The apostle John wrote, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life,” (I John 5:13). This is John’s purpose statement for writing this little book. Christians can have confidence that they are going to continue to have eternal life when they die! Throughout the book John gives numerous ways Christians can be assured that they will have a home with God in eternity.

First, the debt of our sin has been paid. One biblical description of sin is that each time one sins the “debt” of sin becomes greater. That debt had to be paid so that we could be declared saved or free from the debt of sin. John assures Christians that has happened. “He Himself (Christ) is the propitiation (payment) for our sins,” (I John 2:2). When one takes the steps necessary to have the debt of one’s sins paid, one is saved. Therefore, the sins of one’s past life will not be held against him.

Second, God has given us eternal life in His Son. Eternal life is a gift from God and not based on the work that we do even though there are commands we must obey (Hebrews 5:9). Just before giving us his purpose statement, John also said, “The testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son,” (I John 5:11). Notice that for one to have eternal life he or she must be in God’s Son. One must believe that Christ paid the debt of sin and then he or she must get into Christ where salvation is found. Paul explained how one gets into Christ. “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life,” (Romans 6:3-4). Being baptized by immersion is the only way one can get into Christ where eternal life is promised.

Third, the condemnation of one’s present sins are forgiven. Although each of us should try to live perfectly, we cannot. John explains how the sins we commit are forgiven. “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one anther and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanse us from all sin,” (I John 1:7). The word “cleanse” is a present tense verb in the Greek and it means that the blood of Christ continually flows to keep us clean. Therefore, if we are trying to the very best of our ability to walk in the light of God’s word, Christ’s blood flows to constantly wash away our sins. That blessing is based on another condition. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” (I John 1:9).  As a Christian realizes he or she has sinned, one must confess that sin to God and ask for forgiveness.

Fourth, the one who obeys the will of the Father will continue to have eternal life. Everyone faces two great choses in life – the lusts of the sinful world or obedience to the Father. One can know he or she has eternal life if the choice is to obey the will of the Father. “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever,” (I John 2:15-17). As long as we are striving to the best of our ability to obey the will of the Father, we have assurance we are saved.

Fifth, we know that we have eternal life if we love God and mankind. In I John 4:7-21 John explains to us what love is. As he begins to draw this topic to a conclusion he writes, “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love,” (I John 4:16-18). Notice that if we have the proper kind of love, we will have confidence in the day of judgment.

Conclusion: Children of God ought to be able to say with confident, “I am saved.” If a child of God cannot say that, then he or she needs to correct whatever keeps that one from being saved. God wants the whole world to be saved (2 Peter 3:9), and He has given instruction as to how to be saved. If one follows those instructions, he or she can say with confidence, “I am saved. I have eternal life.”

Wayne Burger

What are we doing with our lives? Are we so attached to our luxuries and our physical interests that we don’t have time for God? Are we living for our own pleasures or do we realize that the best is yet to come?

The apostle Paul wrote about this struggle between the physical and spiritual, but his emphasis was on the spiritual. For many, this might be difficult to comprehend because we are so attached to what is going on here and now. For Paul, the goal of life was to be ready for eternity.

“We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever. But now we groan in this tent. We want God to give us our heavenly home, because it will clothe us so we will not be naked. While we live in this body, we have burdens, and we groan. We do not want to be naked, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be fully covered with life. This is what God made us for, and he has given us the Spirit to be a guarantee for this new life.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NCV)

Although we know that our life and our body won’t last forever, too often people live as if this is all there is. Yet this isn’t all there is to life. In fact, this really isn’t what life is about!

We should be looking forward to a better body and home. Can you imagine a body that isn’t subject to the aches and pains that so many live with each day? God is going to provide a body and a home that will last forever. No more moaning, no more burdens, no more death. For many, this may seem to be a utopian dream, but this isn’t talking about life as we know it here on the earth. This is about real life, eternal life. This is not only what God wants for us, but this is what God has made for us.

How can we be certain about this? God has given us a guarantee, his Spirit. When we are united with Jesus in baptism (Galatians 3:26-27) we not only receive forgiveness but we also receive the Holy Spirit as a gift (Acts 2:38) as we are clothed with Jesus. Although as Christians we have the Spirit in us, do we live in recognition of this? Or do we ignore how God wants us to live and resist the Spirit’s influence in our life?

“So we always have courage. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. So I say that we have courage. We really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. Our only goal is to please God whether we live here or there, because we must all stand before Christ to be judged. Each of us will receive what we should get—good or bad—for the things we did in the earthly body.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)

What do we base our lives on? Is it just what we can see around us? Or do we have our hope – and our lives – fixed on Jesus, on what we believe? Do we really want to leave this life so we can spend eternity and be at home with him? What is our goal in life? Or do we even have a goal beyond existing day to day?

Paul’s emphasis is that we live not for now but for Jesus. We live with the realization that we will have to answer for how we live our lives here. We will receive eternity based on what we did during our lives, whether good or bad.

Our goal in life should be simply to please God. Can you imagine how different life would be if all Christians would live this way? This isn’t easy because it goes against the current of what most around us are doing. No wonder Paul wrote twice that we must “have courage”.

May we have the courage to live for Jesus so that we can eternally be at home with him.

Jon Galloway

On numerous occasions Jesus stressed the importance of our willingness to forgive others for their trespasses against us. The tendency among men is to harbor resentment toward anyone who maligns us. Vengeance is the only accepted response in the minds of many. Brooding over personal injuries and injustices received at the hands of other can only make us bitter and rob us of the joy that can otherwise be ours in Christ (Matt. 6:12-15, Luke 17:1-4). Here are two stories to ponder.

The first comes from the Civil War era. That war had left not only an aftermath of destruction across the south, but a spirit of bitterness, hatred, and resentment in America. Although the guns had quietened and the swords had been laid aside, the anger raged for decades following that horrible battle of brother against brother. Many simply refused to forgive. It has been said that Robert E. Lee urged reconciliation between the North and the South. He knew that the war was over and that it was time to put the past behind and move forward. To the day of his death, the “Gray Knight” was never heard to speak an unkind word about those who had been his enemies. He even opposed the erection of Confederate monuments because he thought they would only serve to keep wartime passions alive. In his book, Lee: The Last Years, Charles Bracelen tells of a time after the Civil War when Robert E. Lee visited a woman who took him to the remains of a grand old tree in front of her home. There she cried bitterly that its limbs and trunk had been destroyed by Union artillery fire. She waited for Lee to condemn the North or at least sympathize with her loss. Lee paused, and then said, “Cut it down, my dear madam, and then forget it.” Good advice from a man who knew the horrors of war and suffered the pain of defeat.

The second story comes from an interview with Pete Peterson who served as the US ambassador to Vietnam. Mr. Peterson’s appointment was ironic because he served six years as a prisoner of war in the dreaded “Hanoi Hilton” prison camp. Now he would return to the land where he was held captive-returning not for revenge, but to represent the United States. When asked how he could do such a thing after years of starvation, torture, and inhuman brutality, he replied, “I’m not angry. I left that at the gates of the prison when I walked out in 1972. That may sound simplistic to some people, but it’s the truth. I just left it behind me and decided to move forward with my life.” The apostle Paul recognized the importance of cutting some things down and forgetting them. He wrote: “Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before. I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). Beloved, are you harboring resentment toward a brother who has wronged you? If he repents, forgive him. But if he does not repent, do not let his stubbornness make you miserable. Forget the offense, and stand ready to forgive him when, and if, he finally seeks your forgiveness.

