In many ways, there is no more complex job than that of a pastor/elder. The role of the elder demands that he be above reproach (not able to be rightfully accused), that he be absolutely dedicated to his spouse in every way, and that he be temperate (meaning alert and watchful). They must be men who examine EVERYTHING with a keen eye, understanding the days in which they live.
 
They are to be sensible or prudent (meaning "well-disciplined" and able to order priorities well). This describes a man who is serious about the spiritual nature of his role. There is no room for nonsense in his ministry because of the weight of the role.

He is to be respectable (meaning orderly). He is to have an ordered life, and the church is at the center of his life, never neglecting his other roles as husband or father. His own life must be ordered; otherwise, how could he be expected to keep the church's life in proper order? He is to be hospitable (meaning he has a love for strangers). His home must be open, hospitable, warm, and inviting to those around him. He realizes that what he has is to be in service to the Master. He is a steward, not a sole owner.
 
Lastly, the Scripture tells us that he is to be able to teach (he is to be skilled at teaching). This is the primary function of those who hold the title "elder" or "pastor." To be "able to teach," the man must possess a deep knowledge of doctrine. His role requires that he be able to reprove, rebuke, exhort, and teach. (2 Timothy 4:2) This is vital because if one is not adequately equipped in doctrine, he cannot fulfill the role of an elder. Instead of being a benefit to the flock of God, they will unknowingly bring harm.

On top of those things is the spiritual weightiness that is impossible to understand apart from being an elder. There are restless nights where you weep for the souls of those in the congregation who believe they are saved but are not. There are nights of heavy burden in prayer that the congregation would come to grasp Christ's beauty and would desire to be truly obedient. There are all of the difficult situations you must help people navigate biblically. There is a constant thought about how to help the congregation grow in their holiness and love for Christ. It is not an 8-5 job. The elder rarely stops thinking about the church from the time he wakes until he rests his head at night.

Paul expressed something of this weight in 2 Corinthians 11. He begins by speaking of the physical hardships he endures, and most elders sacrifice quite a lot to shepherd their people. Many make far less than the equivalent of their role in the world, often with no retirement, no insurance, and a meager living. He doesn't complain, grumble, and isn't bitter because he knows the task is worth it. People's spiritual lives are at stake. He trusts God, even as he often goes without. Of course, like Paul, sometimes there is abundance, but often there is lack, and he knows that is part of the role. Paul speaks of all of his physical difficulties, and then, in verse 28, he writes, "Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches." The elder feels the pressure of tending to the souls that God has entrusted to him; this is a weight only a good elder will know.

In addition to all of the above is the constant need to keep up with the world's dangers to the church. Is the music what it should be in the church, not according to preferences, but is it God-honoring worship? There is always the need to know what music groups are promoting, who they fellowship with, and what they teach outside of their songs. Is the group behind the song a threat, in any way at all, to the body? Beyond music, there is the challenge of knowing what social media has to offer those in the congregation in terms of temptations, false doctrines, dangers such as dangers to their marriages, dangers to their friendships, dangers to their worship, dangers to their doctrine.
 
There are a million avenues in today's world in which one can stumble onto genuinely terrifying heresy and just as dangerous, subtle encouragements to apathy. This is the burden of the faithful elder. He must know what trends may become a threat and diligently and wisely plan to combat them. What trends in general, what trends in media, what trends in academia, what trends in politics, schools, denominations, etc. Anything that may endanger the fold of God must be diligently guarded against, and this is the role of the elder because, as Hebrews 13:17 says, "for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account." The elder must know that he will stand before a holy and just God one day and give an account for those whom the Lord entrusted him with for safekeeping. This is the blessed and great burden of the elder. To accomplish this, the elder regularly reads, studies, researches, watches, and does whatever is necessary to appropriately keep up with what is going on in the world, and above all, bathes himself in the Word and in prayer.
Of course, the elder has the burden of the Lord's Day assembly. Every single detail he will answer for on the final day: the orderliness of the service, the music, the Scripture reading, the qualifications of those participating in the service, and the manner in which things are done. This is the Lord's day, and his burden is two-fold: firstly, to make sure everything that happens is pleasing to the Lord, and secondly, that the people grow in their knowledge and faithfulness in true worship. Of course, a primary focus is preaching the Word of God. And it must be preaching.

In other words, the sermon is more than just a lecture and more than just academic intellectualism spouted from the pulpit, nor is it to be a counseling session. Preaching well requires a life dedicated to studying the Word of God and constant care in learning how to better communicate the truths of God to the people of God. Preaching is meant to explain the text with the original author's intended meaning in such a way that it is understood by the congregation and can be applied to their lives. The sermon should cause the people to consider their own lives in light of the truth of the text and raise their affection for Christ. It should reprove at times, rebuke at times, exhort at times, and call people to greater faithfulness, all while increasing their dependency on Christ. This is the burden of the elder.
We constantly hear of men who were once faithful and who capitulated to the world. Perhaps they gave in to LGBTQ or made excuses for why they sang songs that shouldn't be sung in corporate gatherings, or maybe they didn’t address sin that they knew was happening in the church out of fear it might disrupt things. The need for the elder to be 100% sold out to the Word of God aboveall people, all opportunities, and all other things cannot be understated, but this requires great diligence on top of the many other responsibilities. Never can an elder let emotions or relationships become more important than truth.

Now, he must learn how to bring the truth in a loving and caring way, but he can never let truth take the backseat. While there are many ways to guard against this, the primary way is that he remains accountable to Christ. He must be a man of "the Book." And in all of this I've written above, the elder must know that he can not do it alone; he must have God's help. He must be totally and utterly dependent upon God himself, or he will fail and maybe even fall.

