Determining Context

Determining Context

“Neglect of context is a common cause of erroneous interpretation.”

–A Berkeley Mickelsen

I. What is Context? Here are some definitions:

A. “That which surrounds and gives meaning to something else.”

B. “The part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.” (www.dictionary.com)

C. “Context refers to that which goes before and that which follows after.” (Howard Hendricks, Living By The Book, 225).

D. “When we speak of the context, we are talking about the connection of thought that runs through a passage, those links that weave it into one piece (Walter C. Kaiser, Toward An Exegetical Theology, 71.)

II. Importance of Context

A. It is foundational for proper interpretation Paying proper heed to the issue of context may be the single most important principle for correctly interpreting the Bible or understanding any form of communication, including the Bible.

“The first responsibility of every interpreter is to note carefully what precedes and what follows any verse or passage which he is interpreting.” (Mickelsen, 102).

“Good exegetical procedure dictates that the details be viewed in light of the total context. Unless the exegete knows where the thought of the text begins and how that pattern develops, all the intricate details may be of little or no worth. This ability—the ability to state what each section of a book is about and how the paragraphs in each section contribute to that argument—is one of the most critical steps. If the exegete falters here, much of what follows will be wasted time and effort” (Kaiser, 69).

B. Ignoring it leads to wrongs interpretations Whenever a faulty interpretation of the Bible occurs, it is usually because a passage was taken out of its context. “Every major cult is built on a violation of the principle of context.” (Hendricks, 226).

1. Ex. Ezekiel 37:16-17 Mormonism teaches that the joining of two sticks in this passage refers to the joining of the Bible with the Book of Mormon. But the context of the Book of Ezekiel clearly indicates that what will be joined some day are the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Verse 22 states, “And I will make them one nation in the land.” The true meaning is that Judah and Israel will once again be reunited into one nation when God brings His people into their land.

2. Ex. John 14:14 The Prosperity Gospel movement likes to quote John 14:14: “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” Those who teach this claims that we can ask for anything we desire such as money, cars, houses, etc. as long as we tack “in Jesus’ name” at the end of our prayers. They do not stress, though, that to pray in Jesus’ name means to pray according to what Jesus desires not what we selfishly crave. Plus, other texts reveal that answered prayer is based upon praying according to God’s will (see 1 John 5:14–15), praying with an obedient heart (see 1 John 3:22) and praying with right reasons and motives (see James 4:1–3).

III. Tips for Determining a Book’s Context (note: we will get into more detail concerning studying context in regard to literary and cultural matters in later sections. But here are some basic principles for determining the context of a book.)

A. Read the book of the Bible you are going to study multiple times. The only way to correctly understand the parts of a book is to have an understanding of its purpose and major themes.

B. When reading a book of the Bible try to find out the historical situations facing the author and his readers.

1. Does the book indicate who the author is?

2. Does this book identify who the intended audience is?

3. Does the author of a Bible book state his purpose for writing his book?

a. Ex. John 20:31 “These things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

b. Ex. 1 John The apostle John gives four purpose statements in 1 John. He wrote this letter so that his readers may have joy (1:4), may not sin (2:1), may not be deceived (2:26), and may know that they have eternal life (5:13).

c. Ex. Luke 1:1–4 and Acts 1:1 Luke’s purpose in writing was to present an orderly account of the life of Jesus and the beginning of the Christian church.

4. Who are the main characters in the book?

NOTE: A good commentary or Bible Survey book can help with understanding the historical situation of Bible books. Recommended sources for this include Encountering the Old Testament by Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer and Encountering the New Testament by Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough.

IV. Tips for Determining the Context of a Word or Phrase

A. Keep in mind that words do not have inherent meanings. The meaning of a word is determined by its context. The same word can take on different meanings in different contexts.

1. Ex. World The term “world” (kosmos) can mean: (1) the world of people (John 3:16); (2) the physical planet (John 17:5); or (3) the organized system of evil in opposition to God.

2. Ex. Saved and Salvation Depending on their contexts, these words can refer to (1) Israel’s deliverance from her enemies (Luke 1:71); (2) deliverance from physical danger (Acts 27:20; Matt. 24:13?); deliverance from physical sickness (James 5:15); and deliverance from sin (John 3:17).

3. Ex. Spirit The word “spirit” (pneuma) is used in a variety of ways in the New Testament. It refers to wind (John 3:8), the life breath (Rev. 11:11), the immortal nature of a man (John 6:63), the perfected spirit of a saint in heaven (Hebrews 12:23), demons (Matt. 10:1; Luke 4:36) and the Holy Spirit of God (John 4:24; Matt. 28:19). In John 3:8 the word pneuma is used twice in the same context to refer to natural wind and the Holy Spirit.

B. Examine the paragraph or chapter context “The context of the paragraph or chapter is sometimes helpful in clarifying a word, phrase, or sentence that is not made clear in the sentence in which it is used.” (Zuck, 109).

1. Ex. Temple Jesus, in John 2:19, spoke of destroying “this temple.” What is this temple Jesus was speaking of? Verse 21 explains that the temple was Jesus’ own body.

2. Ex. Fire In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist states, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Is this a fire of judgment or a fire of zealous commitment to God? Since verses 10 and 12 are speaking of judgment, the reference to “fire” in verse 11 is probably referring to the fires of judgment.

3. Ex. Seeing the Kingdom What did Jesus mean when He said to His disciples, “There are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (Matthew 16:28). The fulfillment of this promise came in the following chapter with the Transfiguration. Jesus gave Peter, James and John a preview of the kingdom that would be established at Jesus’ second coming.

C. Examine the book context

1. Ex. Sin 1 John 3:6 states, “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.” Does this passage teach that no Christian will ever commit a sin? No. Verses 8–10 reveal that John is talking about “practicing sin.” Plus, other passages like 1:8, 1:10, and 2:1 clearly state that Christians do sin.

2. Ex. Prophets Ephesians 2:20 mentions that the foundation of the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. But are the “prophets” here Old Testament prophets or New Testament prophets? Since the term “prophets” is used of New Testament prophets in Ephesians 3:5 and 4:11, Paul is probably referring to New Testament prophets in Ephesians 2:20.

D. Examine parallel passages “Parallel passages also serve as helpful contexts for ascertaining the meaning of certain words or sentences. Parallel passages may be verbal parallels, in which the same or similar words, phrases, or sentences occur, or idea parallels, in which the same or similar ideas are expressed but in different words” (Zuck, 110).

1. Ex. Matthew, Mark, and Luke

2. Ex. 1 and 2 Kings—1 and 2 Chronicles

3. Ex. Romans and Galatians

4. Ex. Ephesians and Colossians

5. Daniel and Revelation

6. 2 Peter and Jude

E. Examine the entire Bible’s context Since the Bible is written by a divine author and is unified there can be no passages that contradict other passages. So be careful in adopting an interpretation that is contrary to the meaning of other clear passages. Some, for example, have taken Hebrews 6:4-6 to mean that a true believer can lose his or her salvation. Other passages, though, clearly teach that a Christian cannot lose his or her salvation (see Rom. 8:31-39; Rom. 5:9-10; John 10:28-29; Phil. 1:6; and Heb. 7:25).

No One Born of God Makes a Practice of Sinning

March 9, 2008
By John Piper

1 John 3:1-10

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 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.

The question we will tackle today is how do people who have experienced the miracle of the new birth deal with their own sinfulness as they try to live in the full assurance of their salvation? That is, how do we deal with the conflict between the reality of the new birth, on the one hand, and our ongoing sin, on the other hand? How do you balance the danger of losing assurance of salvation and the danger of being presumptuous that you are born again when you may not be? How can we enjoy the assurance of being born again, and yet not take lightly the sinfulness of our lives that is so out of step with being born again?

John’s first letter, more than any other book in the Bible, seems to be designed to help us in this practical, daily battle. Consider 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” This book is written, he says, to help believers have the full assurance that they have been born again—that is, that they have new, spiritual life in them that will never die. John wants you—God wants you—to experience something in this letter that makes you profoundly confident that you have passed from death to life.

