Hell's Objections - Part 2

Yesterday the naysayers had the floor. I offered a variety of objections that people have to the concept of eternal conscious torment (ECT) or hell for short. Now I'll offer some of the responses to the objections for you to consider.

Defenders of eternal conscious torment respond to the moral objection — that finite sins cannot deserve infinite punishment — by reframing the nature of sin itself. They argue that sin is not measured merely by the duration or finiteness of the act, but by the dignity of the One against whom it is committed. In this view, sin is fundamentally a rejection of the infinite God, a refusal of His rightful rule, and therefore carries an infinite moral weight. Just as an offense against a head of state carries greater consequences than the same offense against a neighbor, so sin against God is of a different order altogether. The punishment, then, is not disproportionate but fitting, because it corresponds to the gravity of the One offended.

To the objection that eternal torment contradicts God’s love, proponents of ECT argue that divine love and divine justice are not competing attributes but perfectly harmonious in God’s character. The God who is love is also the God who is holy, righteous, and just. They point out that Jesus Himself speaks more vividly and frequently about hell than any other biblical figure, suggesting that divine love does not negate the reality of judgment. Instead, God’s love is expressed in the offer of salvation through Christ; rejecting that offer has real and eternal consequences. In this framework, hell is not a blemish on God’s love but a necessary expression of His justice — a justice that refuses to trivialize evil or force reconciliation upon those who do not desire it.

The linguistic objection — that aionios (“eternal”) may not mean everlasting — is met with a straightforward exegetical response. Defenders note that in Matthew 25:46, the same word describes both “eternal life” and “eternal punishment.” If the punishment is temporary, then so must be the life. Moreover, the imagery of “unquenchable fire,” “undying worm,” and torment “day and night forever and ever” in Revelation is taken to indicate ongoing, conscious experience rather than annihilation. Even if some of the imagery is symbolic, they argue, symbols in apocalyptic literature typically point to realities more intense than the symbols themselves, not less.

The concern that eternal torment undermines moral agency is answered by emphasizing human freedom. According to this view, hell is not a place where God actively tortures people but the final confirmation of a person’s freely chosen trajectory. Those who reject God in this life continue in that rejection eternally; hell is self-exclusion from the presence of God. C.S. Lewis famously suggested the doors of hell are locked on the inside, capturing the idea that the damned persist in their rebellion rather than repent. Revelation’s depiction of the wicked continuing in unrighteousness even after judgment is often cited as evidence that the posture of rebellion is not extinguished but solidified.

Philosophical objections about finite beings committing infinite offenses are countered by returning to the nature of sin as a relational rupture with the infinite God. The issue is not the metaphysical capacity of the sinner but the moral seriousness of rejecting the One who is the source of life, goodness, and truth. Moreover, some defenders argue that the punishment is not infinite merely because of past sins but because the sinner continues in a state of rebellion. In this sense, the punishment corresponds to an ongoing reality rather than a single moment in time.

Historical objections — that eternal torment was not universally held in the early church — are met with the observation that while there was diversity of thought, the dominant and most consistently attested view across the centuries has been some form of eternal conscious punishment. The teachings of Jesus, the writings of Paul, and the imagery of Revelation all point in this direction, and the early creeds assume a final judgment that results in everlasting separation for the wicked. While some early theologians entertained universalist or annihilationist ideas, these were minority positions, and the mainstream tradition has consistently affirmed the eternal consequences of rejecting God.

Finally, pastoral objections about the emotional difficulty of heaven coexisting with eternal suffering are addressed by appealing to the transformation of human understanding in the age to come. Defenders argue that in the resurrection, the redeemed will see reality with perfect clarity, including the justice of God’s judgments. The tension we feel now arises from our limited perspective and imperfect moral vision. In the new creation, God’s righteousness will be fully revealed, and His judgments will be seen as true, good, and worthy of praise. The redeemed will not rejoice in suffering itself but in the vindication of God’s holiness and the final defeat of evil.

So ... there are some answers to objections. I've tried to make them as plain and straightforward as I can because emotions on both sides usually run pretty high and the higher the emotions, the less thoughtful we are. You can read it and decide for yourself. What you cannot do is say either, “There are no objections worth considering” or “There are no answers to those objections.”

Hell's Objections - Part 1

Scripture is not vague about the doctrine of hell ... what scholarly-types refer to as  "eternal conscious torment (ECT)". While, perhaps, the idea of "eternal fire" in a literal sense is a misunderstanding, replacing that with "no such thing at all" doesn't make it better. In fact, most of what we know about hell comes from Jesus. So it seems a done deal. Not too fast. There are objections from various places. So in this post, I'll highlight the objections without correction. In the next one, I'll offer answers.

ECT has faced sustained criticism from theologians, philosophers, and ordinary believers who struggle to reconcile it with the character of God and the nature of justice. One of the most common objections is moral in nature: it seems intuitively disproportionate that finite sins committed within the span of a human lifetime should merit infinite, unending suffering. Even in human legal systems, punishment is expected to be proportionate to the offense, and torture is universally condemned. Critics argue that if God is perfectly just, His justice should be at least as morally coherent as the best human systems, not less.

Closely related is the objection that eternal torment appears incompatible with the biblical portrayal of God as loving, compassionate, and “abounding in steadfast love.” The idea that God would sustain a person in conscious agony forever strikes many as inconsistent with the God who commands His people to love their enemies and who takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” For these critics, eternal torment seems to depict God as vindictive rather than merciful, and they question whether such a portrayal aligns with the God revealed in Jesus Christ.

Another major objection concerns the biblical language itself. Some argue that the key term often translated as “eternal” (aionios) does not necessarily mean “everlasting” in a temporal sense, but can refer to something belonging to the age to come. If that is the case, then “eternal punishment” might refer to the quality or finality of the punishment rather than its duration. This opens the door to alternative interpretations such as annihilationism, which holds that the wicked ultimately cease to exist, or universalism, which sees divine judgment as ultimately restorative.

A further objection focuses on the nature of moral agency. If the damned continue to exist forever in a state of rebellion, then hell becomes an eternal cycle of sin and punishment with no possibility of repentance or transformation. Critics argue that this makes evil everlasting, which seems to contradict the biblical vision of a renewed creation in which God is “all in all.” Others point out that if repentance is impossible after death, then eternal torment serves no rehabilitative purpose and becomes pure retribution — a form of justice many find morally troubling.

Some objections are philosophical rather than strictly theological. For example, critics question whether finite creatures are even capable of committing an “infinite offense” that would justify infinite punishment. They argue that the idea of infinite guilt requires a metaphysical framework that is not clearly taught in Scripture and is difficult to defend logically. If humans are limited beings, then their moral failures, however serious, are also limited.

Historical objections also arise. While eternal torment has been the dominant view in much of Christian tradition, it was not the only view in the early church. Some early theologians leaned toward universal restoration, while others emphasized destruction rather than torment. Critics argue that the diversity of early Christian thought suggests that eternal torment was not universally assumed and may have been shaped by later theological and cultural developments.

