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The Preciousness of Daily Bread

By Bill Elliff — 4 months ago

Morning by morning, if we look to Him, He will deliver the manna to our door. He provides with tenderness and love and absolute perfection. His timing is always right, often waiting till the midnight hour so we will learn one more lesson that builds our faith and perseverance and gives the watching world a stunning testimony of our Father’s love and faithfulness.

Everyone must eat, and it must be daily. It’s possible to go without food for a while, but it’s not healthy. God has designed us to eat every day.
This is why God’s provision of daily bread is so precious.
Manna in the Wilderness
When God led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, they quickly ran out of food as they crossed the desert. There were several million in their company, and their immediate response (it always was) was to grumble and complain.
Of course, the Father had a plan. He was leading them, and He leads us in all the right paths for His name’s sake. He used this massive national problem to teach them by providing their daily food in the most precious way.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction. (Exodus 16:4)
Every Day Bread
The manna was there every single day for the next 40 years (146,000 days). It was provided the same way each day and precisely in the amount needed.
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Why Satan Wants You to Think You’re Alone

By John Beeson — 4 months ago

When we draw in on ourselves in our anxieties and sin, we play right into the devil’s hand. The enemy’s tactics are simple: separate the struggling from the flock by enticing them to respond to their sin and anxiety on their own, with pride, and not Christ and community.

“I’m sure no one has ever told you this.”
“It’s so bad. You are going to think terrible things about me.”
“Everyone would hate me if they knew what I was thinking.”
“There is no one who loves me for me.”
I’ve heard each of these helpless words from those who sat on the couch in my office. They are raw, vulnerable, and heartbreaking confessions. The words leak their hearts’ crippling loneliness and fears that they are destined to remain alone.
I’ve been there. Discouragement spiraled into depression. I multiplied my angst by entangling myself in sin. I didn’t think anyone would understand. I was too afraid to ask anyone for help. Lies compounded sin.
I remember sitting on the other side, watching my wife Angel slide into depression and then sin. It was debilitating to watch her slip into darkness, and I didn’t know how to get help. I felt frozen. I felt as though there was a piece of me no one could ever understand. It was a lie. But it was a potent lie.
Satan traffics in lies. Jesus hit it on the nose when he called our Enemy “the father of lies” (Jn. 8:44). He wants you to believe that God is not good, that you are alone, and that your shame can never be removed. Those are all profound deceptions. In 1 Peter 5:8, we are reminded to “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Don’t be deceived, Peter says; you must fight to stay out of the enemy’s jaws. There is one who intends to destroy you.
How can we fight the enemy’s lies? It’s not an accident that Peter’s admonition to be on guard against Satan comes after his encouragement for elders to shepherd the flock and then a call to humility.
Peter knows a humble and unified flock is a powerful force against Satan’s wiles.
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The Power of the Gospel in Prayer

By Benjamin Glaser — 4 months ago

Our lesson from the Directory of Public Worship regarding prayer is to remind us of something that is central to our faith, and that is that Christ forgives sin. That seems a like an obvious thing to confess, but we often don’t because we don’t really see ourselves as needing forgiveness. We ask for it because we are supposed to. It’s kind of like when your mom used to make you say you were sorry to a sibling or a neighbor. We do it, but don’t mean it. The reason we hesitate is for the same reason we don’t with God, we know we were in the right.