To Elders

I would encourage you brothers to evaluate yourself honestly before the Lord. Some of you need to step up and take your role more seriously. The people in your congregation depend upon it. If you care for your people, perhaps some of you need to step down and find a different role. Maybe you realize you aren't qualified, at least at this time. Perhaps you are better suited somewhere else, but heaven help you if you aren't qualified and, because of pride or arrogance, refuse to step down and have to be judged in the end. James 3:1 says, "Do not, many of you, become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment." For others of you, you are faithful, striving to run the race well, and need a reminder that Christ is indeed with you, strengthening those of you whom he has called particularly to the office of elder. Keep running well, brothers.
 
Christians

To you, I encourage you to pray for your elders now that you have what is truly a small glimpse of what it is to be called to the office of an elder. They desperately need your prayers and support. Do not make shepherding you a difficult task for them. They weep over you, pray for you, constantly think of your spiritual well-being and growth, and let them do so with joy. Support them in whatever way you can, and use your gifts to encourage and love them, not only as elders but as fellow heirs of the promise. Do good for them, serve in the church, let them know you are growing in the Lord, and let them see your love for Christ and others. There are a million practical ways to support and encourage your elders. Think through some and do them occasionally. You are just as important to them as they are to you. You need them, and they need you. The work is a spiritual battle, be their greatest cheerleader.
 
I pray this short article will encourage some, perhaps lovingly rebuke others, but will ultimately strengthen your local church, whether you be an elder or a member, by helping you contemplate the realities of the calling of elder.    

Scripture teaches us that the way to eternal life is narrow, and the path to destruction is broad (Matthew 7:13-14). But it is also true that once the Christian is set on the path of eternal life, all of life is a battle for the Christian to stay on the straight path, never veering to the left or the right.

Every doctrine, every attitude, and every theological truth is a narrow path on which we must walk without succumbing to the ditch on either side. Think of it this way: there is one narrow path on which truth lies perfectly consistent and untainted and two broad ways on either side, leading to doctrinal destruction.

In an age where overactions rule the day, it is easy for believers to find themselves trudging into the ditch to the left or the right.

The world around us cares nothing about truth. In the West, nearly everything is politicized and manipulated for money or power and, as society declines, many see the desperate need to stand for truth. Christians are these people. The Christian is one who is found by the truth, saved by the truth, kept by the truth, and lives by the truth. But in a world of increasing cynicism, violence, and hard-heartedness, there is a great danger for the Christian walking on the path of truth.

On the left side of the path of truth lies the temptation to remain silent, become soft, or excuse sin by some notion of compassion, all of which ultimately leads to further compromise and, worst case scenario, making shipwreck one's faith. The Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to flee from anything sinful and to pursue righteous living and a life consistent with the faith (1 Tim 6:11).

Sadly, the left ditch is the ditch that tends to minimize the sins of the world, either to appear more friendly or to avoid some form of persecution, but ultimately, it is a form of turning from God and to the world. In a real sense, it is a denial of Christ, no different than Peter’s own denial. Regardless of whether it is some third-wayism, a slight accommodation of sins deemed to be minor, the entertainment of twisted doctrines such as feminism, or the outright redefining of certain sins, the left path of liberalism in the Christian life is a deadly one, like a reef awaiting to sink an unaware vessel on the sea. The Christian must stay on the narrow path of truth and stand firm against any doctrine or philosophy that is at odds with the teachings of Christ.

On the right side of the path of truth lies a different danger. While the dangers of the left ditch may tempt some professing Christians, and undoubtedly many have fallen prey to it, many others are in danger of the right ditch of contentiousness, callousness, and hardheartedness. The right ditch is the temptation of those who indeed love the truth and are fixated upon it. They are tired of the lies and liberalism and its destructive powers and seek to respond boldly but do so in a way also contrary to the character and nature of Christ. There is a ditch on both sides.

In this right-hand ditch lies the temptation to fight back so aggressively that the heart hardens against its opponents, no longer wishing for their salvation but hoping for their destruction. Of course, few would dare say this was the desire, but the actions betray the profession, and the right ditch makes monsters of men, haters of those who once loved, brawlers of the innocent, and tyrants of those who once hated tyranny.

It was our Lord who said, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Matthew 5:44) and “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46).

While the ditch to the left of the path of truth tempts one to lighten the truth, the ditch to the right tempts one to tighten the truth. One side is lawlessness, and the other is legalism and harshness. The right ditch has forgotten Paul's words to the Galatians, which is that brothers caught in transgressions should seek their restoration in gentleness (Galatians 6:1).

This ditch causes a hardness of heart like a blade quenched in oil and is in danger of the lasting effects of the same. Instead of proclaiming the truth so that the captives might be set free, this ditch causes one to proclaim the truth as a bludgeoning weapon rather than an instrument of illumination. Those who fall into the right ditch often become the self-proclaimed arbiters of truth, defenders of their own ideas and versions of truth, even straying themselves, typically towards legalism or moralism, and should they remain in biblical truth, they lose the focus and purpose of truth to bring glory to God and salvation to men. It becomes nothing more than a tool in their arsenal for the victory they pursue.
Both the left and the right rob the man of true faith. Both become like a parasite slowly draining the life from its host, but the narrow path is altogether righteous. The narrow path is the path that beckons Christians to orient their life to Christ. They are bold as lions, standing on God’s Word, never flinching, never relenting, never compromising, never apologizing for what the Bible says. They are warriors, wearing the full armor of God, knowing that the battle is NOT against flesh and blood, but against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6). And though they are bold as lions, they are also gentle as lambs living in light of Colossians 3:12, which says, “So, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

They consider Ephesians 4:29 which teaches that we are to speak only those words which are good for building up, giving grace to those who hear. Those who walk in the narrow path live with righteous indignation towards sin and the wicked while guarding against ungodly hatred, which is the sin of murder. The narrow path teaches a deep hatred of sin and a deep desire to see the sinner come to the saving knowledge of Christ.

The Christian is called to the narrow path, and while on that path, they are called to the center, resisting the temptation to drift to the left or the right. They have an aid that continually guides their path straight down the middle, which is the Holy Spirit working through His Word and the church. Christian, do not let the world tempt you to either side, know your proclivities and guard your heart against the ditch that would seek to cripple your walk and your witness.  Remember that your calling is to do whatever you do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), being both as bold as the lion and as gentle as the lamb.