By Tom Wacaster

Upon seeing the name, “Jesus,” what is the mental image that is painted in your mind? Is it the Catholic portrayal of a cartoonish man with long brown hair and a nicely trimmed beard? Maybe the modern-day media sight of a Caucasian man, robbed in white who looks to be fairly ordinary? It seems that everyone has their own mental picture of Jesus readily available in their minds. However, Revelation chapter one has quite the description for us concerning the Son of Man and it may be a different sight than what one is accustomed to.

Upon receiving the revelation from Jesus, John was first admitted into spirit form (1:10). From that point on, John was about to experience an incredible journey with Jesus. Not long after being in the Spirit, John begins hearing a voice. He looks to see who it was and his description is as follows:

• One like a Son of Man
• Clothed with a long robe
• A golden sash around His chest
• The hairs of his head were white, like wool or snow
• His eyes were like a flame of fire
• His feet were like burnished bronze
• His voice was like the roar of many waters
• In His right hand, he held seven stars and from his mouth came a two-edged sword
• His face was like the sun, shining in full strength

Now, that’s probably not what you had in mind when picturing Jesus. On the contrary, there is a significant fact to be had concerning this mental image we have from John. This is a portrait of Jesus in His heavenly glory. The Revelation description bears some resemblance to the transfiguration accounts in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9. When Jesus came to earth, He humbled Himself greatly; forfeiting a lot of His heavenly features (Phil. 2:6-8). However, once ascended back to His heavenly realm, Jesus was brought back to glory.

So what do we do with this mental image? How is it a benefit? For John, there was no other way to respond than to fall down before Him (1:17). The Son of Man is far greater than any other figure we have ever come in contact with. He is powerful, mighty, and glorious. Perhaps we can share in the comfort John received as Jesus spoke to him after his initial sight, “fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Tyler King

A bumper sticker recently viewed said: “I’m not religious, I just love the Lord”.  What in the world does that mean!?!

This strange expression probably is a reaction against the hypocritical conduct of lots of so-called Christians and many of their pretentious leaders. You don’t have to be terribly perceptive to realize that there are a lot of folks out there in the religious world who “say and do not” (Matthew 23:3). These are the sort who received Jesus’ strongest condemnations. He called them “hypocrites” , “blind guides”, and “whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:15,16,27).

But shall we delegate the word “religious” to the realm of ‘dirty words’ simply because there are those who act this way?  Absolutely not!  James 1:27 speaks of “pure religion and undefiled before God”. The verse goes on to describe this type religion: “to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world”.

Now, think about the bumper sticker again – “I’m not religious, I just love the Lord”. Taken literally, this means that the car owner which displays this logo does not “visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction”, and does not “keep himself unspotted from the world”. Gets a little crazy doesn’t it?  The dictionary says that to be religious is to be “pious, devout, godly”, and thus it is impossible to truly “love the Lord” without being “religious”!  Think!

– by Greg Gwin

Jesus has a precedent for his scathing denunciation of the religious leaders in Matthew 23. The Lord condemned the leaders of Israel as shepherds who failed to feed the sheep, Ezekiel 34. This chapter falls in the latter section of the prophet’s book that looks toward the restoration of God’s people, Ezekiel 33-48. Before the nation can be reclaimed, its leaders must be changed.

The true shepherd will take action.

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice (Ezekiel 34:15-16 ESV).

Let us notice some of the emphases of this text.

First, those who grew “fat and strong” off the sheep, God’s people, he would destroy. There is no planting and harvest without the clearing of the ground first. Salvation and judgment go hand in hand. From the first to the last, both are works of God.

… God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels (2 Thessalonians 1.6, 7).

Man’s ongoing conflicts reflect his greed and ambition. We will always have wars and the rumors of wars. And God also is engaged in continual warfare, but for a different purpose and with a different ending. He did not begin it, but he will end it. By his victory he will free us. This is the great conclusion of the book of Revelation.

Some of man’s wars cause extreme destruction and loss of life. Think of the American Civil War and World War I, to name a few. Other human wars were over quickly with little loss of property or life.

Spiritual warfare may seem long and hard to us. But not for our Lord. No opposition presents any real threat to his sovereignty. Remember 2 Thessalonians 2.8?

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.”

With only a puff of air, our Master does away with the enemy. Resistance to his power is futile. His good will wins over evil. This above all things is wonderful news.

Second, the Lord emphasizes what he himself would do: “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down.” This is his personal action. He is intimately involved.

Yes, he has shepherds below him. He sets his servant David (a probable reference to Jesus) to guide the flock, vv. 23-24. David best epitomized the care of God for his people. Another like him would come. But the Lord himself is always near.

God is so interested in us. In me. We were created for his pleasure, for his love. When we cut and ran, he did not give up on us. Some people used to think of God as the great winder-upper of the world who then turned and walked away. But he is not distant nor disinterested. He comes near to us.

Third, in his intervention to restore his people, the Lord declares his intention in detail. The first phrase is especially noteworthy: “I will seek the lost.”

God has always been the seeker of the lost. Early on, he sought Cain who was lost in his anger.

The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:6, 7).

Even in the midst of judgment, God shows his ultimate goal, overcoming the evil one and undoing his harmful deeds (Genesis 3:15). The story line of the Bible follows his seeking of the lost and his restoration of people to his presence.

God’s people, if they are indeed his, are lit with the same fire of speaking and seeking. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, remember? (Luke 19:10). His apostles burned with the same mission in their hearts, as Paul expressed it:

I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:22, 23).

All the servants of the Lord know this truth. James understood it.

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:20).

Does this not sound just like the Lord in Ezekiel 34? Jude gets it, too.

And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh (Jude 22, 23).

If we are attentive, the mission of God is not reduced to a few verses of the Great Commission, but permeates the whole Bible. God seeks the lost. Those who are his do the same.

Today’s stories, books, and films often do not have a happy ending. We live in the age of pessimism and despair. But a glance at the God who seeks the lost, who is personally involved, and who restores by means of judgment ought to revive our hopes and fire up our dreams. And cause us to be deeply thankful that we have in Christ such a God and Savior.

1. A. Neale

Jesus faced a lot of people who disagreed with Him in His time on the earth. It goes to show that no matter who you are, no matter how good of a message you have, and no matter how pure your motives are, there are people who will still disagree with you. However, there is something to be learned through the Son of Man as He handled such intense difference.

Jesus Listened in Love (Luke 7:9)

As Jesus entered Capernaum, news was delivered that a Centurion’s servant was near the point of death. The Centurion sent Jewish elders and friends to Jesus, for he didn’t think himself worthy enough to have Jesus under his roof. When the Christ listened to everything being spoken to Him, He was impressed with the their faith and healed the Centurion’s servant. Despite Jesus and this man being on political contrasts (as a roman commander), He still listened in love.