Delivering our sins unto the Lord can be emotionally, mentally, and spiritually draining. Being honest with God can hurt at times. Opening ourselves up to the exposure of our unworthiness to the holy and righteous One takes a lot of trust. Often our heart’s desire is to hide. That’s often what we see even good men do in the Bible. Adam leads Eve to go behind the bushes. Abraham tries to act like he didn’t just lie to Abimelech. Peter swears he won’t deny Jesus. Yet, in the midst of all of this our lesson from the Directory of Public Worship regarding prayer is to remind us of something that is central to our faith, and that is that Christ forgives sin.
That seems a like an obvious thing to confess, but we often don’t because we don’t really see ourselves as needing forgiveness. We ask for it because we are supposed to. It’s kind of like when your mom used to make you say you were sorry to a sibling or a neighbor. We do it, but don’t mean it. The reason we hesitate is for the same reason we don’t with God, we know we were in the right. It is not until men and women comprehend their weakness and like the women with the issue of blood, seek Christ, that we will ever really know what it means to be forgiven ourselves. Part of praying is learning. The DPW calls us to ask Jesus for help in this work.
Let’s read today’s selection:
Notwithstanding all which, to draw near to the throne of grace, encouraging ourselves with hope of a gracious answer of our prayers, in the riches and all-sufficiency of that only one oblation, the satisfaction and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the right hand of his Father and our Father; and in confidence of the exceeding great and precious promises of mercy and grace in the new covenant, through the same Mediator thereof, to deprecate the heavy wrath and curse of God, which we are not able to avoid, or bear; and humbly and earnestly to supplicate for mercy, in the free and full remission of all our sins, and that only for the bitter sufferings and precious merits of that our only Saviour Jesus Christ.
That the Lord would vouchsafe to shed abroad his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; seal unto us, by the same Spirit of adoption, the full assurance of our pardon and reconciliation; comfort all that mourn in Zion, speak peace to the wounded and troubled spirit, and bind up the broken-hearted: and as for secure and presumptuous sinners, that he would open their eyes, convince their consciences, and turn them from darkness unto light.
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What Is Apologetics?

By John M. Frame — 4 months ago

Written by John M. Frame |
Sunday, October 27, 2024
The apologist’s responsibility is to (1) set forth the biblical story rationally and persuasively, (2) answer the objections inquirers will raise against the truth of this story, and (3) challenge the worldview from which those objections come. In all aspects of our discussion we must keep in mind the antithesis between the two worldviews and the need to avoid compromise. But we must also keep in mind that we are sharing good news with precious human beings in God’s image. We should treat them as we would like them to treat us—with gentleness and respect.

The Term Apologetics
The term apologetics has nothing to do with “apologizing” for anything. Typically we think of an apology as an admission of wrongdoing and a request for forgiveness. But presenting an apologetic is almost the very reverse of apologizing. An apologetic is rather a defense of what might appear to be wrong but actually is right. Rather than requesting forgiveness, an apologetic seeks to persuade someone that no forgiveness is needed, despite a wrongful accusation.
The term apologetics is related to the biblical word group apologeomai, apologia, usually translated “defend, defense.” In the NT, the term is used most often by the apostle Paul, when he defends himself against charges brought against him (Acts 22:1; 24:10; 25:8, 16; 26:1–2, 24). To defend himself against these charges, Paul defends the gospel, the good news about Jesus, which is his overall calling, the context of everything he does. Defending his preaching means defending the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why in Philippians 1:7 Paul speaks of his whole apostolic ministry as “the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” It is that defense of the gospel that has landed him in prison (Phil. 1:16).
The Biblical Mandate for Apologetics
Peter generalizes to all believers the obligation to defend the gospel whenever nonbelievers question our faith:
In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense [apologia] to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (1 Pet. 3:15)
This is the biblical mandate for apologetics. Peter says that all believers should be prepared to make a defense. We should note that he places this in two contexts: the context of Christ’s lordship and the context of the inquirer. The first context tells us that apologetics is an act of worship, not just a human conversation but a way of honoring Jesus as Lord. When we get into a discussion of the gospel with an unbeliever, we are often tempted to set Christ aside and focus on the common ground of reason and evidence. But we must never set Christ aside. Even in apologetics, our first responsibility is to please him.
The second context is also important. We are to defend the faith “with gentleness and respect.” Some Christians are attracted to the work of apologetics out of a desire to win a contest. Their purpose is to defeat unbelievers, to devastate them. God, however, calls us to respect them, to convince them gently, and therefore to love them, as Christ first loved us. In apologetics, we are called to image our Lord, not just to talk about him.
In the light of Peter’s mandate, we can define apologetics as the defense of the faith. As a theological science, it is the discipline by which we learn to give reasons for our hope, always honoring Christ and showing love for inquirers.
As such, apologetics is found throughout the Bible, not just in the relatively few passages that use apologeomai and its derivatives. Think of how often Jesus reasons with his Jewish opponents. The prophets and apostles regularly do the same, emulating him. Indeed, God himself reasons with those who question him: “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord” (Isa. 1:18).
So the whole content of the Bible is apologetic, for all Scripture is the speech of God, and throughout the Bible God speaks apologetically: he engages in a rational attempt to change the beliefs and behavior of his readers (2 Tim. 3:16–17). And, in all biblical apologetics, God honors his Son as holy and shows gentleness and respect to his readers.
As we seek to learn, then, the art and science of apologetics, the whole Bible will be our text. We shall try to follow the example, not only of Jesus and Paul as they deal with controversy, but of every part of Scripture as it defends its gospel message.
Scripture’s Approach to Apologetics
The Bible’s own apologetic approach can be conveniently divided into three aspects: (1) setting forth the truth with its rationale, (2) giving direct answers to objections, and (3) showing the foolishness of competing messages. We can distinguish these for convenience, but none of them is complete without the other two.
Setting Forth the Truth
The first of these is by far the most common, in which the Bible in various ways describes its message. What makes this description apologetic is that since the Bible is God’s Word, it always sets forth its message clearly and rationally. The story is believable to those who read it with open minds and hearts. But many readers are not open to what it says.
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A Father’s Prayer for His Son