Emotions: The Master or the Slave?


When God created man, He created a masterful work. Not because man is special in and of himself but because God made man in His image. Of course, after the fall, things changed. From that moment, man was corrupted in every way. We read about the state of man in Ephesians 4.
In the beginning, God gave emotions to be part of the makeup of man, which allows him to experience the good creation that God has made. They let man experience the range of senses: joy, laughter, delight, awe, and then, as a result of the fall, we have the corrupted, sinful nature that taints that which was once perfect, and now we not only experience a range of emotions that are negative such as pain, sorrow, anger, etc., but we also must battle the reality that we are often at war with our emotions. We understand from the pages of Scripture that the negative emotions are a result of fallen mankind because we read in Revelation 21:4, “and He will WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away” (LSB).
What a day that will be when our emotions are renewed as we are made whole, perfected in Christ, and realized. But until that day, we are to, as Paul says to the Ephesians, “walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Eph. 4:1). That requires us to become masters of our emotions. Our emotions are so easily manipulated, well, by just about everything, but we must not let our emotions rule us. Rather, they need to be subjected to the truth of Scripture and brought under the rule of the word of God because, in reality, when our feelings are contrary to Scripture, they become one of our greatest enemies—a hindrance to our Christlikeness.

It's not enough to merely suggest that we are to master our feelings lest we become a slave to them rather than to truth; we must consult the pages of Scripture. What we find, both is the need, command, and ability given, implicitly and explicitly, to become masters of our emotions rather than a slave of our emotions.

In Romans 12:18, we are told to live peaceably with all as far as it depends on us. This implies a level of control over our emotions that leads to being able to live peaceably with others. We understand that to live peaceably often requires overlooking transgressions against us, giving the benefit of the doubt, and forgiveness, all of which are attached to and inseparable from emotions. To live peaceably requires one to be a master of his own emotions for the sake of obedience to the word of God. In other words, emotions must be subject to and ruled by a desire to exhibit godliness in one’s life.

Proverbs 16:32 says, "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." In other words, it is a mightier man who can control their emotions over one who could conquer a city. The expectation is that we can indeed rule over our spirit, over our emotions. This isn’t to say that it is always easy, but it is to say, it is not only possible, but a mark of the mighty.

In Galatians 5:22-23 we are given the fruit of the Spirit, one of which is self-control. This really doesn’t need any explanation, but we must acknowledge the fact that not only is control of our feelings expected, but it is expected because we have been given the Holy Spirit who’s fruit in our life is self-control. If self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, then we must deduce that we are not, as the world teaches, “to be free-spirited,” but rather to be self-controlled; otherwise, this would not be a fruit necessarily born of the Spirit of God in us. To be self-controlled in our emotions is to reflect something of the character and nature of God and is to be greatly desired in the Christian life. After all, we are to walk in a manner worthy of the calling.

In Proverbs 19:11, we read, "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense." Being easily offended is simply a sign of immaturity, demonstrative of one who lacks sanctification. There is no shortage of this kind of behavior on display today and social media has made this even easier to witness, but the Christian ought to be hard to offend in general and quick to forgive.

In Colossians 3:5 it says, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." We ARE able to put to death passions, which means we can and should control our emotions. The imperatives in the Scriptures not only give us the “what we should do,” but they also enlighten us as to what we have been given the ability to do. God never commands what cannot be done; that would be cruel, and we’ve already discovered that self-control is a gift of God through the work of the Holy Spirit who resides in every believer, and therefore, we can, because of the grace of God, through the work of Christ and the Spirit indwelling us, control our emotions so that they bring honor to the name of Christ and help us function, not as the world does around us, but to the glory of God and for the good of those around us.

The article started by mentioning the fact that our emotions can be easily manipulated, perhaps an illustration, which will no doubt be common all, will be helpful. Imagine the last time you cried in a movie (we’ve all done it). You are sitting in front of the screen and some huge event has just taken place in the movie, perhaps someone dies. The scene darkens, the music is somber, others in the movie are weeping over this tragic loss, this seeming untimely death and then comes the tear trickling down your face. We’ve all experienced something like this, perhaps the scene was an incredibly joyful one, but in either case our emotions were manipulated by the masterful workings of the movie industry.
There are many dynamics in play here, but let’s just address the fact that our emotions, as they say, “got played.” That person never died; in fact, they aren't even real, and you knew it. You knew it was just a movie; in some cases it's a cartoon or animation, and yet, your emotions were moved based on something completely fictional.
So consider how much more our emotions can be tricked in the real world when we often only have a small portion of the picture and next thing you know, the temper flies, unforgiveness begins to fester, motives are questions, wrongs are internalized, and the whirlwind of emotions rule our mouths and attitudes. The good news is that God has given us what we need to exercise restraint, and self-control, and every believer has this because they have been indwelt by the Spirit of God. So, the wise man or woman will strive to let truth rule them and not emotions. As we study and read the Scriptures, we come to know and understand not only the commands of Scriptures but the character and nature of Christ, allowing us to respond because we are looking to the One who created our emotions and has given us the ability to bring them into submission for His glory and this in turn blesses us and those around us.
Contrarily, when we allow our emotions to rule us, evil will always be lurking nearby. Whether it’s bitterness taking root through unforgiveness, unbridled rage that is not godly indignation, or various other ungodly passions, the result is that we have allowed ourselves to become slaves of emotion rather than the masters, so take great care, dear Christian, to pay close attention to your emotions, knowing that the Spirit of God within you gives you all you need to live according to truth rather than the fickle frailty of feelings.