Jesus Looked Through Love (Luke 7:13)

Jesus’ ministry led Him to a town called Nain. As He was entering, He saw a widow suffering the loss of her only son. Looking to her, Jesus felt compassion and sought to comfort her. The Lord proceeded to raise the son back to life and returned him back to his mother. Notice how this woman was not a close friend to Jesus, was not from the same town, nor was she asking for His help. Yet seeing opportunity to show love, He eased the pains of this woman.

Jesus Spoke by Love (Luke 7:48)

the recorded story of Luke 7:36-50 is incredible. A Pharisee approaches Jesus and asks Him to share a meal. Jesus agrees and reclines at the table with the man (already inspirational considering Jesus paused what He was doing to eat with a Pharisee). A sinful and mournful woman approaches Jesus, and begins cleaning His feet with her tears and her hair. Her conviction was clear as she recognized the greatness of the Christ. The Pharisee speaks up and notes her sinful condition. In a proverb-like manner, Jesus pauses His attention on the woman, teaches the Pharisee a simple lesson in forgiveness, and resumes to speak love to the woman in distress by forgiving her sins.

In all three of these circumstances, Jesus could have easily rejected the other party. He could have brushed off the centurion, ignored the funeral in Nain, and belittled the weeping woman. Yet in every circumstance, we see Jesus choosing the option of love, and because of that, life is produced. While the world around might seem like it’s dying, we have the same opportunity to reflect the one who lived out love. Your actions just might have the opportunity to produce life.

Tyler King

There are some bizarre definitions of faith in the world. One of the most prevalent seems to be that one only believes in Jesus, and that automatically confers salvation on that person.

Not even John the Baptist, however, agreed with that prevalent idea. In John 3, in a discussion by John with his disciples, the cousin of Jesus said, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him,” (John 3:36 NASB).

Many translations don’t correctly render the verb in this verse. It is the only time in the New Testament that this verb occurs. It is the verb ἀπειθέω and means “does not obey.” Only the American Standard and New American Standard versions use the phrase, “he that is disobedient to the Son will not see life.”

This translation is consistent with James’ description of faith in how works of obedience are an integral part (James 2:14-20). Even the renowned Greek scholar A.T. Robertson in his Word Pictures of the Greek New Testament, verified that disobedience to Jesus means ‘a person will not see life.”

David Lipe, in his commentary on John, wrote, “John used an affirmative followed by a negative: the individual who continues in an obedient faith has eternal life, which the one who continues in disobedience will not see life.”/1

Belief without obedience isn’t faith. Only faith that produces works of obedience is the kind that saves people. Obedient faith has always been God’s standard.

1/ Truth for Today Commentary: John 1-12 (2019) Resource Publications: 150-151.

by John Henson

Raising the Dead

He did not say, “Bring out the dead.”

“Lazarus, come forth,” the Savior said.

And had he not thus specified

All the dead would have complied.

One day he will give that command,

And, from all parts of sea and land

The dead from all time past will come,

No longer blind or deaf or dumb.

Each then will speak in his own voice,

Admit and verify his choice

Of how, in what way he would live

And what of self to God he’d give.

Each then will hear Lord Jesus say,

“Come with me now,” or, “Go away.”

“With or without me you will be

Both now and in eternity.”

Not only Lazarus, but me

From death the Savior Christ did raise.

With countless others He has saved

From hell I lift my voice in praise.

Two and sixty years have passed

Since I, dead then in sin,

Was called to life again by Christ,

My war with Satan thus to win.

With my defending Savior Christ

Beside me I choose not to flee.

To my soul’s enemies he says,

“To own him you must conquer Me.”

Now dressed in armor God supplies

And with Lord Jesus close beside,

Not dreading death or any foes

I in my Savior’s love abide.

To His memorial supper He

Invites, and makes a place for me.

How could I dishonor and reject

The one who saved and made me free?

To spurn his invitation now –

Has gratitude now grown so dim? –

Would be dishonor, more to me

Than it could ever be to him.

God help me honor Your dear Son,

My Savior Lord, through whom I pray,

And in eternal servitude

Give the tribute I am glad to pay.

– Gerald Cowan

If you have paid attention to the headlines during the last twenty years, you are probably aware of stem cells. A popular understanding of stem cells, at least, what I have understood, is that these early embryonic cells hold the potential to transform into every different type of cell an organism will possess.

However, as these cells divide and the embryo grows, stem cells begin to become specified as a particular type of cell. As this transformation occurs they lose the ability to become alternative cell types. Eventually, they fill a particular niche wonderfully, but have lost the ability to become a radically different type of cell.

Stem cells can serve as a metaphor illustrating a powerful idea regarding Darwin’s proposed mechanisms for evolution. Research reveals that random mutations and natural selection do transform species, however, at a surprising cost.

Before exploring what research is revealing about Darwin’s proposed mechanisms for evolution, a word or two about metaphors in general and my stem cell illustration in particular. A metaphor’s purpose should function to illustrate an idea, not prove it. Additionally, most metaphors can be pressed into extraneous details where they no longer accurately relate to what they are supposed to be illustrating.

Accordingly, my use of stem cells does not take into account what current research may have revealed about them, nor any other type of cell. Rather, my only desire is to tap into a commonly shared idea regarding stem cells and use that understanding to communicate an idea regarding random mutation and natural selection.

Earlier in 2019 a biochemist professor published a book documenting and expounding upon various research projects. He also contributed his own research findings and observations. What might catch us by surprise is that his conclusions can be paradigm shifting.

Citing various studies from finches to bacteria, he affirms that Darwin’s proposed mechanisms have been documented in enabling species to adapt to specific environments, even creating new species. What is enlightening, however, is that the research reveals this adaptation comes at the cost of degrading genes, not creating new viable DNA capable of manufacturing new functioning proteins.

In other words, think of what happens with stem cells (my illustration, not his). Although stem cells start with great potentiality, as they repeatedly divide and progress toward becoming a specific cell type, they lose the ability to be transformed into other cell types. If you will, stem cells are transformed into functioning exquisitely in a dead end, a particular type of cell. Hence, nerve cells have no capacity to become skin cells.

What this book suggests is that the research reveals the process of evolution entails a similar narrowing of options. Bears, birds, fish, wolves and so forth can evolve into adapting to specific environments. Polar bears are adapted to an icy environment and are capable of consuming a fatty seal diet. Finches have adapted to harsh environments or to a particular type of food source. The jaws of some cichlid fish change depending on their food source. Bacteria can gain the ability to reproduce much faster. And of course, we are all familiar with the great diversity of dogs whose canine origin can be traced back to some type of wolf.

What makes this adaptation possible at the biochemical level is that random mutations are predominately breaking functioning genes, while natural selection will favor these broken genes when such brokenness conveys an advantage. How could breaking genes give an organism an advantage? More about this in a second. The result is organisms experience evolutionary drift into becoming more adapted to their environmental niches at the cost of losing previously functioning genes.

It would seem life is not evolving upward. It survives by devolving to its environment.

Such evolution can lead to new species which are better suited to a specific environment than the parent species. However, such evolution predominately comes at the cost of damaging functioning genes.