Finally, many believers raise pastoral or emotional objections. They struggle to imagine experiencing eternal joy in heaven while knowing that loved ones — or anyone at all — are suffering endlessly. This raises questions about the nature of redeemed humanity: would the saved need to be indifferent to the suffering of others, or even approve of it, in order to enjoy heaven? For many, this emotional tension becomes a theological one, prompting them to reconsider whether eternal torment is compatible with the hope of a fully restored creation.

I Identify

We live in a world that thinks the phrase “I identify as …” shapes reality. But simply declaring an identity doesn’t make it true. And it’s not just “out there” ... “them.” All of us carry a distorted sense of who we are and assume it’s accurate. God’s Word, however, tells us something radically different about who we truly are in Christ.

We have identity issues centered around our wounds and insecurities ... who we are to God. We often feel defined by our past, but in Christ we are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Many feel unwanted or unseen; Scripture says we are God’s beloved children (Eph 5:1). We feel guilty or condemned, but God declares us righteous in Christ (Rom 5:19). Many feel spiritually orphaned or alone; God says we are adopted heirs (Rom 8:15–17). We may feel overlooked or insignificant; God says He chose us before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4).

We have identity issues revolving around our purpose, calling, or position ... who we are in the world. We often feel too tied to earthly identity; Paul says our true citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20). We may feel purposeless or inadequate; Scripture says we are God’s crafted masterpiece (Eph 2:10). We often feel defeated; Paul says we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ (Rom 8:37). We feel weak or unworthy; God says His Spirit dwells in us (1 Cor 6:19). We feel spiritually unqualified; Scripture says we are a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9).

Scripture consistently overturns our standard human assumptions:

What We Assume	What God Says
I am what I’ve done.	You are what Christ has done.
I am what others think of me.	You are what God declares over you.
I am my failures.	You are God’s workmanship.
I am alone.	You are adopted.
I am stuck.	You are free.
I am insignificant.	You are chosen and sent.

The gospel doesn’t just forgive — it redefines who we are at the deepest level.

Malnourished Worship

Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:16). He lists three categories of “Christian music”—psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. What’s the difference? Truthfully, the distinctions aren’t crystal clear, but it appears as if he is listing three theological categories. “Psalms” would be songs drawn directly from Scripture. “Hymns” would be songs, rich in theology, written by believers. And “spiritual songs” would be more testimonial, personal, expressive. Psalms, then, are about what God said, hymns about who He is, and spiritual songs about our spiritual response … loosely speaking. The categories overlap and interweave, and they counter heresy (“teaching and admonishing”) by anchoring us in His Word and clearly articulating His doctrines while making sure it doesn’t become dry or merely intellectual.

Think about that. Think about, say, “psalms” as “scripture-based.” That would include the classic The Lord's My Shepherd written in 1650, or the newer Getty version, Psalm 23. You know ... “Psalms.” But go farther. “From Scripture” would include The Christ Hymn directly from Philippians 2:5-11 or Oh, the Depth of God, right out of Romans 11:33-36. Or “hymns” might be like Reginald Heber’s enduring hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy, based on Revelation 4:8, but a celebration of the Trinity. Or the more modern, In Christ Alone, that declares plain biblical truth. (In 2013, the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Committee on Congregational Song voted 9–6 to exclude the popular hymn from its new hymnal. The decision centered on a single line from the third stanza: “Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied.”)

We have a rich heritage of Christian music for worship, “sanctioned” by Paul in both Colossians and Ephesians (Eph 5:19). Today, however, the first two categories—Scripture‑songs and doctrinal hymns—seem largely sidelined in favor of the “spiritual songs” category that focuses more on our personal feelings and experience. This category is also “sanctioned” by Paul, and I wouldn’t want to diminish it, but if we are commanded to teach and admonish through our music—if this three‑layer system is part of how we teach and admonish—then neglecting the Scriptural and doctrinal layers is unwise. There is a depth in those first two categories that is not always present in the experiential one. Perhaps this is why modern worship gravitates toward the experiential—we naturally resonate with songs that express our feelings. But Paul’s vision is broader. If “the word of Christ” in Colossians 3:16 refers to the words from Christ (Rom 10:17) and the message about Christ—the gospel as revealed in Scripture—and if “dwell in you richly” means that this message is to make its home among us, saturating and shaping the church’s shared life, then we need all three categories. Each plays a role in letting the word of Christ dwell richly in us.

News Weakly - 5/16/2026

No Fear of Peace
A 45-year-old Somali-born man in London stabbed a “friend” and two Jews in what is a rising war on Jews in London. Labeled a terrorist act, police are linking it to arson attacks on synagogues and rising antisemitic incidents. Apparently there’s no fear that peace might break out soon

No Love of Life
The Supreme Court stepped up and shot down the latest attempt of those who value life to slow the murder of babies in the womb. They preserved access to the abortion pills without a doctor’s visit. I’ve asked it before ... if a woman can’t kill her own baby, who can she kill? Come on, guys, get over your “right to life” notion. Canada is already on board with killing more than babies. Shouldn’t we be leaders in it?

Religion of Peace?
You probably thought Al Qaeda was dead. You’d be wrong. In Mali, they’re trying to take over the government there to impose their version of Sharia law. Because that’s what peaceful people do.

No Fear of Peace … Again
In Haiti, a new wave of gang violence has forced hundreds to flee their homes while gangs now hold 70% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. I suppose you could say it raises a reasonable question as to the “basic goodness of humanity.”

Your Best Source for Fake News
Trump’s visit to China got off to a bad start when he demanded to negotiate directly with General Tso. Another faux pas, I guess. The other faux pas was when Trump gifted President Xi with a pot of honey from the White House beehive. (You might need some background on that to get the joke. In China, “Winnie-the-Pooh” memes are censored.) In Los Angeles, it’s Karen Bass vs Spencer Pratt for mayor. The Democrats are accusing Pratt of not wanting to destroy California, and Bass has been endorsed by California Wildfires, so it looks like she’s a shoo-in. Too many pesky Californians are known for voting with their thumbs instead of their brains.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

The Engineer that God Built

Come and listen to my story about a man named … Steve. (If you heard banjo music in your head, you’re my kind of reader.) I met him when I got out of the Air Force in the early ’90s. He was an engineer at the company that hired me; I was a technician. We became friends, and over time he told me his story.

Steve lost his dad young. Raised by his mother with a brother and sister, he was a teenager in the late ’60s—and acted like it. In high school he was arrested for marijuana. By good luck (read "Providence"), he ended up before a judge who had something better in mind than juvenile hall. Instead, Steve was sent to a Christian boys’ ranch.

There, surrounded by godly men with open hearts and steady hands, he learned in the forest and in the classroom. They taught him about the world and its Maker. Before he graduated, Steve professed faith. When he returned home, he met the love of his life—a good church girl who wasn’t supposed to fall for a bad boy but did anyway. They married, and suddenly Steve realized he was responsible for someone other than himself.

So, he went looking for work. He walked into a power-supply company and asked for a job. “What can you do?” they asked. “Whatever you want,” he said. They hired him to clean bathrooms. And he did. But he also paid attention. The owner noticed and trained him as an electronics assembler. Steve kept learning, kept asking questions, and eventually he was designing power supplies.