The Pulpit Speaks

Where have all the pulpits gone? It is not uncommon today to visit a church and see a man standing on the sanctuary’s floor speaking to the congregation with no pulpit in sight. Perhaps he uses a music stand or sits at a small round table if he uses anything at all. Often, the idea is that this closeness to the congregation, or less traditional feel and a more casual style, is more engaging, less intimidating, and feels more like a conversation than preaching. The pulpit, or lack thereof, is always an intentional choice—always meant to communicate something. But is that what we should be aiming for? Should the congregation feel like the preacher is having a conversation with them? Should the Word preached be something that seems more casual? The real question is, what does the pulpit say that would make one remove it?

The very fact that there is a conversation about whether or not to use a pulpit demonstrates that the pulpit does indeed speak. The pulpit has something to say, but what? To answer this vital question, a little tour of history is helpful. First, the word itself, pulpit, comes from a Latin term meaning “scaffold” or “platform.”

The pulpit is not a new invention, though style and placement have changed over time. The first recorded mention of the pulpit is from around AD 250 from Cyprian. But before that, there certainly were platforms from which men would speak, indicating that something worth hearing was being said. The Greek bema was used in ancient times in Athens, and in the synagogues, it was used for Torah reading. So, the concept is nothing new.

From Cyprian into the 400s, one would find the pulpit in church construction. But then something interesting happened, and it happened because the pulpit speaks; in other words, it represents something. In the medieval era, the pulpit was pushed to the side by the catholic church to make mass prominent. Why is this such an issue? This is where we answer the question, “How does the pulpit speak?” The pulpit speaks in that it represents the very word of God. This is where the word of God is heralded, explained, and brought to bear on the lives and hearts of the people of God. The pulpit is really a metonym for God’s word, much like the crown is for a king. And this is why it is so vital. What happened in the medieval era is that God’s Word was set to the side, viewed as less important than the mass. When the Word of God becomes less important than other things in the church, the pulpit often disappears.

Faithful men, both past and present, have understood that the pulpit speaks. For Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the pulpit was the place where the Gospel was to be heralded and the Scriptures explained. It represented the Word of God brought to the people of God. J. C. Ryle, a stalwart defender of the faith, spoke of what happened in the pulpit as that which impacted the entire church, saying, “If you want to warm a church, put a stove in the pulpit.” John MacArthur, one of today’s most faithful preachers, repeatedly speaks of the need to guard the pulpit, and in his book, Parable: Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed through the Stories Jesus Told, he addresses the problem in many churches today, and the absence of the pulpit saying, “In some cases, the pulpit is totally gone, replaced by a stage and a screen.” Faithful preachers understand that the pulpit speaks.

We live in a day and age where conversations, counseling sessions, skits, sermonettes, and entertainment are valued over the preaching of God’s Word. If not that, then the idea of not being above the people or wanting to connect more deeply with the people is the reason for the removal of the pulpit. But then one must ask, is the Word of God not an authority above the people? Is it more connection to the preacher that the church needs, or is it the Word of God that the church needs? Does the congregation need a conversation with the preacher, or do they need to hear from Heaven through His Word? Do God’s people need to feel entertained, or do they need God’s truth brought to bear on their lives? Of course, the rhetorical nature of these questions makes the answers clear.

The reformers understood the symbolism behind moving the pulpit, and they understood what it meant to move it back to the center of the church above the people. Luther, the man who nailed the 95 theses to the Wittenburg Castle church, said this concerning the pulpit, “The pulpit is the throne for the Word of God.” Charles Spurgeon also understood that which the pulpit represents, saying, “If there be a place under heaven more holy than another, it is the pulpit whence the gospel is preached.” The pulpit speaks because it represents the heralded Word of God. The Bible is no mere book, and its words are not the words of a mere mortal. No! They are the very words of Almighty God. They are the King’s words, and they are indeed above us. They alone guide us into all truth, direct us to paths of righteousness, pierce our hearts, renew our minds, and convict us of our sins and deep dependency upon almighty God and the atoning death of Christ.
 
The pulpit in the church says many things. It says, “This church is ruled by the word of God.” It says, “These people are beneath the Word of God as sheep being led by the great Shepherd.” The pulpit speaks, crying aloud for all with ears to hear, saying, “Listen! Listen! From me comes the great words of the King as preached from the King’s book.” The pulpit speaks, pleading with the hearer to look up, not to a preacher, but to the words preached that come from the one who is worthy to be looked up to, the Sovereign King of the universe. The pulpit shouts out loud, “Look, listen, and obey, and receive life from this Gospel preached here.” This is what the pulpit speaks. And when it is removed, its voice is silenced. The communication, no matter how sincere, is always something less, something lower, something less powerful. The church doesn’t need to hear from a man standing on the same level as them, having a conversation with interaction; the church needs to hear from almighty God. Let’s bring back the pulpit, and with a right understanding for that which it is meant to represent, the Word of God, rightly taking its place over the lives of all who call Christ “Lord.”


**Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly

Pew Theology: An Introduction to the Doctrine of God’s Word


There is nothing more potent, captivating, or essential than God’s Word. There is nothing as true, pure, or necessary as God’s Word. It is the only source of absolute truth for all things about which it speaks, and God’s Word is fundamental to the Christian and the Christian faith.

Without God’s Word, we would have no guide for the Christian life. We would have no source of absolute truth. We would have no sure knowledge of God’s nature and character. We would be left to pure speculation as to the condition of man, left to trust only in our own fickle feelings and vain imaginings.

Without God’s Word, we would have no true knowledge of Christ, no way to know the truth of who Christ is and what He has done, no sure way to redemption, and no knowledge of the gospel, which is the power unto salvation.

Even faith, we are told in Romans 10:17, “comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” There is nothing more necessary for the Christian than God’s Word. And there is nothing more revealing about Christians than what they believe about God’s Word. This is why the doctrine of the Word of God, or “Bibliology,” is a vital doctrine for the Christian to understand.
 
It is all too common today to hear someone profess to be Christian and yet reject the Bible as God’s authoritative, infallible, inerrant, all-sufficient Word. Inevitably such individuals are weak in faith, if they are even truly in the faith, and find themselves struggling, suffering, hopeless, helpless, and anemic in their faith. This is the future for Christians who have a low view of God’s Word.