First John 3:14 says, “We know that we have passed out of death into life.” Jesus says in John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” So John and Jesus are jealous for us believers to know that judgment is behind us, and death is behind us, because our judgment happened when Jesus was judged in our place, and our death happened when Jesus died in our place. And therefore, new life is in us and this life cannot perish and cannot be taken away. It’s eternal. That’s the assurance John and Jesus want for you. “I write these things to you . . . that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

The Folly of the False Teachers

But something is going on in the churches that John is writing to that concerns him deeply. Whatever it is, it threatens to destroy this assurance. There are false teachers who are saying things that may give the impression of good news and strong assurance, but will have the very opposite effect. In dealing with these false teachers, John shows us how to deal with our own sin in relation to fighting for assurance. What were these false teachers saying?

First, they were saying that the pre-existent Son of God, Jesus Christ, had not come in the flesh. They did not believe in the full union of the pre-existent Son of God with a fleshly human nature like ours. Here is what John says about them in 1 John 4:1-3: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.”

Disconnecting Christ and the Flesh

There is a lot we could go into about this early Christian heresy, but I only want to focus on one thing. These false teachers disconnected Christ and the flesh. See that in verse 2: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.” They did not like the idea of the pre-existent Christ being united with human flesh.

Now here is the reason that’s relevant for our question today. This view of the person of Christ not being united to physical, bodily, flesh evidently had a practical, moral effect on the way these false teachers viewed the Christian life. Just as they disconnected the person of Christ from ordinary physical life, so they disconnected being a Christian from ordinary physical life.

Disconnecting Christians and the Flesh

One of the clearest places to see his is here in our text: 1 John 3:7. John says, “Little children, let no one deceive you [so he has the false teachers in view]. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.” What’s he saying? He is saying beware of the false teachers because what they say is that you can be righteous and not practice righteousness. “Let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous.”

In other words, John opposes not only their view of Christ, that they disconnect his person from his ordinary bodily life of doing things, but he also opposes their view of the Christian life when they disconnected our person from our ordinary bodily life of doing things: “The flesh didn’t really matter for Jesus; what mattered was that somehow, in a spiritual way, he was the Christ and there was no real union of the pre-existent Christ and the physical man Jesus. And our flesh doesn’t really matter either; but somehow, in a spiritual way, we are born again, but there is no real union between that new creation and our physical life that does righteousness or does sin.” Which led directly to the error that John points out in 1 John 3:7, that you can be righteous in some spiritual way, and yet not do righteousness in your ordinary physical life.

Now John has three responses to this false teaching.

Christ’s Incarnation Lasts Forever

First, he insists that the flesh of Jesus and the person of the pre-existent Christ are inseparable. First John 4:2: “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.” Notice it does not say “came in the flesh,” as though that union with flesh and bones happened for a while and then stopped. He says “has come in the flesh.”

This incarnation lasts forever. The second person of the Trinity will forever be united with human nature. We will always know him as Jesus, one like us, and infinitely above us—the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29). God did not, and does not, despise the physical creation that he made. He has come in the flesh. And the Son of God remains in the flesh forever. So John’s first response to the false teaching is to set straight their view of Christ. His physical being is not a mirage. It’s not secondary. It’s not unimportant. That he has a body marks and identifies him forever.

Christian Doing Confirms Being

John’s second response to the false teaching is to deny emphatically its teaching that spiritual being can be separated from physical doing. John, in fact, insists that spiritual being must be validated by physical doing, or else the spiritual being is simply not real. That’s what we saw in 1 John 3:7: “Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.” The deceivers were saying: You can be righteous and yet not practice righteousness. John says: The only people who are righteous are the ones who practice righteousness. Doing confirms being.

That is what John says over and over again in this letter. For example, in 1 John 2:29, he says, “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” In other words, the doing of righteousness is the evidence and confirmation of being born again.

Not Practicing Sin: Evidence of the New Birth

Or consider 1 John 3:9: “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.” The practice of sin is the evidence and confirmation that one is not born of God. Doing confirms being. Not practicing sin is the evidence and confirmation of being born again.

And the reason the new birth inevitably changes the life of sinning, John says, is that when we are born again, “God’s seed” abides in us, and we “cannot keep on sinning.” That’s how real the connection between the new birth and daily physical life is. The seed may be the Spirit of God or the Word of God or the nature of God—or all three. Whatever it is specifically, God himself is at work in the new birth so powerfully that they cannot keep on practicing sin. God’s seed cannot make peace with a pattern of sinful behavior.

These false teachers who think they can separate who they are spiritually from who they are physically do not understand either the incarnation or regeneration. In the incarnation, the pre-existent Christ is really united with a physical body. And in regeneration, the new creation in Christ has real, inevitable effects on our physical life of obedience.

Rejecting Any Notion of Sinlessness in the Born Again

John’s third response to the false teaching is to reject any notion of sinlessness in born-again people. Evidently, the way this false teaching was working was that, by disconnecting “being righteous” from “doing righteousness” (3:7), they were then able to say, “Well, even if your body does some things that are sinful, that’s not really you. The real you is the born again you; and that real you is so above daily physical life that it’s never defiled by sin.”

So this disconnection that the false teachers made between who you are and what you do had led them, evidently, to say that Christians never really sin. How could they? They’re born of God. They’re new creatures. They have the seed of God in them. So John levels his guns at this error three times. It’s important that you see them.

1) There Are No Sinless Christians.

First John 1:8: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” We! We born-again Christians. In other words, don’t let the deception of these false teachers work its way into your own self-deception. There are no sinless Christians.

2) The Born Again Have an Advocate.

First John 2:1: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” In other words, John does not assume that if you sin, you are not born again. He assumes that if you sin, you have an Advocate, Jesus Christ. And only those who are born again have this Advocate.

3) There Is Sin That Does Not Lead to Death.

First John 5:16-17: “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.”

Notice that last clause: “There is sin that does not lead to death.” This is why you can see your brother committing sin. He is your brother. He is born again. And he is sinning. How can this be? Because there is sin that does not lead to death. I don’t think he has particular kinds of sins in view, but rather degrees of rootedness and habitual persistence. There is a point of confirmed sinning which may take you over the line of no return and you will be like Esau who sought repentance and could not find it (Hebrews 12:16-17).

How Do the Born Again Deal with Their Sin?

Now we come to the question we raised at the beginning: How do people who have experienced the miracle of the new birth deal with their own sinfulness as they try to live in the full assurance of their salvation? My answer is: You deal with it by the way you use John’s teaching. John warns against hypocrisy (claiming to be born again when your life contradicts it), and John celebrates the Advocacy and Propitiation of Christ for sinners.

The question is: How do you use these two truths? How do you use the warning that you might deceive yourself? How do you use the promise, “If we do sin, we have an Advocate”? The evidence of your new birth lies in how these to truths function in your life.

Here’s the way they function if you are born again:

1) Fleeing Presumption, Flying to the Advocate

You are slipping into a lukewarm, careless, presumptuous frame of mind about your own sinfulness. You are starting to coast or be indifferent to whether you are holy or worldly. You are losing your vigilance against bad attitudes and behaviors—and starting to settle in with sinful patterns of behavior.

When the born-again person experiences this, the truth of 1 John 3:9 (“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning”) has the effect, by the Holy Spirit, of awakening him to the danger of his condition so that he flies to his Advocate and his Propitiation for mercy and forgiveness and righteousness. He confesses his sin and receives cleansing (1:9), and his love for Christ is renewed and the sweetness of his relationship is recovered and the hatred of sin is restored and the joy of the Lord again becomes his strength.

2) Fleeing Despair, Flying to the Advocate

You are sinking down in fear and discouragement and even despair that your righteousness, your love for people, and your fight against sin are just not good enough. Your conscience is condemning you, and your own deeds seem so imperfect to you that they could never prove that you are born again.

When the born-again person experiences this, the truth of 1 John 2:1 has the effect, by the Spirit, of rescuing him from despair: “My little children [he wants to be tender with their consciences], I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

John’s warning of hypocrisy calls you back from the precipice of presumption. John’s promise of an Advocate calls you back from the precipice of despair.