Another company hired him next—a spaceborne tape recorder manufacturer building machines for NASA and others. They brought him on as a test engineer but soon groomed him into a full-fledged electronics engineer. By the time I met him, he was designing advanced systems.

I started as a technician and eventually became a test engineer. He became a primary engineer, and I became his test engineer. We grew close, talking theology and life. When my wife left me, he invited me to his church, where they welcomed me with open arms. Steve introduced me to the woman who is now my wife—we’ve been married 33 years. Steve and his church girl have been married more than 50.

Steve eventually retired to a small town in Texas, surrounded by his wife, kids, and grandkids. But for years we worked side by side. We became elders together. We served, shared the gospel, laughed, and cried together. I was with him the day he held his first grandchild in the hospital. Our wives are still in touch.

Steve is one of those “men of God” who are simply a joy to watch. Not because he’s flashy or loud, but because he’s clearly a man God has shaped—hammered out of loss, hardship, and bad choices, and rebuilt into a faithful husband, father, and follower of Christ. He’s a living reminder of what God can do with a willing heart.

I’ll always appreciate Steve—for his friendship, his example, and the quiet testimony of a life transformed.

Learning to Tremble Before Love

“The fear of the Lord” is a well‑known biblical phrase. Scripture ties it to good judgment (2 Chron 19:9), wisdom (Job 28:28; Psa 111:10; Prov 9:10; Prov 15:33), knowledge (Prov 1:7; Prov 2:5), a hatred of evil (Prov 8:13; Prov 16:6), long life (Prov 10:27), confidence (Prov 14:26), and even riches, honor, and life (Prov 22:4). It is a delight to God’s people (Isa 11:3) and a treasure (Isa 33:6). Clearly, it is something profoundly good. But what is it?

Scripture uses the word “fear” in two distinct senses. One is the ordinary kind—dread, terror, the instinct to “cut and run.” The other is awe—but not the watered‑down modern version. Historically, “awe” meant “a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.” It includes reverence, yes, but also a sense of trembling before something overwhelmingly great. Biblical awe is not casual admiration; it is reverence shaped by God’s holiness.

John helps us sort out these categories. He writes, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God… There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment” (1 John 4:15–19). John is not eliminating all fear. He is eliminating one kind of fear: the fear of punishment. Those who remain under judgment rightly dread God. But those who abide in His love no longer fear condemnation. Perfect love drives out that fear.

What remains for the believer is not dread but awe—reverential trembling before God’s majesty. This fear is not rooted in the expectation of punishment but in the recognition of who God is: holy, sovereign, glorious. It is the fear that produces wisdom, obedience, and joy. It is the fear that treasures God rather than hides from Him.

So Scripture calls us to fear God in two different ways depending on our standing with Him.

• Those outside His love fear punishment.
• Those inside His love fear Him with awe.

And God’s perfect love does its work: it removes dread and produces love in us (1 John 4:19). The fear that remains is the kind that draws us nearer, not the kind that drives us away.

Making Sense of Forgiveness

Jesus said, “If you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt 6:15). Instead of refusing to forgive, we’re supposed to forgive as God has forgiven us (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13). So … if we’re His followers, we are supposed to forgive. But … God doesn’t always forgive (e.g., John 3:36; Matt 12:31). He offers it universally (Acts 17:30; 1 Tim 2:4), but it is conditional (repentance and faith). How does that work?

As it turns out, forgiveness is trickier than we first thought. You see, as we discussed earlier, mercy and justice are … terms that don’t play well together. Justice “balances the books” and mercy withholds the just penalty due for … imbalanced books. The only way for mercy and justice to coexist is to have the “crime” paid for and then not apply to the “criminal” the penalty due. To us, mercy and justice feel opposed because we cannot satisfy justice ourselves. But in God, mercy and justice meet perfectly at the cross. Jesus paid it all, so He bore our penalty. God can apply mercy to us while still being just. But … what about us? When we forgive others their trespasses, where’s the justice? Are we simply refuting it? No. In Micah we read, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does YHWH requires of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8). We aren’t supposed to ignore justice; we’re supposed to do it. So how does that work? Here’s how. We assign the justice to God and offer interpersonal mercy on our end. When we forgive someone, we don’t pardon their sin. We don’t have that capacity. Remember? Only God can forgive sin (Mark 2:7). So we say, “It’s not my place to pass condemnation on you.” We offer, “I have been guilty of similar things and I will treat you as I want to be treated.” We say, “I will let God carry out His own judgment” (Rom 12:19). So … when we forgive, we don’t do it by circumventing justice. We lay it on the “Judge of all the Earth” (Gen 18:25; Heb 12:23) to accomplish and offer temporal mercy. We are not suspending divine justice; we are suspending our right to retaliate.

We are commanded to forgive those who trespass against us, and I’m embarrassed about how bad we are at that. But sometimes we seem to think that God is supposed to forgive like we are … on command without regard for justice. He is not. Neither are we. Justice is essential. It’s just that we aren’t actually qualified to know justice perfectly, so we lay it in His perfectly just hands and let Him handle it. We forgive because God is just, not in spite of His justice.

God on Trial

Scripture is not shy about presenting an angry God who hates sin and punishes evil (e.g., Exo 32:10; Deut 6:15; Psa 7:11; Nahum 1:2; Isa 13:9; Prov 6:16-19; Mark 3:5; John 2:15-17; Rom 1:18; Rom 2:6). The ultimate punishment, biblically, is eternal with descriptions of “fire” and “torment” that, likely, are used because the reality of this punishment exceeds human comprehension. Therefore, it is claimed, any such “God” cannot be regarded as “good” and anyone who holds to such a claim is blaspheming the truly good god who … you know … isn’t actually pulled from Scripture, but from other sources. It’s a serious charge—against the God who breathed Scripture and those who believe Him—and it deserves a serious answer.

This doctrine is emotionally difficult, but Scripture never treats it lightly. The easiest answer to the accusation takes place in the pages of Scripture itself. Paul is describing how God shows grace and mercy to whomever He chooses (Rom 9:6-18) where he claims, “So then He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills” (Rom 9:18). I’m sorry, but that plays right into the accusation we’re looking at. But Paul addresses that accusation directly. “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!” (Rom 9:14). There is no injustice with God.

We’re not left to Paul as our sole source of thinking here. Scripture gives the foundation; theologians across centuries have clarified its implications. R.C. Sproul points out that the real scandal isn't that God sends people to hell for their sin, but that He allows any sinner into heaven at all (à la Rom 9:22). Sproul writes, "The question is not why God punishes sinners, but why He doesn’t punish us all immediately." C.S. Lewis argues that God doesn't force anyone into heaven. He famously held that "the doors of hell are locked on the inside." Because people choose hell. Major theologians like John Stott, J.I. Packer, and the bulk of classical Protestants argue that God delays judgment to allow repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and offers salvation to all. Packer argues that hell isn't cruelty; it's God taking evil seriously. Earlier theologians like Augustine, Aquinas, and Calvin insist that humans are not morally neutral and that the accusation against God is a misunderstanding of the scale of human sin. Sin is not a misstep or a moral accident; it is a deep corruption of the will. Aquinas argues that if God is obligated to give grace ... it's not grace. Calvin holds that God's justice demands punishment and hell shows what Christ endured for His people. His thinking is "If hell is unjust, then the cross is unnecessary." Theologians from Jonathan Edwards through Tim Keller reason this way. "Without hell, God’s justice is trivial. Without mercy, God’s love is absent. The cross is where justice and mercy meet." To them, if you don't believe in hell, you don't understand the depths of God's love. Across almost all traditions, the position is "God is not unjust for condemning sinners; He is astonishingly kind for saving any. Hell is not a blemish on God’s character; it is the unavoidable expression of a moral universe governed by a holy God."