Contrarily, the Christian who is full of life and vigor, walking circumspectly, fully assured by the truths of Scripture, and constantly pointing others to the same, will be the Christian who holds the highest view of God’s Word. The healthy Christian will be the one who has a sound theology of the doctrine of the Bible and lives his life in light of that knowledge.
It is necessary when considering the doctrine of the Bible, to answer the question: what do you mean by “God’s Word?” The phrase is used in more than one way in Scripture. First, we understand that the phrase is used of Jesus Himself. In John 1:1–4, we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” 
Looking down to verse 14, we read, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” So here, we understand that the Word is referring to Jesus. Then, in Revelation 19:3, Jesus is again called “The Word of God.” So, sometimes the Word of God refers to Jesus. This is important to us because it means that Jesus is the primary person of the Trinity who conveys to us the will of God. He is the living Word of God.

We understand “the Word of God” in other places in Scripture to be when God the Father speaks, such as in Genesis 1 where God spoke light into existence and He created, by His Words, the world. We also see other forms of God’s Word, such as when God has spoken directly to people (e.g., Adam and Eve, Moses, et al.).

Then there is God’s Word that comes through His servants. These are God’s very Words communicated by human lips. God told Moses in Exodus 4 that He would give Moses the words to say to Pharaoh. Therefore, when Moses spoke to Pharaoh, it was God speaking through Moses. When the Apostles spoke in the name of the Lord, they did so inspired by God and therefore were speaking the Word of God.

Lastly, we have God’s Word in written form—the Bible. The Bible is the combination of all of the other forms of God’s Word put together. This makes it a book unlike any other. The Bible isn’t merely a book; it is the Book. It is the very Word of God. The Old Testament alone attests to the fact that this is the Word of God over 2500 times. In the New Testament, we find the phrase “the Word of God” over 40 times.

Peter preached the Word of God. The record in Acts 11:1 says, “Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God.” The Apostle Paul defends his teaching as the very Word of God in 2 Corinthians 2:17, which says, “For we are not like many, peddling the Word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, in the sight of God, we speak in Christ.”

In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul again refers to his teaching as the Word of God, “And for this reason, we also thank God without ceasing that when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the Word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.” Of course, everyone is familiar with the 10 commandments, which were first written with the finger of God in Exodus 31:18; then, as Moses neared the end of his life, we see that he wrote God’s Word: “So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel” (Deut 31:9).

In Isaiah 30:8, God tells Isaiah, “Now go, write it on a tablet before them and inscribe it on a scroll, That it may serve in the time to come As a witness forever.” Of course, all that Jesus preached was the Word of God and so, too, is all the Words of the Apostles recorded in Scripture.

By now, you can see why this is so vital for us to understand because when we think of the Bible rightly, as the very Word of God, it should change how we view the Bible. For many believers, the Bible is many things—a good book, a book that contains some of God’s Word, a book that is about Jesus, or about God’s Word, or perhaps they even refer to the Bible as God’s Word, but they’ve never really thought through the implications of that.
This means that when you are reading the Bible, you are hearing from Almighty God. The reason the congregation traditionally stands at the plain reading of the Word is because God’s Word is to be elevated above all others. There should always be a sense of awe and fear in those who hear the Word of God because God’s Word is not like man’s word. It is holy, righteous, and powerful.

When you open your Bible, you are hearing from the same God that spoke to Moses on the mountain, the same God that spoke from Heaven at Christ’s transfiguration. You are hearing from God Himself, in written form. This is the God that created the world and all that is in it, the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent sovereign of all creation.

Theology should never be merely a mental exercise, so how does this brief understanding of God’s Word affect us? How does this change the way you view the Bible? This should change everything about how we handle the Bible. When you read the Bible, you are reading God’s very Word; when you interpret Scripture, you do so carefully, prayerfully, and obediently because you are handling God’s Word.

For the one who really gets this, the Bible comes alive as that which it truly is, not merely a book about God’s Word but actually God’s Word. This theology of the Bible should impact your life because when you open your Bible, understanding that it is the very Word of God, you are deeply impacted by verses like Hebrews 4:12, which says, “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

This is such a fundamental truth of the Christian faith because if you get this doctrine wrong you are left to mere speculation, human imaginings, and deceptive experiences and are left to wander aimlessly through this life without fixed truth. But the one who comes to grasp the true nature of Scripture will see God, hear God, and be filled with the joy, hope, encouragement, and training that God grants through the knowledge and obedience to His Word.

Christian, the Bible is the Word of God, every page, every book, from beginning to end, and the one who embraces it, obeys it, and lives in it will see Christ and live. As Justin Peters often says, “If you want to hear God, read your Bible and if you want to hear God audibly, read it out loud.”

**Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly 

God Made Them Male and Female: Creation and the Issue of Homosexuality

It is all too popular today to hear things such as, “The Bible never talks about homosexuality,” but is that claim true? The reality is that the Bible speaks to the issue directly, indirectly, in an implied manner, principally, theologically, and biologically.
For the purpose of this writing, let us address the issue’s theological treatment briefly. Jesus speaking, as recorded in Mark 10:6–9 says, “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. ‘What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.’”

Now, here one might ask, “What does this have to do with homosexuality? That’s a good question; let’s dive into the theology here. From the very beginning, God created male and female. This is important because we return to the creation account, which God said was “very good.” In this account, we find God’s grand design for many things, specifically romantic relationships.

The first thing to recognize is that only two sexes are created, only two, male and female. There was no distinction between biological sex and gender, the sex is the gender, and the gender is the sex. So, what is male is male, and what is female is female, and they cannot be changed no matter how much someone wishes it so— no more than a goldfish can decide to become an eagle, can a man choose to become a woman or vice versa. This is God’s design made known to us.