The Redemptive Power of God’s Word

New birth enables you to hear Scripture and use Scripture helpfully, redemptively. New birth doesn’t use the promise “We have an Advocate” to justify an attitude of cavalier indifference to sin.

New birth doesn’t’ use the warning “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning” to pour gasoline on the fires of despair. New birth has a spiritual discernment that senses how to use John’s teaching: The new birth is chastened and sobered by the warnings, and the new birth is thrilled and empowered by the promise of an Advocate and a Propitiation.

May the Lord confirm your new birth by both of these responses to the word of God. May he grant you to embrace both the warning and the comfort and put them to proper spiritual use in preserving the full assurance of your salvation

Are You Sure Your Saved?

Great clip!

The Christian Family Under Attack

The Christian Family

The family has come under heavy attack in today's society. On television, father's are often depicted as buffoons. Mothers are typically depicted as career minded and in control. Parents in general are characterized as dim wits who aren't "with it."
In too many families, in order to make ends meet, the mother must work and entrust the care of her children to strangers. Children are independent, arrogant, and disrespectful. Everywhere you look society is offering quick and easy fixes, sexual promiscuity, "safe sex," and promises of freedom without penalty.
Divorce destroys 50% of all marriages.
Gangs are growing.
Sexual molestations by parents of their own children is increasing as are acts of violence.
Amidst all the depressing facts there is a ray of hope: the Bible. God has given us the instruction book for families. He has defined the family, taught us the roles of each of the family members, and has promised to bless those who adhere to His will. Praise God! We need it!

1. What is the Family?
   1. The Family is God's covenant arrangement where two people, male and female, are joined to one flesh, "For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). It is a covenant in that it is an agreement, a promise made between the couple getting married. This covenant is before God and is binding until death (or adultery) breaks the union.
   2. The family does not consist of a homosexual or lesbian relationship where the two people of the same sex seek to be married. This is against scripture: "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth" (Gen. 1:27-28).
2. Where did the Family begin?
   1. The Family was instituted by God in the Garden of Eden Genesis chapter 1:26-31 and Gen. 2:18-25.
      1. Gen 1:26-31 is the declaration of Man's creation with the command to be fruitful and multiply. Concluding the section is God's declaration that it was very good.
      2. Gen. 2:18-25 is the account of Adam looking for a helper and God then making Eve from Adam's rib and instituting marriage.
3. What is the purpose of the Family?
   1. To multiply and fill the earth -- Gen. 1:28, ". . .Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it. . ."
   2. Marriage
   3. Procreation -- Gen. 1:28
      1. Continuing the covenant -- through procreation, the covenant between Adam and God is continued.
      2. Fulfilling God's command to multiply and fill the earth
      3. Fulfilling God's command to subdue the earth
   4. Sexual union - 1 Cor. 7:3-5
   5. Sexual Fidelity and Purity - Exodus 20:14
4. The Important role of the Family in Society
   1. Building Block of Society.
   2. Place of learning.
   3. Society reflects the family.
5. Scriptures concerning the family
   1. Concerning Husband and Wife
      1. The husband is the head: 1 Cor. 11:3 - But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
      2. The husband is the leader: Gen. 18:19 -- For I have chosen him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.
      3. Wife is subject to husband: Col. 3:18 -- Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. cf., Eph. 5:22-24
      4. Husband is to love his wife: Eph. 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
      5. Sexual duty: 1 Cor. 7:3 Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
      6. Sexual Purity: Exodus 20:14 - You shall not commit adultery.
   2. Concerning Children
      1. Honor: Exodus 20:12 - Honor your father and mother.
      2. Obedience: Eph. 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
      3. Child rearing: Eph. 6:4 - And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
   3. Polygamy
      1. Permitted in the O.T.: Gen. 4:19 - And Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah.
      2. Condemned in the N.T.: 1 Tim. 3:2,12; Titus 1:6.
   4. Miscellaneous Scriptures
      1. Prov. 12:4, An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones
      2. Prov. 14:1, The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
      3. Prov. 19:13, A foolish son is destruction to his father, And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.

The Bible has much to say about the Family. God takes it very seriously. As Christians, we should too. . . especially the fathers.

"I am sending you as sheep in the midst of wolves"

Matthew 10:16-31
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

When Jesus had finished his great saving work, and had laid down his life to save millions and millions of people who would believe in him, and had risen from the dead, he gave this final mandate to his disciples in Matthew 28:18-20:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

That mandate—to go and make disciples of all the peoples of the world—is as valid today as the promise that supports it: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” If the promise is valid today, then the mandate is valid today. And the promise is valid because it’s good, Jesus said, “to the end of the age.” So until Jesus returns the promise holds that he will be with us. And that promise is the basis of the mandate, and so the mandate holds today. Jesus is commanding us—commanding Bethlehem—“Go make disciples of all nations.”

The Apostle Paul’s Ambition: Frontier Missions

The apostle Paul is the most prominent missionary in the New Testament. He gave his life in obedience to Jesus’ mandate. He said in Romans 15:20-21, “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, ‘Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.’”
This is the difference between and local evangelist and a frontier missionary. Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the work of an evangelist.” That means: As the pastor of a local church in a place where the gospel as already taken root, keep on winning people to Jesus. They may know about Christianity and live near lots of Christians there in Ephesus, but keep on evangelizing them. Tell them the gospel. Show them love. Keep on trying to win them. That’s local evangelism. And all of us should be a part of it.
But this is not what we mean by frontier missions. Frontier missions is what Paul did: “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation.” Frontier missions is crossing a culture to plant the church where the gospel has not already taken root. This is the mandate that is still valid for us today. The job is not done. And the word of our risen king Jesus is binding on us today as much as when he first gave it.

Unreached People Groups

This is why we speak of unreached people groups. The most helpful website I know of for understanding and researching the unreached peoples of the world is the Joshua Project. It lists a total of 15,965 people groups in the world. Of these, 6,434 are still unreached, defining unreached as a “people group among which there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group”—which means, in their definition, fewer than 2% evangelical Christian.
So Jesus gave the mandate to us to make disciples of all these groups, and Paul modeled what frontier missions looks like, making it his ambition to proclaim the gospel where the church was not already planted. And today the mandate holds (“Make disciples of all nations”), and the promise holds (“I will be with you to the end of the age”), and the stakes are eternal (“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him,” John 3:36).

Who Will Go?

So the question is, “Who will go? Who will proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ where the church is not yet planted and flourishing? Should I go? I ask myself this at least once a year. And I mean it seriously. I am willing to go. I think every follower of Jesus is bound by the cords of love and obedience to say, “I am willing to follow you wherever you lead me.” Every believer in Jesus should say, “Here am I, send me, if that is your will.”
It is not the Lord’s will that all of his followers be frontier missionaries. But some he calls. How he does it is a wonderful and mysterious thing. No one can explain how the work of God in your life rises to the level of a compelling call to missions. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is marvelous and unfathomable in our eyes. But this we know, from Scripture and from church history and experience, that one of the instruments God uses to awaken a compelling calling to missions is the preaching of the word of God. And specifically the preaching of passages of Scripture that describe the mandate and its costs and blessings. So that is what I want to do in the time we have left.

The Coming of the Son of Man to Judge Israel

In Matthew 10:16-33, Jesus is telling his disciples what it will cost to bear faithful witness and make disciples in the coming years and what blessings they can count on to sustain them. The text relates directly to the next forty years after he departs, but it is true in principle for the rest of the age. He says in verse 23, “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” I don’t understand the “coming of the Son of Man” in this verse as the second coming of Christ. If it were, this text would be false.
Just like the New Testament speaks of the coming of the kingdom of God in several stages and manifestations, it also helps to think of the coming of the Son of Man in several stages and manifestations. He came to earth the first time and died; he came as the risen Christ from the dead; he came in judgment in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 by the Romans armies; he has come in power from time to time in Great Awakenings. And he will come in visible bodily form at the end of the age. So I take Matthew 10:23 to refer probably to the coming in judgment in AD 70. “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes to judge the Israel”—which happened in a decisive way forty years later.