This notion of judgment and separation from God is neither modern nor peripheral. It’s central. It started in the Garden of Eden at the Fall. It continued throughout human history. It explains a holy God, the moral outrage of sin, the absolute necessity for justice and for a Savior, and the reason God loved the world by sending His Son to die for those who believe. “Justice” is that which is right and if Scripture is right and hell is real, justice explains that our sin is proportional to eternal punishment because the violation of a holy God demands it. Eternal punishment preserves the seriousness of God's holiness, the meaningfulness of human moral agency, God's moral structure of the universe, the meaning of the cross, the substance of grace as unmerited favor, and the moral weight of rejecting God. Without it, God’s holiness is diminished, human sin is trivialized, the cross is emptied, grace is cheapened, and justice is denied.

Differences in Perspective

In Romans 3, Paul sums up his argument about God’s wrath being righteously displayed against Man’s sin. He told us how bad it is and who is responsible and finally, tells us his summary. But it’s hard to read. It’s so … harsh … and sweeping … and absolute. I’ve compiled an explanation of the various views of Romans 3:10-12 to illustrate how hard it is to read … and to give you an option to find out which is closest to the actual text.

Different theological traditions approach Romans 3:10-12 with distinct assumptions about human nature, grace, and the meaning of righteousness, yet all of them must grapple with Paul’s uncompromising language. The Reformed or Augustinian tradition tends to align most directly with the text’s own rhetorical force. It reads Paul’s statements—“none righteous,” “none who seeks God”—as literal descriptions of humanity’s condition before God, not as exaggerations. In this view, Paul is making a legal argument: no one meets God’s standard of righteousness, and therefore all stand condemned apart from grace. This interpretation fits tightly with Paul’s courtroom logic in Romans 1-3, where the goal is to silence every mouth and demonstrate universal guilt. The Reformed reading does not deny that people can do outwardly good things; it simply insists that such acts do not constitute God‑pleasing righteousness. In terms of fidelity to Paul’s argument, this tradition sits closest to the text’s own contours.

Roman Catholic theology shares much of this assessment but frames it differently. Catholics agree that Paul is describing humanity apart from grace and that no one can justify themselves. However, they resist the idea of total depravity and maintain that humans retain the capacity for natural virtue and cooperation with grace. Their reading of Romans 3:10-12 emphasizes that Paul is describing the inability of fallen humanity to achieve salvific righteousness, not denying the possibility of morally good actions. This interpretation remains broadly faithful to Paul’s argument, though it tends to soften the radical edge of Paul’s “no one seeks God” language by emphasizing the role of grace in restoring human ability.

Arminian or Wesleyan interpreters also affirm the universality of sin that Paul describes, but they introduce the concept of prevenient grace—God’s universal enabling grace that restores the ability to respond to Him. In this framework, Romans 3:10-12 describes humanity strictly “as fallen,” not humanity as it exists under prevenient grace. Arminians take Paul’s absolutes seriously, but they add a theological mechanism that is not explicit in the text itself. Their reading remains close to Paul’s intent in describing universal guilt, though it overlays the passage with a broader theological system.

Eastern Orthodox interpreters approach the passage from a different angle. They tend to read Paul’s statements less as legal declarations of guilt and more as descriptions of humanity’s corruption and mortality. Sin is understood primarily as a disease rather than a legal offense. As a result, “none righteous” becomes a statement about humanity’s brokenness rather than its forensic standing before God. While this captures an important biblical theme, it does not fully match Paul’s judicial tone in Romans 3, where the emphasis is on accountability, judgment, and the inability of the Law to justify. The Orthodox reading is therefore somewhat less aligned with the specific argumentative structure Paul is using here.

Modern liberal or critical interpretations often treat Paul’s language as rhetorical hyperbole—a sweeping generalization meant to emphasize widespread human sinfulness rather than literal universality. This approach tends to struggle most with the text itself. Paul is not merely making a moral observation; he is quoting Scripture as legal evidence in a carefully constructed argument. His conclusion that “every mouth” is stopped and the “whole world” held accountable depends on the absoluteness of the statements. Treating the language as exaggeration undermines the logic of the passage and does not fit well with Paul’s use of the Old Testament citations.

In sum, the traditions that adhere most closely to the text’s own structure and purpose—Reformed, Arminian, and Roman Catholic—take Paul’s universal language seriously and preserve the forensic thrust of his argument. Traditions that read the passage primarily through therapeutic or rhetorical lenses tend to drift farther from Paul’s explicit intent. Romans 3:10-12 is meant to function as the decisive proof that all humanity stands guilty before God, and the interpretations that honor that function align most faithfully with the text.

Mother's Day, 2026

Proverbs 31 contains the classic “Excellent Wife” passage, describing what Scripture considers a good wife (Prov 31:10-31). She’s not, frankly, what anybody expected. Oh, sure, lots of her characteristics are expected, but when it describes her providing food and buying fields (Prov 31:16), there is a segment of us that cringe. You know—“A woman’s place is in the home.” Apparently not always the case. When it says she provides “portions for her maidens” (Prov 31:15), it can be jarring for some … the lady of the house feeding the servants. The image isn’t of a quiet slip of a girl, but a strong woman (Prov 31:17) selling merchandise (Prov 31:18) and standing against the elements (Prov 31:21). She doesn’t weaken her husband with her strength (Prov 31:23) and teaches others (Prov 31:26). Not quite the “model woman” in everyone’s mind, but she is in God's mind.

It’s Mother’s Day and I find myself drawn today to the climax of this particular text.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears YHWH is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. (Prov 31:28-31)

I know mothers like that. I have a mother like that. My wife has been a mother like that. Their children rise up and “call her blessed.” These women fear the Lord. They “surpass them all”. I’m particularly interested in the part that says, “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” because the women I know like that are humble and would be embarrassed. But it’s God who says they should be, so, today, I stand up with others to give the proper praise to the women of this world who are mothers, serving their husbands and children and those around them, with strength and diligence and dignity. For them I say also, “Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates” ... especially today.

News Weakly - 5/9/2026

The Strange Tale of the Ended War
Last week we were told the war in Iran was over. This week we've seen renewed clashes with Iran. Ships and oil ports are hit. Fighting continues. We were told the war had ended. "You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means."

Culture of Death
A 17-year-old has been charged in the fatal stabbing of a 39-year-old man from Massachusetts in Time Square. The motive? The man stopped him from jumping turnstiles at the subway, a testament to our current "culture of death."

Culture of Death?
Yes ... a culture of death. We cry out against Israel defending themselves against the Palestinians and against Trump moving on Iran ... then we cry out against the court that limited access to abortion pills for the sake of medical safety and the Supreme Court restores access. Because if women can't kill their babies at will, who can they kill?

