The Gospel that Jesus Preached

Mark wrote that Jesus came "preaching the gospel of God" (Mark 1:14). What was Jesus's gospel? Paul wrote of "my gospel," (Rom 2:16; Rom 16:25; 2 Tim 2:8) leading some to believe that his was different (especially the Pauline Dispensationalists), but Paul also called it "the gospel of Christ" (Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 9:12; 2 Cor 2:12; Gal 1:7 Php 1:27; etc.) and "the gospel of God" (Rom 1:1; Rom 15:16; 2 Cor 11:7; 1 Thess 2:2-9). Clearly Paul didn't think he was offering a different gospel. What was this gospel that Jesus preached?

In Mark's Gospel, he quotes Jesus as saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Jesus's gospel begins with "repent and believe." Jesus claimed, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). That is, God's love is demonstrated in eternal life for those who believe in His Son. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (Joh 14:6). His claim was that He was the sole access to the Father. In Luke's Gospel, Jesus left the desert experience and went to Nazareth. There, He read from Isaiah.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." And He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:17-21)

Well, there it is. Jesus's gospel. At least, that's what He read from Isaiah. And He said, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." So, that's it. The gospel of Christ is that captives are liberated, the blind can see, the oppressed are freed, and God's really feeling good toward everyone. "Today," He said. Is that it? If it is, we have a problem. There are still poor people, still prisoners, still blind people, still oppressed people ... and Jesus declared, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Not "sometime soon." If we take it at face value, Jesus failed. Oh, He helped a few in His day, but ... He didn't, by any means, make a dent in the problem then or now. Is Jesus talking about the poor people of the world (who still exist unabated), or something else? Here's a clue. In Luke, Jesus says, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God" (Luke 6:20). Compare that to Matthew's version (Matt 5:3). Matthew quotes Jesus speaking of "the poor in spirit." Huh. How about that? Could it be that neither Isaiah nor Jesus had people without funds ("the poor") in view, but the spiritually poor? Is it possible that "the gospel" that Jesus proclaimed was more concerned with the spiritually poor, the spiritual captives, the spiritually blind, the spiritually oppressed? Is it remotely possible that Jesus actually accomplished on the Cross the spiritual freedom for all these spiritually oppressed people?

Of course, that won't do for some. They're sure Jesus's was a social gospel. He meant well; He just didn't quite pull it off. He intended good things for the socially oppressed, but humans have blocked His efforts and we still have all these "lost sheep" in the physical world. If we could all just get on board, maybe we could make this world a better place, because that's Jesus's gospel. Or ... not. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd" (John 10:14-16). Jesus's spiritual sheep were not in question; they were assured. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28). The spiritual sheep -- with spiritual poverty, blindness, captivity, oppression -- had the certainty in Christ of eternal life ... because He would lay down His life for them. Jesus's gospel wasn't a social gospel. It was a gospel of redemption. And it was accomplished in Him. Like Paul and the rest of Scripture preached.

What Have You Got?

In 1949, Jim Elliot wrote, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Jim Elliot was killed in 1956 taking the gospel to an unreached tribe in Ecuador. He lived what he believed.

We are called to give all to Christ (Matt 22:27). We're told, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Paul urges us to "present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Rom 12:1-2). Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt 16:24). It's a running theme ... give up self for Him. And still ... we balk. We hold back. We waver -- vacillate. Because, doggone it, do we really have to give up everything? I mean, look at this wonderful stuff!

On our behalf, Jesus gave up ... all (Php 2:5-8). God offers a clean slate (1 John 1:9) and the very righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21), kindship with Him and eternity in His presence .. if you'll just believe, take up your cross, deny yourself, follow. What do you have that's worth more? What do you keep that you can't actually keep? Where is your treasure? We used to sing, "I surrender all." Do we?

No Lesser Gospel

We're coming up on Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection. The time serves as a reminder of ... the fundamental gospel.

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (1 Cor 15:1-5)

Basic to the gospel ("of first importance") is the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. It is the core of what we call "the Atonement." My favorite text on this is in Romans 3.

Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom 3:19-26)

(Sorry about the length. You need the full thought.) Since works don't justify, we need an alternative. The alternative God came up with was "through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe." How? We are "being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith." Through faith, Jesus's blood bought us back from sin ("redemption"). Through faith, Christ's blood serves to propitiate -- to appease an angry God -- for our justification. In that, we have peace with God (Rom 5:1) -- Atonement. In this magnificent act of grace and mercy, God became "just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." In Christ's death on our behalf, God achieved both justice and justification.

"Is that all you got? Does that prove that Christ died on our behalf to save us?" Well, to those of us who believe Scripture as it is presented, yes, but ... it's not the only proof. Take, for instance, the entire Old Testament sacrificial system. You know, the one to which Christ is compared (e.g., John 1:29)? Hebrews assures us "without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb 9:22), as the entire bloody sacrificial system of the Old Testament testifies. Isaiah famously prophesies of the Christ that He bore our griefs and was pierced through for our transgressions (Isa 53:4-6). Jesus Himself said, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt 26:28). Paul, of course, is the biggest biblical proponent of this concept of Atonement (see above as well as many others), but it doesn't depend on Paul. It doesn't depend on Anselm. It doesn't depend on conservative Christian denominations. It's a fully biblical concept.

Lots of people like to argue the point. It is, however, in Scripture from Adam and Eve to the final judgment, from Genesis to Revelation. The problem is huge (Rom 3:23). The curse is real (Gal 3:10). And it is God's amazing grace of supplying a satisfaction of justice in His Son (Heb 2:17; 1 John 4:10) that saves. It's not a new idea. It's not a manufactured notion. It's the biblical position. Jesus Himself said so. And the magnitude of the biblical version of the Atonement is breathtaking when embraced at face value. As we saw yesterday, Paul argues for it and pronounces anathema on any lesser gospel.

(For a well-written examination on the subject, you might try this.)

Another Gospel

Yesterday we saw that Paul introduced himself to the Galatians as an emissary ... from God. That would be extremely arrogant if it wasn't true. But ... it was absolutely true. This emissary -- this Apostle with a capital "A" -- told them of the gospel -- that Jesus gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from evil, and that this reality was for God's glory (Gal 1:1-5).

What was God's emissary most concerned about? Why is he even writing this letter? There were Galatian believers ... who were deserting Christ (Gal 1:6). How? They were going with "a different gospel" (Gal 1:6). He explains, in fact that it "is really not another." So this "different gospel" was not a gospel at all. It was only masquerading as one. It was a distortion (Gal 1:7). It sounded "gospely" but it wasn't an actual gospel. They were buying something other than the good news that Christ gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil world. Paul said that if any one, including himself or an angel from heaven, offered a different gospel, they were to be "accursed" (Gal 1:8-9). Excommunicated, banned, kicked out, anathema.

Of course, distortions of the gospel still abound. The pharisaical early church taught a "saved by Jewish law" version ... not another gospel. Going with the whole "angel from heaven thing," Joseph Smith distorted the gospel of saved by grace through faith and made it a works-based falsehood ... not another gospel. We have those who say Jesus didn't die for our sin and those who say that we didn't even need saving ... not another gospel. We have the social gospel that says we're saved to a better earthly existence ... not another gospel. "We're good enough" or "We're not that bad" or "You just have to work hard enough" or "No one has to do anything at all" are popular versions of "another gospel" which are not other gospels at all. "Other gospels" abound, and Scripture demands that they be excised, removed, eliminated. Check your "other gospel" at the door and don't pick it up when you leave.

The Galatian Intro

Paul's epistle to the churches of Galatia has an interesting beginning.

Paul, an apostle -- not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead ... (Gal 1:1)

Paul makes a big point with a simple statement. He's writing ... with authority. He's not some guy, some casual teacher, even some rabbi. He's an apostle -- a delegate, an official ambassador, if you will. Not only is he an apostle, but he's an apostle commissioned "through Jesus Christ and God the Father." He specifies "not from men nor through man." He doesn't carry with him the authority of his own or a church or a group or any human source. Paul's authority was God Himself¹.

So what does a delegate sent by God have to say? Christ "gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father" (Gal 1:4). First and foremost, Paul wants them to know ... the gospel. It's important. It's vital. It is, in fact, his mission. What gospel? Christ gave Himself for our sins to rescue us. He rescued us from "this present evil age." And He did it "according to the will of our God and Father." The gospel.