But there is so much more to learn from this passage; we also see God’s grand design for the most intimate of all relationships, the marriage union in which we find two different and complementary parts that need one another. We know that a man needs a woman and a woman a man because when God created man, in Genesis, he said, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper” (Gen 2:18). So God’s perfect match for man was not another man, not an animal of some sort, or any other thing God could have made, but a woman. In other words, God created what was perfect and right from the very beginning, and to twist that is to defy and reject what God has said “is very good.”
 
Another aspect we must consider in this passage is that an inseparable union happens in this God-ordained union. This union has a purpose, and something deeply spiritual happens—the two become one flesh. This describes the consummation of a proper, God-ordained marriage between one man and one woman. Then, to add gravitas to the result of the two coming together, Jesus adds the words, “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

It is God who created the institution of marriage, and so God is the only one allowed to define it. Anytime a modification is made to God’s design, it is to first and foremost place oneself above God by effectively saying, “God’s way isn’t best.” Can you imagine standing before the living God and telling Him that you know better? That would be a frightening prospect. Beyond that, it is pure rebellion, and ultimately the very thing Satan would want; it’s the same tactic he used in the garden—“Did God actually say?” (Gen 3:1).
Because God has created the man and the woman, defining both as well as the union that is to happen between the two, no man can change the truth of what are a man and a woman or how to define marriage. All other sexual relationships fall into the category of sexual immorality.

These are truths with which all men must come to terms. So how does the Christian address this issue with others? And if you are reading this article and are in support of a relationship that is outside of God’s ordained plan for marriage, what should you think?
For those who may be reading this and who have been supportive of homosexuality, fornication, or any other perversion of God’s design, or perhaps you are in one of these relationships yourself, it’s time you acknowledge the truth of what you’ve just read. That you support or are involved in something that is in opposition to God’s ordained design is important to recognize because you now possess the knowledge for which you will be held accountable when you one day die and see God face to face.

You also need to know that the wages of sin is death (spiritual death); in other words, every sinner is condemned to an eternity in Hell, where there will be suffering for all time. Finally, you need to know that whether you are a liar, having premarital sex, a homosexual, or give approval to these things, none who give themselves to that which God deems sin will enter heaven, and all of these will go to Hell.

But there is good news, and there is a way out. The reality is that man, deep down, knows that homosexuality isn’t a natural relationship, and I have no doubt that you find yourself in a place where you are just never content and are struggling inside. This is the testimony of so many who have been freed from their sin, whether one admits it or not, but this doesn’t have to be true any longer. You can find peace and be free from the bondage in which you find yourself. Though every sinner deserves hell, there is hope. Because of the love of God, Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty owed due to sin for all of those who would turn away from their sin and cast themselves on Christ for salvation from sin and hell. So if you will, this day, repent of your sin, including your homosexual lifestyle, and believe in Christ. He will be loving and gracious and save you!

Don’t live another day in defiance of God; tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and if you die in your sin, Hell is real and will be your reality for all of eternity. Repent now and be saved.
For the believer reading this article, we must remember that we are not of this world, though we are in it. Our eyes are fixed on heaven, and we should desire to take everyone we can with us. The liar, the fornicator, the adulterer, the gambler, or the homosexual are not our enemies; they need what we have—the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are the fields, white for harvest; they are the souls wandering in the darkness needing the light, they are the children of the darkness of this world needing to be rescued, and more importantly, some of them are our brothers and sisters in the Lord yet to be saved.

It is not loving to refrain from speaking out or avoiding conflict. Love is recognizing that people are fast on their way to Hell, and we are the only thing that stands in their way because God has chosen people to proclaim the Good News that saves. Consider the words of Charles Spurgeon, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.” Don’t miss the opportunities to love your fellow man trulyby calling him to repent and showing him the beauty of Christ and Him crucified.

**Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly  

Why We Should Study Theology

Before making the case for why we should study theology, we should answer the question, “What is theology?” It’s made up of two words: Theos and logia, which subsequently means “God and word.” It literally means “a word about God.” Simply stated, theology is the study of God. In answering the question, “Why should we study theology?” this article will provide five compelling reasons to commit to theological studies in today’s world. My hope is that by the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of why theology is essential for the Christian and find yourself eager to engage in diligent pursuit of it.

The first reason—and arguably the most important reason—to study theology is that theology should be a way to experience the Word in the mind, heart, and life of the believer. It should never be merely an academic pursuit of knowledge about God, but rather a pursuit of knowledge whereby the average Christian in the pew seeks to understand the Christian faith and all that is in Scripture so that it changes his life, raises his affections for Christ, and promotes personal holiness. Any study of theology that does not accomplish these things, at least in part, is not a true study of theology but rather an intellectual activity void of any true meaning.

The Christian should open their Bible with the expectation that it molds, shapes, and changes them, conforming them in greater measure into the image of Christ as they learn and apply the Scriptures to their lives. Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones once said, “If our so-called faith does not lead to any kind of experience, then I doubt whether it is Christian at all. Our faith must be living, real, and experimental.” We must approach theological studies with the same attitude. It must be living, real, and experimental. Learning theology should cause you to encounter the living God through His Word, over and over, to such a degree that your love for God, the church, fellow man, and Christ grows exponentially.
Second, Christians should study theology to understand God’s nature and character. If we want to know the God we call Heavenly Father, who adopted us into His family, then we need to learn His character and nature. The Bible is the only place to learn about who God is as He has revealed Himself to us.

For instance, how do we know that God is compassionate, loving, and just? We read in Exodus 34:6–7, where Moses meets with the Lord to replace the Ten Commandments, “Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.’”

We know God is compassionate, loving, and just because that is what Scripture teaches us about God. Coming to learn these things about God through theological study should have an impact on the life of a Christian because now you know that when you pray to God, you can know with certainty that you are praying to a compassionate and just God.
The Bible is filled with God’s attributes and teaches us much about who God is, which should make us want to study theology.

Third, studying theology helps us delight in the Person and Work of God. Again, theology is not all about head knowledge, though it can never be less than that. It is about coming to know God and His works of creation in such a way that you find yourself in awe of such an incredible God.
 