For example, it appears that a polar bear’s white fur coat and ability to eat a fatty seal diet, which would normally cause heart disease and high cholesterol, result from genetic damage to the LYST and APOB genes. In other words, a bear with faulty LYST and APOB genes would be favored for survival in the arctic more than a brown bear possessing fully functioning LYST and APOB genes.

Polar bears are not on a path to becoming a different type of animal with new genetic information. Rather they are becoming bears trapped in the icy cold.

Among the professor’s various observations, another resonated with me particularly strong. He repeatedly points to our human imagination as empowering our acceptance of the Darwinian story.

Years ago I expressed a similar thought in an article, “The Naturalistic Imagination”:

Our ignorance fuels our ability to imagine the impossible and the absurd. … If life did not arise by naturalistic impulses, today’s naturalistic imagination of how life arose or how new kinds of animals came to be will always seem feasible given our current level of ignorance.”

In my viewpoint, to acknowledge our ignorance is a wonderful characteristic of humility that promotes learning and discovery. Furthermore, avoiding a speculative imagination would seem to be helpful, not only  in evolutionary biology, but also in theology. How many well intentioned, but erroneous ideas have begun with, “I feel that …” or “I can imagine that …”

Not going beyond the evidence. Priceless.

 Barry Newton

Have you ever entertained the thought that there may be something in the Bible that you are failing to understand properly that could have eternal ramifications for you? Admittedly, there are some rather complex and difficult passages in the Bible, even the apostle Peter said so, himself (2 Peter 3:16).

So, here is my question, “What are the top five most worrisome verses in the Bible that you find to be worrisome?”  While you’re thinking about that, allow me to share mine:

• Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37).
• Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).
• Pursue holiness (Hebrews 12:14).
• Abhor what is evil (Romans 12:9).
• Preach the gospel to everyone (Mark 16:15).

If you’ll notice, my top five worrisome passages are not passages that are difficult to understand. They don’t have anything to do with the “mark of the beast,” the identity of “the man of lawlessness,” how the Holy Spirit indwells the Christian, the present and future state of the dead, or whether those “Styrofoam” wafers included in those individual communion packets are really unleavened bread (my apologies for throwing in the last one).

No, my top worrisome passages are easy to understand. That’s what makes them so worrisome to me. I can’t say, “But Lord, I didn’t understand what that passage meant. Had I properly understood it, I would have been obedient…” My list of worrisome passages is worrisome to me, not because of their difficulty to understand, but because of their clarity. The difficulty is not in understanding them, but in obeying them.

Maybe it would serve us well if we would spend less time on some questions and more time on others. What do you think?

by Steve Higginbotham

My former roommate from college sang a song with a quartet about excuses: “Excuses, excuses, you’ll hear them every day, / The devil will supply them, if from church you stay away.”/1 Unfortunately, even the people of God can be good at inventing excuses and justifications.

The prophet Haggai dealt with excuses and reversed causes. This short book packs a powerful punch against illogical thinking and unwilling hands.

The post-exile people excused themselves from obedience by saying, “The time for rebuilding the Lord’s temple has not yet come” Haggai 1.2. But they had plenty of time to build fine homes for themselves. How can that be right, points out the prophet: “Is it right for you to live in richly paneled houses while my temple is in ruins?” v. 4.

Excuse number 1: It’s just not a good time to do the Lord’s work.

The reasons get piled on to prove the point. But go back and look at the Great Commission. How many escape clauses did Jesus include?

• Go and make disciples, until you start to be persecuted, Matthew 28.18-20.
• Go into all the world, unless it gets expensive, Mark 16.15.
• Proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in his name to all nations, except when you have to pay the pulpit minister, the youth minister, the involvement minister, and college minister, Luke 24.47.
• Go on the mission (“sending”) of Christ, as he was sent by the Father, until you start missing folks back home, John 20.21.

It is no little irony that congregations have built multi-million-dollar buildings and centers and now 99% of them have been empty of saints for months, because of a virus.

The Lord of Heaven’s armies then says to Israel, Think carefully about what you are doing. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but are never filled. You drink, but are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but are not warm. Those who earn wages end up with holes in their money bags, vv. 5-6.

Why did this occur? The Lord explained, “… my temple remains in ruins, thanks to each of you favoring his own house! This is why the sky has held back its dew and the earth its produce” vv. 9-10.

But the people got it backwards. They reasoned, When the Lord blesses us then we can build! They took the consequence of their disobedience for the cause of the inaction.

Fortunately, they repented and got to work.

They believed the promise:

“And take heart all you citizens of the land,” decrees the Lord, “and begin to work. For I am with you,” decrees the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” Haggai 2.4.

Haven’t we received a similar promise, capping off the Great Commission? “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” Matthew 28.20.

Do we all live in the Show-Me State, where seeing is believing? Or will we believe in the Lord and his promise, obey his order, and preach the gospel to all the world, so that he can bring forth a bountiful harvest?

Let us sweep away the excuses, and see the real reason for the lack of our harvest — we’re devoted to our own houses, both private and religious, and have left off from building up the Kingdom of God.

Oh, and Haggai makes one more point. The people remembered the glory of the first temple, recognizing that they could never build anything like Solomon’s glorious construction project, Haggai 2.3. Sometimes we get starry-eyed about the first-century church and sad that the church doesn’t grow now like it did then.

But the original promise still stands, Haggai 2.5. And, even though miracles have passed, the power of God still works, vv. 6-8. We will experience greater things than before, v. 9. We will do greater works than Christ himself:

I assure you that whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. They will do even greater works than these because I am going to the Father, John 14.12

We enjoy, of all ages of the world, the most advantageous position of all. We have been chosen, Haggai 2.23. We have God’s authority to do this work. We have the Lord Almighty. Let us rise up and build.

1/ Apparently, it originated with The Kingsmen.

by J. Randal Matheny

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. . . . It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons, for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? . . . For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:3-4, 7, 11 ESV).

I am known as a dedicated coffee drinker. Not only that, but I prefer dark-roast coffee, brewed to be rather strong. My philosophy on coffee, I often say, is, “If it will pour, it will drink.” That is, if it is liquid enough (i.e., thin enough) to pour out of the pot, it is liquid enough to be swallowed.

That is said, obviously, with my tongue firmly in cheek. It is intended to be humorous, but there is still an element of truth – I do like strong coffee. But what I don’t actually say is that while I can drink it pretty thick or almost lumpy, that is not actually the way I prefer it.

It has occurred to me that life is sometimes like my coffee – it can get pretty “thick” (that is, strong or tough). If my coffee stays on the warmer long enough it may be stronger than I prefer, but I will usually still drink it. And when life gets rough, I will still go on living, making the very best of it that I can. As the Hebrew writer reminds us in the quotation above, tough times may bring benefits that more enjoyable experiences cannot provide.

The fact is that life is often pretty “thick.” Illnesses, financial reverses, accidents, and natural disasters are only a few of the circumstances which present great challenges to our happiness. Christians may face persecution. Some are falsely accused and even wrongly convicted of crimes. None of us would willingly choose such hardships, but they do happen. When they happen to us we can complain, “why me?” or accuse God of mistreating us. But how does that help us? It is far better for us to strengthen our will and deal with difficulties, and go on living with hope and determination. Like strong coffee, it pours, therefore we can drink it.

