right.  I am not the person God intended me to be, because God created us to be giving, self-sacrificing and other-focused people.  Granted I am a complete failure at that in my own life, that’s why I need the gospel.

If I feed a starving person and she dies next week, have I failed?

Suppose I give a starving person enough food to eat to this week and next week she starves.  Have I failed or not?

If you believe that Jesus came to teach us how to do life here and now right, then I have failed.  I didn’t make anything better.  I gave her food but she starved anyway, so my efforts were useless and ineffective and I failed to do what I ought to have done.

But if you think Jesus came to teach us how to gain eternal life and part of gaining eternal life is becoming holy, then I have not failed.

Yes, the person starved and that is a tragedy.  But on the other hand through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in my life I overcame my sinfulness long enough to be generous and compassionate.  I was the kind of person God intended me to be.  To the extent that I acted out of true compassion and generosity, I have not failed, even if the long-term results were not what I hoped.

Your job is faithfully responding to God and learning to live your life with love and integrity, striving to be holy in whatever circumstances God places you. You don’t need to reform the world. You need to live your life in the light of the truth of Jesus revealed.  Leave the rest up to God.

Saving the world is not your job.  Making a utopian society is not your job.  Your goal is to live the quiet, ordinary life of faith.

Photo by Hetty Stellingwerf on Unsplash

NT Wright and Eleanor Bramwell

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The British TV Series Bramwell  follows the trials of a female physician in 1895.  In the series pilot, we are invited to ridicule best medical practices of the day (e.g. removing a healthy women’s ovaries to “cure” depression in an operating theater where unmasked, non-scrubbed students clap, jeer and ignore Dr. Bramwell’s superior advice about the risks).  From our historical viewpoint, we are amazed at how mistaken — even barbaric — the medical knowledge of the late Victorian era was.  Yet the best minds of the day adamantly maintained they were right.

CS Lewis coined the term “chronological snobbery” to describe the assumption that the philosophy, art, science and knowledge of previous generations are inherently inferior to today’s thought.  Bramwell plays into our natural tendency to think our generation is the first to finally “get it right.”

Are we to believe NT Wright, like Dr. Bramwell, is the first to get it right?

In NT Wright’s Surprised by Hope, Wright claims the church through the centuries has mistakenly placed too much emphasis on individual salvation.

The whole point of my argument so far is that the question of what happens to me after death is not the major, central, framing question that centuries of theological tradition have supposed. The New Testament, true to its Old Testament roots, regularly insists that the major, central, framing question is that of God’s purpose of rescue and re-creation for the whole world, the entire cosmos. The destiny of individual human beings must be understood within that context — not simply in the sense that we are only part of a much larger picture but also in the sense that part of the whole point of being saved in the present is so that we can play a vital role (Paul speaks of this role in the shocking terms of being “fellow workers with God”) within that larger picture and purpose…..

If what I have suggested is anywhere near the mark, then to insist on heaven and hell as the ultimate question – to insist, in other words, that what happens eventually to individual humans is the most important thing in the world – may be to make a mistake similar to the one made by the Jewish people in the first century. (N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, New York: HarperCollins, 2008, pg. 184-185, emphasis mine)

Can we so easily and quickly brush away “centuries of theological tradition”?  Chronological snobbery cuts both ways.

We can rejoice watching Bramwell in how much more medical knowledge our generation has gained.  But we can also learn from Bramwell that 100 years from now today’s best medical practices will be equally ridiculed.

I wonder how future theologians will view the debate NT Wright has sparked.  Will he be seen as a “Bramwell” advancing theological knowledge ahead of his time or as the old-guard Victorian surgeons who we now know were sincere but wrong?

Apart from the authors of the Scripture, I greatly respect five theologians:  Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and Thomas Aquinas.  When all 5 of them agree on an issue, I pay close attention.

To the best of my knowledge, on issue of whether the gospel of Jesus Christ is about saving individual souls from hell or about God using His people to redeem the cosmos, all 5 of them agree with each other and disagree with NT Wright.  I’m not ready to abandon these 5 for Wright bandwagon — despite my chronological snobbery.