News of Importance
Then there's this critical news item. A horse named Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby this week. Now, that is "news you can use" ... right?

Your Best Source for Fake News
A judge unsealed Epstein's suicide note from 2019 (actual story). Apparently it was written on Hillary Clinton's personal stationery? Is it weird that that makes some sense? A Dutch cruise ship is quarantined off the coast of Cape Verde in the Atlantic after three people have died of the hantavirus on board (actual story). Fauci has reported it as "amazing results" in "gain-of-function research" on a "cruise ship laboratory." He's pretty excited about it. Finally, California Governor Gavin Newsom is threatening to send more Californians to the rest of the nation if we don't give in to his demands. It's been a successful strategy so far, sending Californians to Red States to alter their voting results. Watch out, America. Then ... a bonus story. News has leaked out that the makers of the series, The Chosen, are going to pull a fast one this next season by killing off their main character and having him be resurrected. Come on, guys.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

How the Early Church Fathers Read "None Good"

One of the most difficult texts to read in all of Scripture seems to be Romans 3:12 where Paul writes (quoting the Psalms), “No one does good, not even one.” “Of course there are good people," we all want to counter. "Just open your eyes. Even bad people do good things.” We even contend that humans are “basically good” in direct opposition to this text. But the text isn’t ambiguous. So I ask myself, “How did the early church fathers interpret this text?”

The early church fathers read “There is none good; no, not one” with remarkable unanimity and seriousness. They did not treat Paul’s words as exaggeration, nor did they soften them into general moral observations. Instead, they understood the phrase as a literal description of humanity’s condition apart from God’s grace. What varies among them is not whether the statement is true of all people, but how they explain the depth and cause of that universal condition.

Origen (early 3rd century) interprets the phrase as a theological diagnosis of humanity “in Adam.” For him, Paul is not denying that people can perform outwardly virtuous acts; rather, he is saying that no one possesses the kind of goodness that counts as righteousness before God. Origen emphasizes that even the most virtuous pagan philosophers fall short of divine goodness because their virtue is not rooted in the knowledge of the true God. Thus, “none good” means “none good in the way God defines goodness.” Righteousness must be given, not achieved.

John Chrysostom (late 4th century), the great preacher of Antioch and Constantinople, takes Paul’s words as a deliberate leveling of all humanity. In his homilies on Romans, he stresses that Paul’s purpose is to “cut off all boasting” by showing that no one, Jew or Gentile, has any natural claim to righteousness. Chrysostom interprets “none good” as referring to the inward disposition of the heart rather than outward deeds. People may appear good, he says, but no one naturally seeks God or fulfills His will without divine help. Chrysostom’s reading is pastoral and moral, but it is also uncompromising: the human heart is bent away from God unless God intervenes.

Ambrosiaster (4th century), whose commentary on Romans was widely read in the West, interprets the phrase in a way that anticipates Augustine. He argues that Paul is describing the universal corruption inherited from Adam. For Ambrosiaster, “none good” means that all people are born with a nature inclined toward sin, and therefore no one can claim goodness before God. He does not deny that believers can become righteous through grace, but he insists that no one begins in that state. His interpretation is one of the clearest early articulations of what would later be called original sin.

Augustine (late 4th-early 5th century) takes the fathers’ consensus and systematizes it. For him, Romans 3:10-12 is a foundational text proving that humanity is universally sinful and incapable of doing good without grace. Augustine repeatedly cites “none good” in his debates with Pelagius, arguing that if even one person could be good without grace, Paul’s argument would collapse. Augustine reads the phrase as absolute: no one, apart from God’s regenerating work, does good in the sense that God requires. His interpretation is the most rigorous, but it is not a departure from earlier fathers—it is a sharpening of what they already affirmed.

Even fathers who emphasize human freedom, such as Justin Martyr or Clement of Alexandria, still acknowledge that Paul’s statement describes humanity’s natural state apart from divine aid. They do not interpret “none good” as referring only to particularly wicked individuals. Instead, they see it as a universal truth about fallen humanity: goodness, in the full biblical sense, is impossible without God.

In short: The early church fathers consistently interpret “There is none good; no, not one” as a literal, universal statement about humanity’s condition apart from grace. They differ in how they explain the mechanics of sin and grace, but they agree that Paul means exactly what he says. No father treats the phrase as hyperbole, and none restrict it to a subset of humanity. For them, Paul is describing the spiritual reality of the human race in Adam—a reality that only God’s grace can overcome.

One of Those Sticky Texts

Paul’s statements in Romans 3:10-12 sound stark because they are meant to be. He is not making an off‑hand remark about human behavior but delivering the climax of a carefully constructed courtroom argument that began in 1:18. After demonstrating that Gentiles are guilty (Rom 1:18-32), that moralists are guilty (Rom 2:1-16), and that Jews—despite possessing the Law—are also guilty (Rom 2:17-29), Paul raises the decisive question: “Are we Jews any better off?” His answer is an unqualified no. All humanity, without exception, stands “under sin.” To prove this, he cites Israel’s own Scriptures, especially Psalm 14 and Psalm 53, not as poetry to be admired but as legal testimony establishing universal guilt before God.

When Paul quotes, “There is none righteous, no, not one,” he is not describing human psychology or claiming that people are incapable of kindness, justice, or admirable behavior. His point is more precise: no one meets God’s standard of righteousness. The issue is not whether humans can do relatively good things in society but whether anyone, by nature, does the kind of good that satisfies God’s holy requirements. In that sense, Paul’s language must be absolute. If even one person could be righteous on their own, the entire argument of Romans 1-3 would collapse, and the necessity of the gospel would be undermined. Paul’s purpose is to show that the gospel is not a luxury for the especially sinful but a universal necessity for all.

The Old Testament context reinforces this reading. Psalm 14, which Paul quotes, describes humanity in its natural state—apart from God’s saving work—as turned away, corrupt, and not seeking God. Yet the same Psalm acknowledges that God has a people, “the generation of the righteous.” This means the Psalmist is not denying the existence of believers but describing humanity as humanity, left to itself. Paul uses the text in exactly that way. He is not denying that people can perform civil or moral good; he is asserting that no one, apart from grace, does God‑oriented, God‑pleasing righteousness. That is why he concludes the section by saying the Law’s purpose is to “silence every mouth” and make the whole world accountable to God.

In short, there is nothing in the text that suggests Paul intends his words in Romans 3:10-12 to be taken in a softer or more qualified sense. He means them exactly as they stand—but what he means is about righteousness before God, not about whether humans are capable of outwardly good actions. His goal is to bring every person, without exception, to the recognition that they cannot justify themselves and therefore must look to the righteousness God provides in Christ.

The Magnificent Kindness of God

What a wonderful text!

Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Rom 2:4)

We live in a culture that worships “nonjudgmentalism” and “tolerance” and “inclusivity” (all while judging, not tolerating, and excluding those who aren’t up to our standards of those things). So we love this “prooftext.” “See?” we say. “It’s not His wrath or judgment or any such thing that leads to repentance. It’s His kindness that makes people want to repent.” Right there in the Bible. But is that really what it’s saying? Before we can answer that question, we need to notice where Paul starts his entire discussion. The thought begins in the first chapter of Romans, where Paul says he’s not ashamed of the gospel because it puts God’s righteousness on display (Rom 1:16–17). And strikingly, the very first way Paul shows God’s righteousness is not through kindness but through wrath (Rom 1:18). So if it’s His kindness that leads us to repentance, what’s Paul doing? In the flow of thought, Paul lays out the sin decay of the human race (Rom 1:18–32). But Paul refuses to let his audience treat chapter 1 as a spectator sport. In chapter 2 he turns to the reader and says, essentially, “If you can see it, you’re guilty of it” (Rom 2:1–2). At this point Paul isn’t talking about kindness at all — he’s talking about guilt.

So what does Paul mean when he says that “the kindness of God leads you to repentance”? Only after establishing universal guilt does Paul explain what he means by “kindness.” He explains that God’s judgment “rightly falls on those who practice such things” (Rom 2:2) … and yet, we aren’t immediately judged. Paul refers to God’s “forbearance” (Rom 2:4). That is the kindness the verse refers to. Paul’s verb, ἄγει (“leads”), does not describe internal motivation but external opportunity. Once we understand “kindness” as forbearance, the whole passage snaps into focus.

If God did not practice forbearance for sin, we would all perish — and rightly so. Instead, He practices “kindness and tolerance and patience” — justice delayed. It is this kindness that gives us room to repent. It’s this kindness that leads us to repentance. This kindness isn’t what causes us to repent; it’s what gives us the opportunity at all. Remember, the topic is how the gospel puts God’s righteousness on display. He’s righteously angry at sin. We’ve righteously earned His wrath. He would be completely right in judging us immediately, but He is right to show forbearance and kindness, and that displays His grace and mercy — His further righteousness. It’s not about how God, being nice, is what makes us want to repent. Scripture certainly speaks elsewhere of God’s kindness softening the heart, but that is not Paul’s point in Romans 2. It’s about God’s righteousness giving us the opportunity to repent. That’s the kindness in view, and it is a magnificent kindness. Not kindness as sentiment, but kindness as suspended judgment. Not kindness that makes repentance easy, but kindness that makes repentance possible.

Not Just a Fun Story

I loved that story in Mark about the healing of the paralytic. You remember that one. Jesus came home to Capernaum and started teaching the word (Mark 2:1-2). Interesting. Not “the gospel.” Not “healing.” He was “preaching the word to them.” Okay, so some people brought their paralyzed friend in to get healed by Jesus, but they were stopped. There was apparently a crowd (Mark 2:4). What do we know of this crowd? Well, the King James Version makes it clear. The media types were there. You know, the Jerusalem Chronicle and the Nazareth Tribune and the Capernaum Courier … like that. How do we know? The KJV says, “And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press …” (Mark 2:4). See? Okay, maybe not. So they took their ward up on the roof, dug a hole, and dropped him down in front of Jesus.

Imagine that. Jesus is doing what Jesus was supposed to do—being about His Father’s business, preaching the word. Then the ceiling gets ripped out and a sick guy drops out of the sky. The text says something very interesting. It says, “When Jesus saw their faith,” He responded (Mark 2:5). Not his faith; the faith of his friends. And He healed him … right? Well … yes and no. Jesus’s first concern was, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” You can hear His disciples hissing and warning Him not to … but … Jesus healed the man’s spiritual condition by forgiving sin … which can only be done by “God alone” (Mark 2:7). Jesus doesn’t hesitate. He knows what they’re thinking and says, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins …” and then told the man to take up his bed and walk (Mark 2:9-11). You understand how that works, right? Saying, “Your sins are forgiven” and “Pick up your bed and walk” are both outlandish ideas, but only one is verifiable. So He did both to prove that He could do the unverifiable. Well, the man walked and Jesus made His first big claim to be God while confirming He was a man (to the great dismay of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and other Arians). And the crowd was amazed and glorified God (Mark 2:12).

What’s the “take home” on this? I see a few. First, Jesus considered preaching the word to be His primary mission. Not healing or feeding the poor or any of that. Second, faith does not have to be complete to be “enough.” Jesus healed the paralytic on the basis of the faith of his friends. Third, Jesus had no hesitation claiming to be God in flesh. Neither should we. Finally, Jesus practiced what He preached (Matt 5:16). So should we.

Amazing Mercy

Most of us know about “amazing grace.” We know that “grace” is defined as “unmerited favor.” Paul said if grace is on the basis of works, it’s not grace (Rom 11:6) … and that makes grace amazing—not earned; bestowed. We often miss the fact that mercy is equally amazing.

If grace is getting favor we don’t deserve, mercy is not getting justice we deserve. Justice is what makes all things right, equal, correct. When there is a violation of God, justice requires payment. Mercy is a restraining of justice. The two are in opposition. If God simply showed mercy to His creation, He could not be considered just, because mercy is the restraining of justice. That’s why Paul points to the blood of Christ as “propitiation” (Rom 3:25)—the appeasing of an angry God. God needed to be appeased (Rom 1:18). Justice demanded it. So Christ appeased the Father by His sacrifice of Himself. Of this, Paul says, “It was to show [God’s] righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26). Mercy, the restraint of justice, could only be displayed if justice was first met. That’s why we say “Jesus paid it all.” Jesus said, “This is My blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28). That’s why John the Baptist referred to Jesus as “the lamb of God that takes away sins” (John 1:29). This is why Isaiah said “He was pierced for our transgressions” (Isa 53:5-6).

We don’t receive mercy because we earned it. We don’t even receive mercy because we’re worth it. We receive “justice suspended” because we have redemption in Christ through His blood” (Eph 1:7). We have mercy because in His death on the cross, Jesus allowed God to be both just and justifier of those who believe (Rom 3:26). Grace really is amazing, but mercy is equally awesome. We don’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. It’s not mere favor. It’s a rescue from the justice we so richly deserve accomplished by the blood of Christ. God accomplished an astounding coup when He sent His Son to pay for our sins so that He wouldn’t have to punish us for our sins … and still remain a just God.

Improving Your Aim

Without revealing too much personal information, there was a recent event where two family groups were at odds about what to do. One side wanted patience and the other wanted immediate action. One side suggested compassion and the other called for legal action. I was thinking about it, and I realized the two sides had different versions of “success.” Success is something we all think we understand, but few of us stop to analyze. What is “success” in a church? A job? A relationship? A life? It can be surprisingly hard to define. Is a church “successful” if it has lots of money? A business would be, but not a church. Is a family “successful” if it has lots of members? A church might feel like it, but does a family? Success seems obvious, but it’s not.

What makes the difference? Well, success is determined by the goal. “Success” is defined as “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” (“Oh … okay … of course it is,” you say.) But do we actually think about that in our drive for success? What is the aim? Not so much. In the above example, “success” meant to one group “a positive outcome,” and to the other, “ending the circumstances.”

What is success for us believers? That seems like a broad question. I don’t think it’s nearly so broad as you might think. There are fundamentals. “Love”—love God and your neighbor—is a fundamental (Matt 22:37-40). “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31) is a good blanket fundamental. Being conformed to the image of God’s Son (Rom 8:28-29) is a great measure of success. Maybe we need to revisit our goals—our definition of success. Maybe we need to improve our aim.