By Tim Challies — 4 months ago

Every father knows the importance of praying for his children. Yet every father also knows that at times it can be difficult to know what to pray. I recently found a sweet prayer in an old book and thought I would share it with you, dad, so you can pray it for your son. Take the words and make them your own, perhaps especially these: “Help me to help this boy of mine.”

Father, today I bring to TheeThis boy of mine whom Thou hast made;In everything he looks to me;In turn I look to Thee for aid.

He knows not all that is before;He little dreams of hidden snares;He holds my hand, and o’er and o’erI find myself beset with fears.

Father, as this boy looks up to meFor guidance, and my help implores,I bring him now in prayer to Thee;He trusts my strength and I trust Yours.

Hold Thou my hand as I hold his,And so guide that I may guide;Teach me, Lord, that I may teach,And keep me free from foolish pride.

Help me to help this boy of mine,To be to him a father true;Hold me, Lord, for everything,As fast I hold my boy for You.

This poetic prayer was attributed to Mouzon Brabham. If you find you enjoy praying poetically, please consider my book Pilgrim Prayers.

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Road Trip: Debate – James White and Tom Riello, “The True Worship of God is Nothing Less than the Self Offering of Christ Offered Only in the Catholic Liturgy.” Christ Presbyterian Church, Mobile, Alabama, 10/26/24

By James White — 4 months ago

April 1, 2023 – Debate – Is God Necessary for Ethics? Dr. James White & Pastor James Durbin vs Dr. Deen Chatterjee & Jared Anderson, Social and Behavioral Sciences Auditorium, University of Utah, Sponsored by Christ Presbyterian Church of Magna, Utah, and Ratio Christi, 201 Presidents’ Circle, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112

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For Richer, for Poorer: How to Steward Money in Marriage

By Randy Alcorn — 4 months ago

Were you to survey married couples about their money-management goals, most answers would focus on some form of financial success. Most people strive to accumulate better houses, nicer cars, more toys, and bigger retirement accounts. But when it comes to the dream of financial prosperity and security, we should ask, “Whose dream is it?” It may be the American dream — but is it the dream of the risen Jesus? And since what glorifies him is also for our good, is it a dream that’s ultimately in the best interests of our family?

The process of discovering God’s countercultural will about money and possessions can both excite and liberate. For my late wife, Nanci, and me, our growth in financial stewardship paralleled our spiritual growth. In fact, it propelled it. We learned about faith, grace, commitment, generosity, and God’s provision. We had challenging giving discussions that ultimately strengthened our marriage and bonded us around the common goal of investing in eternity.

