Category: Reflections Articles

In Galatians 4 the great apostle noted a change in his relationship with the churches in Galatia. It is generally agreed that the apostasy that threatened the churches had begun rather quickly, only a few short years after they were first established by Paul.  He went to Galatia and established churches there while on his first journey, recorded in Acts 13.

Consider how the apostle was treated by the Galatians when he came to them. There was an apparent physical infirmity from which Paul suffered while he was with them (13). They were very kind to him as he ministered among them. “And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus” (14). High praise indeed, bringing to our mind what Jesus said. In  response to the righteous who had cared diligently for the welfare of His “brethren” Christ said, “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’” Matthew 25:40. Paul went so far as to say, “For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me” (15). Continue reading “Paul’s Surprise” →

We have had the concept of sanctification as a particular touchstone in our preaching the last several months.  The sanctification of God’s people is a primary truth which not only impacts our redemption, but also our responsibilities to God and man.

In Hebrews 10, the writer takes time to establish Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth,  as  prophesied in Psalm 40:6-8. “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.’” In verses 8-10, the Hebrew writer comments on the meaning of the Psalm as it pertains to Christ.  This serves as the grist for these thoughts. Continue reading “Another Point on Sanctification” →

An examination of Ephesians 4:29 helps to explain the premise of our article. “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Important concepts here are edification and grace. Edification defined is “to build up…the act of one who promotes another’s growth in Christian wisdom, piety, holiness, happiness.” Such efforts to edify are required by God.  Grace is defined as “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech.” Our language toward one another should be to build up, to be that which will make us better and promote loveliness and righteousness rather than strife.

This is key — this job, this obligation to one another. It is a responsibility every child of God has to strengthen his brothers or sisters. Anything violating such an effort has no place, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth.” The next time you are tempted to speak without carefully considering to how it will impact your brother, you need to refrain. God expects us to take great care in how we speak. Continue reading “(6 of 13) Strengthening Each Other” →

All of us understand the importance of friendship. We grasp it when we are young. Perhaps that is why a little child can come tell their parent after an hour’s play, “Mommy, I have a new friend!” This desire and readiness to accept another as a friend, unfortunately, becomes more rare as we get older. Personalities, politics, religion, culture, and biases all begin to erect boundaries. Perhaps personal disappointment or unpleasant experiences make us more cautious and make it harder to foster close relationships.

Disappointed experiences change nothing about the benefit of friendship. We are told, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6). All of us need a voice we can trust and cherish, knowing that what they say may be difficult to hear, but it is said out of love and concern for us. A voice that comes from someone who we know is looking out for our interests.  In short, a friend. Continue reading “(5 of 13) The Warmth of Friendship” →

You are familiar with Jesus’ words to the Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…” (John 8:31-32). These words create what amounts to a litmus test to establish discipleship.

Let’s define a couple of terms. The first is litmus test. It is “a test for acidity or alkalinity using litmus.” Litmus is a dye that is added to paper, that when touched by acidic liquid turns red, and when touched by alkaline liquid turns blue. It is completely reliable and definitive. As such, the phrase “litmus test” has come to mean a test that decisively indicates a particular nature. Continue reading “The Litmus Test of Discipleship” →

In Nehemiah 2, we read of a conversation Nehemiah had with Artarxerxes, king of Persia. The work of rebuilding Jerusalem was not progressing, and Nehemiah was mourning the state of ruin the city and temple were in. His sadness was one he could not hide from the king. Presenting such sadness before the king was dangerous, and Nehemiah confessed, “So I became dreadfully afraid” (2:2).

The interesting verse is 4.  “Then the king said to me, ‘What do you request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven.” I have no doubt his prayer to God was a simple and quick one. It would be foolish to keep the king waiting. This did not preclude the prayer itself. Nehemiah felt the need to appeal to God before he appealed to the king. His prayer and request to Artexerxes was granted, and Nehemiah became a great leader of the Jews, overseeing the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Lord’s house. At the end of the book we find him praying to God again, “Remember me, O my God, for good!” (13:31). Continue reading “Two Prayers of Mourning” →

In Romans 3:23, Paul affirmed, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” This should be understood as a statement of fact rather than a necessary requirement for mankind. While it is true that we all have transgressed God’s commandments, we have free will and can choose not to succumb to any particular temptation which befalls us.

