The church is under attack!

This phrase is screamed from pulpits across America and has been repeated from generation to generation, acting as a battle cry to rally the troops into a spiritual war against the world. While I agree the church is under attack from the forces of Satan, I do not believe this is the only attack that threatens our churches.

Churches in the West have benefitted from a neutral societal view of Christianity for decades.[1] But as sin grows, society changes. No longer is the church looked at as a neutral force in America. Instead, Churches are considered evil for forcing their ideologies on the public. This hostility is levied at churches through social forums, civil litigation, political procedures, and physical attacks. This war against truth is only the beginning, as more hate and evil will come.

As a result, churches have found themselves searching for a way to protect their sheep spiritually and physically. Unfortunately, pastors are not well trained in the physical aspect of this equation, leaving them to wonder how to minister the Word while protecting the sheep from that which means them harm. One common response to this growing problem is to establish a church security team and task them with the protection of the church.

Though a common response, every church has taken up the task of physical security differently, from one man stationed at the front door to a small army of men keeping watch over the service and everything in between. With most churches simply figuring it out as they go, it is time for a resource dedicated to the physical protection of the church. After all, every pastor’s office contains book after book explaining the ins and outs of protecting the church spiritually. So why not add a brief article exhorting them to protect the church physically?

Why Is a Safety Team Needed?

You may have clicked on this article and asked why? Why would a church need to task a group of men with protecting the church? After all, violent attacks on churches in the U.S. are rare. However, violent attacks are not the only thing a church needs to be concerned about. The job of a safety team is far less concerned with worst case scenario and far more focused on ministering to the flock.

As sin grows, society changes. No longer is the Church looked at as a neutral force in America.

Unfortunately, many church security/safety teams miss this point. Often, the safety plan of a church involves one or two males who sit in the lobby with firearms as a way of missing service. Or it is a group of guys who look and act like a militia. Unfortunately, neither of these options address the typical kinds of threats a church might encounter. As a result, many churches suffer from what I call “the fallacy of the gun” and believe that simply arming individuals will solve the problem. This decision may make the congregation feel better, but it does not necessarily make the church safer and in fact, may make for a more dangerous environment.

Violent attacks, active shooters, or mass causality events are the incidents at the forefront of everyone’s mind. But, how often do these incidents happen? According to the Family Research Council (FRC) acts of hostility carried out against churches have been on the rise in the last several years.[2] Studies show that, between January 2023 and March 2023, 69 acts of hostility were reported. That is more than the first quarter reports from 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined, and it is more than the total amount of incidents reported in 2018, which saw 50, and in 2019 which saw 54. The clear rise of these incidents is alarming, as it will soon become a matter of “when” it happens as opposed to “if” it happens.

Out of the 69 incidents reported in the first quarter of 2023, only three percent involved a firearm. The remaining incidents fall into the following categories: arson, bomb threats, vandalism, and less violent acts. With such a wide array of safety concerns, churches should not focus exclusively on stopping violent threats. Instead, the teams should be well-rounded and focus on ministering to the flock by creating a safe and secure environment for gospel proclamation.

A Ministry of Defense

Any church that establishes a safety team or security plan must have a ministerial view. If the church is deemed unsafe, it becomes difficult to preach the gospel, worship, fellowship, and perform the sacraments, all of which are vital for a congregation. The majority of churches in America can agree with the preceding remarks. However, knowing how to promote church safety can be confusing and overwhelming. After all, church safety does not exist in the loci of systematic theology. Nor does any seminary employ a professor of church safety. For these reasons, I have listed a few approaches below to help church leaders think through these issues.

Hired Guns

The first option of any church is to hire a security team or law enforcement and task them with keeping the church safe. The concern with this idea is threefold. First, not every church can afford to hire professional security guards or law enforcement officers. Secondly, there is no guarantee that those hired will rise to the occasion. We can all remember the infuriating video footage of law enforcement officers standing in the hallway of an elementary school, feet away from dying children, and doing next to nothing to end the carnage. Lastly, hired men will not show the same care for your church as a member-led team. Safety and security are more than just defending against active shooters. It includes keeping children safe from predators, interacting with possible protestors, and creating safe environments for elders to counsel.

The Approved Skipper

Another option for churches is the ‘approved skipper’. Unfortunately, when it comes to safety, a lot of churches settle for one or two armed men sitting in the lobby waiting for a worst-case scenario situation to unfold. While the men who volunteer for these roles mean well and likely would rise to the occasion, their souls will suffer in the process. If any other church member came to church and did nothing more than sit in the lobby and occasionally walk around, he would be questioned by the elders. So why is an exception made for those who do the same thing in the name of security? While this option may make the church feel better and allow some guys to serve, it fails to view safety as a church ministry.

The Let God be Sovereign Crowd

Unfortunately, some churches see the threats in the world and decide to do nothing. This view usually stems from a failure to understand what it means to love one another. Some Christians have argued that out of love for the one doing wrong, they would not fight back if they or their loved ones were under attack. Instead, they would submit and attempt to influence the heart of their attacker by preaching to them the gospel. While this seems to be a noble task, it ignores the fact that one way to show love to your adversary is by stopping them from doing evil deeds. Additionally, in the context of a church, you must show love to your neighbor and the visitors of your congregation by providing a safe environment.

Although you may feel called to be a martyr, the children, elderly, and vulnerable in your congregation may not have such a call. Furthermore, a perpetrator who is carrying out a mass casualty incident is unlikely to ask you to deny Christ. Ultimately, being a victim and being a martyr are not the same thing, and we as Christians must trust that the Spirit will guide us when these situations occur. Regardless of how you personally feel, you are commanded to love your neighbor (Mark 12:31), and laying down your life for another is the greatest display of love (John 15:13).

Safety Team

The final option, and in my opinion, the best option, is to form a safety team. A safety team, unlike the other options, is first and foremost a ministry of the church. Instead of viewing safety as an afterthought, it recognizes that establishing a safe location for the saints to sing and pray is vital to the health of a church. By calling the team a “safety” team instead of a “security” team, you reorient their focus, helping them see the broader application of the team. This team is not only focused on the worst-case scenario but concentrates on the overall safety of the congregation.

By taking into account medical emergencies, missing/vulnerable children, natural hazards, and civil liability, a safety team cares for the church in numerous ways. While active shooter and terrorist attacks may make the headlines, such events are considerably rare when compared to the likelihood that a member slips and falls during service or that a car accident occurs in the parking lot. A safety team can address and handle these types of matters, allowing the saints to focus on worshipping.