The gospel isn't very popular to a large group of people. The notion that we need rescue is an offense to some. The fact that Christ had to give Himself to do it is an offense to some. The simple fact that Paul speaks as a designated representative from God is really upsetting to many ... even though Paul claims that this gospel, this sacrifice, this rescue is to the glory of God forevermore (Gal 1:5). But don't kid yourselves. Paul is right. The gospel is amazing. We desperately need rescue, and Christ died to do it. Without that fact, we're lost.
________

¹ There are those who would challenge this claim. "Paul said it. Doesn't make it so." This, of course, would serve to nullify Paul's claim here in Galatians ... as well as 3/4 of the New Testament and, ultimately Scripture itself. (For instance, 2 Tim 3:16-17 is the primary claim that Scripture is God-breathed and Peter confirms that Paul was writing Scripture, so, if Paul lied, God Himself is at risk here because Scripture is not God-breathed and Peter was just plain wrong.) However, we do have Peter's word on that and Jesus's. Jesus told Ananias, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake" (Acts 9:15-16). If there is a quibble here, Scripture and Christianity itself are done.

Search me, O God

When I was young, I had a problem with ... self-image. Not self-esteem. Self-esteem is how one values oneself. We all value ourselves higher than we ought (despite our society's concern that we don't). Self-image is how one sees oneself. If it's accurate, it's good (whether or not it's favorable or unfavorable). If it's inaccurate, it's a problem. So, my parents offered their best approach to solve it. They ... made me memorize Scripture. The text they gave me to memorize was ... Psalm 139.

The psalm is a reflection on God's Omniscience and His Omnipresence. It points to the fact that each of us is uniquely and intimately created by God. It ends with the almost mandatory response:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psa 139:23-24)

It's difficult to read through the psalm without coming away ... overwhelmed. He knows me (Psa 139:1). Doesn't everyone want to be known? He knows me. He's with me (Psa 139:2-12). I'm never, never, never alone. He hears me (Psa 139:4) ... before I speak! He protects me (Psa 139:5). He ... made ... me (Psa 139:13-16). Not like a factory part. He "knitted me together in my mother's womb" (Psa 139:13). He saw my unformed substance (Psa 139:16) (one of the most powerful proofs that a fetus is a human). He wrote out my every day before there was one (Psa 139:16). He thinks of me (Psa 139:17). Imagine that! The God of the universe thinks of me! He doesn't need to. He doesn't have to. But ... He does!

Most of us suffer at times from a feeling of inadequacy, of being ... less than perfect. Psalm 139 says "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well" (Psa 139:14). When we question our design, our build, our looks, our abilities, we question God's character. And that's a bad thing. Perhaps we need this reminder that we aren't junk, we aren't useless, we aren't an accident. We are known, accompanied by, made, seen, designed, and thought of by God. I hope that's enough for you. When it's not, we need to ask God to search us and correct our hearts (Psa 139:23-24).

News Weakly - 4/5/2025

The Double Standard is Strong With This One
A Cornell student who engaged in "creating a hostile environment for Jewish students" and "disruptive protests" -- urging the annihilation of Israel -- is afraid of "being abducted" in the streets (by, apparently, law enforcement), so he's leaving the U.S. by choice. Well, his visa was revoked and all, so that's a factor, but he's going. Because he's dedicated to an unsafe world for the Jews in Israel just as much as he is to his own safety.

Matters of State
Finally!! Trump has really made a big impact on our national well-being. He signed an executive order targeting scalpers who resell concert tickets at a huge profit. Man! It's about time. Expect your own pocketbook to bulge with this critical issue resolved. We've all been itching to have this nightmare addressed. (Was that too much sarcasm for one entry?)

When Does It Stop?
Tariffs have their purpose, and they're not all bad, but at some point ... Trump has unveiled "global reciprocal tariffs." Never mind that the Executive Branch doesn't have the job of assigning tariffs. Never mind that the idea of putting tariffs on countries we are helping to subsidize to stay afloat is counterproductive. Never mind that we will all pay the price. (Especially since you know there will be retaliation.) It just seems ... petty at some point. He says, "We are finally putting America first." Maybe, but not the America I would hope it could be. Not the America that cares globally. It is the self-centered "American Way" today, I suppose. (Oh, and "trade war" is certainly the correct term at this point.)

Your Best Source for Fake News
From the Bee, the funniest one this week was the simple headline, "BREAKING: Economy." "The headline says it all." Other ramifications are showing up as the Dodgers declare bankruptcy after Trump places a 25% tariff on Japanese players. And, just for fun, heaven has unveiled a special VIP lounge for people who went to Wednesday night prayer meetings. (I know. Most of you will have to look that one up.)

Must be true; I read it on the Internet.

Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy

When I was young our youth group leaders liked to lead us in singing. They particularly liked rounds. You know, polyphonic method of singing where two or more voices sing the same phrase at different times to create harmonic layers. Or ... in English ... two or more voices singing the same melody in a way that overlaps and creates harmony. One of the popular ones was Rejoice in the Lord Always. You know, the ever-popular, complicated lyrics,

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice
Rejoice, rejoice, again I say rejoice.
Rejoice, rejoice, again I say rejoice.
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice.

Yeah, quite the complicated song. (To be fair, it's straight from Scripture (Php 4:4), so I'm not complaining.) The interesting thing about rounds is that they're ... endless. I mean, there's no obvious end point. You just keep singing until someone says, "That's enough." So, in theory, this song could just ... go ... on ... forever.

And ... in this one instance, I'm not sure that's not a good thing. I mean, the command is to "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Php 3:1). Paul repeated the command ... three times. It appears to bear repetition, with it's "always" aspect. Biblically, repetition can be significant. The angels cry "Holy, holy, holy" over God ... twice (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8). Jesus said "Truly, truly" on multiple occasions. Repetition is often emphasis in Scripture. So it seems as if the command to "Rejoice in the Lord always" is significant simply because it says "always," but additionally because it's repeated (Psa 35:9; Isa 41:16; Zec 10:7; Php 3:1; Php 4:4). If the joy of the Lord is my strength (Neh 8:10) and we're to "Count it all joy when we encounter various trials" (James 1:2), are we ... rejoicing always? Or ... do we have a ways to go to become the joyful people we are commanded to be?

How's Your Day?

The psalmist wrote, "Give thanks to YHWH, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting" (Psa 118:1). So true. He went on to write, "This is the day which YHWH has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psa 118:24). To be fair, we've happily snatched that verse out of its context and thrown it up as a happy little song. "The day" he was writing about wasn't just any day. In the prior verses, he writes,

I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. This is YHWH's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." (Psa 118:21-23)

Thus, "the day" to which he refers is specifically when Christ came, died, rose again, and conquered all. That's the day YHWH made. That's the day we rejoice and be glad for. But ... that's now. He reigns now. So this is that "day" in an ongoing sense, and we can and should rejoice and be glad in the stone that became the chief corner stone.

The truth is, today is the day the Lord has made. How is yours? I mean, are you satisfied with it -- are you rejoicing in it -- or do you have some suggestions for improvement? The truth is, we are living in the era spoken of when Christ became the corner stone. Are you glad? Are you rejoicing in it? We should really give thanks, because He is good, and His lovingkindness is everlasting. Perhaps that can make your day better.

Where to Stand

In 1868, Elizabeth Clephane wrote the hymn, Beneath the Cross of Jesus. It was published three years after her death. Clephane was born in Scotland. She was considered a frail girl, but was known for her philanthropic causes. Her parents died when she was young and her brother died in a fall from a horse. She died at 38, a weak, frail, short-lived life ... full of good works. What was her secret?

Elizabeth was known as "one of those cheerful people who brighten every corner." Her friends called her "Sunbeam." Because Clephane lived "beneath the cross of Jesus." In what sense? Elizabeth wrote,

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.

It's a bold statement. Bold because Scripture says "For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor 1:18). She boldly declares to those who consider it "foolishness," "This is where I gladly reside." And bold because the cross is a place of suffering. You actually want to stand there?

In subsequent verses, Clephane calls the cross a "safe and happy shelter," a "trysting place where heaven's love and heaven’s justice meet." I love that phrase. She confesses that she can see Him on that cross at times. "And from my smitten heart, with tears, two wonders I confess -- the wonders of His glorious love, and my own worthlessness." That's where she longed to stand.

The last verse says,

I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.

In that verse we find her secret to happiness in an existence that we would consider painful, even unbearable. Beneath His cross, she was looking to Jesus. Nowhere else. Like Paul with his thorn in the flesh, "Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me" (2 Cor 12:9). At the cross we can find contentment beyond the world's understanding. I would gladly ("fain") take my stand there.