Jesus is the wonderful example to follow in this. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (4:15). Each of us fail because there is a war waging within us. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5:17). While  the apostle hits the nail on the head here, he also confidently affirms in the same context, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Continue reading “(4 of 13) Shoring Up Weaknesses” →

The title covers a portion of our men’s Sunday study where we discussed the book of Proverbs, covering the topic “Wisdom Regarding Speech.” I appreciate Justin leading our study, and the good material which was written by Mark Copeland. Our study of Proverbs has been very good.

The material emphasized how important it is for our speech to be positive. After warning about lying, deceitful flattery, gossip and cursing, the material covered the type of speech that should characterize us as Christians. While that may seem to be evident, the book of Proverbs has some gems for us to consider.

The three points made is that our speech should consist of 1) Good, 2) Timely, and 3) Controlled words. Here is a very concise treatment: Continue reading “The Constructive Use of Speech” →

Our title is taken from Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:36, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” While the context specifies words, the truth is that the concept of accountability is an integral part of God’s dealing with every aspect of mankind’s conduct — words, thoughts, and actions. The phrase Jesus used here, “they will give account” (apodid?mi logos), is defined by Thayer in this here as an “answer or explanation in reference to judgment.” “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). Continue reading “(3 of 13) Accountability is Important” →

Paul expressed an interesting principle about child rearing in Galatians 4. The purpose of the text was to show that in the fulness of time the Father sent Jesus to us to redeem us. We were as children, in bondage (slaves) to the elements of the world, until we became the heirs of God through Jesus. Here is the passage: “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father” (Galatians 4:1).

The reason the illustration is valid is that it in some way equates how earthly fathers deal with their children, to how God deals with us. So, let’s quickly examine a few points to be made from this one verse. Continue reading “The Treatment of a Child” →

As Christians we are part of God’s family. God is the Father (Matthew 23:9), Christ is the elder brother (Romans 8:29; Hebrews 2:11), and we have our relationship with them through adoption (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:3-6). The importance of this spiritual family with God as its Head can’t be overemphasized. It is because of it that we have the hope of eternity. Our hope is through adoption, as through it we become heirs, “that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:17).

Since matters of eternity trump temporal ones, it is right to say that our spiritual family is more important than our physical one. This is not to minimize our physical family and relationships. Jesus Himself is a wonderful example in this. He dearly loved his mother. One of his last acts before his death was to instruct His disciple John to care for her after His death (cf. John 19:26-27). However during His ministry Jesus showed His spiritual priorities as His physical family came to see Him and speak with Him. One of His disciples told Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”  Jesus’ answer was one that every Christian should consider carefully. “But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother’” (Matthew 12:48-50). Continue reading “(2 of 13) Knowing Your Brothers and Sisters” →

As we begin our new class this morning, I will start writing an article on each lesson to serve as a supplement to what we cover in the class.

The text of Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” This is the reading of the NKJ translation. The RSV puts it this way, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” The Amplified Bible (a translation and commentary in one) gets the general idea correct here in stating the obvious, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion].” Continue reading “(1 of 13) Iron Sharpening Iron” →

Most are familiar with these words. It happened during a feast held by the last King of Babyon, Belshazzar. The Bible states that Belshazzar was the son of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 5:2). There is some dispute by scholars as to this meaning, with some believing this indicates that Belshazzar was a descendent of the great king. Regardless, Belshazzar knew what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar because of pride (as stated in 4:19-37), and refused to learn the lesson Nebuchadnezzar had learned.

In chapter 5, we have the details given by the prophet regarding Belshazzar’s feast. It was a great feast for “a thousand of his lords” (5:1). It was a pretentious display of the king’s wealth, and in verse 4 we read, “They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.” Continue reading “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin” →

The text of Mark 10:32-34 states the beginning of the final stage of Jesus’s life as he began his journey to Jerusalem where he would be crucified.

“Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  ‘Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles;  and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again’”

As Jesus had already spoken to them twice about His eventual death, no doubt his determination to go directly to the source of his opposition (Jerusalem) was both amazing (“they were amazed”) and troubling (“they were afraid”) to His disciples. For a third time Jesus declares His impending death, this time to the twelve as He took them aside. Continue reading “Jesus Predicts His Death” →

John the Baptist was born to the priest Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth about 6 months before the birth of Jesus. His parents were faithful to God as Luke noted, “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). As with Jesus, great things were prophesied about John (cf. Luke 1:14-16), but we know only what Luke records about his early life. “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel” (Luke 1:80).

John first appeared publicly as a prophet of God in Luke 3, in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign. We are told that “he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God”’” (Luke 3:3-6). His call for Israel to repent showed the purpose of his ministry to prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah. Continue reading “John the Baptist” →