A proper mindset for church safety begins with a correct understanding of the church, biblical manhood, and womanhood, understanding the preservation of life, and focusing on the spread of the gospel.

The key to establishing a team like this is focusing on the right guys instead of the best guys. While your church may have an elite shooter, a gun hobbyist, or a veteran in its membership, those may not be the best option to lead or serve on a safety team. Instead, this ministry needs to be treated as a ministry and must be led by men who exemplify wisdom and discretion. Men who can look at a struggling church member and give him wise counsel. Men who can give the gospel to a hurting and angry drunk who may have stumbled into service. Men who can keep their composure while being yelled at by protestors. In essence, they should be deacon-qualified men.

These men are in every church, and while they may not have the background in safety, they have the foundation needed to protect the flock. Once you have the right men, training them in the nuances of self-defense is the easy part. A helpful paradigm for training a team is found in the following categories: mindset, tactics, skill, and gear. While skill and gear are important, they are last on this list because mindset and tactics are a higher priority.

A proper mindset begins with a correct understanding of the church, biblical manhood, and womanhood, understanding the preservation of life, and focusing on the spread of the gospel. Even if a pastor lacks knowledge in physical security, he should be well-equipped to teach and preach God’s word on cultural issues, which is paramount to creating a safe and healthy church. Tactics, on the other hand, deal with the procedures and policies, such as evacuation sites, routes of egress, and the locations of medical kits and AEDs. These foundations, coupled with the right men, allow your church to gather and worship safely and with peace of mind.

If you are a pastor or church leader, I exhort you to think through these issues. Seek counsel from those skilled in this area and prioritize the physical safety of your congregation. The wolves are coming, and only a well-equipped shepherd can defend his flock spiritually and physically.

[1] https://www.firstthings.com/article/2022/02/the-three-worlds-of-evangelicalism

[2] Family Research Council. “FRC’s New Report Shows Escalating Attacks on Churches in First Three Months of 2023”. Frc.org, https://www.frc.org/newsroom/frcs-new-report-shows-escalating-attacks-on-churches-in-first-three-months-of-2023. Accessed 19 June 2023

January 6, 1850, God saved Charles Haddon Spurgeon at age 15. It happened in a most unusual way. Having been raised by Christian parents—and grandparents—Spurgeon found himself in a miserable condition spiritually. His prayers seemed to be unanswered. God was distant. His soul was tormented. Here is his recounting of that day from his Autobiography.
I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair until now had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm, one Sunday morning, while I was going to a certain place of worship. When I could go no further, I turned down a side street, and came to a little Primitive Methodist Chapel. In that chapel there may have been a dozen or fifteen people. I had heard of the Primitive Methodists, how they sang so loudly that they made people’s heads ache; but that did not matter to me. I wanted to know how I might be saved, and if they could tell me that, I did not care how much they made my head ache. The minister did not come that morning; he was snowed up, I suppose. At last, a very thin-looking man,* a shoemaker, of tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach. Now, it is well that preachers should be instructed; but this man was really stupid. He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had little else to say. The text was,—

“Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth”

He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter. There was, I thought, a glimpse of hope for me in that text. The preacher began thus:—“My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, ‘Look’. Now lookin’ don’t take a deal of pains. It ain’t liftin’ your foot or your finger; it is just, ‘Look.’ Well, a man needn’t go to College to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man needn’t be worth a thousand a year to be able to look. Anyone can look; even a child can look. But then the text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Ay!” said he, in broad Essex, “many on ye are lookin’ to yourselves, but it’s no use lookin’ there. You’ll never find any comfort in yourselves. Some look to God the Father. No, look to Him by-and-by. Jesus Christ says, ‘Look unto Me’. Some on ye say, ‘We must wait for the Spirit’s workin’.’ You have no business with that just now. Look to Christ. The text says. ‘Look unto Me.’ ”

Then the good man followed up his text in this way:—“Look unto Me; I am sweatin’ great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hangin’ on the cross. Look unto Me; I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend to Heaven. Look unto Me; I am sittin’ at the Father’s right hand. O poor sinner, look unto Me! look unto Me!”

When he had gone to about that length, and managed to spin out ten minutes or so, he was at the end of his tether. Then he looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. Just fixing his eyes on me, as if he knew all my heart, he said, “Young man, you look very miserable.” Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made from the pulpit on my personal appearance before. However, it was a good blow, struck right home. He continued, “and you always will be miserable—miserable in life, and miserable in death,—if you don’t obey my text; but if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved.” Then, lifting up his hands, he shouted, as only a Primitive Methodist could do, “Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.” I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said,—I did not take much notice of it,—I was so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me. I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, “Look!” what a charming word it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away. There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun; and I could have risen that instant, and sung with the most enthusiastic of them, of the precious blood of Christ, and the simple faith which looks alone to Him. Oh, that somebody had told me this before, “Trust Christ, and you shall be saved.” Yet it was, no doubt, all wisely ordered, and now I can say,—
Six years later, after the Lord had called Spurgeon to serve the New Park Street Chapel as pastor, he preached from the text that was used to save him, Isaiah 45:22. In that sermon he said to his congregation,
I shall never forget that day, while memory holds its place; nor can I help repeating this text whenever I remember that hour when first I knew the Lord. How strangely gracious! How wonderfully and marvelously kind, that he who heard these words so little time ago for his own soul’s profit, should now address you this morning as his hearers from the same text, in the full and confident hope that some poor sinner within these walls may hear the glad tidings of salvation for himself also, and may to-day, on this 6th of January, be “turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God!”