We read in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God, and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” A true study of theology should cause us to consider who God is and what He has created, causing us to cry out as King David did in 2 Samuel, saying, “For this reason, You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

The more we learn about who God is and what He has done, the easier it is to recognize who we are in relation to who He is and live accordingly. If we are to have a deep affection for God, we must come to know Him truly.

Fourth, studying theology uncovers God’s plan for mankind. The only way to truly understand man is to hear what God has to say about him. For instance, Genesis tells us about the relationship we were meant to have, and the proto-evangelium in Genesis reveals God’s solution to man’s sin problem. The Apostle Paul helps us understand human depravity and the wickedness of Sin, and then we see God’s love and plan for redemption in the person and work of Christ. And in Revelation, we see the return of Christ, his response to mankind, and man’s final dwelling place with God.

From Genesis to Revelation, we get a full understanding of who mankind is in relationship to God as far as God has been pleased to reveal it. We see whom we were created to be and what God has done to deal with the issue of sin. We learn what the natural state of the heart is due to total depravity, and we learn what it means that we are given a new heart.
We study theology so that we have God’s view on the heart and purpose of man before and after the fall and for eternity.

Lastly, the Christian should study theology to love and serve Christ as Lord and Savior faithfully. So few people truly know much about Jesus’s character and nature. We profess to love Christ, but do we really know Him? Many professing Christians know some details about Jesus. They know He was compassionate, they know He healed the sick, they know that He died for our salvation, but many professing believers couldn’t tell you what John means in 1 John 2:2 when he says of Christ, “And He is the propitiation for our sins.” They couldn’t tell you about Christ’s deity, His oneness with the Father, or talk to you about the fact that He is, in fact, God: the second person of the Trinity.

These aren’t just facts about Jesus; this is who He is as a person. Many believers know so little about the One they call Savior. Jesus was truly man and he was also truly God. These doctrines matter because if you serve a Jesus who was a man and not God, then you serve a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible. If you serve a Jesus who was God and not man, then you serve a different Jesus than the Jesus of the Bible. Every heresy known ultimately touches the person and work of Christ.

If we are to love Christ truly, then we must know Him, understand who He was and is, what He believes about sin and salvation, what He expects from those who follow Him, and how He views those who call Him Lord and Savior. The only place to learn these things is in the pages of Scripture.

There are things that prove we truly belong to Him—do we know what those things are? One of the most terrifying verses in the Bible demonstrates that there will be many who thought they knew Jesus when in fact, they did not. Jesus Himself says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is heaven will enter” (Matt 7:21). Do we understand how that could be? What did Jesus expect from them that they didn’t have? We study theology so that we may truly know Christ and what it means to be His disciple.

We also study theology so that we have such a view of Christ that when considering how majestic, loving, and full of grace He is, we can’t help but worship because we understand what it means that He is majestic, loving, and full of grace.

We study theology so that we can say with the Apostle Paul, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38–39).

At the end of the day, all of our learning of theology must cause us to look to Christ. If it doesn’t, then it is because our hearts are cold and we haven’t really learned anything at all. A true student of theology will become the greatest lover of Christ. John Calvin said, “All theology, when separated from Christ, is not only vain and confused but is also mad, deceitful and spurious.”

‌The faithful Christian must study theology, but as we study, we should be sure that we allow it to conform us to the image of Christ, that we not only have theology as head knowledge but that it becomes heart knowledge, which changes us.


**Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly 

A Political Distraction

There is little debate that America has quickly descended into a pit of moral depravity and could rightly be described as a country in which its citizens do what is right in their own eyes. Maybe an even more apt description would be that America has become, in many ways, a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah.

The decline has been so sharply felt that there has been a renewed vigor among those who hold to more conservative values to try to discover the solution to the problems we face today, which has naturally led to major discussions concerning politics, political parties, and legislation.

While it makes perfect sense for the unbeliever to become enthralled in a political solution because they are unaware of Christ and the truths that Scripture teaches, what is astonishing is the number of professing Christians who seem to have forgotten that we have the solution already.

This emphasis on political solutions is extraordinarily dangerous in the church and, in fact, is an enemy of the church. While there are many believers who mean well in seeking a political solution to the moral decay of our society, it is true that Satan is quite happy to use well-meaning intentions just as he is ill-intentions to accomplish his goals. In other words, Satan is surely hiding in the Trojan horse of the conservative political solution campaign.
First, let’s establish that I am not suggesting political pacifism. Are we to be Christian in our vote? Of course. Should our laws be drawn from biblical principles? They should. Are governments accountable to God? They are. However, never in the history of the church has it been the aim of the church to resolve the issues of sin through politics. Herein lies the primary issue: understanding that the problem we have is a sin problem, not a political problem.

Could Jesus not have changed Roman politics if he desired? Indeed, he could have. Could He have prevented persecution? Indeed, He could have. Yet, when Jesus sent out the disciples in Matthew 28:19–20, the command was not to get involved in Roman politics, but rather, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I command you.”

They were to change the world, not through political means, but by proclaiming the gospel of Christ, calling the sinner to repentance and faith in Christ. They were aiming for true change, for heart change, for eternal change.

Not even one of the writers of the New Testament championed a political movement, and anyone familiar with the era understands that they could have. Instead, they championed the gospel. When they spoke to public officials, their focus was on a change of heart, not on a policy. Consider King Agrippa. Paul, after appealing to Caesar, has the opportunity to speak to Agrippa, and what happens is astonishing. Paul walks him through the Damascus Road experience and presents him with the gospel, and at the end, Agrippa responds, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Paul’s response is equally telling, “I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains” (Acts 26:29).