Using the word makarios, which means “happy-making,” Jesus said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35 GNT). Nanci and I found that happiness, not duty, permeates a God-honoring theology of money. When grace-saturated, kingdom-minded disciples use God’s money and possessions, we fulfill the first and second greatest commandments. We store up treasures in heaven and “take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19).

The following principles can help you and your spouse develop a lifestyle of good stewardship that will yield dividends, now and forever.

1. Recognize the dangers of a possessions-centered life.

Although there is nothing inherently wrong with money, something is desperately wrong with devotion to money. “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare. . . . For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:9–10).

Understanding the dangers of materialism can liberate us to experience the joys of Christ-centered stewardship. Jesus speaks of the “deceitfulness of riches” (Mark 4:19). The psalmist warns, “Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them” (Psalm 62:10 NIV). None of us is immune to the value-changing nature of wealth.

Things have mass, mass exerts gravity, and gravity holds us in orbit around the things we accumulate. A friend told me that when he and his wife were first married, they spent their time taking walks, playing games, and reading together. They were content. Later, as their income rose, they found themselves trapped by shifting priorities. Little by little, money and possessions took precedence over God, church, and meaningful time together.

Studies and anecdotal evidence have shown a connection between an increase in income and marital infidelity. Of course, the point is not the income itself but the lifestyle it underwrites. A Christian can make a million dollars a year, give generously, live modestly, and avoid much of that added temptation to immorality. It is not how much we make that matters. It is how much we keep.

How can we recognize if we are falling into materialism’s trap? “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus is saying, “Show me your bank statement, your credit card statement, and your receipts, and I’ll show you where your heart is.” What we do with our money is an inarguable statement of our values.

God declares, “Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine” (Job 41:11). God’s ownership of everything provides the foundation of a biblical theology of money and the antidote to materialism. Acutely aware of the fact that what we have is God’s and not ours, faithful money-managing stewards regularly consult him to implement his biblical investment priorities.

2. Make generous giving a priority.

I encourage you to commit to giving regularly to your local church and, above and beyond that, to missions and other ministries. Begin by setting an amount to give — I recommend not less than 10 percent — and stick with it so you honor God with your firstfruits (Proverbs 3:9). If you want him to bless your family’s finances, don’t place yourself under the curse of disobedience.

“Happiness, not duty, permeates a God-honoring theology of money.”

As thunder follows lightning, giving follows grace (2 Corinthians 8:1–2). If God’s grace touches you, you can’t help but give generously! Then, when God entrusts you with more, remind yourselves why: “So that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV). (Contrary to the health-and-wealth gospel, God prospers us not to raise our standard of living, but to raise our standard of giving.)

If you have not been in the habit of giving, it can be challenging to begin. However, I ask people, “If you got a 10 percent pay cut, would you die?” Of course not! God is big enough to take care of you if you step out in faith and return to him what is his in the first place.

What if you and your spouse are not on the same page about giving? I learned over the years that my desire to give sacrificially could sometimes feel insensitive to Nanci. When I learned to be more generous with her (and our daughters), Nanci no longer felt that giving to kingdom causes competed with our family’s needs. Through many conversations, she learned to find increasing joy in giving, and I learned to find increasing joy in growing together and leading — but not pushing or pulling. We were holding hands, even if sometimes one of us was a step ahead. (As the years went by, the one ahead was increasingly her.)

Of course, God wants us to do many good things with money that do not involve giving. We must provide for our family’s basic material needs, for example (1 Timothy 5:8). But these good things are only a beginning. The money God entrusts to us is eternal investment capital. Every day is an opportunity to buy up more shares in his kingdom!

3. Set a budget so you can spend and save wisely.

Since the long-term consequences are severe when a couple disagrees about money, I can’t stress enough the importance of discussing financial matters. Start by making a careful record of spending so you can find out where your money is currently going. Then determine where it should be going. This will become the basis for your budget. (When I was a pastor, I met with families who followed a budget and did fine on a meager income. I met with others who made much more and were regularly in financial crisis.)