A Fearless Witness in the Face of Danger

But the fact that these verses refer directly to the work of spreading the gospel to unreached people between AD 30 and 70 does not mean they are irrelevant for us. What Jesus says about the cost and the blessings of the missionary mandate in these verses is true today. And his main point is crystal clear: Be a fearless witness in the face of danger. My prayer, as I draw your attention to it, is that the Holy Spirit would use it awaken or confirm his calling on your life.

Six Costs of Frontier Missions

This text powerfully speaks for itself. So let me, without too much comment, focus our attention on six costs and ten blessings of being on the frontline of frontier missions. These difficulties are the kind of thing we may expect today even if in God’s forbearance we may be spared some of them. First the costs.
1. The cost of being arrested by authorities. Verses 16-18: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.”
2. The cost of family betrayal. Verse 21: “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.” This is almost unbelievable: Fathers and children will so be so opposed to the Christian faith, they will want each other dead rather than believing.
3. The cost of being hated by all. Verse 22: “You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.” Be careful that you don’t elevate friendship evangelism to the point where this text makes evangelism impossible. You will be hated by all does not mean: You can’t do evangelism.
4. The cost of being persecuted and driven out of town. Verse 23: “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next.”
5. The cost of being maligned. Verse 25b: “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.” Jesus died in our place so that we might escape the wrath of God, not the wrath of man. He was called to suffer for the sake of propitiation; we are called to suffer for the sake of propagation.
6. The cost of being killed. Verse 28: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” So they can kill the body. And sometimes they do. Don’t ever elevate safety in missions to the point where you assume that if one of our missionaries is killed we have made a mistake. Jesus said plainly in Luke 21:16, “Some of you they will put to death.”
For two thousand years, thousands of missionaries—unnamed people of whom the world is not worthy—have counted this cost and put their lives at risk to reach the lost with the only message of salvation in the world. And the reason they could do this is because the blessings so outweigh the costs.

Ten Blessings of Frontier Missions

May the Lord make these ten blessings that I am about to name overcome all your fears and give you a passion to know him like this.
1. The blessing of being sent by Christ. Verse 16: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” “I am sending you out.” It is deeply satisfying thing to be sent by the living Christ into his work.
2. The blessing of being given words by the Spirit of God. Verses 19-20: “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” What a wonderful thing it is to sense the presence and power of the Spirit in your life, giving you the words you need.
3. The blessing of experiencing God’s fatherly care. Verse 20b: “For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Jesus makes explicit that the one caring for you is your Father in heaven. You may have to leave father and mother to be a missionary. But you will always have a Father who cares for you.
4. The blessing of salvation at the end of it all. Verse 22b: “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” When all the costs have been paid, we will have the great end of salvation. We will be raised from the dead with no sorrow or pain or sin, and we will see Christ and enter in to his joy and hear the words, in spite of all our imperfections, “Well done.”
5. The blessing of knowing that the Son of Man is coming in judgment and mercy. Verse 23b: “You will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” This was a great encouragement to those persecuted disciples. Jesus comes at just the right time in historical judgments and deliverances, and he will come at the last day and vindicate all his people.
6. The blessing of belonging to Jesus’ household. Verse 25b: “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.” Whatever rejection we may experience, Jesus wants us to be sure we are ever aware: This rejection is a sign that you are mine. You are part of my household.
7. The blessing of knowing that the truth will triumph. Verse 26: “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” Nothing is hidden that will not be known. For a season in this world, people will mock your proclamation of the truth. They will say, “What is truth!” But know this, and hold fast to this blessing: The truth will be known. Your proclamation will be vindicated. “Nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” Count on it. What is scoffed at now will be written across the sky someday. And one minute of that vindication before all your enemies will make every act of patient endurance worthwhile.
8. The blessing of having an immortal soul. “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” The soul of the Christian is indestructible. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). We have already passed from death to life. Henry Martyn, the missionary to Persia, said that he was immortal until his work on earth was done. True. And he would have also agreed that in the fuller sense: You are immortal after your work on earth is done. That is Jesus’ point here.
9. The blessing of having a heavenly Father who sovereignly rules the smallest details of life. Verse 29: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” Jesus mentions the fall of a sparrow to the ground because nothing seemed more insignificant than that. Yet God, your Father, oversees that and governs that. So you may always know that your Father, who loves you as his precious child, oversees and governs every detail of your life.
10. The blessing of being valued by God. Verse 31: “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” God does not despise his children. He values his children. For two reasons: One is that in union with Jesus Christ all of his perfection is imputed to us. The other is that by the Spirit, we are being changed from one degree of glory to the next, and God loves the sanctifying work of his own hands. He delights in what we are becoming.

God’s Call to Frontier Missions

How does God call people to give their lives in missions? He does it, along with other influences, by the mysterious and wonderful awakening of fear-conquering desire for the work through the preaching of his word. He does it by helping us count the costs so there is no romantic naiveté about missions. And he does it by filling us with a longing to know these blessings to the full.
For many of you God has been doing this for some time now. And this message is a seal to what has already been done. For others of you, this message has awakened a new sense of calling. And you really believe God is stirring you to go. May the Lord confirm his work in your life.

Questions for the discouraged Christian Worker

CHRISTIAN WORKER, DO YOU EVER GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE SOME FOLK LAUGH AT YOU AS YOU PUBLICLY IDENTIFY WITH THE CAUSE OF CHRIST?

You stand in the street at an open air meeting, or giving out tracts or whatever, and you become the target of a sneer. A crowd goes past and someone cracks a joke at your expense - a cruel jibe designed to inflict hurt as opposed to good natured banter - and you are almost ready to pack the witness in. If so…consider the following:1) Who is laughing at you? Perhaps one of what the writer of the Book of Acts called "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort" (Acts 17:5) It need not be Pharisaical to view them (if applicable) as Job did in chapter 30 of his book. Quite a number of observations flow from the lips of this holy man of God: that they were children of fools and base men (v8) whose fathers he disdained to set even among the dogs (v1) viler than the earth (v8) Is it a shame on you that such should but mock you in passing? Job complained that they spat upon him - into his face - and perpetuated the abuse into the lyrics of a song which became a by word (v10)

2) OK perhaps it is not a crowd of yobs, but someone very respectable. A college professor or a well to do person who sneers at your stand. Does this radically change the situation? Such betrays his standing in society. Nabal was a very well to do business man (1 Samuel 25) with much going for him. But when he sneered at David and his stand for God, he but denigrated himself and lived up to his name which means "folly"

3) Consider their laughter. It is the laughter of a fool which is as the crackling of thorns under a pot, and also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 7:6) Does such laughter worry you? John Gill comments on this point: "As the noise and sound of the one under a pot is very short, they make a blaze for a while, and is soon over; so though the laughter of a fool is loud and noisy, it makes no melody, no more than the noise of thorns; and is but for a moment, and will be soon changed for weeping and howling, which will last for ever; Job 20:5 "

4) Remember what the Bible further declares of such laughter: Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. Answer me this. Would you like to possess such humour as theirs? Where does it lead? What is the end of such humour? Not merely that it dies out. That would be bad enough. But the end of such humour is sorrow and depression. Their barbed wit is momentarily. It will soon past and they will pick on someone else…indeed it is likely that they pick on one within their own number for such society cannot live in peace among themselves, being like the troubled sea that cannot find rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

5) Why do they pick on you? It is not you personally, but Christ in you that is so obnoxious to them. Why do they hate Christ? Did He not die for the ungodly? Did He not provide for such as them a road to escape the madness of their sin? If a mentally deranged person made you a target of his sense of fun, would you be offended? Would you think less of yourself? Would you not put it all into perspective and realise that such humour has no real basis in normal society? The laughter of the ungodly against you is equally unfounded. Such is spiritually deranged. Those who sneer at you only denigrate themselves. They are laughing at wisdom. Your embracing of the truth as it is in Jesus is like Noah entering into the ark. By doing so, he condemned the world (Hebrews 11:7) Your stand for the Bible upsets the wicked because the Bible condemns their sin. It condemned your sin too, but you have made peace with God which shows that it can be done. Your decision to follow Christ only highlights and further condemns their refusal to do so. Hence the sneer. * See below (No.16 for additional thoughts on Noah)

6) Notice how the sneer has replaced the reasoned arguments. What does this tell you? What argument is there for following in the way that leads to death? Even if they insist on following such a road, what reason can they give to have you leave the right way to go with them? A sneer often covers up a bankrupt mind void of any reasoning. It is bad manners to sneer - a thought for Christians too! Be careful never to sneer at anyone. Yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal…(1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1) You may oppose, but do not wrap your opposition in a sneer. Such tactics denigrate the worth of your argument. The Lord Jesus did not sneer. True, he said some pretty hard things against individuals ("that fox" meaning Herod: Luke 13:32) and different groups ("Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" Matthew 23) but these are not sneers. The sneer is found in the attitude that gives rise to the words. If you must oppose, do so in a manner befitting the cause you are seeking to defend.