I think I coined the phrase “cage-stage-patriarchy” recently to describe some of the less than stellar commentary being offered on social media about the authority that God has given husbands over their wives. The phrase suggests that those who, having recently discovered the biblical teachings on patriarchy, are so indelicate in handling the truth that they would be well-served (and better serve others) if they were locked in a cage away from people until they gain deeper understanding of the truth they have discovered.
Ours is, as John Stott put it, an “anti-authority” age that has been permeated in every sphere by demonically inspired feminism. While rightly rejecting this ideology some have rediscovered biblical patriarchy—the teaching that God has purposefully made men and women to be different and has assigned to men the primary responsibility and authority to exercise leadership in the home, church, and world.
What Scripture teaches on this in no way denigrates women. Nor does the Bible prohibit or judge women to be inadequate for many roles and tasks that require leadership qualities. Rather than expound on that let me simply refer to a few examples of what I have in mind, such as Proverbs 31:10-31, 1 Samuel 1:21-28, and Titus 2:3-4.
My concern is the excesses that too often accompany the rediscovery of biblical patriarchy. Specifically, I am concerned about those who, in the name of patriarchy, are advocating positions and actions that do not adequately honor all Scripture. They have fallen into what I call, cage-stage-patriarchy (CSP).
This is a close relative of cage-stage-Calvinism (CSC). When one first discovers the doctrines of grace, he often begins to interpret everything, including every Scriptural text through his newly discovered, not yet matured understanding of the sovereignty of God.
Thus, anything that smacks of human freedom is judged to be anathema. For example (and I have witnessed or myself engaged in all of these), some CSCs get nervous singing or refuse to sing altogether songs like Just As I Am. Or when teaching verses like John 3:16 and 1 John 2:2, they feel compelled to spend more time telling you what the text does not mean than what it does mean.
Cage-stagers become obnoxious with their new-found insights and are quick to challenge and correct anyone who seems to disagree with them. Social media has magnified this because everyone has a platform from which to air his opinions (Proverbs 18:2). You can recognize a cage-stager, or just an immature Christian, by how quickly and authoritatively they jump into conversations that do not concern them at all (Proverbs 26:17). They are gadflies who can be easily seen as such by a simple search of their social media timelines. 
Further, when controversy erupts, they feel justified to violate the very convictions for which they contend because of their sense of self-importance in defending the truth. Such cage stagers would be immensely helped by studying Bunyan’s Valiant-for-Truth. You miss the important lesson taught by this character unless you recognize that the enemies that bloodied that stalwart of the faith (but which he does indeed fight!) reside within his own heart.
This is why you see CSCs defend the doctrines of grace with so little evidence of the grace of those doctrines. It also explains why Cage-stage-patriarchists do not hesitate, in the name of defending the patriarchy, to speak derisively of men who deserve respect by virtue of their testimony and station in life. You can also see it in the way they speak down to and about women, violating the very Scriptures that form the foundation of male leadership and headship.
Cage-stagers regularly give hot takes on the issues they are advocating, often to the applause of immature listeners. When challenged, they either double-down in their not-yet-matured understanding trying to defend the biblically indefensible or offer multiple and needed qualifications to explain exactly what they meant and did not mean. One tell-tale sign of a cage stager is the claim that he is regularly being misunderstood when his very words are cited to critique the opinion he boldly espoused.
If you are regularly having to defend yourself and explain statements that you plainly make because people take your words in the plain sense in which you spoke them, you would be well-served to stop talking for a while until you figure out how to communicate clearly enough that you are not so often being misunderstood.
So, I appreciate CSPs rightly reacting against the widespread feminism of our day. It is not that they are completely wrong in their convictions. Rather, they have stopped short of going deeper into what the Word of God teaches about male-female distinctions and male leadership and headship. Therein lies the problem.
They speak beyond their maturity and, as such, wind up staking out positions that are often untenable, such as, the red dress test that recently made the rounds on X.com. To state the case starkly the argument goes like this: “If I tell my wife to wear a red dress every day for the rest of her life then she must do so. Period. Full stop.” That sounds bold. It sounds manly, patriarchal even. In our feminized age it will win applause from some who are awakening from the estrogen-drenched culture and churches in which they dwell. But this attitude misrepresents what God requires of both husbands and wives under the lordship of Christ. Do husbands have a responsibility to make sure their wives dress appropriately? Absolutely. Do wives have a responsibility to dress in accordance with their husband’s will? Absolutely. But there is a deeper dimension to the marital relationship that must never be overlooked by followers of Christ.
Before a Christian couple are husband and wife, they are brother and sister in the Lord. The duties and responsibilities that we have in God’s family under Christ’s lordship do not get cancelled by holy matrimony. Further, a husband’s headship over his wife is not arbitrary or unlimited. His authority, like all other human authority, is delegated and limited. Jesus is the sole possessor of “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Magistrates, elders, and husbands possess authority only because Christ delegates it to them. They are required to use their authority under His lordship.
What does that entail? Every thoughtful Christian knows that no human authority has the right to command you to break God’s law. But does that mean that a husband is free to require of his wife anything that is not a clear violation of God’s law? Hardly. He is free to require of his wife that which pleases the Lord who has delegated to him the authority which he wields. A husband’s authority is not arbitrary. It is not inherent. It is delegated.
Just as fathers are commanded to exercise their authority in ways that do not provoke their children to wrath (Ephesians 6:4) so husbands are given clear instructions to be like Christ in how they treat their wives. “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). I submit that arbitrarily requiring your wife to wear a certain color dress for the rest of her life is a violation of this command. To make the case a little clearer for those who are still fuzzy on this, let’s up the ante on the non-sinful requirement. Does a husband have the right arbitrarily to require his wife to stand in the corner of a room for three hours each day? Or to roll twenty times on the front lawn every day at 2PM?
To be clear, a godly wife’s default response even to such strange requirements should be the inclination to submit. But because she is a joint heir of grace with her husband, that inclination will be tempered by her own desire to please Jesus Christ. If she thinks her husband might not be thinking clearly then as his sister in Christ as well as his helper in marriage, she should try to get him to see her concerns. That may involve seeking counsel from other human authorities, most notably, the elders of their church.
This is a more integrated, mature approach to what the Bible teaches about the proper exercise of authority in marriage. Half-baked views of biblical patriarchy undermine this teaching. When they gain traction, they serve to inoculate against God’s good and wise teaching on the roles of and relationships between men and women. As a result, those still ensnared in feminism become more resistant to biblical teaching on the subject.
I know what it is to be in a cage-stage of some new conviction. And I have been the recipient of gracious patience and necessary rebuke by older, wiser men who recognized that my need was not refutation but correction. My hope is that men who are in a position to extend such patience and offer such rebukes to cage-stage-patriarchists will not shrink back from the opportunity to do so. The church of Jesus Christ needs to get right on this issue. And we need strong men who understand the full counsel of God on this question to lead the way.