For some, the most practical way to budget is the envelope system. When paychecks are cashed, the cash goes into envelopes designated for giving, housing, food, gas, utilities, entertainment, clothing, saving, and so on. If nothing is left in the entertainment envelope halfway through the month, no more movies or eating out. If we overspend in one area, we must underspend elsewhere to compensate. The envelope system may seem antiquated, but it teaches us that resources are limited, which is an invaluable lesson.

What is the right balance between how much we give, use for needs and wants, and save? I believe the tension reflected in that question is healthy. We can prayerfully seek God’s guidance, determined to follow his lead as best as we can discern it.

Jesus tells us, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things [what you eat, drink, and wear] will be given to you” (Matthew 6:33 NIV). Unlike the pagans who “run after all these things” and “worry about tomorrow,” believers can trust God (Matthew 6:25–34). If we believe that God can create us, redeem us, and bring us through death to spend eternity with him, we can take him at his word when he says he will provide for our material needs.

4. Avoid debt, except in rare instances.

The choice to live under debt (except in manageable amounts, such as with a mortgage payment well within your means) is ultimately deadening to the soul and to a marriage. It is always unwise to live above your income. It will invariably produce conflict in your marriage.

Trust means believing God will take care of our needs. When we go into debt, however, we usually do so to obtain wants, not needs. So the Bible cautions us against debt. The ESV translates the beginning of Romans 13:8, “Owe no one anything.” This would appear to prohibit debt. The NIV reads, “Let no debt remain outstanding.” This would allow debt, if paid off as soon as possible.

Not all debt is the same, however. I’m sympathetic to those in situations where, after prayer and evaluation, debt seems the only alternative. In such cases, nothing is wiser than giving first to God, cutting back expenditures, and systematically paying off debt as aggressively as possible.

Some consider mortgages an exception to avoiding debt, and a case can be made for borrowing to buy a reasonably priced house instead of renting. Unfortunately, many aspiring homeowners buy a house outside their budget. A couple I know assumed a large mortgage that depended on both of their incomes. When the wife became pregnant, they realized that to keep the house, they would have to violate their convictions against leaving their child in a daycare center while the mother worked.

What about credit cards? Some use them for convenience, paying off the amount owed on every statement to avoid interest. Nanci and I did this. This approach has advantages, but it also has drawbacks. The very convenience of having a credit card is often a liability — and constitutes temptation. Here are some prudent guidelines:

Never use credit cards for anything except budgeted purchases.
Pay off your credit cards every month.
The first month you have a credit card bill you cannot pay in full, destroy the card, pay it off, and don’t get another one.

5. Enjoy life to God’s glory.

As believers in a materialistic culture, we should embrace lifestyles that free up money to further the progress of the gospel. And yet, the answer is not asceticism, believing that money and possessions are inherently evil. Our God is a lavish giver (Romans 8:32). He provides pleasures and comforts he desires us to enjoy: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Over the years, Nanci and I spent reasonable amounts of money on vacations that served to renew us. Even when our girls were small, we would have a date night, believing one of the best things we could do for our children was to maintain a strong marriage. (Make it a priority to date your spouse. Put it in your schedule and budget!)

Scripture says we are to put our hope not in material things but “in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17 NIV). That means we shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying his provisions! God does not expect his followers to live like prisoners in a cell, never feasting or celebrating life. He entrusts us with money to care for our needs and the needs of others, but also so we can take pleasure in the life he has given us.

Invest in Eternity — Together

Many Christians store up their treasures on earth. They end up backing into eternity, heading away from their treasures. Christ calls us to turn it around — to store up our treasures in heaven. That way, every day moves us closer to our Treasure.

In her last years, Nanci and I reflected on the ways, by God’s grace, we had invested in eternity and served the Lord Jesus together. What lay behind us was meaningful, but what awaited us on death’s other side was what we spent our lives preparing for.

