There’s only one cornerstone of the church that the world is constantly trying to pull us away from—Jesus. I’m begging you not to forget your identity in Christ during this political season. Do the radical thing. Keep your eyes fixed on Christ, the author and perfecter of your faith.

Man, has that junk mail button been getting hit a lot lately. Why? Political email, political email, political email.
I’m not here to say politics aren’t important. I’m not here to convince you that culture, philosophy, or politics don’t matter to the people of God. This isn’t some wimpy attempt to get you to forget God’s commands, close your eyes to the evil around you, or stick your head in the sand.
But there is a massive pull in our hyper-polarized society to make the church’s identity all about politics.
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Peter tells us these mighty and terrifying beings were extremely curious about one thing: how and in what time the Christ would come. No wonder it was an angel who delivered the news to Mary in Luke 1. No wonder the myriads of angels rejoiced before the shepherds in Luke 2. No wonder the angels rejoice in heaven about the Lamb who was slain in Revelation 5. Christian, you are so blessed. You were born into an age that the angels had to wait thousands of years to find out. 

Biblical angels are nothing like the naked babies in art—these are terrifying beings, messengers of God who often begin with the words, “Do not be afraid.” They are strong, powerful, and mysterious, but even they have their limits. Angels are not all-knowing. Actually, God tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:3 that we will judge the angels. Angels may be extremely powerful, but they are not God.
The last part of 1 Peter 1:12 stopped me dead in my tracks a few weeks ago:
things which angels desire to look into.
The angels intensely desire to παρακυψαι (parakupsai), meaning they yearn to “bend over to look”—as if bending over or even crawling down on their faces just to catch a glimpse of God’s unfolding plan. The angels were intensely interested to know how and when the Christ would come, suffer, and be glorified.
But, that got me on a rabbit trail that I had not anticipated. Peter says the prophets were inquiring and searching carefully. Here’s where things get interesting. Repeatedly, the Bible puts the prophets in the same story as the angels. Here are just a few I found interesting. (Feel free to put in the comments more.)

Moses and the burning bush. An angel was speaking to him (Exodus 3:2).

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The world is full of adults who professed faith, underwent the waters of baptism upon that profession, only to have the memory of their baptism fade into the recesses of their minds. The world is also full of adults who were raised by Christian parents, were presented for baptism, were washed in the water, and yet their baptism isn’t even a memory. They have forgotten the sign and the seal of who they were to be.

When were you baptized? Do you remember it? Are there pictures or a recording of it? When is the last time you thought about your baptism? Have your parents ever told you of your baptism? How meaningful is your baptism to you?
Clarifying the Focus
Let’s be clear here. This article is about Christian living and not a debate between credobaptist (baptism upon confession) or paedobaptist (covenant infant baptism). You can find good debate on that topic elsewhere. But this article is a challenge to you, the reader. So please keep reading.
A Personal Anecdote
To be honest, when I was growing up in a Baptist church, I wanted to play in the pool. Only baptized kids were allowed to play in the pool. So, seven-year-old Bryan took the plunge. But my baptism wasn’t meaningful to me at the time.
Years later, when the Lord regenerated my heart, I looked back with shame over those squandered years. See, baptism, whether you are credobaptist or paedobaptist, is at least an initiation. Both sides of the paedo/credo baptist argument recognize that baptism is: a sign of our being engrafted into Christ, or being born again, of the remission of sins, and of giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life. (Refer to the 1689 London Baptist Confession and the Westminster Confession of Faith and see the similarities.)
Baptism: The Beginning, Not the End
Here’s the rub. Baptism isn’t the end of the story, though. Our baptism is a sign and a seal, but it is not the end goal.
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The examples time and time again in the Bible are not so wholesome. Why? Because Jesus came not to save those who were whole but those who were sinners. The sick needed the great physician. Jesus stepped into the mess, not away from it. Jesus saw the wretchedness of the sin and called it for what it was. Jesus boldly proclaimed repentance of sin. Jesus radically welcomed those who repented and clung to him.