Today, I stood in someone’s love letter.
More than thirty years of prayer made physical in brick and beam. More than three decades of faithful giving turned into walls and windows.
A previous generation’s vision finally taking shape in space and time. As I stood in Christ Church’s new fellowship hall, the weight of inherited grace nearly brought me to tears. These walls were dreamed before I arrived. These foundations and space prayed into being by people who’ve already gone home to glory. I’m experiencing what they have dreamed.
Trees tell this story about care: They mark where someone loved beyond their lifetime. They stand as witnesses to hope extended forward. They prove someone cared about people they’d never meet.
Churches echo this truth even clearer: Every brick laid in love. Every dollar given in faith. Every prayer offered in hope. Every plan made in trust. That strangers would find welcome here, That future generations would meet God here, That people unknown and unborn would call this home.
Some of us stand in thin forests. I do. Inheriting more absence than abundance. More neglect than nurture. But here’s the transforming truth: We don’t have to repeat what we received. We can plant what we wished we’d inherited. I didn’t plant these trees. I didn’t lay these foundations.
I didn’t write the first chapters of this story. Yet here I stand, overwhelmed by inherited blessing, Surrounded by the fruit of faithful love That looked past its own horizon into mine.
Want to know what real love looks like? Watch the one who- Plants oaks they’ll never sit under, Builds sanctuaries they’ll never worship in… All for people they’ll never meet.
Standing in this new hall, I can’t help but ask: What am I building that will outlast me? What am I planting that others will inherit? What love letters am I writing to the future?
Your great-grandchildren will inherit your care or your negligence. They’ll walk in your shade or your shadows. They’ll taste your fruit or your famine. They’ll worship in spaces you sacrificed to build Or wonder why you thought only of yourself.
And perhaps they’ll say: “Someone loved us before they knew us.” “Someone cared enough to plant this tree.” “Someone looked past their own life into ours.” “Someone built this place for us to meet God.” We’re all living in someone’s answer to the question: “Do I care about those who come after?” Today, in a fellowship hall thirty years in the making, I found my answer standing in stone and wood.
Plant like you love them. Build like you love them. Pray like you love them. Give like you love them.
And somewhere, thirty years from now, Someone you’ll never meet Will stand in your love letter to the future and be overwhelmed by grace.

This originally appeared at https://x.com/chocolate_knox/status/1863359199729918370?s=46

Perhaps you’ve heard the tragic tale of Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. The oft-circulated folk parable goes like this:

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

The American Church finds itself in such a situation today as we careen towards Election Day 2024. Recent cycles remind us just how hairsplittingly thin our electoral margins can be in federal races, with several thousand votes in key bell-weather settings capable of directing the course of entire races. Yet it’s in this context that an estimated 41 million Evangelicals (roughly half of the US Evangelical population) are planning not to vote in what by any account will be recorded as one of the most memorable, consequential, and unprecedented presidential contests in our republic’s relatively short history. 

All this raises a fundamental question: what is to be the Christian’s posture towards civil government? To borrow from Richard Niebuhr’s framework regarding culture—is the Christian stance in opposition to government and politics? Do the Christian and the state stand inherently at odds in a paradoxical dualism? Does Christianity transform politics through the influence of the gospel? Is the Christian located above government, battling culture and asserting Christ’s dominance? Or is the Christian, perhaps, to be absorbed completely into the political, assimilating into it such that the kingdom of God finds its expression through policy and social progress? These questions reveal not only our political theology but also triangulate our anthropology (doctrine of man), soteriology (doctrine of salvation), and our eschatology (doctrine of last things). 

Romans 13:1-7 is the locus classicus of New Testament teaching concerning the state. In it, the Apostle Paul exhorts Christians living in the heart of the empire to submit themselves humbly even to pagan civic rule. This simple instruction, easy for modern readers accustomed to general civil peace and the rule of law to take for granted, was crucial for the early church. After all, Christ had been raised and seated on heaven’s throne with all cosmic authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-21); one could logically conclude from this that the believer, unified to Christ, is no longer subject to any unbelieving human hiearchy. Yet Scripture teaches expressly the opposite. We are to be subject to rulers (Romans 13:1; cf. Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13), recognizing that their position of authority is sovereignly brought about by God (Romans 13:2; cf. John 19:11). Rather than overthrow the political order, the new covenant legitimates it and dignifies it. As King David pronounced, “When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, he dawns on them like the morning light” (2 Samuel 23:3b-4a).

Yet as Paul lays out his case, he does so making certain assumptions that bear great significance for our contemporary moment. The civil magistrate is a “servant” or “deacon” (Greek diakonos) of God (Romans 13:4). His duty is to punish evil conduct and to approbate what is good (v. 3), doing so for the good of those ruled, including Christians (v. 4). Moreover, he is a “minister” of God (or “servant”—Greek leitourgos; same root word as liturgy, connoting holy service) to this end. Contrary to a cynical analysis of politics, the civil magistrate is for Paul far more than a vestige of the fall or curse of life east of Eden. Simply put, governing authorities are those for whom Christians must pray, intercede, and give thanks so that the church of Jesus Christ can live peacefully, quietly, and in a godly and dignified manner (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

The first century historical context serves only to further underscore the apostle’s point. Paul lived and wrote under Daniel’s grotesque fourth beast (Daniel 7:7)—an empire whose animating principle ranged from neutral to outright evil, culminating in the demonic despotism of Nero. Yet under these dire circumstances, Paul was unafraid to make use of his rights as a Roman citizen (Acts 25:11) and even exhorted the Philippians, citizens of Rome by virtue of their colonial status, to walk worthy as citizens (Philippians 1:27).¹ Evidently Paul was not tainted by such concourse with a fallen, broken civil system; rather than being defiled by it, Paul seemingly sought to transmit his priestly holiness, as it were, to the common realm of the political.

Paul’s approach to government bears significance as a model for all believers. It is a great irony that many contemporary Evangelicals stand more aloof from the political than did the apostle, despite our system in the United States being markedly more just than that of Rome (albeit flawed), thanks to a preponderance of Christian influence. Yet it is difficult to imagine Paul seemingly as distant and uninvolved in public affairs as much of the modern church would prefer to be. Whereas Paul’s gospel ministry had direct bearing upon whole cities, even to the point of economic disruption (Acts 19:21-41), our great aim is often simply to be left alone.

Some Christians, it must be noted, object to political participation on grounds of conscience. Such individuals are fond of Charles Spugeon’s quip: “Of two evils, choose neither.” Looking at lineups of candidates who all, in varying degrees, represent corruptions of or downright opposition to a biblical worldview, it is these Christians who do not feel as though they can lend their vote to even those politicians who may appear “better” in some respects. The Christian atittude towards legitimate questions of conscience should be one of patience and love. Whatever a follower of Christ cannot do in faith—that is, with a clean conscience, free of doubt—is sin for that individual (Romans 14:23). Thus, if a Christian brother or sister’s conscience is wounded by association with a particular candidate or political institution, we should avoid pressuring him or her in such a way as to provoke them to transgression.

It is also true, in contrast, that many who refrain from political participation today do so not because of a sensitive conscience but a desensitized one. Rather than seeking (perhaps too scrupulously) to remain holy and unstained by the world, such persons have grown numb to multitudinous evils pervasive in society. In these cases, spiritual-sounding aphorisms (“This world isn’t home”) can serve as thin guises for sinful apathy.