No April Fool

We laugh about April Fool's Day, but Scripture talks about foolishness quite a bit. Biblical foolishness resides in the arena of sin. It's not merely ignorance or even a lack of understanding. It begins with the suppression of truth (Rom 1:18) which produces the exchange of God for alternatives (Rom 1:22-23). Paul wrote, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen" (Rom 1:25). The phrase, "a lie," is most correctly translated "the lie." What lie is that? Worshiping and serving the creature rather than the Creator. And that is foolishness. David wrote, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good" (Psa 14:1). And you see the correlation between "no God" and the judgment of good and bad -- "There is no one who does good."

Proverbs has a lot on foolishness. Some of my favorites are "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel" (Pro 12:15), "A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless" (Pro 14:16), and "A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own mind" (Pro 18:2). A fool has a temper (Pro 14:17), perverse speech (Pro 19:1), and produces sin (Pro 24:9). And on ... and on.

Wisdom, the counter to foolishness, begins with the fear of the Lord (Pro 9:10). It would bring about a proper grasp of God as opposed to a suppression of the truth about Him. It would produce a right understanding of our sin nature and the need for a Savior. It would lead to repentance and faith, and the grace and mercy that accompany repentance and faith. Our "April Fool" is a joke day, and that's fine, but let's be year-round wise, pursuing God and His truth, rather than daily fools.

Como Se Dice

In Spanish they say, "¿Como se dice ...?" to ask "How do you say ...?" I find myself asking that ... a lot. Oh, in English, of course. You see, words are not "things" so much as symbols. They aren't realities, but a method of transmitting ideas, etc. from one person to another. Now, the trick of it is, we have to use the same symbols. Like that upside down question mark. What does that mean? Nothing to an English speaker. A meaningless symbol. But to a Spanish speaker, it's the prelude to a question. So we have things called "words" that are symbols for transmitting data and we need to understand what those symbols mean if we're to do it effectively. And ... we're not. That's because we take agreed-upon symbols and change them, but keep using them as if we're all in agreement. Here's an example. In the Ten Commandments, God demanded, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain" (Exo 20:7). And we're all clear. But ... not. You see, He didn't command anything about "the name of the LORD." That capitalized "LORD" is a symbol for a specific Hebrew term -- YHWH. So we shift YHWH to "LORD" and then we lose the concept of "LORD" and end up ... confused. We think He doesn't want us using the word "G-O-D" in vain. But the word itself is only a symbol. And "the name" is a symbol. Because "the name" refers to "Who I am." And in that light "the name" becomes sacred because it is Who He is. And here we are, mucking about in concerns about the proper use of the letters, "G-O-D." What He wants is for us not to use His character in vain. Jesus didn't institute the proper end of every prayer to be, "In Jesus name, Amen" when He said, "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it" (Joh 14:14) like some magic incantation. He was telling us to ask with His character in mind (1 John 5:14). Words have meaning, and if we don't grasp their intent, we won't understand what is communicated.

Language is a fluid concept. Starting with the Tower of Babel, languages have been confounded. Since then they're morphed, merged, vanished, thrived. I'm told that if you take two groups of people who speak the same language and separate them geographically, in a hundred years neither group will understand the other, the language will have changed so much. Language is fluid. Ask any teenager. Oh, wait ... you probably won't understand. Because language is constantly changing. And I understand that. But I'm more concerned about the data being transmitted. Take one of Scripture's key concepts: love. Most languages have multiple terms for "love" because love itself has multiple meanings. "I love pizza" is not the same as "I love my dog" or "I love my mom" or "I love my wife." At least, it better not be. So we use a common term, "love," to express a plethora of ideas and expect to be understood. In the King James Bible, the word agape is translated in the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians as "charity." Why? Because the translators understood that "love" as it's commonly used is not what is expressed in 1 Corinthians 13. That "love" is an entirely self-sacrificing, giving version. Charity -- back then -- expressed the notion of giving without getting, of benevolence and compassion. Not the "warm affection" we understand "love" to be today.

Here's the thing. Words change. I get it. But ideas, concepts, truth ... these don't. So if you're going to steal words, I'll need new ones to express their original intent. I'll need something new for "marriage" to express "a man and a woman united in body and soul for life" instead of the modern version ... "people who ... sort of commit ... at least for a while ... you know ... a step up from friendship." I need a word for "love" that expresses a self-sacrificing, heartfelt concern for the welfare of the loved one. I don't know ... I think I'm going to need new words for "male" and "female" and ... so many other words the world is changing to cover our eyes to the actual concepts and realities. ¿Como se dice "Christian"? Not like "someone who calls themself a Christian without regard to anything ... you know ... Christ-related," but "an actual follower of Christ who has a genuine relationship with Him." I'm going to need so many new words.

Bless You

In Ephesians Paul writes, "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" (Eph 1:3). From there he spends 12 verses listing some of those blessings. But ... isn't it interesting? He says God "has blessed us." Not "will bless us." Already accomplished. With what? "every spiritual blessing." Wait ... really? I'm not sure I'm experiencing every spiritual blessing.

How do we make sense of this? It isn't obscure. He has done it. He's not going to. And it's every blessing, not just some. So how is that true? Well, we do know that He sent His Son (John 3:16). Jesus said, "He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Mat 5:45). Paul said, "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:4). Lots of blessings, and already present.

Ultimately, He has blessed us -- past tense -- with every spiritual blessing ... in Christ. Christ is that blessing that encompasses them all. He is in us (Col 1:27). He is the fulfillment of all God's promises (2 Cor 1:20). And we understand, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Rom 8:32). Thus, the "every spiritual blessing" is, ultimately, "in Christ" and already a done thing. Meditate on that a while.

News Weakly - 3/29/2025

Following the Crowd
Erykah Badu is an American singer who vandalised her own Tesla to "stay on trend," almost literally cutting off her own nose to spite her face. Of course, Musk still has the money she paid and "Tesla" is in the news again, but, hey, she's pretty sure she's right in following the crowd ... like a good sheep.

Testing the Impossible
World Athletics, an international governing body for sports, is planning to test female track and field athletes with a swab "to determine female gender." Of course, they can't. Gender is sex expression. A biological male, for instance, can wear a dress and express himself as a female -- appear feminine. Sex is biological, and can be tested by a DNA swab. But that's automatically denied, too, since we've decided we're whatever sex we feel like ... in this insane world. Proving Jeremiah 17:9.

Protect What You Love
Three teen girls in Texas tried to kill their mom for turning off the Wi-Fi. Got it ... priorities noted. A new "human right" is added -- Wi-Fi access. And Paul's promise that in the last days people will be without familial love is proven true.

Justice, No Peace
In the interest of justice and fairness, an appeals court has blocked an attempt to deport murderous gang members ... again. So our justice system is intent on keeping killers in our midst because Trump wanted them gone. Makes sense ... to someone.

Your Priorities are Showing
Top U.S. officials accidently leaked a group text to Jeffrey Goldberg, Atlantic Editor-in-Chief, about a strike in Yemen. In an admirable display of patriotism, Atlantic ... published the information. Because "news" is much more important than any national interests. Don't ever be confused. The media is not on your side; they just want their stories at any cost ... to you. They just want their agenda.

Improper Ideology
Trump signed an executive order targeting Smithsonian funding for programs with "improper ideology." The "improper ideology" he targeted was the recent explosion of rewriting American history to cast the U.S. in a negative light. I have a hard time with it, just in principle, but ... it's not like it's new. The government has come down hard over and over on "improper ideology" like binary gender, marriage as the union of a man and a woman, or biblical values in school (to name a few). Trump's only the latest one.

Counting the Cost
A Colorado lawmaker argued, "A birth is more expensive than an abortion" in her argument for state-funded abortion. "Ultimately, we do achieve a cost savings because of the averted births that will not take place." Follow that to its logical conclusion. These people have lost their collective mind.

Fake News You Can Trust
After being stopped repeatedly by judges, Trump is planning to leave the presidency to become a truly powerful District Court judge. Elsewhere, a video of Elmo keying a Cybertruck has been leaked, bringing into question PBS's political neutrality. And from the world of Star Wars, the story is out that Darth Vader accidentally added Admiral Ackbar to a holochat when planning the raid on Alderaan. (Yeah, yeah, a Star Wars nerd story, but you get the joke.)

Must be true; I read it on the Internet.