Sometimes relationships are thick. One partner in a marriage seems to change and be less loving and lovable than previously. One’s own desires and life goals may change to the point that a change of partners seems desirable. The marriage is not as romantic or fun as it once was. We begin to think we cannot go on. But usually those problems are not insurmountable if one has a commitment to the marriage. Adjustments in expectations and in one’s own behavior and attitudes may be necessary, but if the result is a more satisfying relationship is that not worth it? It pours; we can drink it.

Few of us go through life without disappointments and reversals in our work. When one spends 30 years or more in any career, he or she can expect to have problems of some kind. It may be an unpleasant co-worker or superior. It may be assignments that are not what we prefer. Sometimes it is the loss of a job, or the denial of a deserved promotion. Again, we can complain. We can accuse someone else of mistreating us. But unless there is real legal basis for such claims they are not likely to change much, and may simply make matters worse. Is it not better to simply deal with the situation cheerfully and continue to do the very best one can? It pours, we can drink it.

Tough times are not signs that God does not love us, or that “everyone is against us.” Sometimes they are means by which we learn and grow. Discipline is not a synonym for punishment. It means “teaching” or “training.” Sometimes that involves corrective punishment, but that is not its primary role. We learn and become stronger by facing adversities. God has simply made this world like that. Let us learn to welcome them and be blessed.

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

Michael Brooks

Some of the most profound statements were made by John in the first few verses of his account of the life of Christ. First, there is an affirmation of the eternality of the Word.   With words that grace the very beginning of divine revelation, John takes us all the way back to “the beginning.”  And while Moses began with the precise point in time, and looked forward to the coming of the Word, the Messiah, John takes exactly the same moment in time, and looks back into eternity.  Moses started with the works which God did, and John began with the One Who performed those mighty works.  At whatever point in time the “beginning” may point to, the “Word” already existed.  Hence, the Word did not COME into existence; it always did exist!

Second, there is a clear affirmation of the deity of our Lord.  When John said that Jesus was “with God,” he was literally saying that He was “before the face of God.”  Our English word ‘with’ translates the Greek preposition ‘pros, and is the same word used in Mark 6:3 where it is said the inhabitants of Nazareth expressed their astonishment about Jesus by asking, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?”  The very word used by Mark implies association in the sense of free mingling with others of a community on terms of equality.  Hence, the “Word” was not some impersonal principle, some “force,” or eternal truth, but an intelligent, active personality.

Third, this “Word was God.”  The Greek is more properly rendered, “and God was the Word.”  Our English translations do not grasp the full import of John’s statement.   In the Greek language there is a “definite article” that appears in the phrase preceding.  John had stated there, “The Word was with the God.”  Here that article is conspicuously absent. John simply says, “the Word was God.” The absence of the article stresses quality rather than quantity.  A better rendering would have been, “and divine was the Word.”

Finally, John declares that “the same was in the beginning with God.” The Word was “in the beginning” thus showing reference to TIME. The Word was “with God” thus showing association or relation. The Word “was God,” thus showing ESSENCE or being.”   Tenny ties verses 2 and 3 together.  “Having thus established the position of the Logos in the world of concept, the writer revealed His position in the world of action” (page 65).   But rather than being a mere reiteration of what was written in verse 1, John here states that the Logos actually shared a place with God in the beginning of all things.  It was precisely this equality with the Father that so enraged the Jews and led to their rejection of Jesus their Messiah.

Now lets make some application.  What does all this mean to you? to me?  First, it clearly sets forth the deity of our Lord.  As the Divine and Holy One of Israel, we owe Him our allegiance, yea our very existence.  Christ is not some “segment” of our life to be plugged into on Sunday, and then disassociated from the remainder of the week.  How can we claim allegiance to our Creator when it is convenient to us, but ignore Him when He or His demands get in our way? Second, John’s use of the word “Logos” to describe this Divine One implies that our Lord’s predominant role in the relationship of God with the world is one of communication.  It is through our Lord that the fullness of the Godhead was made known; it was through the work of our Lord that God’s divine revelation came to light.  In short, all that Jesus Christ did or said was heaven’s message crying out to man!  Why is it that so few are listening?  Could it be that we have our ears closed?  Has the wax of the world clogged our spiritual ears so that we cannot hear the message from heaven?  Has the noise of the world drowned out the pleas from heaven?  Third, this passage implies that the Word is active in bringing about heaven’s purpose.  So it has been; so it continues to be; so it will be when He comes again.  So far as past action, it was He Who created the universe.  So far as concerns the present, “all things are upheld by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3).  So far as the future, He is coming to judge all men in righteousness.

Friend, read John’s opening words again!  Hear the message!  Reflect upon the truths revealed therein, and then act upon those truths.  To do otherwise is to commit spiritual suicide.

By Tom Wacaster

In John’s Gospel we have the inspired account of the disbelieving Jews who accused Jesus of being demon possessed. Blinded by jealous rage, they attributed the words and deeds of our precious Lord to the devil himself: “And many of them said, He hath a demon, and is mad; why hear ye him?” (John 10:20). The fact that some of the Jews would attribute the power of Jesus to a demon is, without doubt, one of the most astounding manifestations of a hardened heart. Their purpose, of course, was to destroy any influence Jesus might have over the multitude. Such a tactic remains an effective tool in the hands of Satan even to this day. A simple examination of the Gospels will enable the good and honest heart to see the sheer nonsense of attributing the words and works of Jesus to some sinister or evil cause. What it boils down to is this: Either Jesus was a megalomaniac, or He truly is the Son of God. It seems to me that those are the only two choices. There is no alternative, so far as I can see. If a man were to speak about himself the way that Jesus does in the Gospels, he would be branded as deluded or deranged. Unless, of course, he was divine. If Jesus was deluded or deranged, He is not worthy of any degree of respect or honor. But if He is divine, then He is worthy of all the praise and honor we could muster with every ounce of our being. Let’s briefly consider the possibilities.

First, the words of Jesus simply do not qualify as those of a lunatic. The teaching of Jesus demonstrates the thoughts of a person who is not only sound in his thinking, but far and above the thinking of mortal man. Take as an example the Sermon on the Mount. R.L. Whiteside had this note:

It seems certain that no other speech ever delivered has so influenced man as has this sermon on the mount. Its contents, so superior to any production of man, proved the Deity of its author. Its teaching is out of harmony with any school of religion or philosophy of that day; hence, their brightest lights could not have produced it. It is not eclectic, that is, its contents are not a collection of the best thoughts of that and previous ages. Its teaching is distinct, revolutionary, challenging every school of religious thought of the times, both Jewish and heathen. It is not a product of the times, but of Deity.” (R. L. Whiteside, Bible Studies, Vol. 4, 117).

John T. Fisher is credited having written the following tribute to Jesus’ words on that occasion:

If you were to take the sum total of all the authoritative articles ever written by the most qualified of psychologists and psychiatrists on the subject of mental hygiene – if you were to take the whole of the meat and none of the parsley, and if you were to have these unadulterated bits of pure scientific knowledge concisely expressed by the most capable of living poets, you would have an awkward and incomplete summation of the Sermon on the Mount. And it would suffer immeasurably by comparison.