Far from prescribing pious indifference, Scripture calls us to faithful stewardship. Jesus’ Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) is a salient reminder that to whom much is given, much is required in return. We delude ourselves by presuming upon the mercy of God if we think he only expects a return upon his spiritual investment in our lives and not also upon his gracious investment in us in terms of the liberties we enjoy as American citizens. Our Lord expects us to take his blessings, including civic ones, and cultivate them for the eternal and temporal good of our neighbor. One can certainly overstate the power of a single ballot in an enormous federal election, especially given today’s contentious circumstances, but one should not understate the privilege it is to exercise one’s political influence, however small.

In 2024, no small number of spiritually significant issues are in play in federal, state, and local elections: state sanctioned and funded child sacrifice, chemical and physical mutilation of minors, our immigration crisis, and racialist ideologies in public education are all on the docket. While avoiding apocalyptic rhetoric or fear-stoking, we must also be honest and recognize that never before in American history has such a unique nexus of economic, social, and moral crises converged upon us all at once. Whichever direction 2024’s political races go, it is unlikely that history will look back kindly upon an American Church that resigned its prophetic position on the field to watch the cultural conflict play out from the sidelines. In keeping with Scripture, Christians have a holy obligation to steward their civic privileges, not in such a way as to give cover to ungodly politicians, but so as to leverage their influence for the good of others. Let us, then, in keeping with Paul’s call to the Philippians, behave as worthy Christian citizens. As the statesmen Edmund Burke remarked, “Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could do only a little.”

This article is part 2 of a series, you can read part 1 here.

After all the trials Naomi and Ruth experienced in the first two chapters of the Book of Ruth, God’s steadfast love appears to be at work for these women. God is not going to abandon them, and He has a good purpose even in their afflictions. He is about to put His unfailing mercy, grace, and kindness on display in the lives of these two women who have endured so much difficulty. 

As we read in this narrative, God really doesn’t do anything overly spectacular to complete this story from a human perspective. God’s steadfast love shows up, not through direct divine intervention, but through His people displaying divine love through their faithfulness.

This concept is important for us to grasp because we live in a culture of broken promises and relationships where loyalty and faithfulness are rare. People in our world often lie, breaking promises and faith in relationships. Steadfast, faithful love is almost non-existent in our society.

That’s the reality of the world, but it shouldn’t be the reality of the church of Jesus Christ. God has called Christians to steadfast love so we might reflect His character to our broken world. There are three characteristics of this faithfulness to consider from Ruth 3 and 4 as we strive to emulate the Lord’s steadfast love.

First, to emulate God’s steadfast love, we need to understand that steadfast love is relational.

We cannot display God’s steadfast love in isolation from others; we need to be in relationships with people to obey this calling of showing the Lord’s steadfast love to him and the world. We see this relational aspect of steadfast love in Ruth 3. 

In this chapter, we observe the importance of showing steadfast love in our relationships. Naomi shows her daughter-in-law this love by arranging her search for a husband. Ruth shows this love repeatedly to Naomi – especially when she adheres to Naomi’s parameters during her quest for a husband. Boaz even recognizes her love and obedience when he says, “You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich” (verse 10).Ruth also shows this love by being prudent in her search for a mate, seeking to do right before the Lord. Boaz shows this steadfast love by agreeing to marry Ruth.

If we are going to be people who display God’s love and kindness, we must interact and be in relationships with others. We need this kind of kindness in our churches, marriages, families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and so on. As we show continued kindness and grace to others, we will reflect God’s nature and character toward us. 

Second, to be people who show steadfast love, we need to realize that steadfast love is costly.

There is a difficulty that accompanies this kindness, loyalty, and love. It’s easy to be kind when people are kind to us. It’s easy to show love when we stand to gain something from that transaction. It’s easy to be loyal to those who can benefit us. However, the love God has shown to His people goes beyond what is convenient. It is costly. We see this aspect of steadfast love in 4:1-11 with Boaz’s interaction with a possible redeemer of Naomi and Ruth, who did not want to jeopardize his immediate family’s inheritance.

Ruth’s redemption in this story parallels our own – although our redemption is more costly than any human example. Our redemption was purchased, not with earthly riches, but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1). Because of this amazing redemption, we are now co-heirs with Christ and have received an inheritance. How incredible it is that, unlike the first redeemer in Ruth, Jesus does not wish to guard His inheritance, but shares it with His people because He is our great redeemer.

As we consider steadfast love, then, we see that it is often costly, difficult, and risky. We are called to step out in faith, trusting God for our inheritance, for our protection, for our well-being – not selfishly seeking to protect ourselves from hurt, mistreatment, ostracism, or loss.

For us to love like God has called us to love, we must take risks. We will have to reach out to the person unlike us. We will have to be first to break the silence during a conflict with words of reconciliation and peace. We will have to be willing to step out to help someone we might otherwise pass by. We will have to overcome the fear of being rejected or ostracized when we tell someone about Jesus. Steadfast love is costly, difficult, and risky; it is not safe or convenient. 

Lastly, steadfast love is rewarded.

From verse 12 through the end of the book, we read of one blessing after another. Naomi, like Job, is restored. God has not been against her, but He has been working for her in her suffering, bringing about a great deliverance through her family line. Naomi’s suffering had a greater purpose, namely, the salvation of humanity.

Ruth has a son named Obed, which means worshiper, giving readers beautiful insight of this ending. Naomi went through the valley of the shadow of death and emerged praising the Lord for His goodness. Ruth is also marked as a worshiper of the true and living God, with her husband Boaz.

Christians can be assured that when we arrive on the other side of any trial and see God’s great purposes, we will be awestruck by His goodness and be driven to worship Him, like Naomi and Ruth. It’s not easy to see that promise amid our sufferings. The natural reaction is to rename ourselves Mara from bitterness, as Naomi did when she returned home. For all God’s people, though, the moment of worship comes when we see God’s glory displayed, realizing that His will is always for our good.  

The end of the story of Ruth is just one more step in the story of God’s redemption of sinners. In verses 21-22, we read, “And to Salmon was born Boaz, and to Boaz, Obed, and to Obed was born Jesse, and to Jesse, David.” This David would receive an everlasting covenant of an eternal kingdom, a kingdom His offspring would rule forever and ever.

The story that began with so much tragedy ends with redemption, salvation, promise, hope, and ultimately, with worship. Boaz steps out in faith, jeopardizes his own inheritance, and becomes an ancestor of the Messiah. Ruth, who has proven her faith of the unseen Lord throughout this journey, winds up being a key person in the genealogy of Jesus. In Matthew 1, there are three women listed in Jesus’ genealogy. Two of them are Gentiles. One of them is Ruth.