I recently received an email that prompted deep reflection. It stated:
“You will be accountable to the Lord God Almighty on the day of judgement for each idle, worldly secular word from the pulpit in lieu of wholesome Bible examples describing the Glorious Work of My Redeemer, Jesus Christ.”
There is something to commend in this comment.
Ungracious, unedifying, and even crass language can creep into the pulpit. A preacher ought not let foul language, slander, gossip, lies color his sermon. The scriptures themselves use careful language with sensitive topics. Many sins are spoken about in the pages of scripture without delving into the descriptive depths of those particular sins.
But, for the person who opens their Bible and reads the narratives of the Old Testament and the sins confronted in the New Testament, there is no shortage of shocking topics addressed.
I’ve come to expect this type of email from time to time. Why? Because I have zero issues with giving modern examples of God’s amazing work redeeming sinners. God is still in the business of doing amazing works amongst the worst of sinners.
Which Wholesome Bible Examples?
Lurking underneath this email is something that needs to be addressed:
“…in lieu of wholesome Bible examples describing the Glorious Work of My Redeemer, Jesus Christ.”
This is at the heart of the glorious work of our redeemer, Jesus Christ. He saves the unsavable. If we look for the wholesome examples of Jesus, we’ll scratch our heads looking for them.
Consider the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:7-30), living in fornication yet transformed by her encounter with Jesus.
Should we talk about the wholesome example of the woman caught in the act of adultery?
Maybe we can talk about the wholesome example of Levi the tax collector. Just to make sure we understand, that’s like Jesus redeeming a man who would be both a corrupt tax officer and in league with mob thugs.
To be clear, there would not have been an objection to Jesus’s ministry by the Pharisees if His work was amongst the wholesome.
Jesus came to save sinners.
Jesus came to save the fornicator.
Jesus came to save the drunkard.
Jesus came to save the homosexual.
Jesus came to save the liar.
Jesus came to save the thief.
Jesus came to save the adulterer.
Jesus came to save the idolater.
Jesus came to save the covetous.
Appalled at Jesus?
The Pharisees were shocked and appalled by the unwholesome company Jesus seemed to keep. They protested to his disciples about it:
10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
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As we face death, the ultimate enemy, we can have hope. We can have light pierce the darkness because Jesus conquered death for us. Jesus himself descended into the heart of the earth for three days and nights. He conquered sin as the firstborn from the dead. Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25) Even in the darkest hour, you can have hope. 

As a child, I spent countless hours at the pool. One sunny afternoon, I impulsively dove through a friend’s inflatable tube, getting trapped underwater. Panic surged as I struggled to breathe. Fear gripped my soul. Darkness seemed to encroach upon me. In that moment of sheer terror, I was saved by my step-dad. In a more palpable way Jonah knew the fear of death. Jonah was helpless and must have felt similarly as he was drowning in the sea.
The Fear of Death
Jonah was drowning. Darkness surrounded him. Seaweed clung to him. Would death enclose him forever? Was he locked in the place of the dead? There seemed no escape as he sank deeper. Fear, a primal instinct, gripped his heart. Jonah’s experience is universal. Most of us fear the unknown abyss that seems to wait after death’s veil.
Yet – Hope
Yet, there are glimmerings of hope in Jonah’s despair. As darkness consumed him, a ray of hope somehow pierced through. Not a physical light, but a flicker of faith in the midst of despair. In both verses 4 and 6 of Jonah 2, the lament pauses abruptly with the word “Yet.”
4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.
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We are striving to be holy as He is holy. But, no one will be perfectly sanctified until glorification. If someone had to be perfect before they were to go and evangelize then Jesus would not have given the great commission to the disciples in the first place. See, God is glorified in using weak people. Why? Because He receives the glory. The people of the world do not need you to be perfect. They need you to tell them of the perfect Jesus. The one who was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 

You Don’t Need to Be Perfect for God to Use You
Have you ever felt inadequate when sharing your faith? 
I was talking with a man a few years ago over coffee. The shop wasn’t very busy. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly roasted beans. As we sat talking about the Scriptures and evangelism he started to look concerned. The brother very sincerely and humbly told me, “Bryan, I don’t have all the Bible knowledge you have. I can’t answer all of their questions. And, my life certainly isn’t perfect.” I could sense his fear, anxiety, and hesitation. 
This man wanted to be perfect and have all of the perfect answers before sharing the gospel. But, that’s not how God likes to work. 
God Uses Imperfect People
God has an amazing track record of using imperfect people to spread His glory.. Actually, I think it is one of the ways God shows himself glorious.
God established His covenant with Abraham. The same Abraham given over to half truths. 
God made sure the covenant blessing went with scheming Jacob.
God used murderous Moses to lead His people.
God raised up David, the adulterer, to inherit the messianic promise.
God called disobedient Jonah to preach repentance to Nineveh. 
God sent Paul, the one who had tried to destroy the church, to be the apostle to the gentiles. 
It’s the Message Not the Messenger
By the Spirit the Apostle Paul knew this. There were various groups of preachers who were going around trying to one up him. Paul could have been offended or competitive.
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You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Despite the hardships we may endure, there is always hope in God. If you are His child, He cares for you, and His grace is sufficient. As you face any diagnosis or personal challenge, remember that God did not make a mistake when He knit you together, body and soul.