7) Note how mockers usually need a crowd before engaging in vilification. All pure show feeding their vanity. How many actually laugh? By contrast, especially if you are standing on your own, you need no human eye to praise. You look further ahead to the praise that matters - that of God. The scoffer on his own might well be a different kettle of fish. No false courage now to back him up. No friends to give him support…perhaps a very lonely character indeed. What help does his scoffing give him then?

8) Often the chief mocker goes too far…and sickens one of his own. What is acceptable to one man is often unacceptable to another. The writer has witnessed the friends of mockers almost pulling away the chief mocker and rebuking him. The devil often oversteps himself. Always remember that God is in control. I think it was Calvin who observed that the Devil may go about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour…but there is a bit in his mouth and God holds the reins. It has not been unknown for a companion of the mocker to quietly apologise afterwards for the embarrassing behaviour of a friend. But such will largely depend on your response. You have nothing to lose if being reviled, you revile not again. Reviling should not be confused with rebuking. A rebuke can be delivered graciously without a raised voice or bitter words or recriminations.

9) Even if you have a loner…is this what he gets his kicks out of? Opposing that which is good and wholesome and godly. Rather infantile is it not? Inflicting his godless views upon you who has chosen the better road. Not even "views" in any reasoned way, but words usually loaded with lies and innuendoes but very little if any of logic or fact. When he has finished his harangue, ask him has he exhausted his repertoire? Show him a more excellent way. Ask him is he willing to sit down - say over a coffee - and discuss what he is offering you and compare it with what you are offering him. It may be that his scorning is a cry for help. If he cannot so much as defend and explain his hostility to you or the gospel, then it is an further admission of the bankruptcy of his views. Be sure to tell him so!

10) Onlookers observing your response may be impressed with your response. Follow the determination of the Psalmist who wrote: "I said, I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." (39:1) This might lead to that situation spoken of in 1 Peter 3:1 where a soul "may without the word [of God] be won by the conversation [life]" i.e. where the life seems to speak louder than words…although obviously the word of God must come in sooner or later. Peter however is elevating the power and influence of a godly life (v2)

11) The darker the night, the brighter the light shines. Spurgeon said that every star is precious in the darkest night. The rudeness of the other will make your decency look even better! We mentioned Noah above (No.5) What makes Noah stand out is that he stood practically alone. Even when Elijah thought he stood alone, God assured him that there another seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal. Not so Noah. Only seven others joined him in the ark. How his life for God would have stood out in the midst of a scene harrowingly described in Genesis 6:5. Let this really encourage you if loneliness overtakes you in the work of God or you are being verbally assaulted (or worse) It is another case of the Devil over stepping himself and God in His sovereignty overruling.

12) The mocker riding on the wave of his own glory will soon betray his folly verbally, perhaps giving an opportunity to expose such & preach truth. Just sit back and listen. The lie must always be exposed. It is only a matter of time, and experience will teach you to detect, expose and exploit the world's folly. [Click here to go to our page which deals with this very subject] There is an old principle that the bigger they are, the harder they fall and this is true when they feel they are on the crest of the wave. Preface your remarks with something like: "Hold on mate. You've got problems with that. What about…? It doesn't add up does it? But the Bible does. The Bible says…" The Lord Jesus used this method very effectively when the Sadducees sought - with an element of mockery - to overthrow the Bible teaching of the resurrection. They assumed that the Bible taught that there would be marriage in Heaven (and thought wrong) Their whole argument depended on it and was easily toppled. Note how the Lord Jesus very effectively silenced them - to the marvel of all men - in the silence that followed their downfall. Ride out the storm and then come out of the bunker with all guns blazing! Truth is on your side. Although it might be temporarily fallen in the streets…it can't stay there for ever.

13) Suppose you did keep silent - or quit - how long for? Perhaps some day you come home really discouraged. In your hurt, you say that you will no longer put your head over the parapet and you take it a lot easier. Jeremiah tried that one when the going got tough. Listen to his words: Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. (Jeremiah 20:9) It is not really the answer. If you have a bad day… do what the disciples of John did when they laid the decapitated body of their master in the grave (a most discouraging moment) They "went and told Jesus" (Matthew 14:13) Tell Him of your sorrows (Psalm 55:22/1 Peter 5:7) and then put it all behind you and get out again. Every war has its causalities. Every war sees individual battles won and individual battles lost. Remember that over all we are "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37)

14) Suppose you were so discouraged as to turn back altogether? I mean: Pack in the whole matter of being a Christian? It is possible that the pressure being brought to bear upon you may even bring you to that position. In your heart of hearts you know that this is the road to nowhere. What are you going back (note the word) to? The old ways of sin? The lack of peace that passeth all understanding? A conscience full of guilt and overflowing? Do you think that would bring you peace even with your tormentors? It is likely that they would pick on something else. They would not even be content that they had drawn you aside, but would probably throw it up into your face. On a practical note…remember that you do not have to take mockery of your faith if you are in the workplace or school or wherever. Does the attacks upon you amount to practical bullying? If so, then you have recourse to the proper authorities, even if secular. The state is ordained of God (Romans 13) to protect you. Obviously, we are speaking about extreme cases.

15) Such trial, like any trial, only serves to toughen you and make you a good soldier of Jesus Christ. When you think of good soldiers - crack regiments - you think of awesome training grounds with assault courses and screaming Sargent Majors etc., You do not tend to think of afternoon teas in drawing rooms. If you are under the attack of a sneering mocker...let the experience toughen you. See it as training for the day when evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse (2 Timothy 3:13) The old soldiers look at their medals with pride. They remember the various battles they fought. Do thou likewise. It will help you face the next one. With the whole armour of God...you cannot lose.

16) I remember preaching once on Noah building the ark. I thought of the various people who would "come from miles around" to see what all the hammering was about and to certify the rumours: "You're joking, aren't you. Is this a wind up?" First of all when Noah told them what he was doing, they would have said: "Noah…you'll never build it!" Then when its huge frame dominated the sky line, the second line of attack would be: "Noah…you'll never float it!" Probably when the rains came and the huge vessel was lifted up by the waves, I'm pretty sure, someone managed to thump the side with his fist and cry defiantly ere he drowned: "Noah…you'll never survive it!" Always remember, they all with one accord began to make excuse. Don't be disappointed if you don't get the last word…be content to leave that privilege to God. Remember, there is coming a day when the every mouth will be stopped and the whole world will become guilty before God (Romans 3:19)

17) I read recently a quote from John F. Kennedy who said: "When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." If a worldly man can think like this…how much more the child of God? Paul saw his imprisonment (surely a crisis?) merely as another means of furthering the gospel (Philippians 1:12) If you are being scorned…see that it is part of the all things that work together for good (Romans 8:28)