The teachings of Jesus clearly declare our Lord’s divine wisdom and omniscience.

Second, the deeds of Jesus are not the deeds of a demon possessed man. It is obvious that the deeds of a mad man are essentially selfish in their nature. Were Jesus possessed by a demon, as these Jews suggested, He would not seek the good of others. He would seek His own glory. Even at the very shadow of the cross, Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39). His words of self-denial were backed up with deeds of compassion for others. His miracles reached out to others, always seeking their well-being both physically and spiritually. No, the deeds of Jesus are not those of a megalomaniac!

Finally, the fruit of Jesus’ words are not those of a demon possessed man. No man has ever influenced the course of human history as has Jesus Christ; in fact, no one has ever even come close! James A. Francis wrote the following tribute, well known but worthy of including here for your consideration:

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty when public opinion turned against him. He never wrote a book, He never held an office, He never went to college, He never visited a big city, He never travelled more than two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things usually associated with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today Jesus is the central figure of the human race, and the leader of mankind’s progress. All the armies that have ever marched, all the navies that have ever sailed, all the parliaments that have ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned put together, have not affected the life of mankind on earth as powerfully as that one solitary life.

To believe that Jesus said what He said, and did what He did because He was possessed by a demon, is paramount to believing that a rotten tree could bring forth good fruit. The verses we have just studied stand as a monument to the magnificence of Jesus. Thank God that Jesus has come! I close this article with the following tribute to our Lord.

Christ has come, the Light of the world: the Revealer of the snares and chasms that lurk in darkness, the Rebuker of every evil thing that prowls by night, the Stiller of the storm-winds of passion; the Quickener of all that is wholesome, the Adorner of all that is beautiful, the Reconciler of contradictions, the Harmonizer of discords, the Healer of diseases, the Saviour from sin. He has come: the Torch of truth, the Anchor of hope, the Pillar of faith, the Rock for strength, the Refuge for security, the Fountain for refreshment, the Vine for gladness, the Rose for beauty, the Lamb for tenderness, the Friend for counsel, the Brother for love. Jesus Christ has trod the world. The trace of the Divine footsteps will never be obliterated. And the Divine footsteps were the footsteps of a Man. The example of Christ is such as men can follow. On! until mankind wears His image. On! towards yon summit on which stands, not an angel, not a disembodied spirit, not an abstract of ideal and unattainable virtues, but THE MAN JESUS CHRIST (Peter Bayne, source unknown).

By Tom Wacaster

Tevye, the whimsical patriarch in the movie Fiddler on the Roof explains the definition of a tradition perfectly. Speaking of Jewish tradition in Tsarist Russia, he declares: “You may ask, how did his tradition get started?” Then he pauses before answering his own question: “I tell you why: I don’t know.”

Young people (I was young once, too) like to ask the question, “But why do we have to do it this way?” Those of us who are older have to do better than to simply say, “Tradition!”

The Lord had a great deal to say about traditions (Mark 7:6-13). His major concern seems to be the contrast between God’s commands and the commands of men.

Many teach “as doctrines the commandments of men,” he observed, adding that as a consequence, they rendered worship “vain” (7:6,7). He adds, “You leave the commandment of God,” with the result that they “hold on to the tradition of men” (7:8). “You have a fine way of rejecting the command of God,” he declares, “in order to establish your own traditions!” (7:9), Clenching his case he declares, “Thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.” (7:13).

The stronger human traditions persist, the weaker the word of God appears, at least in our own estimation. Some things to note about tradition:

• Traditions are not harmful in and of themselves. They can even make sense when first instituted.
• Some traditions might be useful, even greatly helpful, so long as we do not defend them as if they carry the force of biblical teaching.
• Traditions, like barnacles on a boat, build up over time and usually when we are not aware of the danger.
• It would be unwise to assume that while other fellowships are blinded by tradition that we suffer no such impairment. To assume we have no traditions is precisely to open up the possibility of collecting traditions.
• Traditions should never push aside God’s commands.
• The key is to be able to distinguish between human tradition and God’s word.
• We must guard against confusing tradition (ours) with God’s word.
• The real problem comes when we treat our traditions on the same level as God’s word.

It appears that the dilution of human thinking renders God’s word completely ineffective. Human thinking muddies the waters; Divine thinking clarifies; human thinking deflects our attention, divine thinking corrects our vision. When a practice is biblical, unlike Tevye, we can say with confidence, “That’s no tradition; God’s word teaches that.”

Stan Mitchell

“Praise the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are magnificent. You are robed in splendor and majesty. He covers himself with light as if it were a garment. He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain, and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. He makes the clouds his chariot, and travels along on the wings of the wind” (Psalm 104:1-3 NET).

What a wonderful description of God! He is magnificent, robed in splendour and majesty, wearing light as if it were a garment, living and traveling in a place outside of our earth. How appropriate that John, in his first letter, would remind us that “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Light, that which dispels the darkness of sin, is not only what God “wears” but it is what God is.

This magnificent, majestic God is the one who created all things. “He established the earth on its foundations; it will never be moved” (Psalm 104:5). Because the earth was created by God we can be confident that he will also sustain it. With God in charge, we have no worries.

Even when God destroyed all that was living with water, he was still in control. He brought the waters of the Flood and he also took care of the water.

“The watery deep covered it like a garment; the waters reached above the mountains. Your shout made the waters retreat; at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off – as the mountains rose up, and the valleys went down – to the place you appointed for them. You set up a boundary for them that they could not cross, so that they would not cover the earth again” (Psalm 104:6-9).

Notice that this is talking about the Flood, as we can see from verse 9: God set a boundary for the water so they would not cover the earth again.

One of the questions that people have concerning the Flood in the days of Noah is “where did the water go?” Notice what this psalm tells us: God didn’t evaporate the water or in some other way remove the waters that he sent. Instead he “adjusted” the earth – the mountains rose up and the valleys went down. Even in the oceans we find these mountains and valleys. God didn’t need to remove the water – he has the power to adjust the earth to accommodate it!

God, the creator of the earth and all life, the one who can adjust what he has made, is also the one who sustains all life. Yes, he used water to destroy the earth, but the water he sends also sustains life. The water he provides allows all living things to drink (Psalm 104:10-12) and also causes food to grow (Psalm 104:13-18).

God also gave us a way to mark time. “He made the moon to mark the months, and the sun sets according to a regular schedule” (Psalm 104:19). The sun and moon which God created on the fourth day of Creation not only were made to give us light but are also a means for marking time. And both night and day have a purpose (Psalm 104:20-23).

What a wonderful God we serve in providing all of this for us! What should our response to him be? May we echo the praise that the psalmist gives to God.

“How many living things you have made, O Lord! You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; the earth is full of the living things you have made…May the splendor of the Lord endure! May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made!… I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist!” (Psalm 104:24, 31, 33).

Jon Galloway

INTRO.
A.  Sometimes things happen in life that cause you to question beliefs you’ve always held to be true, causing some
questions which force their way into our comfort zone.

– These thoughts were based in James 5:13-16.  – READ

1. The Catholic church uses this passage as the basis for their sacrament of Extreme Unction.
   – Proponents of modern-day “faith healing” believe that if the proper conditions are met, God guarantees that
   the sick person will be healed.