Little is Much

We all suffer, to some degree or another, from the sense of ... not enough. I mean, "Am I contributing enough? Am I doing enough? Am I meeting my potential?" We especially wonder if we're making a difference for God. Did we speak up when we should? Are we doing what we should? We all suffer this kind of thing. And, of course, the answer isn't positive since we all fall short.

The problem here, of course, is that we're looking in the wrong direction. We're looking at the wrong things for the wrong reasons. You see, Jesus didn't save us to be perfect. He didn't choose us because He had such high expectations. Instead, Jesus said, "If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you" (Mat 17:20). A mustard seed of faith. Not much. Now, let's ask ourselves, what does that tiny bit of faith do? Nothing. Our proverbial mountain is not moved by faith; it's moved by God. In fact, Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Which is not a little something. Paul wrote, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" (1 Cor 3:6). So, yes, we participate with Him in His work, but ... it's His work.

There is a hymn from the 1920's titled, "Little is Much When God is in It." The truth is all that we produce is produced by Him and His power. He's not baffled, trapped, stumped, working hard to get done what He hoped we'd do. No. Never. He gets done what He wants done, and any of our "Oh, my, I didn't do enough" is arrogance, thinking God is depending on us and we're slowing Him down. We aren't adequate for the task. We are useful. And only when He makes us so. Don't get trapped into thinking more of yourself than you ought. We bring what we bring and He gives the growth.

When It Hurts

We all suffer at times. Some suffer a lot. Believers have the Lord to lean on, but, face it, we all still suffer. So, what do we do when it hurts? What help is there when we're in pain? We want to trust. We want to be strong. How can we navigate this "trust God" and "Wow! It really hurts" situation? There are those who would urge you to bear up and just take it. There are those who would tell you to knuckle under and fully experience the pain. Does God's Word offer any insights?

Let's look at three examples. First ... Job. Job faced some tough times (Job 1-2). First, he lost everything he had -- his possessions and his children. Job said, "Meh! No big deal." No. Job wallowed in his pain. No. Job "tore his robe and shaved his head" ... and then "fell to the ground and worshiped" (Job 1:20). Interesting. When the second round hit, Job lost his health. "This is too much!" Nope. "Forget the pain; God is good." Nope. He sat in ashes and scraped his boils (Job 2:8) ... and then told his wife, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10). Interesting. Both/and. He faced his pain, and he counted on God. Or take Jeremiah. His entire nation was wiped out. Did he sing God's praises or did he weep? Yes ... yes he did. Both. His first response was not to exonerate God, but to (rightly) blame Him (Lam 3:1-19). It's a long list. And it's all ascribed ... to God. He ends, "So I say, 'My strength has perished, and so has my hope from YHWH" (Lam 3:18). No hope. Then ... "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope" (Lam 3:21). What? What was the thing he remembered that countered his hopelessness ... from God? "The steadfast love of YHWH never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lam 3:22-23). In the end, Jeremiah remembered both that God is Sovereign (even in the pain) and He loves us. Trust Him. The best example, though, is Jesus. He lived a perfect life ... did everything His Father told Him to do. For His troubles, He was physically shattered (crucifixion), emotionally abused (deserted by His friends), and spiritually forsaken. On that cross He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mat 27:46). No mitigation. No, "It's okay." No, "Well, God would never do this." But, He ended with, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!" (Luk 23:46).

It is foolish to deny pain. We all suffer. It's part of the curse. It's part of human existence. Denying it is not sane. But, it's also not the last word. In all these cases and more, they embraced the pain ... and counted on God. They endured the pain and looked to the Father. It's what Scripture says. Jesus endured the cross "for the joy that was set before Him" because He knew the final outcome was found in God's faithful love. (Heb 12:1-2). A pattern we all might benefit from.

Your Wife by Covenant

Scripture isn't vague about divorce. Jesus said don't (Matt 19:3-6). God said, "I hate divorce" (Mal 2:16). Clearly, God's opinion is "Don't!" In the Matthew passage Jesus said it was, at best, the product of a hard heart (Matt 19:8) and causes adultery (Mark 10:11-12). Don't!!

And then ... I came across this. In that Malachi reference God is telling His people "you cover the altar of YHWH with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand" (Mal 2:13). This is a catastrophic condition, a spiritual meltdown. God no longer cares about your sacrifices or your tears. What is the cause of this condition?

"Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because YHWH has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. (Mal 2:14)

He's talking there about divorce. He says it in verse 16, but He also says it here when He refers to "your wife by covenant." It's not hard to see. As a matter of routine, we promise

To have and to hold from this day forward.
For better, for worse.
For richer, for poorer.
In sickness and in health.
Forsaking all others.
To love and to cherish.
Until death do us part.

That is not simply a contract; it's a covenant. There are no conditions of "to love and to cherish" except "until death do us part" (Rom 7:1-2). If we choose to divorce, we're breaking a covenant, an unconditional vow. We are dealing treacherously. And God told His people it was spiritual suicide. It cut them off from communication with God.

Christians still debate the topic. "Under what conditions can we divorce?" The Bible lists ... none. If you experience a divorce (as opposed to initiating it), remarriage is possible in the cases of "sexual immorality" (Matt 19:9) or if an unbelieving spouse abandons a believing spouse (1 Cor 7:12-16), but the Bible lists no valid reasons for initiating divorce. And, isn't it interesting? Peter says that husbands are to "live with your wives in an understanding way ... so that your prayers will not be hindered" (1 Peter 3:7). That sounds a lot like the Malachi passage. Maybe our marriages are much more important to God than we think.

Feeling of Love

I've repeatedly said that love is not merely an emotion. Scripture commands love, and emotions can't be commanded. Emotions are a response. So love is primarily a choice ... a choice to be invested in someone or something else. So ... love is not an emotion? No ... but ... yes. And I think I can show it from Scripture.

On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). Notice which comes first -- treasure. And what is that? Well, it's the things you value. In fact, it's the things you value most highly. Then, there's the heart. Clearly we're not talking about that organ that pumps blood. What is it? David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). Jeremiah says the human heart is deceitful (Jer 17:9). God knows our heart (Psa 44:21). In Genesis it says about Man "that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen 6:5). Jesus warned that "out of the heart come evil thoughts ..." God's Word can "judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb 4:12). So "heart" includes thoughts and intentions. Solomon wrote "it is the wellspring of life" (Prov 4:23). So the heart is our central being, our core -- our feelings and thoughts and intentions.

Putting it together, then, where that which is most valued is, there your feelings, thoughts, intentions -- your whole person -- will be also. Or, if you value something highly, you will feel it. It will affect your core being -- your mind, your will, your emotions. The point, then, is to have the right ... values. Love (1 Cor 13:4-8) is something we do, where we value the loved one more than we value ourselves. It will certainly result in feelings. Scripture says so. But the feelings aren't the definition. They're the byproduct.

The 23rd Channel

A reader shared this with me and I thought I'd pass it on because, well, I liked it.
________

The Twenty-Third Channel

The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want.
It makes me to lie down on the sofa.
It leads me away from the Scriptures.
It destroys my soul.
It leads me in the paths of sex and violence for the sponsor’s sake.

Yea, though I walk in the shadow of my Christian responsibilities,
There will be no interruption, for the TV is with me.
Its cable and its remote control, they comfort me.

It prepares a commercial before me
In the presence of my worldliness.
It anoints my head with humanism.
My coveting runneth over.

Surely laziness and ignorance shall follow me all the days of my life
And I shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.

--Author unknown

Omniscient

We know that only one being in the universe is Omniscient. That's God. How Omniscient? He fully knows Himself, all that is, all that was, and all that will be ... or even could be. We see, for instance, that Jesus knew the future (John 2:24-25; John 14:29; John 16:30; John 18:4). He even knew contingencies (Matt 11:21-24). Open Theists have a problem with God's Omniscience. They say it eliminates free will. That's not because Scripture doesn't support Omniscience, but because they're dedicated to a particular definition of free will.

We know, for instance, that God knows all things (1 Sam 23:11-12; 2 Tim 3:1-5; Acts 2:23; Eph 1:11). God's Omniscience regarding future things is proof that He is the true God (Isa 41:21-23; Isa 43:9-12; Isa 44:6-8; Isa 46:9-11; Deut 18:20). We fear (1 Chron 28:9) and trust (Psa 139:1-3,14-16; Isa 48:17-19) God because He knows all things. His knowledge is not limited by time or space (Psa 139:7-12; Psa 90:4).

The fact is Scripture repeatedly declares that God and God alone knows all things for all time without error. It's truth. It proves His character. It is incentive both to fear, and to worship and trust. His Omniscience humbles us who tend to think we know so much better than He does. Let God be God.