Issue of Women Pastors

Is the issue of women pastors serious? The answer is most assuredly yes. The reason is because the Christian church has a tendency to move into apostasy; after all, we are sinners by nature. But when the Scriptures clearly teach on a topic, and if the Christian were to go against that clear teaching, it then becomes necessary to address the issue.Please understand that it is not my position that women are to be belittled, or are subservient to men. I believe that women are underutilized and underappreciated in the church. But this does not mean that it is okay to violate scripture's teaching concerning eldership. The Scripture is our guide and we must submit our preference to it -- whether or not it is popular, comfortable, or likeable. To do otherwise is to sin against God.Of course, there will be those who say that this is a debatable issue and that we should not declare someone's opinion to be authoritative and then force that opinion upon others. Doesn't Rom. 14:1-12, when speaking of debatable issues, declare that we should be gracious to those with whom we disagree? Yes, it does, but we must realize that because someone debates an issue does not mean is inherently debatable. Mormons, for example, will debate whether or not people can become gods since they affirm it is possible. But the Scriptures clearly teach they cannot (Isaiah 43:10). Therefore, just because it's debated does not mean it is debatable. Basically, there are three reasons why those who claim to be Christians will affirm that women can be elders and pastors.
They are ignorant of what the Bible truly teaches in this matter.
They are listening to the opinions of non-Christian society and are projecting those preferences upon the scriptures.
They are not regenerate, do not have the Spirit of God in them, and cannot discern spiritual matters (1 Cor. 2:14).
Taking God's word seriously is the obligation of every Christian who should submit his/her preferences to it. But, sadly, this is not happening enough in the Christian church today. We must all be mindful of the warning of 2 Tim. 4:1, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires." Christians should never be so arrogant as to say, "Thank you Lord that I am not like other people who gather to themselves teachers who tickle their own ears." (See Luke 18:10-14).What we need in Christianity is more people who will stand for the truth of God's Word instead of trying to water it down in order to meet the needs and preferences of the politically correct or the unregenerate. I believe Christian men are to stand upon the word whether it is popular or not, whether it is easy or not, and whether it costs them or not. Women pastors exist because of the failure Christian men, and this failure extends all too often into the pulpit.The elders and pastors of Christian churches need to be called to account for allowing women pastors. They need to be rebuked publically.
1 Tim. 5:19, "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning."
Should we leave a church over this?
Is this an issue worth leaving a church over? In my opinion yes it is. If a pastor cannot discern such clear teaching of Scripture and instead imposes upon the word of God faulty exegesis and faulty logic ,then in my opinion, I would be forced to leave. I would not be able to trust his judgment concerning the rest of the word of God. Again, this is my opinion. What about those who have invested years in a church when a woman pastor is introduced? Should they leave or just stick it out in silent disagreement? It is ultimately up to the individual Christian to answer this question. But, I offer my opinion. If I were to continue to attend that church, then am I not publicly displaying my support for the eldership of that church in its actions and teaching in this regard? If more Christians across the world were to study biblical theology, stand up for it, and sacrifice some comfort, then the pulpits would be that much better. Truth is truth. Stand on the truth.Also, if the elders of the church approved of having a woman pastor, then I would not be able to trust them either since they are not acting as competent elders and are not refuting error. Please consider the following twelve qualifications of being an elder.
The elder must be above reproach (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2).
The husband of one wife (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2).
Have children who believe (Titus 1:6 ;1 Tim. 3:4).
Not be a new convert (1 Tim. 3:6).
Should be self controlled and temperate (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim. 3:2).
Must be honorable, hospitable, seeking good (Titus 1:7).
Have a good reputation (1 Tim. 3:7).
Not be addicted to wine (1 Tim. 3:3).
Not be greedy (1 Tim. 3:3).
Able to exhort (teach) sound doctrine (Titus 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:2).
Able to refute false teaching (Titus 1:9)
Must be ready to earn his own living if necessary (Acts 20:17, 33-35).
Points 10 and 11 above are applicable here. If the elders (who must be male per #2) of a church do not correct the teaching of having a woman pastor, then they are not doing their job and should not be elders. Is this making a mountain out of a mole hill? No, it is not. The Scriptures teach that an elder must be the husband of one wife, not wife of one husband. The authority issue related to it is based not on culture but on God's created order. Therefore, I take the position of standing on God's Word and believing what it says in spite of political correctness, social influence, or personal preferences, as every Christian should do.
Soli Deo Gloria!