Steadfast love is rewarded and blessed. It might be inconvenient, risky, and costly. Yet it is always worth it in the end. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection prove this to be true. 

Proverbs 20:6 asks a pointed question: “Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” Many people talk about steadfast love, but few practice it. Many people say they are loyal, kind, and faithful to the end, but most of them aren’t. It’s difficult to find a person of true, faithful, enduring steadfast love. Nevertheless, may we as believers of Jesus Christ be characterized by His steadfast love in a world that desperately needs the hope and promise of salvation.

In 2000, my sister, Joy Dyer, tried to pay for a purchase at a department store but could not make her hand write out a check. That was the first sign that something sinister was attacking her body. Almost one year later to the day, cancer took Joy’s life. The following article is taken from the upcoming book, Suffering with Joy, which is comprised of letters that were written out of a desire to walk with Joy, her husband, Dean, and their family and friends through this hard journey. My hope is that these letters will provide comfort and encouragement in Christ to other fellow sufferers who are walking a hard path.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Romans 8:35

Joy has had a couple of falls recently and has noticed some diminished capacity on her right side. She is being extra careful as she awaits her next appointment with the doctor. Monday, November 20, she has a MRI in Houston. The next day she will see her doctor. She and Dean continue to trust the Lord and call on Him for help and strength each day. When I spoke with her on the phone yesterday, we talked about how it seems like we are hearing about more and more people who are being diagnosed with cancer. She related to me part of a conversation she and Dean had about this over dinner—how some diseases are terminal while others are treatable. Dean, in his customary way, made a brief comment that put it all in perspective. He said, “Honey, we are all terminal.” 

Of course, he is right. No matter where you live, the death rate is a constant one per capita. Some live longer than others, but in the grand scheme of things, even the longest life is, as the Bible describes it: “a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). We were not designed to die. But when our first parents rebelled against God, sin came to the whole human race, and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).

We often think of death as natural, and it is to the extent that it is inevitable. But in another very important sense, death is unnatural. Death became a reality for humanity because of sin. “Through one man,” the apostle Paul says, “sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). While this does not mean every individual’s death can be blamed on his particular sin, it does mean that if sin had not come into the world, there would not be any death. So death is an intruder that has entered through the door sin opened.

Death is an intruder that has entered through the door sin opened.

No one escapes death’s impact. The Bible says, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). This is what Dean was talking about when he said, “We are all terminal.” This bad news is what makes the news of God’s provision for us in Christ so good! By His resurrection from the dead, Jesus has conquered death. Paul writes, “For since by man [Adam] came death, by Man [Christ] also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:21–22). Paul is not saying that everyone without exception will be made alive because of Christ. Rather, all who are “in Christ” will be made alive, that is, will be made to live again eternally—will be resurrected from the dead.

How do you get to be “in Christ”? God must draw you to Christ. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). Paul says the same thing when he explains to the Corinthians how they came to be “in Christ”: it is “of Him [God] you are in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:30). When God so convinces you of your own sin and separation from Him and your need to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ, you will trust Christ with your life; you will be drawn to Him and thus will, by faith, begin a new life “in Him.”

Life in Christ is full of meaning, purpose, and hope. It is life lived in connection with the true God. It is life lived in the love of God. The apostle John wrote, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9). To know the love of God is the greatest thing in the world, which brings us to this week’s Joy Verse. Continuing in Romans 8, Paul writes in verse 35, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

The love and compassion of our Savior for sinners is revealed most clearly in His self-sacrifice on our behalf.

Paul uses rhetorical questions again to make his point. Christians are loved by Jesus Christ. Unlike human love, which can wax and wane or even be broken altogether, Christ’s love for His people is eternal. Paul makes this point by asking, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” The implied answer is, “No one!” Then he mentions seven different kinds of difficult experiences that might tempt a Christian to doubt Christ’s love. First-century believers were liable to all of these trials. But Paul reassures us here that nothing can ever separate us from Christ’s love. Not outward afflictions (“tribulation”), inward turmoil (“distress”), painful opposition (“persecution”), physical deprivation (“famine, or nakedness”), dangers (“peril”), nor death (“sword”). Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate a believer from his Savior’s love.

When Paul wrote this, he was not speaking as a novice or mere theoretician. He had already experienced six out of the seven difficulties. And he knew by experience, as well as by the teaching of God’s Word, that Christ’s love conquers all. The love and compassion of our Savior for sinners is revealed most clearly in His self-sacrifice on our behalf. The cross of Christ stands as an eternal monument to the love of Jesus for His people. Paul knew this. We can know it, too, by looking to that cross in faith, and trusting in the One who died there and who then rose from the dead. 

Because of Christ, and in Christ, our terminal condition is overruled. Death, though it remains our last enemy, is defeated. And life beyond death is assured. This is the believer’s hope and confidence.

The book of Ruth shows that even amid a dark period of unthinkable wickedness and rebellion, God is still working to accomplish His purpose of redemption. This book is also a reminder that even when it seems an entire nation has rejected the Lord, His faithful remnant remains.

With everything we face in our world today, it is a great relief to look at God’s faithful, covenant love in the first two chapters of this book. God’s covenant love triumphs over everything against His people so that we persevere in hope. Paul writes in Romans 8:35: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” In Ruth 1-2, we see a number of these things trying to separate God’s people from His love. Yet, these chapters are a living illustration of the truth of Romans 8:35-39 and God’s enduring, unbreakable love for His people. 

There are three things from Ruth 1-2 that enable us to persevere in hope on the firm foundation of God’s covenant love. 

First, to persevere in hope, we need to recognize the reality of adversity.

The story of redemption in Ruth is born in the cradle of adversity. In just this chapter, Naomi undergoes five severe experiences of difficulty. 

As the story opens, we meet a family of four, who are confronted with famine in Israel. This famine was such a severe trial that it prompted Elimelech, Ruth’s future father-in-law, to uproot his family to Moab. 

This family then faces the adversity of living among unfriendly foreigners outside the land that God gave to Israel. Moab had long opposed Israel and their military conquests.

Naomi’s third trial occurs when her husband died, and she now was burdened by being a widow in a foreign land. Her sons were probably not very old, so they would have been of limited help. 

God’s covenant love triumphs over everything against His people so that we persevere in hope.

After Naomi’s sons married foreign women, they died as well, extinguishing Naomi’s family line. She is bereft not only of her family, but also of any legal help or protection. 