News Weakly - 3/22/2025

Forgetting Why
Because of Trump's "trade war" with Canada, Canada's Defense Minister says they're reviewing the purchase of F-35 jets. Not because they're not needed. Not because they're not good jets. Because they want to give Lockheed-Martin the middle finger ... because of Trump. Hey, it's not just Canada. It's everywhere. Why do we punish the children for the sins of the fathers ... so to speak? "Stick it to the Americans because we don't like their president!"

Oh, No! Not Again!
Another customer forgot that "hot tea" was ... hot, and sued Starbucks after he spilled his ... hot tea ... in his lap. He suffered "permanent and life-changing disfigurement" and won $50 million. Like that landmark suit from a McDonald's drive-through because the hot coffee was hot. Expect tepid tea and lukewarm coffee at double the price, I suppose.

Indian Giver
A French politician has called for the return of the Statue of Liberty because "the United States no longer represents the values embodied by the monument." Of course, the U.S. admits more openly and generously than France, and France segregates immigrants while the U.S. does not, the real problem is that politicians are blowing out of proportion everything that Trump says or does. Let it go. He's no saint. He's only here for 4 years. Drop it. And ... no ... you're not getting that statue back.

We Don't Need No Education
Pink Floyd sang, "We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control." Trump ordered the dismantling of the Department of Education. With Harvard offering a remedial algebra class for their students and American kids reportedly falling behind, perhaps the Department of Education hasn't been doing its job. We need education (as "We don't need no education" proves -- very bad grammar), but we seem to have lost our recipe for educating kids. (Of course, I'm pretty sure the courts won't allow this to actually occur, so ...)

Oh, the Humanity!
A woman in Florida was trying to board a plane, but was refused boarding because she had a dog. So ... she drowned it in the airport bathroom. A felony, a fine, lots of outrage; we will not tolerate killing dogs. Unborn humans, on the other hand ...

Your Best Source for Fake News
It takes the Bee to point out that unelected officials continue to thwart the elected, as judges keep striking down Trump's agenda. In Chicago, a leftist smashed a Tesla after seeing the image of a fascist in the window. In Las Vegas, Teslas were shot and set on fire (actual story). Democrats blame climate change.

Must be true; I read it on the Internet.

Preload

It's interesting to me. Both Genesis and the Gospel of John begin with the same phrase: "In the beginning ..." Genesis speaks of God creating ... everything. John begins with the existence of "the Word" -- the expression of God -- who was God, who created everything (John 1:3), who was Jesus (John 1:8-14).

It has been said that the most offensive verse in the Bible is, exactly, Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Fairly innocuous, but ... as it turns out, humans are naturally hostile to God (Rom 8:7), so the claim that all that is was made by God and, therefore is owned by God, is an offense. God is offensive, one way or another, to many. But so is "the beginning." Jesus at the beginning. God at the beginning. In Ephesians, Paul tells us, "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" (Eph 1:3-4). That's offensive ... to many Christians. "He chose us in Him 'before the foundation of the world'? Oh, no. We chose Him." In The Revelation we read about "those ... whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" (Rev 17:8). "Wait ... you're saying those who would be saved were written before any of them existed?" No, not me. The Word. He knew from the outset who would and who would not be saved.

We used to sing, "He's got the whole world in His hands." He does. But He always did. David wrote, "In Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them" (Psa 139:16). Everything. Paul wrote, "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom 11:36). From, through, and to Him. It's true. We ought to recognize it. It ought to provide comfort to those who love God.

Profit and Loss

In Malachi, God accuses His people of speaking arrogantly against Him. "What have we spoken against You?" they ask (Mal 3:13)

"You have said, 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before YHWH of hosts? So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.'" (Mal 3:14-15)

Interesting accusation. Luckily we don't see that anymore. Especially from God's own people. Or ... do we?

The accusation is that serving God is vain, that it isn't profitable. I think, if we were honest, we might think the same. Maybe not full time, but sometimes. Is it profitable to obey all we are commanded? Do we forgive as we are forgiven, or is that, sometimes, a bad idea? Is it really a good idea to love as Jesus loved, or love God with your whole heart? Is it ... profitable to serve and obey God? It doesn't look like it, sometimes. Look how the wicked succeed. Is that us, speaking arrogantly against God?

We'd all have to admit it is at times. Oh, sometimes it's not conscious. Sometimes it's an oversight or an error. But each of us at some point will think, "Is it really in my best interest to do what God says in this situation?" His word for that is arrogance. Most interesting to me, though, is that God talks in terms of "profit." We will often think in terms of "duty," but do we understand that obedience is profitable? God thinks so. I suspect if we understood that, it might encourage us to obey more.

No Change

One of God's fundamental attributes is what we term "immutability" -- the inability to change. Without any dancing around, God says, "I, YHWH, do not change" (Mal 3:6). Of course, Scripture says it, but it's equally clear in simple logic. Think about it.

God declared, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Num 23:19). He doesn't "repent"; He doesn't change His mind. He can't. He's omniscient. The only way to change His mind is if He failed to know something. God is unchanging in who He is and what He wills. In every attribute He is perfect, making change impossible. In every Intent He is successful, eliminating alterations. He never changes.

James says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Not even a shadow of turning. So rest assured. He is perfect, He always will be perfect, and everything He wills is perfect and will come to pass. That's a God you can rely on.

Wrath?

We all hate that whole "fire and brimstone" thing. The "wrath of God" is an old-timey thing that ... just doesn't play well today. Lots of people ... self-professed Christians ... play it down. It's not real. It's not that bad. It's nothing to concern ourselves with. But ... Scripture appears to disagree. What does the Bible say about God and His wrath? Let God be true though every man a liar (Rom 3:4).

Paul wrote Romans to explain the Gospel. "It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes," he wrote, "for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" (Rom 1:16-17). Good. The righteousness of God. And the very next thing he writes is, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom 1:18). Here we learn two very important facts. First, the wrath of God is not minor or unreal. It is real. Second, it is tied in with ... His righteousness. God's wrath is right. Keep that at the forefront of your thinking. What else? God refers to His wrath as "my wrath" (Rev 11:18). That is, it's personal. It's His opposition to sin and it's part of His glory. It is certain ... not even death can stop it (Rev 11:18). It is final. That is, once spent, it is ended (Rev 11:15). It is horrible (Rev 11:18-19). Scripture and human language cannot fully express it. It is right (Rev 11:17-18). There is rejoicing in His wrath.

We diminish God's wrath because of our own sympathy for sin. A proper understanding of God's wrath is necessary for a proper understanding of the Gospel. Let's set aside our natural antipathy for God's wrath and embrace the solution, His Son, in Whom we find peace with God (Rom 5:1).

Love is a Verb

In Malachi, God tells His people, "I have loved you" (Mal 1:2). Very moving. Very serious. Very interesting. The verb tense for this word, "loved," is an ongoing verb tense, like, "I have been loving you." It's not, "I loved you at some point." It's an ongoing process. But ... what process?

The Hebrew version of "love" in the Old Testament is not the modern version. It's not "warm affection." It's more of a verb, as in an expression of action. It is something that is done, not merely felt. It expresses itself in giving. Interestingly, in the Hebrew world it was most associated with covenant. In ancient Hebrew culture, love was an action-oriented commitment, deeply intertwined with covenantal relationships, expressed through faithfulness and sacrifice. It included heart, mind, and actions. We see that, for instance, in the Shema (Deut 6:4-9). Love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."

In the Malachi text, then, God was telling His people that He was loving them, and not in a merely emotional way. We see the same thing in the classic John 3:16. You can probably quote it, but be careful. When it says, "God so loved the world," it's not talking about a quantity, but a quality. "God loved the world this way." Or, "This is how God expresses love." "This is what God's love looks like." What? He didn't feel; He gave. He acted. We, too, are called to love ... like that. Emotional affection is fine, but real love is something we do (John 13:34-35) ... like He did. And does.

A Prescription for a Troubled Christian

We all love that wonderful verse in Psalms.

Delight yourself in YHWH, and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psa 37:4)

Mmm, that's nice. But ... do you know the context? David begins,

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in YHWH, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. (Psa 37:1-3)

Well, look at that! The problem David was addressing was not how to get "the desires of your heart," but the problem of evil. Don't fret; don't be envious. Evil is temporary. Instead ...