Shortly before she died, I was holding Nanci’s hand, and she said, with a smile and tears, “Randy, thank you for my life.” I replied, also crying, “Nanci, thank you for my life.” God had used us to grow each other spiritually and make us better followers of Jesus. We certainly didn’t do everything right, but with God’s help, we sought to store up far greater treasures in heaven than on earth.

I encourage you to put Christ in the center of your marriage and finances. You will never regret it. The eternal payoffs will forever bring you joy and your Savior glory!

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No Condemnation

By Greg Morse — 4 months ago

“Holy, holy, holy” shook the courtroom as the Judge took his seat, a sight that I can only now liken to the sun ascending his throne at high noon. The proceeding commenced, and the prosecution began their case by calling one Spirit of the Age to bear his testimony on behalf of his business partner, World.

My evening reading that night was Romans 1–8. As the final page fell, sleep seized me, and I drifted into a dream.
I stood outside of a courtroom called Judgment Seat. August and austere, that courthouse appeared to me as the one great destination of all the earth. I entered willingly, though I later wondered if I had any choice.
Inside, demons and angels swarmed. “Judgment,” I overheard one angel say to another, “must begin at the house of God.” I took my seat in the courtroom, although some eyes rested upon me as though I did not truly belong.
Before I could spare the matter another thought, the doors flung open, and silence grabbed each creature by the tongue. Even the malevolent ones, those gods of the nations, were reduced to muffled sneers. The man entered enchained, head fallen, Amartōlos1 his name — though he shuddered to own it. He moved, so it seemed, like a man to his execution. He sat down in his seat — called Shame — with strange willingness, judging by the surprise of one angel behind me, who claimed that most sat down only after a great struggle.
“Holy, holy, holy” shook the courtroom as the Judge took his seat, a sight that I can only now liken to the sun ascending his throne at high noon. The proceeding commenced, and the prosecution began their case by calling one Spirit of the Age to bear his testimony on behalf of his business partner, World.
First Witness: Spirit of the Age
“Judge and jury and good spirits among us,” the spirit began, “I wonder if you have not realized already one who has no true place among the congregation of the righteous.”
At this, I swallowed so hard I thought I heard it echo.
“This man” — pointing at the man they nicknamed Tolos — “oh, how reluctantly do I bear my witness to his disgrace before you, Great and Holy One! I wonder, did you not say in your great book of law that this man ought not to love the world or the things in the world? Indeed, you did. I have it here: ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world’ — and note this next part, good Judge and jury — ‘the love of the Father is not in him.’2 Or, if you’d rather, ‘You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.’3
“The precept is unmistakable, but did this poor villain transgress it? I submit as evidence the first two decades of his life — for the tree must be known by its fruit. Look with the eye of justice, not mercy — ‘Your eye shall not pity him’4 — and you will see ample proof in every word and deed. His whole life flows from one foul source. Unmistakably, he has served a willing slave to the lust of his eyes, the lust of his flesh, and the pride of life.5
“Consider how many varieties of sin lie before you now, sins cataloged by the apostle under divine inspiration: gossip, slander, hating of God, insolence, haughtiness, boasting, disobedience to parents, and even new inventions of evil.6 Look at the criminal — faithless, foolish, heartless, ruthless!7 What could be known about the Most High was plain to him — he knew well enough his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature — but the man neither honored God nor gave him any thanks.8 Instead, he exchanged the glory of the Most High for created things and went into partnership with me and my esteemed colleague here.9 He knew the truth but suppressed it in unrighteousness. Does the defendant deny any of these charges? Should he be true and God a liar?10 Is he not left ‘without excuse’?”11
The eyes of that other world focused on the man, who to them was no older than a boy. Without lifting his head, he stammered, “I have no defense, your Honor. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”12
Second: Accuser of the Brethren
At this, the proceedings might have ended, but the examination continued with a most adept prosecutor given the title Accuser of the Brethren.
“Excellent start, great Spirit. Now, I must state my relations to the defendant from the onset so as not to indulge unjust scales. The man before you is my son; from birth he has been mine, and I most fraternally his. We have the case clearly given in the eternal decrees: ‘Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.’13 Or, a few verses further, the dividing line is drawn even plainer, the chasm more manifest — phanera, if I may quote the original. ‘By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.’14
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Adam the Head