Naomi eventually learns that the Lord has brought the famine to an end and decides to move back home. It was extremely dangerous for a woman to travel alone, but Naomi’s options at this point are to remain in Moab as an unprotected widow or to take a chance on the journey and hope some distant relative back home might assist her.

When Naomi arrives home, the intensity of the adversity she has faced is not lost on her. She recognizes the difficulties she has experienced, and she has been, at least in her understanding, irrevocably changed because of her trials. Naomi left a woman who was full of joy, with a family and high hopes. She came back destitute and hopeless. 

The language of this opening chapter is reminiscent of the book of Job. Naomi loses everything she values in her life. Her trials seem to happen in rapid succession, without a respite from the adversity. Also, like Job, she recognizes everything comes from the Lord’s hand and providence. Whether Naomi is proven right about what God is doing is yet to be seen, but the reality is that God is the one who has moved her through it all.

If we’re encountering adversity, remember God is working in and through our lives. Our trials have not taken God by surprise. Adversity is providence. 

Second, to persevere with hope, we need to respond to adversity in faith.

When Naomi decided to leave Moab, her two daughters-in-law desired to follow. She encouraged them to return to their mother’s house. Eventually, Orpah was persuaded to go home, but Ruth would not be persuaded. 

Ruth is determined to follow Naomi, wanting to convert to become an Israelite. In doing so, she understands she must forsake her gods and worship only the God of Israel; unexpectedly, especially given the context of Judges, she freely volunteers her unwavering loyalty to Israel’s God! Here we have this foreigner, excluded from the Lord’s assembly by her nationality, committing herself to the Lord until death. What a picture: Ruth the Moabitess is utterly loyal to the God of Israel, while Israel itself continually forsakes Him. 

If we’re encountering adversity, remember God is working in and through our lives. Our trials have not taken God by surprise.

This conversion appears to be genuine. Ruth does not say Naomi’s gods will be her gods; instead, she specifically names Israel’s God. Moreover, Boaz later recognizes Ruth came to take refuge under the Lord’s protection. Through Ruth’s relationship with her Israelite family, she saw the futility of the Moabite gods and the glory of the God of Israel – and she would not be parted from Him. 

What was it about the God of Israel that Ruth found so attractive? Ruth’s first exposure to Him was a God whose people were suffering from famine. Then, her father-in-law is dead, and her husband and brother-in-law passed away. She was a barren widow. She and her mother-in-law became embittered and impoverished.

Despite all that had happened, Ruth wanted to follow the Lord because she had found truth. Once Ruth had recognized truth, it didn’t matter the cost or the external trappings, nor did it matter that the lie looked more promising in the short run. The God of Israel was the true God, and she would not relinquish Him.

Most importantly, though, this woman responds to adversity with faith. She doesn’t make her decision based on emotion or external circumstances. Instead, she makes her decision based on God’s truth.

Ruth’s response is so instructive. When we struggle with adversity, does truth drive our response? Or does the flesh lead to despair rather than hope? When we tell others the gospel of Christ, are we confident that the power is in the truth, not in our presentation? We need to remind ourselves repeatedly that Scripture is the truth, and our God is the true God against all the world’s lies. 

Third, to persevere with hope, rest in God’s faithfulness through adversity.

Chapter two of Ruth shows God’s faithfulness to Ruth and Naomi. 

When she settles in her new home, Ruth takes the initiative to provide food. The field that Ruth discovers to glean belongs to a man named Boaz, who was related to Naomi’s late husband. When Boaz finds out Ruth’s identity, he instructed his workers to ensure she is provided for and protected. Boaz also tells Ruth he has provided for her because of her godly reputation.

Scripture is the truth, and our God is the true God against all the world’s lies.

In the end, God’s provision to Naomi and Ruth is more than abundant – not only of food, but also of physical protection, something two widows would have severely needed in their culture. Moreover, it appears that a budding romance is beginning between Boaz and Ruth. 

As we look at this chapter, God’s provision for Naomi and Ruth is unmistakable. God provides for the ladies in their distress in more ways than initially Ruth even was seeking. This is how God works. He regularly provides for His people even during adversity. We can rest in His care and love even if the entire world around us has been turned upside down.

Here we see two women who were able to persevere in hope because of God’s faithfulness. Without God, they would have had no hope – and neither does anyone apart from faith in Christ. It’s amazing to consider that Ruth was part of a population that God said were never allowed in His people. And yet Ruth was received by God because she trusted in Him. Jesus turns away no one who comes to Him in faith. What a marvelous and reassuring promise of hope and salvation!

Job 36:19-37:24

As Elihu winds down his theodicy presented to the destitute Job, he condenses his presentation to two truths. We find these in verses 22 and 23: “Behold, God is exalted in power; … and who has said, ‘You have done wrong?’” God is all powerful and nothing can hinder his accomplishing his will. God is perfectly just, so that the will he accomplishes is an expression of justice. In verses 19-21, Elihu mentions three refuges that sinners seek in order to avoid reconciliation with God’s holy wrath. These attempts at refuge from divine judgment show their disdain for the ransom God provided.

One of these hiding places to which men look is riches. Do riches have strength to give final fulfillment to life? Can they guard them from the coming of righteous judgment? They need to hear the warning of James: “Come now, you rich, and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are motheaten” (James 5:1, 2).

Others simply yearn for death as an escape from earthly troubles. “Do not long for the night,” says Elihu. People vanish from their place but their life before God does not end. Earlier, Job simply wished not to be (Job 3:1-19). But death, early or late, does not eliminate the appointment we have with God: “It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Others simply throw aside any sense of personal responsibility before God and move toward deeper indulgence in evil (21). They reason that unbounded pursuit of pleasure will anesthetize the pain of judgment. They forfeit the lesson that God’s affliction is bringing them.

One of the often under-discussed principles of the Reformation was that of simplicity.

Mere men in any of these conditions either of power or privilege should not exalt themselves but remember that God alone is exalted and he alone judges and reveals truth (22-23). God is the omnipotent one and there is no manifestation of power in the world but that it is derived from him (John 19:10, 11). God knows all things and acts always according to his purposes, so we may ask with Elihu, “Who is a teacher like him?” God knows, not through investigation or logic, but through invention. All things that exist and their relations with all other things are the products of his making. He made all things that are not himself and he continues to uphold all of these very things. Nothing exists that he does not know and maintain in being perfectly, and all he says about anything is true. “Who is a teacher like him?”

God works all things after the counsel of his own will (Ephesians 1: 11), so no one may question his operation of the world or of their own lives. Is anyone above him or does anyone give directions to the eternal, all-wise, all powerful one? “Who has appointed him his way?” (23a). He is the thrice holy, all righteous One. He makes no mistakes and there is no moral flaw in him. What he determines for the testing, sanctifying, and judging of men all is in accord with a perfect righteousness that is endemic to his very nature. “Who has said, ‘You have done wrong?’”