That's interesting. We all fret about stuff, and we all fret especially about evil in the world -- evil people, evil actions, evil events. Why do they seem to prosper? And ... should I do the same because they seem to prosper? No. We need to keep in mind they're a flash in the pan, a piece of grass withering soon. Instead ... trust the Lord. You see two actions here. On one hand, don't fret or envy. That's a "don't" action. Instead, "do." Do replace fret and envy with trust. Trust the Lord. Delight in the Lord. Commit your way to the Lord (Psa 37:5).

There's an old hymn with the refrain

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

There you have it. We shouldn't be fretting about the problems we see. We should be setting aside our weights of worry and envy and sin and be "looking unto Jesus" (Heb 12:1-2).

News Weakly - 3/13/2025

Because We Can
So now Trump is waging a "trade war" with his tariffs. Never mind the Constitution says Congress places tariffs, not the Executive Branch. Tariffs are generally an attempt to level the playing field for domestic producers to counter cheap competition from foreign sources. That is, they have a purpose. But Ontario has decided to slap a 25% surcharge on electricity exported to the US not because it helps the industry, but because they're mad at Trump. They also threaten to shut off the electricity. Another fine example of sticking it to ... the people rather than the problem.

Typical Male
The story is of a stepmother who imprisoned a young boy and kept him there for more than two decades. Abused, starved, neglected, he eventually set the house on fire just to get help. Now, we all know the reality behind this story. What horrible thing had this young man done to this innocent woman that caused her to defend herself like that? I mean ... it's always the man's fault ... isn't it?

Enforced Fantasy
In a congressional hearing, Texas Representative Keith Self referred to Delaware Representative Sarah McBride as "Mr. McBride," a bad no-no since biological male McBride identifies as a female, and, as we all know, pronouns are sacrosanct. Mostly meaningless these days, but sacrosanct. By way of explanation, Self said he was not obligated to engage in McBride's fantasy. Which illustrates the double standard. A belief in God, for instance, is not imposed, but recommended. The belief that humans can be whatever they believe themselves to be is not only recommended, it is commanded. False, but commanded.

Displaced
An American "influencer" named Sam Jones posted a video of her stealing a baby wombat from its mother on the side of a road in Australia. Australia is outraged and wants her deported. Change.org is petitioning to have her removed from the nation. The outrage is palpable. And I'm embarrassed to be associated nationally with Ms. Jones. Of course, harming a human baby in the womb is perfectly okay in Australia, but we gotta save the wombat!

Basically Good
The FBI is warning about a text message scam called "smishing." They'll text your phone and tell you you have unpaid road tolls or something. (I've received these.) Don't fall for it. Don't hit that link. It's amazing how many scams "basically good" humans can invent, isn't it?

Your Best Source for Fake News
This whole "one up" tariff thing with Canada has culminated in Trump hitting Canada with a tariff of double infinity plus one. Take that! In sports, the NBA has ruled that LeBron James can play in a giant hamster ball so other players can't touch him. Finally, the layoffs in the Department of Education have hit a snag. They're trying to figure out what 50% of employees would be. "Let's see ... if we have 10,000 employees, you take the 9 and double it and multiply by ... no ... Does anyone have a calculator?"

Must be true; I read it on the Internet.

Direction Matters

Most of us live with varying levels of pain and disappointment. People let us down. Circumstances can be unpleasant. There is sin and sickness and tragedy in the world. Let's face it ... we're not in heaven ... yet. We live in a world tainted by sin and in bodies tainted by sin and we all suffer to some degree or another. What do we do with it? How do we deal with it?

The question seems to be one of direction. Are we looking at it from our own needs and pain, or from an outward view? For all of us, we are generally on the inward view. We are more concerned about our needs, our desires, our wishes, our pain. We see people in terms of "What can they give to me?" and when they don't, we're upset. But Scripture speaks of a different perspective. Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Mark 8:34). Any follower of Christ is expected to deny himself, to die to self. Instead, we are expected to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' (Matt 22:37). That's vertical -- us and God. Horizontally -- us and others -- we are to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:39) or, for disciples of Jesus, to "love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). Notice the directions. First, not to self. We're to deny ourselves. Second, the direction is outward, first to God, and second to others. Not to self. So we are commanded to love -- love God and love others. That love gives. There is nothing in love that takes. It does not seek its own (1 Cor 13:5). It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It never takes.

Direction matters. We are naturally inclined to direct all issues to ourselves. Scripture calls on us to direct everything outwardly. Not "When do I get mine?" but "What can I give to others?" The expectation is that all we need coming in will be provided by God (Rom 8:32; Php 4:19). We're free to give it all away, expecting God to supply. When we start taking it all for ourselves, expect problems.

Arrogant Humility

Paul wrote, "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith" (Rom 12:3). And while the more proud among us wince, the more lowly affirm, "Well, at least I have that going for me. I don't think very highly of myself at all." But, as is often the case, we are mistaken. We're all aware that many humans are arrogant. They think more highly of themselves than they ought. Our entire culture is pointed in that direction. "You deserve ..." "You're wonderful ..." "Don't let anyone get in the way of your dreams." David declared, "But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people" (Psa 22:6). "No, no, we're not 'worms'. Don't say that." The famous hymn, Amazing Grace, originally said

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.

"No, let's not say 'wretch'." Some modern versions change it to "saved a one like me." Or "saved and set me free." We're not wretches. So "thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought" really is a problem. But ... I would contend that so is our "humility" version.

Some of us suffer from poor self image. We think we're useless or of little value or incompetent or the like. The modern term is "low self-esteem," but "esteem" refers to "worth," so I prefer the "self-image" term simply to indicate how we see ("image") ourselves. We fail to see any strengths or beauty or value or whatever and only see the worst. So we're not thinking more highly of ourselves as we ought; we're thinking more lowly of ourselves than we ought. And I suspect that's a bigger problem for many than the arrogant issue. But ... I would argue that this, too is arrogance -- thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. How? Well, Scripture says we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psa 139:14). David wrote, "You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb" (Psa 139:13). Who made you? God Himself. And, David affirms, "Wonderful are Your works" (Psa 139:14). So when we declare that we're ... less, inferior, useless, worthless, etc., we declare, "Nope, God! You're wrong!" We quarrel with our Maker, questioning His work (Isa 45:9). We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we tell Him, "Well, that's Your opinion; You're wrong."

It turns out that those who think more highly of themselves than they ought by seeing themselves as better than they are aren't alone in this. It turns out that our shaking of our fists in God's face, complaining about how poorly we are made, is just as arrogant. We see it as humility, but it's not. It's arrogance. And we ought to be thankful to the God who formed us and declare, "Wonderful are Your works." We ought to ... "think so as to have sound judgment," beginning with, "Lord, You're right."

Sovereign?

It's a common question. Is God actually Sovereign? "Yes," Christians affirm, but I put that "actually" there for a reason. We also affirm free will (with vague definition), so clearly we make choices. God doesn't make our choices for us. (There are those who argue against free will, but that won't work biblically, so let's not go there.) So how does that work? How do we have free will if God is actually Sovereign? This dichotomy causes all sorts of problems. The common perception is that God allows our bad choices and then works around them to produce a positive result. He had a better option, but we just made Him work harder with our poor choices. Maybe the negative consequences in our lives serve as punishment. So, well, yes, we affirm free will and God's Sovereignty, but He's still chasing our tails, so to speak, trying to get things back in line after we go muddling with it. But ... what does Scripture say?

God is Absolutely Sovereign

God is not "mostly sovereign." We like to think He's "sovereign" by which we mean He's mostly sovereign, but gives up some of His sovereignty to us. He retains overall sovereignty, but we still supply some good or ... make a mess of things. Scripture says, "Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (Psa 115:3). Whatever He pleases. No purpose of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2). He always does what He intends (Isa 14:24). He does as He pleases and no one can stop Him (Dan 4:35). He even controls governments (Prov 21:1). He is not a sovereign; He is the "only Sovereign" (1 Tim 6:15). "YHWH has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all" (Psa 103:19). Over all. Abraham Kuyper wrote, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'" Absolute Sovereignty.