– Admittedly, this text brings a myriad of questions to mind.
– It has been a battleground for interpreters through the centuries.

1. I must admit to some concerns about the traditional interpretation of this section of scripture:
   – One of the things that immediately comes to my mind-  If this scripture is an absolute promise saying that
   “When a person is sick and he gathers a group of elders (righteous people) together to pray on his behalf, that
   he’s going to get well…  then I’M NOT GOING TO EVER DIE! … because every time I feel sick, I’m going to follow
   these instructions!     – AND… if that’s what it’s teaching, why don’t we practice it?
2. So, I’d like to shine a spotlight on this scripture from a different angle:

   I- My first scene that I’d like to highlight is the CONTEXT OF THIS ENTIRE LETTER:
   A. Jas. 1:1 – Written to Jewish Christians who have been scattered into the various parts of Roman Empire because
   of persecution in Jerusalem.
   – Guess what they encountered when they “got where they were going”?   – PERSECUTION
   – First thing he says to them -v.2 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”
   – They have two strikes against them in the Gentile world:  They are Jewish and they’re Christians.

3. They’re struggling… Facing disdain and ridicule from society… Temptations from the world and divisions in the
   church!
   – These are struggles every Christian faces.
   – It’s hard to not become cynical and angry and rebellious.
   … James is encouraging them to “endure it all!”

– In his closing, summarizing words: “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.  See how the farmer waits  for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” – 5:7-9
– Then he says, v.10f “Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”

1. So you have a feel for why he wrote this letter, right?
   – They are living under continual stress – persecution and temptation and problems within the church.
   – It wears you down!  …It makes you weak!  …You get tired!  …You get discouraged!

– NOTE: v.10 – word for “suffering” –[kakopatheo] – [lit.] – “suffer evil”
… So is it any surprise that when we come to v13, he begins: “Is any among you in trouble…?

– Guess what the word for “trouble” is… same word as v.10 – “suffering evil”

II- Now I’d like to swing the spotlight around to show you the EMPHASIS ON PRAYER!
A. Prayer becomes the focus in every verse between v.13-18:
– Do you know what the antidote for discouragement is?  … anger? … fear? … temptation?  – PRAYER!
– Do you know what is the power that enables us to endure?   – PRAYER!
– If you’re not praying, you’re trying to “make it on your own.”

1. “Is any among you suffering evil…?” – PRAY!
   – v.13 – individual believers – PRAY
   – v.14-15– church leaders – PRAY
   – v.16– entire church family – PRAY
   – This is a passage about THE POWER OF PRAYER!
2. Your prayer life depends on three things :
   1. Believe God is real
   2.  Believe that he can do something about your situation
   3. Believe that he cares

III– Now I want to spotlight [what I believe to be] the PROGRESSION OF SUFFERING …WHICH LEADS TO A “DIFFERENT LEVEL” OF PRAYER:

1. v.13– addresses someone who is “suffering evil” [kakopatheo] – What should he do?  PRAY!
   v.14 – addresses someone who is [in most translations] “sick” [astheneo] – lit. “without strength”
2. Sometimes, this word is used to denote someone who is physically sick:
   – Lu. 7:10 – (story of Centurion who came to Jesus begging him to heal his sick servant)- “And those who had been sent,
   having returned to the house, found the sick servant in good health.”
   – Jn. 11:1 – John begins…  “Now a man named Lazarus was sick.”
   – Acts 9:37– (Regarding Dorcas- whom Peter will raise from the dead) – “In Joppa there was a disciple named
   ….Dorcas, who as always doing good and helping the poor.  About that time she became sick and died…”

… These are all examples of the word being used to denote physical illness.

1. However, when we come to the epistles, the word is often used to denote spiritually sick:
   – Ro. 4:19– (Regarding Abraham)- “And not being weak in the faith…”
   – Ro. 14:1– “Accept him whose faith is weak without passing judgment on disputable matters.”
   – I Cor. 8:9 – “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the
   weak.”
        – I Cor. 11:30 – [regarding their abuse of the Lord’s Supper] –  “This is why many among you are weak and sick,
   and a number of you have fallen asleep.”

… These are all examples of the word being used to denote spiritual illness/weakness of faith.

1. Back to James 5…
   – So I’m suggesting that v.13 depicts someone who is suffering persecution, trouble and struggles in our life
   And v.14 depicts someone who has been overcome by those struggles.
   – They have lost their strength/become weak- are in danger of losing their faith!

– That person need additional help.
– They need some strong Christians to “come along side” to help them!
– “… he should call the elders of the church and let them pray over him…”

1. Have you ever been so discouraged that you just couldn’t pray… Your struggles were so deep that you didn’t
   know if you could continue?   Feel like you can’t fight anymore?
   – That’s where this Christian is.  He’s a “fallen soldier.”
   – He needs to “call for help!” – [proskaleo] – “call to one’s side”
   – He needs a “faith iv!”

– v.15– The RESULTS- “And the prayer of faith will save the [… are you ready for this…] exhausted/weary one…”
– [kamno]- Not the word for “sick”; but rather “tired/exhausted/weary.”
– Word used only 2 other times:
– Heb. 12:3 – “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary
[kamno] and lose heart.”
– Rev. 2:3 – [To church in Ephesus] – “You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have
not grown weary.” (KJV- “fainted”)

CONCL.
A. I realize that I have a number of “gaps” to fill in:
– “Is anyone happy?   Let him sing songs of praise.”
– “anoint him with oil…”
– “If he has sinned, his sins will be forgiven.”

– In our next lesson, we’ll consider how those fit into this context… but until then, here’s what I want to leave you
with…

1. These Christians to whom James is writing are living in very difficult, discouraging circumstances.
   – James writes:
   – “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown
   of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
   – “If any of lacks wisdom [don’t know how to handle a situation] should ask God… and he will give it to you.”

– When you are struggling/suffering – PRAY!
– And when/if your struggle intensifies and you get tired and discouraged and think you can’t continue…
– Don’t give up!  YOU NEED HELP!
– Call for those who have a strong faith to come and pray with you.

1. Now let’s look at HIS PROMISE in this new light…
   – v.15– “And the prayer of faith will save [“deliver”] the exhausted one; the Lord will raise him up [egeiro] –
   “energize/rouse him up.”
2. Let me be clear about something:
   In no way do I intend for this to be a discouragement to someone to pray or to seek prayers from others when
   you are physically sick.
   I believe in prayer.
   … Whether he is addressing physical or spiritual sickness, we can agree that the thrust of this section is
   v.16– “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”     – IN ANY AND EVERY SITUATION!
   – I believe God hears and responds to every prayer of faith!

– My problem is, frankly, I have difficulty with this passage being an absolute promise from God that, if these
instructions are followed, he will “make the physically sick person well.”

… but I’m still studying it.

Ken Stegall

The news media have been all abuzz lately over the introduction of “AI” – and many of the articles focus on speculation about whose jobs are going to disappear in the future.

Will artificial intelligence ever eliminate the need for preachers? I have seen a number of articles – such as the following – in which churches are experimenting with that possibility. I am dubious, for this fundamental reason – no computer program can credibly say two words: “We sinners.”