Elihu then points to the evidence that clouds, rain, and lightning give of the power and moral purpose of God. Lightning is unpredictable, terrorizing, and impressively beautiful, and all is in the hand of God to accomplish his precise purpose (36:32; 37:2-5, 11-13). With the mystery that such everyday phenomena pose before human observation, who can place a limit on the wisdom, power, or being of God? The curling, color, and movement of the clouds, along with their distillation into rain or snow for terror or for life-giving sustenance (36:31; 37:5-10), show that God does not bend his power or his sovereign purpose to the control of man.

As we exalt his work, we are led to exalt him (36:24, 26; 37:1). Considering, however, the magnitude of his work and how little of it we know, surely we must acknowledge that he is truly incomprehensible. “Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds, the wonders of one perfect in knowledge?” (37:16). His infinity in all that is excellent combined with his eternity of being defy any finite being—all his creatures—from laying claim to any kind of knowledge that would justify complaint against him (37:14-20). His power is uncontrollable and reflects his “awesome majesty” (37:22). As his might is illimitable and an absolute expression of his nature, so his justice and righteousness ride on the wings of his power in absolute purity (37:23).

God works all things after the counsel of his own will, so no one may question his operation of the world or of their own lives.

Given this combination of power and good, we must concede that there is no such thing as innocent suffering except in the one case of the One who suffered the “just for the unjust.” (1 Peter 3:18). When we proportion temporal suffering to apparent temporal evil, we might be puzzled as to why the apparently good suffer and the apparently less-good prosper; but this sense of disproportion finds plausibility only because of our limited and dull reflections on divine holiness. If our knowledge of the moral character of a fallen world and fallen human beings were truly commensurate with the reality, we would immediately concede the justice of God in any infliction of punishment or sanctifying discipline.

We must not forget that God’s granting of pleasure in this life should drive us to see the bountiful nature of his goodness and mercy. Any interruption of our pleasure in this life, whether mild or severe, is designed to bring us to a knowledge of sin and the need for a mediator that can restore righteousness, for God will not be finally reconciled to us apart from true and complete righteousness. “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1, 2).

Elihu has played the role of John the Baptist. He has been the voice of one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord. Now the Lord shows up to speak to Job.

In 2000, my sister, Joy Dyer, tried to pay for a purchase at a department store but could not make her hand write out a check. That was the first sign that something sinister was attacking her body. Almost one year later to the day, cancer took Joy’s life. The following article is taken from the upcoming book, Suffering with Joy, which is comprised of letters that were written out of a desire to walk with Joy, her husband, Dean, and their family and friends through this hard journey. My hope is that these letters will provide comfort and encouragement in Christ to other fellow sufferers who are walking a hard path.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

Psalm 37:7a

Faith is not a one-time event for the Christian. It is not merely something that we did at some point in our past. Certainly, there was a time when we moved from unbelief to belief. But that moment of initial believing ushered us into a life of faith. A Christian is someone who, having initially trusted Jesus as Lord, goes on believing. We continue depending on Christ. This trust is not perfect. Sometimes it may grow dim and waver, and other times it can be strong and sure. But faith for the Christian is continuous. It is ongoing. It is a way of life. 

The apostle Paul calls this way of life a fight. He encouraged his young colleague in the ministry to “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12a). Faith is a fight for the Christian in that we must work hard, discipline ourselves, and sometimes struggle to keep on believing. The seeds of unbelief remain in our hearts, and sometimes it seems as if they have so successfully sprouted that real faith is almost choked out. At such times I take comfort in that heartbroken father who asked Jesus to heal his son. With his demon-possessed boy writhing in the dirt at his feet and foaming at the mouth, this man looked at Jesus and, with tears in his eyes, said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). He had faith (“I believe”). But he was lacking in assurance (“Help my unbelief”). 

These words have been my prayer many, many times over the course of my life. When trials come, when it seems that God’s promises (what He has pledged Himself to do) are being contradicted by God’s providence (what He actually is doing), our faith can be severely tested. At such times the person who is trusting Christ needs to remember that the Christian life is a fight, and we are called to “fight the good fight of faith.” 

What makes faith hard and unbelief easy is losing sight of things that are true.

One good way to equip yourself for this fight is through Scripture memory. What makes faith hard and unbelief easy is losing sight of things that are true. Storing up your mind with God’s own Word makes His truth more accessible to you than if you only had a general idea of it. Scripture that is committed to memory can be readily called to mind by the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. The psalmist testified to the power of Scripture to work this way in his life when he wrote, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11).

Another good way to wage war against unbelief is by heeding the specific counsel of God’s Word. The Bible records the real-life stories of people who faced all kinds of trials and challenges. God taught them important lessons through these experiences. And by recording their stories in the Bible, He also can teach us through them. Often the Bible gives us the counsel of men and women who have gone before us in the fight of faith. By both their example and words, we are encouraged to keep believing. 

This is true of King David and his instructions in Psalm 37. He wrote this psalm when he was an old man (v. 25). It reeks of the wisdom of long experience. David knew what it was to be “on top of the mountain.” At one time he could do no wrong in the eyes of his fellow countrymen. Songs were written about him. Foreign kings respected him. His enemies feared him. But by the time he wrote Psalm 37, he had lived long enough to experience the reversal of fortunes. He had sinned grievously against his God and his people. He had experienced the death of a baby and inconceivably wicked conduct by other children, including the murder of one son by another and the betrayal and execution of that murderous son. 

To rest in the Lord means to trust Him to do what is right and what is good for us.

David had seen wicked people prosper and good people suffer. And out of the wisdom of long experience with God, he encourages us to “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (v. 7a). This is sound counsel for people who really know God. The Lord never hurries and is never late. Furthermore, what is sometimes easy for us to forget, He is always working for eternity. We often become anxious and wonder where God is or if He really cares. It is good to hear the God-inspired counsel of an experienced man like David, who also had those thoughts: Rest in Him. Wait patiently for Him.

What exactly does it mean to rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him? It means to give our burdens and concerns over to Him. To trust Him to do what is right and what is good for us. It means to remember heaven, to remind ourselves that we are in this fight of faith for the long haul. God’s sense of timing is not limited to our clocks and calendars. To rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him means to orient our hearts with such determination toward Jesus Christ and His death on the cross that the bloody scene of Calvary begins to melt our fears and anxieties as we gaze on it and are enabled to say, “For me.”