By T.M. Suffield — 4 months ago

Written by T. M. Suffield |
Saturday, October 26, 2024
When we start to run down the roots of removing Adam from the story, what we’re left with isn’t Christianity. I do think this is a hill to die on. If Adam isn’t my head, neither is Christ. Adam is real and Adam’s sin flows to all of us. That one man who knew God was tricked by a snake and brought ruin to everything. There was another man who faced a test in a garden (Mark 14), another man who battled a serpent (Hebrews 4), another man who stood with a woman in a garden at the start of a new creation (John 21). These two men: Adam and the Lord Jesus Christ define history.

Last week I argued that the Bible requires Adam to be the first human and the father of us all. I went through some scriptures that support this, especially Acts 17 and Romans 5.
I argued that the Bible says he is, but also that he has to be to be our federal head. Paul’s argument in Romans 5 (and 1 Corinthians 15) requires it.
To pick up the thread again, I want to argue the other way around: why is it a problem if Adam isn’t my federal head?
The Fall
If Adam is not my representative head, then my fall in Adam becomes a fiction. I’d be on the hook for my own sins, but not born into sin. In which case, presumably I can rescue myself if only I could obey? I pick up this thread below.
If I’ve still fallen in Adam despite not having any connection with him, then instead the fall seems to be applied to me by divine whim with no grounding in reality. It sounds unfair, though I’m wary of that argument as lots of things do that aren’t, but how can I trust my salvation if God is arbitrary and acts on a whim? God is sovereign over all but acts in accordance with his character and the rules of the cosmos. The cosmos is ordered, not wild. Salvation is logical and in accordance with the scriptures.
Instead, my salvation in Christ is real. God is not arbitrary. The fall is not a fiction: I am born with both inherited guilt and inherited pollution and I continue in my father Adam’s footsteps.
Original Sin
If we deny that all are born in Adam, it would, perhaps, be theoretically possible for me to have not sinned and attain righteousness myself. Why then do I need the cross? Perhaps I just need to be good.
This is a strain of what was condemned as Pelagianism in the early church. It doesn’t save but grows our pride. It’s thinking just like Adam’s in the garden. Perhaps I too could be like God. It ends up much the same way.
Instead, I desperately need rescue. I cannot do good without the Spirit as I am turned in on myself. I can be rescued through faith in Christ: his life is purchased for me and I can receive it. In fact, I can’t even fall myself, because all I have is gift.
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Context Matters: The Fruit of the Spirit

By Ryan Higginbottom — 4 months ago

The fruit of the Spirit are not a magical collection of good behaviors or character traits. Rather, they are what the Holy Spirit brings about in those who believe the true gospel—those who have been justified by faith, those who have the Spirit of adoption as sons, those who “belong to Christ Jesus” and “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24). Context matters.

Perhaps you’ve heard about the fruit of the Spirit. You may have learned about them or taught them at Vacation Bible School, and you might even know a catchy song that helps you remember what comes after love, joy, and peace.
Many people know that the famous fruit of the Spirit come from the book of Galatians. But we rarely connect these Christian qualities to the message of Paul’s letter. Why was this list written to these specific Christians?
Context matters. Every word in the Bible was written in a historical moment and for a purpose. When we learn to read the Bible and honor the way it was written in time, we’ll see that some of its most familiar, musical verses have more depth than we have thought.
The Immediate Context
Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)
The larger section in most Bibles is Galatians 5:16–26. Paul urges the Galatians to “walk by the Spirit” so that they “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Gal 5:16). He describes how the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to each other. Immediately before the fruit of the Spirit, Paul lists “the works of the flesh,” which are “evident.”
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21)
We clearly must not take these sins lightly!
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