Phillips Brooks famously described preaching as “truth through personality.”  I suppose God could have delegated angels with the task of spreading the gospel, but instead “he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). I am convinced that He had a reason for entrusting US – fallible though we certainly are – with the message of the Cross.

Upon reflection, it seems to me that explaining that reason – perhaps using the following article as a springboard – could lead to a very useful sermon indeed. If any of you are inspired to develop & deliver such a message, I would love to hear your thoughts.

https://apnews.com/article/germany-church-protestants-chatgpt-ai-sermon-651f21c24cfb47e3122e987a7263d348

Can a chatbot preach a good sermon? Hundreds attend church service generated by ChatGPT to find out

FUERTH, Germany (AP) — The artificial intelligence chatbot asked the believers in the fully packed St. Paul’s church in the Bavarian town of Fuerth to rise from the pews and praise the Lord.

The ChatGPT chatbot, personified by an avatar of a bearded Black man on a huge screen above the altar, then began preaching to the more than 300 people who had shown up on Friday morning for an experimental Lutheran church service almost entirely generated by AI.

“Dear friends, it is an honor for me to stand here and preach to you as the first artificial intelligence at this year’s convention of Protestants in Germany,” the avatar said with an expressionless face and monotonous voice.

The 40-minute service — including the sermon, prayers and music — was created by ChatGPT and Jonas Simmerlein, a theologian and philosopher from the University of Vienna.

“I conceived this service — but actually I rather accompanied it, because I would say about 98% comes from the machine,” the 29-year-old scholar told The Associated Press.

The AI church service was one of hundreds of events at the convention of Protestants in the Bavarian towns of Nuremberg and the neighboring Fuerth, and it drew such immense interest that people formed a long queue outside the 19th-century, neo-Gothic building an hour before it began.

The convention itself — Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag in German — takes place every two years in the summer at a different place in Germany and draws tens of thousands of believers to pray, sing and discuss their faith. They also talk about current world affairs and look for solutions to key issues, which this year included global warming, the war in Ukraine — and artificial intelligence.

This year’s gathering is taking place from Wednesday to Sunday under the motto “Now is the time.” That slogan was one of the sentences Simmerlein fed ChatGPT when he asked the chatbot to develop the sermon.

“I told the artificial intelligence ‘We are at the church congress, you are a preacher … what would a church service look like?’” Simmerlein said. He also asked for psalms to be included, as well as prayers and a blessing at the end.

“You end up with a pretty solid church service,” Simmerlein said, sounding almost surprised by the success of his experiment.

Indeed, the believers in the church listened attentively as the artificial intelligence preached about leaving the past behind, focusing on the challenges of the present, overcoming fear of death, and never losing trust in Jesus Christ.

The entire service was “led” by four different avatars on the screen, two young women, and two young men.

At times, the AI-generated avatar inadvertently drew laughter as when it used platitudes and told the churchgoers with a deadpan expression that in order “to keep our faith, we must pray and go to church regularly.”

Some people enthusiastically videotaped the event with their cell phones, while others looked on more critically and refused to speak along loudly during The Lord’s Prayer.

Heiderose Schmidt, a 54-year-old who works in IT, said she was excited and curious when the service started but found it increasingly off-putting as it went along.

“There was no heart and no soul,” she said. “The avatars showed no emotions at all, had no body language and were talking so fast and monotonously that it was very hard for me to concentrate on what they said.”

“But maybe it is different for the younger generation who grew up with all of this,” Schmidt added.

Marc Jansen, a 31-year-old Lutheran pastor from Troisdorf near the western German city of Cologne, brought a group of teenagers from his congregation to St. Paul. He was more impressed by the experiment.

“I had actually imagined it to be worse. But I was positively surprised how well it worked. Also the language of the AI worked well, even though it was still a bit bumpy at times,” Jansen said.

What the young pastor missed, however, was any kind of emotion or spirituality, which he says is essential when he writes his own sermons.

Anna Puzio, 28, a researcher on the ethics of technology from the University of Twente in The Netherlands, also attended the service.

She said she sees a lot of opportunities in the use of AI in religion — such as making religious services more easily available and inclusive for believers who for various reasons may not be able experience their faith in person with others in houses of worship.

However, she noted there are also dangers when it comes to the use of AI in religion.

“The challenge that I see is that AI is very human-like and that it’s easy to be deceived by it,” she said.

“Also, we don’t have only one Christian opinion, and that’s what AI has to represent as well,” she said. “We have to be careful that it’s not misused for such purposes as to spread only one opinion.”

Simmerlein said it is not his intention to replace religious leaders with artificial intelligence. Rather, he sees the use of AI as a way to help them with their everyday work in their congregations.

Some pastors seek inspiration in literature, he says, so why not also ask AI for ideas regarding an upcoming sermon. Others would like to have more time for individual spiritual guidance of their parishioners, so why not speed up the process of writing the sermon with the help of a chatbot to make time for other important duties.

“Artificial intelligence will increasingly take over our lives, in all its facets,” Simmerlein said. “And that’s why it’s useful to learn to deal with it.”

However, the experimental church service also showed the limits to implementing artificial AI in church, or in religion. There was no real interaction between the believers and the chatbot, which wasn’t able to respond to the laughter or any other reactions by the churchgoers as a human pastor would have been able to do.

“The pastor is in the congregation, she lives with them, she buries the people, she knows them from the beginning,” Simmerlein said. “Artificial intelligence cannot do that. It does not know the congregation.

DAN WILLIAMS

On a map you can see many roads into any major city. If you want to get there, you can pick whatever route suits you.  Many people think the same thing about variety among churches — “We’re all on different roads to the same place,” they say. Can such a thing be so?

Do you believe we can follow different roads? What does the Bible say about it? The Bible speaks of only two roads. In Mt. 7:13-14, Jesus said, “…the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Yes, there are different roads, but only one goes to Heaven, and it is narrow.

In John 4, when the woman at the well met Jesus, she immediately pointed out that her people worshipped differently from His (4:19-20). Jesus did not reply that both roads led to the same place — He said that one road was right and the other was wrong (4:22), and that if she wished to please God, her worship must be “in truth” (4:24).

In Acts 15:1-31, the apostles disputed with some who believed in Jesus but taught error about what one must do to be saved. Instead of concluding that there were different roads, they gave notice to the churches that one road was right and the other was wrong.

The idea of “different roads” is used to avoid discussing different religious teachings and practices. After all, does doctrine really matter if your attitude is right? Indeed it does. The Bible says that there are doctrines that God hates (Rev 2:15), and that some doctrines are of demons (1 Tim 4:1). Taking heed to doctrine is necessary for salvation (1 Tim 4:16, 2 Jn 9), because obedience to God’s “form of doctrine” is what makes one free from sin (Rom 6:17-18). Even many who believe in Jesus are on the wrong road because they do not obey (Lk 6:46, Mt 7:21-23).

Multiple roads result when men choose their own ways, but only God’s way is right. The “different roads” philosophy has led churches to abandon the question of what is right, and instead accept a wide diversity of belief. But we should not be ashamed to say that some beliefs are right, and others are wrong, because that is what God says. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12). If people are on different roads, they are not all headed for Heaven.

– by Erin Percell