News Weakly - 5/2/2026

Unintended Consequences
The U.N. is reporting that the world's push toward clean energy and digital technology is creating a crisis in the world's most vulnerable regions. "The race for minerals essential to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence could replicate the injustices of the fossil fuel era." It constantly amazes me that the "elite" (whatever that means at the moment) offer a "superior" point of view that turns out to be as bad as the one they purport to replace. Unintended consequences will get you every time.

An International Whine
The U.N. feels that North Korea's continued "militarisation" of the region is a "serious concern." Apparently launching missiles into the sea is a dangerous situation. Okay ... oversimplification. It's just irritating to hear the U.N. whine without actually intending to do anything about it.

Truth Decay?
The Trump administration says the war in Iran has been terminated before the 60-day deadline that would require congressional approval to continue. All that posturing about destroying an entire civilization and the war was over?

Made in China
On the tails of the so-called end of the war in Iran, a report is out that claims that Iran damaged 16 U.S. installations in the Middle East using a "a secretly acquired Chinese satellite." Thanks, China. If we can return the favor, we'll be sure and do it. Again ... the war is over?

Your Best Source for Fake News
As New York City faces a budget crisis of "historic magnitude" (actual story), Mayor Mandami explains New York is running out of other people's money. Apparently, he called his parents to ask if he can borrow $4 billion. It could happen. In the Christian Living category, there's a story of a dad who splits his commute time between worshiping Christ and cursing out bad drivers. I think I know more than one like that.

Must be true; I read it on the internet.

May Day!!

A friend of mine spent time in Greece. While there, he asked someone, "When you want to express that it doesn't make sense to you, what do you say?" He was, of course, referring to our "It's all Greek to me" phrase. The man smiled and told him their phrase was "It's all Chinese to me." Perfect. Years ago, God imported a "Chinese mission field" to our house in the form of Gao. He was a Chinese student who came to the company I worked for to work for a year and we put him up. A wonderful experience. I taught him about Jesus and how to speak better English and he told me about Chinese. Every word, he told me, has at least four different meanings, depending on the tone you use. Great—a language more difficult than English. Still, English is tough enough.

We have homographs, words spelled the same but pronounced differently with different meanings, such as "invalid" meaning a disability and "invalid" meaning not valid, or "lead" meaning to guide or a metal. There is "wind" which can be moving air or a twisted path. There are "semantic reversals" such as "awful" that once meant "full of awe and wonder" and now means "very bad: or "nice" which once conveyed "ignorant," then "fussy," and now "pleasant." "Holiday" meant "holy day," but no longer. "Build" meant "make a house," but now it means making anything. "Meat" meant food in general and is now animal flesh. There's the whole "mouse" and "mice" plural but not "house" and "hice" or "goose" and "geese" but not "moose" and "meece." "Oversight" might mean to supervise or to fail to notice. "Fast" can have three distinct meanings: "quick," "not eating," or "tightly held." You might "clip" a coupon and "clip" it to another piece of paper. On, and on.

Eventually it becomes too much. Modern English speakers can't agree on the rules and can't agree on the meanings and wonder why communication is such a problem. Learning English properly has become "too boring" or "too cumbersome" and the singular rule, "Every rule has an exception," only makes it worse. So they shorten it to TLAs and acronyms that become their own secret codes and think, "Now we're communicating." But ... we ain't. Oh ... sorry ... aren't. I'd want to call out, "May Day!", but is that the day of the year or a call for help? Maybe "It's all English to me" would be more appropriate phrase.

The Important Versus the Urgent

I was looking up those rare instances when "Lord" and "God" are used together ... but in reverse. Normally, it is "YHWH" for LORD and "adonai" for God—LORD God, where the small capital letters signify the "YHWH" designation. But every so often, the order is reversed, and you get “adonai YHWH”—Lord GOD. This was one of the examples I found.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works" (Psa 73:25-28).

It just took my breath away and I had to stop following the words and just examine the heart. See what the author, Asaph, is saying? "Whom have I in heaven but You?" What does that mean? It carries an explicit relational aspect. "You, O God, are the relationship I seek." It carries a value aspect. "Heaven isn't important to me; You are." We generally think of heaven as a wonderful destination. Asaph is saying, "I don't have any reason to go to heaven if it's not You." He's saying, "I want nothing on earth, and heaven is only valuable to me because You're there. God is my strength. God is all I need. Anything else is certain destruction. To me, my good is Your nearness. While the world around me falls apart, You are my refuge. You're the only thing that matters."

I haven't arrived yet. I bet Asaph hadn't either. That's okay. That's just the direction I want to take ... need to take. It's so easy to get distracted. The world is bombarding us with so many other things. But this ... this is what really matters. Not riches or fame or comfort. Not pride or success. Not stuff. Nothing on this earth matters and not even in heaven ... except Him. Lord, turn my heart ... to You.

The Imperfect Prophet

Jonah is such a well-known story. A lot of unbelievers know of “Jonah and the whale.” Only … there’s no actual mention of a whale … and that’s just the beginning of the difficulties with the story of Jonah. Remember the story? God called Jonah to go to Nineveh and “cry against it” (Jonah 1:2). So … Jonah got on a ship and ran. It wasn’t in the direction God commanded, so “YHWH hurled a great wind on the sea” (Jonah 1:4) and the ship was in trouble. Terrified, the crew cast lots to find out who was to blame, and it fell on Jonah. He confessed and told them to throw him overboard (Jon 1:9-12) which they eventually did. The text says God “appointed a great fish” to swallow Jonah (Jonah 1:17) where he remained for three days and nights. Jonah then prayed (Jonah 2:1-9). Most people think it was a prayer of repentance, but the text only offers a prayer of thanksgiving (Jonah 2:9). And the fish coughs him up a three-day walk from Nineveh. He goes to Nineveh, telling them God will “overthrow” Nineveh in 40 days and Nineveh repents and God shows mercy. (Jonah 3:3-10). That’s the story. So why do we misunderstand so many parts?

There are several misconceptions that change the entire message of the story. One is the whale, but that misconception is minor. It was a “great fish,” not necessarily a whale. In the New Testament, when Jesus quotes the story, He calls it a “sea monster” (Matt 12:40 NAS). Some people think that the whale is the point. It’s not. The fish is an act of discipline and mercy, not escape.

Moving on, we think Jonah ran from God. Maybe he was afraid to do what God wanted or he was afraid of what Nineveh would do to him. We aren’t left to guess. Jonah tells God why he ran. “I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity” (Jonah 4:2). God’s man ran from God’s mercy for Nineveh. Think of that. Jonah was angry with God—angry enough to run—because of God’s mercy. He didn’t believe God should be merciful to Nineveh. Do we do that? Are we upset when God chooses to show mercy to some of whom we don’t approve?

The text says God “saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented” (Jonah 3:10). So, apparently God’s compassion is reserved for the repentant. But we know this isn’t true. “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy” (Rom 9:16). Jonah knew this. He knew God loved being merciful. Don’t conclude from the text that Nineveh in any way earned their mercy.