We Have Free Will

We do make choices for which we are held accountable. Joshua told Israel, "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve," (Josh 24:15), nonsensical if we don't get to choose. Paul wrote, "Whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord" (Eph 6:8). We make choices. "Solomon says, "The heart of man plans his way, but YHWH establishes his steps" (Prov 16:9). We make choices, but God is ultimately in charge. If Scripture is to be believed, "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom 11:36) ... including your bad choices. But, Scripture holds both that God is Sovereign and we are responsible for our choices. In Luke, Jesus, talking about His betrayal, is quoted as saying, "For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" (Luke 22:22). In that, you see "determined" -- God's inexorable plan -- and "woe" -- the one who chooses to betray Him is held responsible for his choice. Perhaps this concept is seen most clearly in Genesis when Joseph's brothers apologized for what they did to Joseph. He told them, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Gen 50:20). Pay close attention. First, intent. They didn't intend good; they intended evil. No excuses; no justification. "But God ..." God intended good. Note it doesn't say, "God turned it into good." The language requires that when they intended evil, God intended good. God saw their evil intent and used it to produce His intended good. God's Sovereignty and our culpability.

Not all Pain is Punishment

Obviously punishment is painful, but a common misconception is that all pain is punishment. Scripture disagrees. The disciples assumed the man born blind suffered under punishment (John 9:2); Jesus told them he was made that way for God's glory (John 9:3). Scripture says, "The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives" (Heb 12:6). "Wait," some will say, "doesn't 'discipline' mean 'punish'?" No, not necessarily. "Punishment" is a penalty, while "discipline" is a training method. "Punishment" is punative while "discipline" is corrective. Believers, then, can never be "punished" for sin because our sin has been paid for. They can be "disciplined" as a result of sin, not as punishment, but as a corrective action. And not all pain is punishment or discipline, as in Paul's famous "thorn in the flesh" example where he was simply being taught not to exalt himself, but to be content with Christ (2 Cor 12:7-10).

God is Never Caught Off Guard

Still, we tend to think that our sinful choices fall outside God's plan. We fear that our choices can sabotage God's best plans for our lives. But God knows all things from the beginning (Psa 139:16). He doesn't have a "Plan B" for your life. His plan for your life is written before you are born. God doesn't cause your sin, but He knows about it in advance, plans for it, and uses it. You intend it for evil, but God intends it for good. Ultimately, we even know what that good is. "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom 8:28-29). What is the good? We are being conformed to the image of His Son. Why is it good "to those who love God"? Because that is the ultimate goal of everyone who loves God.

Sin is bad. No excuses. And we all sin. No exceptions. We all live with our choices and we all regret some. But we live under a Sovereign God who does anything and everything He pleases. No one can change that. He always accomplishes the good He intends, even if it's a seemingly circuitous route through bad choices and sin. Our loving Father will discipline us -- even though our sins are forgiven -- not as punishment, but as training, because He is always accomplishing His will and His ultimate will is to have His people shaped into a reflection of His Son. Without fail. Because He is ... the only Sovereign. You? You're just not that powerful.

Have This Mind

In his epistle to the church of Philippi, Paul urges unity (Php 2:1-2). How does he recommend arriving at unity? Easy.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Php 2:5-8)

Easy ... yet impossible. What Jesus did was to violate the basic nature of humans by being selfless. He "emptied Himself." The first part of the description gives us the scope of this emptying. He was "in the form of God." Not like a homeless guy offering to give up his cardboard box. He was God. And He set that aside ... all the way ... to death.

We're supposed to be like Christ. We're supposed to follow Him. It should be the greatest desire of every believer. So ... will we "have this mind"? Will we empty self? Or will we correct Him and suggest it's not reasonable? You can see how setting self aside would facilitate unity. Are we going to do that ... or just make stuff up as we go?

The Numbers Game

Most of us play a "numbers game" of some sort. We define success by numbers. Maybe it's dollars of income. Maybe it's number of church members. Maybe it's wins or friends or ... all sorts of things. Success is when we make the numbers. So ... in Christianity, what numbers would signal success?

Well, obviously, "righteousness" numbers won't work. Since Christianity is premised on our lack of righteousness and offers a righteousness not our own, that's right out. I know. Church size. Clearly the size of your church indicates its success, right? So getting people in is the best way to win this game. Any way you can. Entertain, shorten sermons, change musical styles, really pep things up. Right? I mean, we're told to be building up the church, aren't we? Or ... oh, I know. Converts. Like World War II aces, we could stamp a mark on our cars to indicate how many people we've led to Christ. I mean, we're told to spread the gospel, right? That's a pretty solid measure of success right there. Or ... is it? Although lots of people think that way, it doesn't work biblically. We aren't told to make converts. We're told to make disciples (Matt 28:18-20). And that process isn't one that can be counted because it's ongoing, continuous. "Teach them to observe all that I have commanded ..." So, no, not a numerical value. And not a function of converts. And we aren't commanded to build up the church. We're commanded to build up the body of Christ, to equip the saints, to attain unity and maturity (Eph 4:11-14). Another ongoing, continuous command that never ends and can't be counted.

We're not supposed to be making converts; we're supposed to be making disciples. We're not supposed to be building the church; we're supposed to be building up believers. We can get so mixed up with worldly standards that we make worldly programs to meet worldly goals ... for divine commands. It doesn't work. We need to obey, not make up metrics. We're supposed to sacrifice ourselves for God's work (Rom 12:1-2), not build up better systems. We so often seem to be missing the point ...

Allegiance

I was listening to a conservative news station as it explained the news of the day. Every piece of news regarding Trump's actions were reported with gusto about how wonderful he was. Over against that, the liberal news station had nothing but evil to say of anything Trump did that day. Why is that? It's a matter of allegiance. To whom are you allied?

We all operate on allegiances. Allegiance is loyalty or devotion to a person, group, cause, etc. All of us have loyalties to various things or causes. They inform our perspectives. In the case of Trump, we have something called "TDS" -- Trump Derangement Syndrome. It may refer to those so allied with Trump that they cannot see anything wrong with Trump. It may be those so dedicated to opposing Trump, that they can't see anything right with Trump. But our allegiances typically run deeper. Perhaps our allegiance is with the party -- Republicans for the GOP or Democrats for the Dems. Perhaps it is with the nation -- Americans for America. Others are for their race or their culture or their family or ... well, you get the idea. You can see how their response to, say, what Trump does might vary based on their allegiance.

Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). That's it, the same question. Where is your allegiance? Is it with Trump (or the other side)? Is it with your party or your nation? Is it with your spouse or your money? Or is it Christ? You see, your allegiance alters your views and reactions. If your allegiance is with anyone other than Christ, your reactions will be seriously flawed. So, give that a thought. Are you reactions to life aimed at an allegiance to Christ, or to something ... less? Anything other than Christ is called idolatry.

News Weakly - 3/8/2025

(Sorry about the brevity. I've been traveling this week.)

Say No to Moms
In case you hadn't heard, Wisconsin is pushing to eliminate mothers. Well, to redefine them as "inseminated persons." In order to be "more inclusive." Thus, "father" and "husband" and "wife" are also out. Gotta be "inclusive." So, remember, "Mother's Day" is out this May 11. Happy Inseminated Person's Day. And say goodbye to rational biology.

Values Clarification
Michael Moore is upset because deporting illegal immigrant children might be deporting someone who could have cured cancer. Given his strident stand on abortion, apparently none of the children killed in the womb could be as important.

Women's Rights
Because of our inability to separate "sex" and "gender" and can no longer define "woman," our government keeps working hard to strip women (actual women) of their just rights and protections. Science leaves no question that biological males and biological females are biologically different, but the Senate blocked protections for female athletes by insuring biological males (sex) who identify as females (gender) can continue to eliminate women's sports. "Thinking themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Rom 1:22).

Your Best Source for Fake News
Recent writings discover that Paul had so many shipwrecks because he failed to pray for traveling mercies. That explains a lot. In international news, Germany is committing to 100% electric vehicle terror attacks by 2035. And in medical news, a doctor says he'll be able to make a better diagnosis after he reviews a scan ... of your insurance benefits.

Must be true; I read it on the Internet.

The Fruits of Marriage

A friend of mine is the manager of the produce section at the local grocery store. He has a lovely fiance and I asked him when they planned to be married.

"Well, we cantaloupe because I have a honeydew list that would kill a kiwi. Besides, I think we could berry get by on what I make. I would get a second job, but I have to ask myself, 'How far should a mango?' I have some collectible books that are in cherry condition I could get rid of, so maybe after I visit the book celery might consider saving up for a wedding. I mean, she's a real tomato and we make a wonderful pear. She's been a great date. I'd have to be out of my gourd not to marry her. I'd have to be some kind of a nut. And all that stuff about 'You have to be ready' is a bit corny to me. Besides, I don't really give a fig if we're rich or anything, so we'll be wed someday, kumquat will. I'll come up with the cabbage somehow. Something will turnip. If we didn't marry, I'm pretty sure it would make artichoke. He's going to be my best man, you know. So I yam sure we'll get married soon. But I gotta get to work, so, when we get married, orange you going to come? If so, I'll cashew then. Lettuce catch up then, okay, Herb?"