The Catechism Question # 6-50

Question 6: May all men make use of the Scriptures?
Answer: All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Scriptures.
Scripture: John 5:39; Luke 16:29; Acts 8:28-30; 17:11.
Question 7: What do the Scriptures mainly teach?
Answer: The Scriptures mainly teach what man is to believe about God and what duty God requires of man.
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; John 20:31; Acts 24:14; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Ecclesiastes 12:13.
Question 8: What is God?
Answer: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
Scripture: John 4:24; Psalm 89:14; 90:2; 147:5; James 1:17; Revelation 4:8; Exodus 34:6, 7; 1 Timothy 1:17; Numbers 23:19.
Comment: Ask what "infinite" means (there is no limit to how great he is!). What does "eternal" mean? (He never had a beginning and will never have an ending!) Talk about how God can respond to us and yet not be "changeable." (His character never changes; he acts consistently on the same principles always. Even his responses to us are known and planned long before so that his purposes are unchanging.)
Question 9: Are there more Gods than one?
Answer: There is only one living and true God.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10; Psalm 96:4-5.
Comment: There are "gods" which are idols, but they are not "living". And there are "gods" which are angels or demons, but they are not "true" God, that is they are not eternal, infinite and unchanging. Only one God is living and true.
Question 10: How many persons are there in the Godhead?
Answer: There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:11; 8:6; John 1:1; 10:30; 14:9; 20:28; Acts 5:3,4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3.
Comment: The word "Godhead" is needed because we shouldn't say that there are three persons in God. No, there are three persons who are God. Nor should we say that there are three Gods. There is one God. They are distinct persons with special roles in creation and redemption. But they are in perfect harmony and are (in ways beyond our comprehension) perfectly One God. (See The Pleasures of God, by John Piper, Multnomah Press, pp. 38, 42-44 for one explanation of the Trinity.)
Question 11: What are the decrees of God?
Answer: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby for his own glory, he has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:36; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 46:10; Psalm 115:3; Amos 3:6.
Comment: You might shorten it to: "God's decrees are his own plans for history. And they always happen." His purpose for the world is eternal because there never was a time when he didn't know what he was going to do. His purpose accords with the counsel of HIS will--that is he did not consult anyone else. He thought it ALL up. All plans were made in order to maximize the display of his glory. NOTHING falls outside the decrees of God.
Question 12: How does God execute his decrees?
Answer: God executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence.
Scripture: Genesis 1:1; Revelation 4:11; Matthew 5:45; 6:26; Acts 14:17: Proverbs 16:9, 33; 19:21; 20:24; 21:1, 31.
Comment: Instead of "execute" you can say "perform" or "accomplish" or "bring about". The word "providence" will be taken up in a later question. For now it refers to the way God preserves and governs all his creatures and all their actions (like the fall of a bird or the election of a president). It refers to God's general rule over the world he has created.
Question 13: What is the work of creation?
Answer: The work of creation is God's making all things [out] of nothing, by the word of his power and all very good.
Scripture: Genesis 1:1, 31; Hebrews 11:3; Exodus 20:11; Romans 4:17.
Comment: Before creation there was only God in the holy fellowship of the Trinity. Therefore his creation is always different from ours: we start with something.
Question 14: How did God create man?
Answer: God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.
Scripture: Genesis 1:27-28; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24.
Comment: In saying that we were created after his image "in knowledge, righteousness and holiness," we do not mean we know all God knows, nor that we are a fountain of righteousness and holiness the way he is. We mean that we were capable of sharing his knowledge and righteousness and holiness in a relationship of trust and love unlike any other creature under the angels.
Question 15: What are God's works of providence?
Answer: God's works of providence are the holy, wise, and powerful acts which he preserves and governs all his creatures, and all their actions.
Scripture: Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3; Psalm 103:19; Matthew 10:29-30.
Comment: It would be helpful to discuss this with your child in relation to the common concept of "luck." Is there such a thing as luck in a world ruled by the providence of God? "The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly from the Lord" (16:33). You will also need to stress that many of God's acts of providence may not look "holy and wise" (like storms that kill thousands of people). But then stress that God has his secret purposes (Deut. 29:29) that we are never great enough to see, and the Judge of all the earth always does right (Genesis 18:25).
Question 16: What special act of providence did God exercise towards man when he was first created?
Answer: When God had created man, he made a covenant with him that he should live and enjoy all the benefits of creation, but that he would die if he forsook the obedience that comes from faith. God commanded him not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and thus forsake his child-like dependence upon God for all things.
Scripture: Genesis 2:15-17; Galatians 3:12; Romans 5:12.
Comment: The "knowledge of good and evil" is the ability to judge independently what is beneficial (good) and harmful (evil) for yourself. What God is forbidding is that man should choose to be independent from God in his evaluation of things. He is commanding man to walk by faith in the wise and loving care of his heavenly Father. (See the use of this phrase in Gen. 3:5, 22; 2 Sam. 14:17; Is. 7:15; 2 Sam 19:35.)
Question 17: Did our first parents continue in the glad obedience for which they were created?
Answer: No, but desiring to be like God, our first parents forsook the obedience of faith, ate of the forbidden tree, sinned against God, and fell from the innocence in which they were created.
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-7; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 5:12.
Question 18: What is sin?
Answer: Sin is transgression of the revealed will of God which teaches that we are to act in perfect holiness from a heart of faith to the glory of God.
Scripture: 1 John 3:4; Romans 5:13; 14:23; 1 Peter 1:16; Matthew 5:48; 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Comment Simplified: Sin is any attitude or desire or action that explicitly breaks a commandment of Scripture, or comes from a heart of unbelief or is not done for the glory of God.
Question 19: What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
Answer: The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit
Scripture: Genesis 3:6, 12, 13.
Question 20: Did all mankind fall in Adam's first sin?
Answer: All mankind, descending from Adam by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first sin.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Romans 5:12, 18-19.
Comment: God considered all mankind as being in Adam so that when Adam went bad we all went bad in him. The nature that we have by virtue of belonging to Adam's race is morally corrupt. We are under the wrath of God "by nature" (Ephesians 2:3) from the time we were conceived in the womb. This is why conversion and salvation must be much more than a "decision" for Christ. It must be a new creation, a rebirth, an exchange of hearts.
Question 21: Into what condition did the fall bring mankind?
Answer: The fall brought mankind into a condition of sin and misery.
Scripture: Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:18-19; 7:18; Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; John 3:6-7; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:14.
Question 22: What is the sinfulness of that condition into which all mankind has fallen?
Answer: The sinfulness of the condition into which all mankind fell is the guilt of Adam's first sin, the lack of original righteousness, and the corruption of our whole nature (which is commonly called original sin), together with all actual transgressions which come from this nature.
Scripture: Romans 5:19; 3:10; Ephesians 2:1; Isaiah 53:6; Psalm 51:5; Matthew 15:19.
Comment: The Bible says that "in Adam all die" (1 Cor. 15:22) and that "one transgression yields condemnation for all men" (Rom. 5:18) and that "one man's disobedience made many sinners" (Rom. 5:19). These statements lead us to conclude that God, in a way beyond our comprehension, established a unity between Adam and his posterity which makes it just for us to receive the imputation of his guilt and corruption. He was in some sense our representative head. We sinned in him and fell with him.
Question 23: What is the misery into which all mankind fell through Adam's first sin?
Answer: All mankind, by their fall, lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.
Scripture: Genesis 3:8, 24; Ephesians 2:3; Galatians 3:10; Romans 6:23; Matthew 25:41-46; Psalm 9:17.
Comment: Keep in mind that "liable to" means that these miseries will indeed befall all people unless a special work of God's grace intervenes.
Question 24: Did God leave all mankind to perish in the condition of sin and misery?
Answer: God, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, having chosen a people to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the condition of sin and misery, and to bring them into a condition of salvation, by a Redeemer.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Romans 5:21; 8:29-30; 9:11-12; 11:5-7; Acts 13:48; Jeremiah 31:33.
Comment: The term "covenant of grace" is filled with sweet and precious hope. It refers to the free decision, commitment and oath of God to employ all his omnipotence and wisdom and love to rescue and glorify his people from sin and misery. It is wholly initiated and carried through by God. It cannot fail.
It is valid for all who believe. WHOSOEVER WILL MAY COME AND ENJOY THIS GRACE! And, since this "believing" and this "willing" is a work of God's sovereign grace, those who believe and come are the elect, "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4). Thus the covenant was sealed in the heart of God before the world was.
This "covenant of grace" is the cry of victory over all the battle strife in missions. THE GRACE OF GOD WILL TRIUMPH! He is covenant-bound, oath-bound to save all those who are foreordained to eternal life (Acts 13:48)! "Jesus died for the nation (of Jews), and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (John 11:52).
The battle cry of missions is, "The Lord has other sheep that are not of this fold: He MUST (covenant-bound!!) bring them also. They WILL (sovereign grace!!) heed his voice!" John 10:16.
Question 25: Who is the Redeemer of God's elect?
Answer: The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures and one person, forever.
Scripture: Galatians 3:13; 1 Timothy 2:5; 3:16; John 1:14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9.
Question 26: How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?
Answer: Christ, the Son of God became man by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and was born of her, yet without sin.
Scripture: Hebrews 2:14; 4:14; 7:26; Matthew 26:38; Luke 2:52; John 1:14; 12:27; Luke 1:31, 35; 2:52; Colossians 2:9.
Comment: I am typing this on a Personal Computer. I have virtually no idea how it works. That it works I am certain: I have typed hundreds of sermons on it. So it is with the "incarnation"--the "how" is (as the old theologians used to say) "ineffable". We believe it because the Scriptures teach it and because it "works" to make sense out of God's whole redemptive plan.
Question 27: What offices does Christ perform as our Redeemer?
Answer: Christ, as our Redeemer, performs the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his condition of humiliation and exaltation.
Scripture: Acts 3:22; Hebrews 5:6; Psalm 2:6.
Question 28: How does Christ perform the office of a prophet?
Answer: Christ performs the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation.
Scripture: John 1:18; 14:26; 15:15.
Question 29: How does Christ perform the office of a priest?
Answer: Christ performs the office of a priest by once offering himself as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and to reconcile us to God; and by making continual intercession for us before God.
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 2: 17; 7:25; 9:28; Ephesians 5:2; Romans 8:34.
Question 30: How does Christ perform the office of a king?
Answer: Christ performs the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.
Scripture: Psalm 110:1-2; Matthew 2:6; Luke 1:32-33; 1 Corinthians 15:25.
Question 31: What do we mean by Christ's humiliation?
Answer: By Christ's humiliation we mean that he was born, and that in a low condition; that he was made under the law, and underwent the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; that he was buried, and continued under the power of death for a time.
Scripture: Luke 2:7; Galatians 4:4; Isaiah 53:3; Luke 22:44; Matthew 12:40; 27:46; Philippians 2:8; Mark 15:45-6.
Question 32: What do we mean by Christ's exaltation?
Answer: By Christ's exaltation we mean his rising again from the dead on the third day, ascending up into heaven, sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and coming to judge the world at the last day.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:4; Acts 1:11; Mark 16:19; Acts 17:31.
Question 33: How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
Answer: We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effective application of it to us, by his Holy Spirit.
Scripture: John 3:5, 6; Titus 3:5, 6.
Question 34: How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
Answer: The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.
Scripture: 1 John 5:1; Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 16:14; 18:27; John 3:8; 6:64f.
Question 35: What is effectual calling?
Answer: Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, to convince us of our sin and misery, to enlighten our minds in the knowledge of Christ, to renew our wills, and thus persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:9; John 6:44, 45; 16:8-11; Acts 2:37; 26:18; Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 8:30; 1 Corinthians 1:24; 12:3.
Question 36: What benefits do those who are effectually called receive in this life?
Answer: Those who are effectually called receive in this life justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life accompany or flow from them.
Scripture: Romans 8:30-32; Galatians 3:26; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:11; Ephesians 1:5.
Comment: We must distinguish effectual calling from the general call of the gospel. Not all who hear the gospel believe. But all who are effectually called by God do believe. The call creates what it commands.
Question 37: What is justification?
Answer: Justification is an act of God's free grace, by which he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.
Scripture: Romans 3:24; 5:19; Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9; Galatians 2:16.
Question 38: What is adoption?
Answer: Adoption is an act of God's free grace, by which we are received into the company of God's children and have a right to all the privileges of his sons.
Scripture: 1 John 3:1; John 1:12; Romans 8:16, 17.
Question 39: What is sanctification?
Answer: Sanctification is the work of God's free grace by which we are renewed in the whole person after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.
Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Ephesians 4:23, 24; Romans 6:11.
Question 40: What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?
Answer: The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, fellowship with Christ, joy in the Holy Spirit, increase of grace, the privilege of prayer, and perseverance therein to the end.
Scripture: Romans 5:1-5; 14:17; Proverbs 4:18: 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 5:13; 1 Corinthians 1:9; John 15:7.
Question 41: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
Answer: At death the souls of believers are made perfect in holiness, and immediately pass into glory. Their bodies rest in their graves till the resurrection.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:23; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Luke 23:43; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; Isaiah 57:2; Job 19:26.
Question 42: What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection?
Answer: At the resurrection, believers are raised up in glory; they shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the Day of Judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity.
Scripture: Philippians 3:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 15:42, 43; Matthew 10:32; 1 John 3:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
Question 43: What shall be done to the wicked at death?
Answer: The souls of the wicked shall at death, be cast into the torments of hell, and their bodies lie in their graves till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.
Scripture: Luke 16:22-4; Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:11- 15.
Question 44: What shall be done to the wicked at the Day of Judgment?
Answer: At the Day of Judgment, the bodies of the wicked, being raised out of their graves shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels forever.
Scripture: Daniel 12:2; John 5:28, 29; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:14-15.
Question 45: What is the duty which God requires of man?
Answer: The duty which God requires of man is the obedience that comes from faith.
Scripture: Galatians 5:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; Romans 1:5; 16:26; 15:18.
Comment: See questions 16-18.
Question 46: What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?
Answer: The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience was the moral law.
Scripture: Rom. 2:14; 15; 5:13, 14.
Question 47: Where is the obedience of faith given in summary form?
Answer: A summary form of the obedience of faith is given in the Ten Commandments.
Scripture: Hebrews 3:18-19; 4:2; Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4; Romans 9:32.
Question 48: What is the sum of the Ten Commandments?
Answer: The sum of the Ten Commandments is to love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Scripture: Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-33.
Question 49: What is the preface to the Ten Commandments?
Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments is, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."
Scripture: Exodus 20:2.
Question 50: What does the preface to the Ten Commandments teach us?
Answer: The preface to the Ten Commandments teaches us that because God is the LORD, and our gracious Redeemer, his commandments are for our good and he does not will for us to depend on ourselves in keeping them, but to trust his grace and power.
Scripture: Deuteronomy 10:13, 16; 30:6.