Another misconception is in regard to Nineveh’s repentance. It was genuine and lasting, right? Well, no. Nahum is “the oracle of Nineveh” (Nahum 1:1) in which God's wrath is eventually unleashed against the evil city. We tend to think God responds to perfect repentance and it’s not true. He chooses whom He will gift with repentance (2 Tim 2:24-25). He shows mercy on whom He will show mercy. The quality of our repentance doesn't determine God's mercy.

The story is a good one (obviously, since it’s in God’s Word). It’s true. (Jesus wouldn’t have quoted it if He didn’t think it was true.) The whole “swallowed by a fish” thing causes concerns for some, but if God is God, He can do whatever He wants and it’s foolishness of moderns to assume He can’t. Most importantly, we mustn’t allow skepticism about fish and why he ran to blind us to the real message. God loves to show mercy. He does it in ways we don’t expect. We must not be “Jonahs” who run from God’s mercy toward people of whom we don’t approve.

Chosen

I'm pretty sure most of us experienced those days in school and beyond where we picked teams. Maybe it was formal, a "captain" for each team alternating choices for their team from a line-up of people. Maybe it was informal, like a party or a group of friends choosing friends. We've all been there. Maybe you were one of the popular kids or the talented kids. You got picked first. Maybe you were doing the picking. Unfortunately, that end of the bell curve isn't very populous. Most of us fell in the middle to end. Getting picked at all for some of us was a real question. And it was hard on the self-image. We all want to be "chosen."

What determined that choice? Skill? Popularity? The "pretty people"? It was something about ... you. You and how others thought of you. Then we read something fascinating in Scripture.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Eph 1:3-6)

That is astounding. Paul says God "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing," meaning "already done." The very first one he lists is "He chose us in Him." We got picked for God's team. Why? Our skill, popularity, good works? Not one bit. We were chosen "before the foundation of the world" and the basis of this choice is "in Him"—the Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans, Paul writes that God chose Jacob over Esau not on the basis of anything they had done, but “so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls” (Rom 9:11). Where would Paul get such an outlandish idea? Well, in Deuteronomy God explains to the Israelites that He didn’t choose them because of who they were, but “because YHWH loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers” (Deut 7:6-8). God chose us “to the praise of the glory of His grace” (Eph 1:6). He chose us because of the great love with which He loved us (Eph 2:4; Rom 5:8). He chose us “to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory” (Rom 9:23). He chose us to conform us to the image of His Son (Rom 8:28-29). He chose us not for what we are, but for what He can do.

Many Christians aren’t happy with the notion of being chosen, especially for nothing we do. At least He chose us because He knew we’d choose Him … right? If not because we’re pretty cuddly creatures? We’d like to think that, but every indication in Scripture says we’re chosen, and we’re chosen specifically to display His love, His grace, His mercy. Nothing in us. We qualified as demons (James 2:19) and enemies of God (Rom 5:10; Rom 8:7), and He chooses to include us in His kingdom because He’s so magnificent. Welcome to the new choosing line. “Not because of works but because of Him who calls” (Rom 9:11).

No Plan B

It’s a strange story (Gen 20:1-18). It centers on Abraham. That’s the same Abraham that Hebrews lists as a man of faith (Heb 11:8-10). Abraham, with God’s promise of an heir pending, went to Gerar to settle for a while. Worried that they might kill him to get his wife who was beautiful, he told the king, Abimelech, that Sarah was his sister, so Abimelech took Sarah as his own.

Here’s where the passage turns. God came to Abimelech and told him he was a dead man for taking a married woman (Gen 20:3). Abimelech never touched her and honestly didn’t know, so wasn’t he guiltless in one sense—blameless with respect to intent? That's what he told God (Gen 20:4-5). God answers him directly: “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her” (Gen 20:6). God ascribes “integrity” to him—not covenant righteousness, but a real sincerity that he didn’t mean to sin—while also giving the true reason the king never touched Sarah: “I also kept you from sinning against Me.”

Did you know God did that? Were you aware that He can prevent sin from happening? We are not autonomous creatures. We make real choices, but we don’t decide everything for ourselves, and our decisions never place God in a corner. Proverbs says, “The heart of man plans his way, but YHWH establishes his steps” (Pro 16:9). Not even the world’s authority figures are exempt. “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of YHWH; He turns it wherever He will” (Pro 21:1). (A lot of Christians are concerned—about the Trumps and Bidens of this world. That should give some comfort.) Elsewhere, we get a different glimpse into the sense of it. “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of YHWH that will stand” (Pro 19:21).

That’s really the idea. It is the purpose of God that will stand—always. You can’t ultimately derail His plan. You can’t sin Him into “Plan B.” But that doesn’t make sin small, harmless, or “not my fault.” Scripture is comfortable holding both truths at once: God’s purposes are never threatened, and human beings remain responsible—and sins still bring real consequences.

Genesis 20 shows that clearly. God restrained Abimelech from touching Sarah (Gen 20:6), yet Abimelech is still under judgment (Gen 20:3) and commanded to act (“return the man’s wife…,” Gen 20:7), and Abraham is still confronted with his fear-driven deception. God’s providence doesn’t absolve us of sin; it exposes it, restrains it at times, and judges it when necessary.

You see the same pattern elsewhere. Judas’s betrayal fulfills what God had purposed, yet Jesus still says, “Woe to that man” (Luke 22:21-22). Pilate and the rulers acted wickedly even as God sovereignly overruled their actions to accomplish the cross (Acts 4:26-28).

That is different from the way God brings obedience in the new covenant—by giving a new heart and causing His people to walk in His statutes (Eze 36:26-27). God can move even pagan rulers like Cyrus to carry out His purposes (Ezra 1:1), and He can call and set apart someone like Paul from before birth (Gal 1:15-16). In all of it, we are never outside of His purposes, and He is always faithful. But our sins aren’t excused because He permits them; we still must repent, and we still face consequences—even while God, in the end, ensures that His purposes are fulfilled.

New Testament

I was thinking about language, as I am wont to do, and the word “testament” occurred to me. The Latin word testis means “a witness,” and testari means “to testify” or “to bear witness.” That’s why testament can also carry the idea of proof—something that shows a thing is true. We still use it that way: “His actions are a testament to his character.”

Over time, “testament” also came to mean a will—or, in the Bible’s framing, a covenant: something formally declared, confirmed, and binding. In that sense, a testament is a witnessed covenant. That gives us the Old Testament: God’s covenant with human beings, recorded in the Law and the Prophets, and confirmed by what He did and what He promised. And it gives us the New Testament: a new covenant from God to us—declared by Christ Himself: “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20).

That idea isn’t just theological to me—it’s personal. Here’s my question: Is my life a witness to His goodness, His grace, His power? Can people look at my life and say, “There—God at work, right there”? Maybe I show patience where I used to be angry. Maybe a situation turns so clearly that anyone watching can say, “Only God could have done that.” Maybe I learn, little by little, to die to myself for the sake of others, the way He calls me to. If so, my life becomes a sort of “new testament”—a fresh testimony to God’s promises and power. I want my life to point to the goodness of God.