I didn't have the heart to tell him my name wasn't Herb. And I should have known better than to ask in the first place.

Wars and Rumors of Wars?

I've heard more and more people telling me, "I just don't watch the news anymore." A few are because of the obvious and unavoidable bias ... from all sides ... but mostly, "It's just too disturbing." Climate crisis, pandemics, fighting, wars, killings, insane policies, outrageous governments, and far too much "What were they thinking?" And, I get it. I do. But ...

David writes, "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!" (Psa 37:1). "Okay, Dave, fine ... easy for you to say." But ... it is ... and for us, as well, if we see his reasoning.

Trust in YHWH, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in YHWH, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to YHWH; trust in Him, and He will act. (Psa 37:3-5)

Psalm 37 is a study in contrasts, with evil on one hand and God on the other. Evil is short and fleeting while God ... wins ... every time. And by "wins" I mean He accomplishes His will and does good for His people. Not merely "gets by" or "doesn't lose." "YHWH helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him" (Psa 37:40).

I don't actually know how others do it. How do they look at the news and cope? How do they manage the vagaries and tragedies of life and keep going? How do they make any sense of the world? For me, it's beyond me. Which is, precisely, the point. He's above me. He's in charge. And He wins. So ... I take refuge in Him.

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "YHWH reigns!" (1 Chr 16:31)

Silly Humans

I was raised in an exceptional Christian home. I was Bible-immersed as a very young child, went to Bible-based churches, attended a Christian school at my Bible-based church ... all very good stuff that has helped me in life. I remember, though, when I came across the doctrine of Election. You know the one. God chooses whom He will save. Well, I found that one difficult to swallow. But, literally over several years, I became convinced by Scripture and evident reason that it was unavoidable. Election was in the Bible whether I liked it or not. From Abel to Abraham, from Noah to Israel, from David to the 12 disciples and beyond, over and over God chose without regard to human deeds or will. Mind you, how Election works could be in question, but that it is true is not. It's interesting, in retrospect, thinking about the primary reason I resisted it so long. It wasn't because it was unclear in Scripture. It wasn't because competing voices had other equally compelling arguments. It was ... people. My thinking went something like this. How could a good, loving God choose to save some and not others? I mean, doesn't "good" and "loving" necessitate "save everyone"? Like good parents owe their children the best, doesn't our heavenly Father owe it to us? And, after all, isn't an eternity of damnation excessive in view of a temporal life of sin? I was, as it turned out, practicing the very thing that made God angry (Rom 1:25). I was serving the creature rather than the Creator.

It's a kind of a killing of God, if you think about it. I was trying to set God aside if He didn't correlate to my values. If He didn't meet my standards, He was really in trouble. I forgot that He was God. I was actually suggesting that if God didn't see humans as important as I did, He was wrong. I was asking the question upside down. Does Scripture say He chooses? Absolutely, without a doubt. Then don't shake my fist at Him for doing so; try to understand and realign my thinking. We know He has a great love for humans, but He certainly does not "feel warmly" for His creatures more than He loves Himself. That would be ... idolatry. So a just God must apply justice to a sinful race. Becaue He must be true to Himself. And, let's face it, attempted murder of God should be punishable by eternal death. If God is seriously concerned about His glory and we sin, falling short of that glory (Rom 3:23), it's not a minor problem. It's an eternal one.

We have a real hard time with this. We develop our own "good" ... even though Scripture says our hearts are deceived (Jer 17:9) and we're not good (Rom 3:12). Then we expect God to agree with us. If He doesn't, it's a problem. And most people are not willing to say, "The problem is with me." So we defend sinful Man against a Holy God and think we're doing a good thing. Silly humans.

Correlation and Contradiction

Jesus spoke of "eternal punishment" (Matt 25:46) and described hell as "eternal fire" and "unquenchable fire" (Mark 9:44). Revelation speaks of the "lake of fire" which contains those whose names are not found in the book of life (Rev 20:14-15). John recorded Jesus as saying, "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Clarifying, Jesus went on to say, "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (John 3:18). Which, of course, is the obvious corollary to "whoever believes ... have eternal life" -- "Whoever does not believe ... does not." But in this very passage we're faced with a dilemma. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him" (Joh 3:17). It cannot be avoided. Scripture is full of "eternal torment" kinds of warnings for unbelievers. The only way to avoid it is to deny it. Conversely, those who discard the "everyone gets saved" passages are equally unwise. You can't ignore either of them. Either they are actual contradictions and our Bibles are merely nice books to have around, but not authoritative or even trustworthy, or they are not. If they are not contradictions, deleting one or the other isn't necessary. But how do we correlate them while agreeing that both exist?

Paul describes Jesus Christ as the "ransom for all" (1 Tim 2:6) (a problem for those who deny the ransom concept). Paul writes that God is "the Savior of all people" ... then goes on to say, "especially of those who believe" (1 Tim 4:10). Now, that's odd. Apparently "those who believe" fall in a special category of "all men." So is it "all" or not? Not, apparently. So what is the "all"? What is Jesus's "the world might be saved" if it's not the world? It turns out "all" and "the world" mean different things in different contexts. (And we know it.) John writes of "the world" as the entire universe (John 1:10), the physical Earth (John 13:1), the world system (John 12:31), and more. He uses "the world" at times to mean "not believers" versus "believers" (John 7:7; 15:18). So it would be reasonable to argue that the "so" in John 3:16 is not a quantity, but a quality -- "God loved the world in this way ..." What way? Whoever believes receives. All who believe ... but only those who believe. So this "world" refers only to the elect. There is another possibility. Some passages are contingent. For instance, Jesus said, "...in order that the world might be saved through Him." In a similar sense, Jesus would be the only available ransom for all in 1 Tim 2:6 and the only available Savior for all men in 1 Tim 4:10. He is the actual Savior for those who believe ("especially of those who believe").

There are those who are content to sit on "God's Word contradicts God's Word" and still think they've got a useful document. There are those who are happy with cognitive dissonance, holding the Bible is true and not at the same time. But if "All Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Tim 3:16-17), neither of those options is valid. So we're stuck with "Are the sweeping warnings of eternal damnation real, or are the broad references to universal salvation real?" I can much more readily see, based on the texts and historic church beliefs, that one is true and the other is a misunderstanding. I cannot correlate Scripture's repeated warning of eternal punishment with "but it'll get better." But, please, don't let yourself toss out one text for another. Whatever you do, correlate; don't contradict.

Scripture Interpreting Scripture

There is a sort of habit in Scripture of attaching symbolic meaning to historical events. Israel in Egypt is compared to being enslaved in sin. The crossing of the Red Sea is a picture of baptism, of being freed from the enslavement of Egypt -- sin. Jesus is referred to as "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) in connection to the Old Testament sacrificial lambs. And on and on.

One of these interesting examples is found in Malachi.

"I have loved you," says YHWH. But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares YHWH. "Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert." (Mal 1:2-3)

God assures Israel that He has loved them. Picking up the real sons of Isaac, Jacob and Esau, He assures them that He loved Jacob ... the brother that was later named Israel ... the father of the people of Israel. He also assures them that He "hated" Esau. Now, that's kind of harsh, isn't it? No ... because it's God who says it. But Paul picks up this very text in his letter to Rome. Explaining that not all the children of the flesh are children of God (Rom 9:8), he uses Isaac and Rebekah as his example. Rebekah was told that the older would serve the younger (Rom 9:12). Then Paul draws from Malachi. "As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated'" (Rom 9:13). What is Paul talking about here? Some conflict between Jacob and Esau? Something about Israel and Edom? No. Paul is using these two as an example of ... election (Rom 9:11). Yep. In the ancient historical Jacob and Esau, God pointed in Malachi to how God loved Israel over other humans, and Paul carried it to the next level, where God chooses whom He will save without regard to birth or works (Rom 9:14-18).

Like the tricky "Out of Egypt" quote from Hosea that changed meaning in Matthew (Hos 11:1 vs Matt 2:15), this one seems to change, too. But ... not. In both cases it is about God's choice. In both cases it is about God's unconditional love (Jacob/Israel/the Elect). And in both cases it is also about God's wrath (Esau/Edom/unbelievers). God says He loved Israel ... by choosing to. (God says, "I have loved you" and they say, "How?" He says, "I have loved Jacob.") Can't get much better than that.