The Catechism Question #5

Question 5: How do we know that the Bible is the Word of God?

Answer: The Bible evidences itself to be God's Word by the heavenliness of its doctrine, the unity of its parts, and its power to convert sinners and to edify saints. But only the Spirit of God can make us willing to agree and submit to the Bible as the Word of God.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:6-7,13-16; Psalm 19:7-9; 119:18,129; Acts 10:43; 26:22; 18:28; Hebrews 4:12; Romans 15:4; John 16:13,14; 1 John 2:20-27; 2 Corinthians 3:14-17; 4:4, 6.

Comment: "Heavenliness" refers to the fact [that] the teachings of Scripture are of such a nature that they cannot be explained by mere human resources. They bear the marks of the supernatural. "No man ever spoke like this man" (John 7:46). The "unity of its parts" has to do especially with the way all Scripture points to Christ. "To him all the prophets bear witness" (Acts 10:43). There are detailed and scholarly historical arguments for the reliability of the Bible, but these are generally beyond the acquaintance of ordinary Christians, and so do not serve as widespread support for Scripture. They are needed, however, in the scholarly arena. [See "Is the Bible a Reliable Guide to Lasting Joy" in Desiring God by John Piper (Multnomah Press, 1986).]

The Catechism Question #4

Question 4: What is the Word of God?

Answer: The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, being given by divine inspiration, are the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Isaiah 8:20; Matthew 5:17- 18; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Psalm 19:7-8.

Comment: "Scriptures" is a special word for the "writings" of the OT and NT. Perhaps you will want to explain that the OT deals with God's word that came before Jesus was born; and the NT is the word of God that came after Jesus was born. "Infallible" means it will never lead us astray in what it teaches. It is true and does not err. It can be trusted. "Faith" refers to right thinking and feeling; and "practice" refers to right doing. We measure our thoughts and emotions and actions by the rule of the Bible. "Inspiration" means that it is God-breathed: by his Spirit he guided his spokesmen to speak his word in their language.

The Catechism Question #3

Question 3: How do we know there is a God?

Answer: The light of nature in man, and the works of God, plainly declares that there is a God; but his word and Spirit only, do effectually reveal him unto us for our salvation.
Scripture: Romans 1:18-20; Psalm 19:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 1:21-24; 2:9, 10; Matthew 11:27.

Comment: The question distinguishes two kinds of knowledge: one is natural and comes from conscience ("the light of nature in man") and from the works of God in nature; the other is spiritual or saving, and comes from the recognition of the true value of God and the beauty of his character. Natural knowledge is possessed by all people and thus makes all people accountable to honor and thank God. Spiritual knowledge is possessed only by those whose natural blindness has been overcome by the Spirit of God. (1 Cor. 2:14-16). Our children must come to see the difference between these lest they think they are saved by much natural knowledge about God—which the devils also have James 2:19).

The Catechism Question #2

Sometimes there are other ways to express a true answer to these questions. Feel free to use Scripture to formulate other true answers where possible and helpful. The aim of a catechism is not to be exhaustive but to give a solid tease from which to "keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:17).

Question 2: What is the chief end of man?

Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalm 16:11; 37:4; 73:25-26; Isaiah43:7.

Comment: "Glorify” does not mean make glorious. It means [to] reflect or display as glorious. Other words you could use for "end" are "goal" or "purpose".

The Catechism Question #1

The Catechism
Sometimes there are other ways to express a true answer to these questions. Feel free to use Scripture to formulate other true answers where possible and helpful. The aim of a catechism is not to be exhaustive but to give a solid tease from which to "keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:17).

Question 1: Who is the first and best of beings?

Answer: God is the first and best of beings.
Scripture: Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 96:4; 97:9, 1 Samuel 2:2

A Catechism?

What is a catechism?

In 1 Corinthians 14:19 Paul says, "In the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue." In Galatians 6:6 he says, "Let him who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches." Acts 18:25 says that Apollos "has been instructed in the way of the Lord."
In each of these verses the Greek word for "instruct" or "teach" is katecheo. From this word we get our English word "catechize". It simply means to teach Biblical truth in an orderly way. Generally this is done with questions and answers accompanied by Biblical support and explanation.

What is the history of this catechism?

This is a slightly revised version of "The Baptist Catechism" first put forth by Baptists in 1689 in Great Britain. It was adopted by the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1742. It is patterned on the well-known reformed Westminster Catechism. The few comments in the earlier questions are meant to help parents make things plain to their children.


Is there a Biblical pattern of doctrine?

Several texts teach that there is. For example, in Romans 6:17 Paul gives thanks that "you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were committed." 2 Timothy 1:13 says, "Follow the pattern of sound words which you heard from me." Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching." 2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, "Stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us." And Acts 20:27 says, "I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God."
So it appears that there was a body of authoritative instruction and even a way of teaching it in the early church.

Why is it important?

1) We are required to "continue in the faith, stable and steadfast" (Col. 1:23).
2) We are urged to "attain to the unity of the... knowledge of the Son of God...so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:13-14).
3) There are many deceivers (1 John 2:26).
4) There are difficult doctrines "which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16).
5) Leaders must be raised up who can "give instruction in sound doctrine and also confute those who contradict it" (Titus 1:9).
How shall we begin?

Make them part of your family routine or just use them for yourself. I am excited about being a partner with you in building a "stable and firm" generation who hopes in God.
I will post one Catechism everyday. And if I fail to do so for some reason, please bare with me, as you know we have alot going on around here.
Soli Deo Gloria!
James