This article may be controversial in some circles. But I was blessed by a christian doctor recently and I want to share it with you. My journey with ADHD has been long and fraught with challenges and stigmas. For years, I refused to acknowledge my condition, dismissing it as mere psychobabble. However, a recent conversation with my Christian doctor, who also possesses a deep understanding of theology, brought me profound pastoral comfort and a renewed perspective.
My Gracious Doctor
I sat with my doctor crushed by how my ADHD was adversely affecting my marriage. My doctor looked at me with empathy and said: “Bryan, God did not make a mistake when He created you with your brain.” These words were a powerful moment of grace for me. They were not new truths, but they were truths applied in a fresh and impactful way. We discussed the psychosomatic union—the concept that the physical part of me affects the inner man, and the inner man affects the physical. The body and soul are interconnected; my soul, where my intellect, will, and affections reside, is uniquely tied to my physical brain.
God’s Providence
As a Reformed Christian, I believe in the providence of God, even over the effects of the Fall. This means acknowledging that God’s hand is present in everything, from learning of a cancer diagnosis to living with Type 1 Diabetes or a neurodevelopmental disorder like ADHD.
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We do not need to be paralyzed by fear of the unknown. Our sovereign Father, who created all things, upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures. Our Lord’s providence covers all actions and things, from the greatest to the least, by His most wise and holy providence.

Last week, during our vacation, my family and I visited a new church. There, I met a man named Charles (I’ve changed his name for privacy). As we shared a meal after the service, Charles opened up about his recent journey into reformed theology. Our conversation eventually touched upon the profound and heartwarming topic of God’s providence.
You might be thinking, “Oh boy, another discussion about the providence of God…” But stick with me—this story is worth your time.
Charles recounted his experiences growing up in a large evangelical denomination where seeking specific guidance from God on every aspect of life was the norm. People would frequently ask questions like, “Who should I marry?”, “What job should I take?”, “What church should I attend?”, and even, “What food should I order?”
The quest for divine direction often led to paralysis in decision-making for many, as they awaited clear signs from God.
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Praise God for His expansive vision of the covenant of grace. Praise God there is one hope, one faith, one baptism, one Lord and Savior of all – Jesus Christ. There is one flock and one shepherd. One pasture and one Pastor. The gospel is highly offensive but broadly applicable to all people everywhere.

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. – John 10:16
This past week we had a missionary come visit our congregation. What was amazing was the rabbit trail he sent me down. Do you know how many different types of sheep there are? There are more than 200 distinct breeds of sheep! There are skinny sheep. Fluffy sheep. Hairy sheep. Sheep with horns. Sheep with nubs. There are black sheep, white sheep, brown sheep, spotted sheep, and straight down the middle half-colored sheep. There are short-tailed sheep and there are fat-tailed sheep.
The point this missionary was making was that Jesus had other sheep. They didn’t sound like the Jewish sheep. They may not have looked like the Jewish sheep. They may not have been the same color as the Jewish sheep. But, they were Jesus’s sheep and he was bound and determined to save them. Jesus would call and they would answer.
The Great Commission
It took some time for the Apostles to understand this but eventually they got it.
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Your elder is not Jesus. They may be Christ-like, but the ultimate voice a Christian should hear and follow is Jesus’s, and not their elder’s. Your elder can pray for you, warn you, show you safe paths, and plead with you. But ultimately, every member is in the hands of the Lord Himself. We are God’s sheep, the people of His pasture.

I was talking to some elders of another church recently about struggles they were having, and they mentioned something I’ve heard countless times: A member is leaving the church and taking swings at the leadership as they walk out.
Please hear me out. The church needs elders. The church deserves to have good elders. God Himself demands elders to shepherd His flock well. However, the church can also be damaged by idealism. Sadly, we live in a world marred by sin. We live in a world where no elder on this side of heaven will ever live up to the ideal standard. Idealism, when it comes to either church membership or church leadership, will ruin relationships, destroy unity, and is deeply unbiblical. There will never be a perfect elder nor a perfect member.
I am not saying you should stay in an abusive church. I am not saying you should stay where the elders show blatant ignorance of your soul. I am not saying members should just put up with poor or sinful leadership. What I am saying is, elders will always fail you if the standard is perfection. Only Jesus, the chief shepherd, is perfect.
My hope from this article is that we, as a Christian community, may give and grow in grace. I’m not giving a pass to sloppy, neglectful, or even sinful shepherding. But, I am advocatign that we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep. Why? Because your elders will fail you.
The Shepherd’s Heart
The church deserves to have a shepherd who shows Jesus’ compassion and love for His flock. Jesus routinely showed empathy and understanding to His people. He wept with Mary and Martha at Lazarus’s death. He understood perfectly the hearts of those around Him. Jesus, as the chief shepherd, knows our hearts better than we know them ourselves. My elders, and your elders, will never know your heart perfectly. Elders may be physicians of the soul, but it is Jesus who is the great physician. If a member expects the elders to understand everything going on in their hearts, they have expected men to do God’s work.
The Shepherd’s Vision
Jesus knew exactly why He was here. Jesus came to do His Father’s will. Jesus had a mission and accomplished that mission. Jesus then commissioned His Apostles to go and make disciples of all nations, promising them the Holy Spirit. But He never promised the Apostles they would have perfect mission vision. He did not promise Peter he would be right on everything. Sometimes the Apostles caught themselves off guard as they were prevented from doing things. Sometimes they would drift in the wrong direction and have to be rebuked by another Apostle.
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