Christians were being persecuted, and just like every human society, there were undoubtedly ways that believers could have sought to influence the politicians of the day, especially men like Paul, and yet, he was laser-focused on winning souls to Christ.
The plea to the Church is to let us stop looking for a political solution to the depravity of the hearts of men, because there will never be one. Many professing Christians have put more effort into winning people to conservative politics than winning people to Christ and in doing so many have championed the cause of conservatism while unintentionally trampling the power of the gospel. Don’t believe it? Consider this statistic from Lifeway Research, “Only 3 in 10 unchurched Americans (29%) say a Christian has ever shared with them one-on-one how a person becomes a Christian.”

Many profess faith in Christ with their lips only to elevate politics with their life. Many say they are fighting for truth while failing to fight for the souls going to Hell all around them. Young men are building platforms on conservatism, Christian nationalism, and anti-wokeism; all the while, Satan is wreaking havoc on the souls they defeat intellectually in their political crusade.
 
Christ’s name and the Bible are often invoked not to plead with the sinner to turn from sin and to God, but to win an argument for conservatism. Shameful! In many ways, we see history repeating itself in principle—Moses has ascended the mountain and God’s people have begun to worship an idol. God blessed America, but then, like the Israelites, we turned our back on God and have formed the golden calf of conservative politics.
 
We are to be Christian in every sphere of life, including politics; but to be Christian is to rely on Christ, His message, and the Power of the gospel. By all means, please do vote, go to meetings, get involved in school board meetings and town hall talks, and expose the darkness.

However, we must never make it seem as though the power of God is so weak that politics is the only answer. Not only is it not the only answer, but it also isn’t the answer at all.
There is only one solution to the problem our country faces today—the gospel. The gospel is the only answer to the wickedness in the hearts of men. And for those who don’t believe that, then perhaps it is because they are still unregenerate themselves. Or perhaps, which is the preferred case, they simply need to repent, recognizing the ease with which we are distracted, and put their hand back to the plow of the gospel.

What this nation needs is not men at the polls, more conservatives, more Christian nationalists, more laws, more restrictions, but men on their knees, in earnest, praying to almighty God in tears of sorrow. What we need is men with the sword of the Word in their hands and the gospel of the living God on their lips.

Not one thing will change outside of the sovereign will of God and what political movement is more powerful than the answered prayers of faithful saints? What is more powerful than the gospel? What is more powerful than truth proclaimed to a wicked generation so that God is glorified and men are pointed to their need of Him because of their sins? What is more powerful than those who hold to the Bible more dearly than life and who refuse to elevate the ways of man over the ways of God?
 
When, dear Christian, when has politics ever had that power? Never. It never has and it never will. Some need to repent for they have taken their eyes off of Christ and some may even need to repent publicly. Christ is enough. The gospel is enough and if we suffer as a result of being faithful to the commission to which we have been given, then so be it. May we be so lucky to be counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake.

The Christian is already on a campaign and must not be distracted—Christ and Him crucified. Come, dear brothers and sisters, let us leave this worldly dribble behind. Leave the pragmatism behind. Leave the powerless things of the world behind. The King is calling, the orders are issued, and the war for souls is raging. As Hebrews 12:1–3 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

**Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly

What's the Big Deal About False Teachers?

Since the beginning of time, there has been a war against God’s truth. From Satan’s fall to the garden of Eden to the false prophets of Ezekiel’s day who cried “peace” when there was no peace, to our day, there have always been those who speak against God’s Word and lead God’s people astray if they can. The world has always known false teachers.
In our day, we are bursting at the seams with them. Everyone knows they exist, even if they are unable to identify them, but not all seem to realize the danger they pose. For some, false teachers are the fringe group that is better ignored; for others, they are just Christians who think differently than we do. So how do we rightly view false teachers, and are they as threatening as some suggest?

We should first define what we mean by a false teacher. What we do not mean is someone who gets a doctrine such as the issue of baptism wrong. That would be an error, not a heresy. When we think of a false teacher, we think of the example given by the Apostle Paul, who writes to the Galatian Church, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!” (Gal 1:8). A false teacher distorts the gospel in some way. In other words, false teaching often touches the person or work of Christ. Doctrines such as salvation by grace alone through faith alone, the sinless life of Christ, the deity of Christ, the penal substitutionary atonement of Christ, the gospel, and the necessity of repentance, are non-negotiable doctrines, and to teach anything contrary is to become a false teacher.
 
A second distinction of a false teacher is someone who, after having an error corrected, refuses to adjust his teaching. Of course, we all teach error, and for most of us, if we realized where that error was, we would correct it. But refusing to correct an error once exposed as an error makes one a false teacher when we speak of central doctrines that affect one’s faith. One has to move from “I didn’t know what the Bible said” to “I don’t care.” At that moment, a false teacher is born.
 
In the book of Acts, Apollos is an excellent example of someone teaching an error because he was teaching the Baptism of John, not knowing anything different. However, when corrected, he adjusted his teaching accordingly, and it is said that “he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating that Jesus was the Christ” (Acts 18:28).

So the first question is: just how dangerous are false teachers? Secondly, how do we respond to false teachers? To answer these questions, there’s no better person to turn to than Jude, the half-brother of our Lord. Jude paints the most robust imagery of the false teacher anywhere in Scripture. He describes false teachers using five main illustrations and, in those, answers the question, “how dangerous are false teachers?”

The first illustration Jude gives is that of a hidden reef. A hidden reef is an underwater coral formation, rock, or ledge that every mariner would fear hitting. The hidden reef poses a severe threat to ships because it is hidden. Of course, with the technology today, you might think that Jude’s illustration loses a bit of its weight, but ships still wreck today due to reefs. In 2012, a cruise ship holding over four thousand people struck a reef, keeled over, and partially sank off Isola del Giglio.

The illustration here is that false teachers, if not made known, can bring in teaching so destructive that it makes a shipwreck of faith. For example, in 1967, the Torrey Canyon hit an underwater rock causing it to spill thirty-one thousand gallons of oil into the ocean before it could be stopped. The illustration is powerful: false teachers will sink your faith if you believe the doctrine they teach.
 
The second illustration Jude gives is “clouds without water.” Peter uses a similar phrase in 2 Peter 2:17, calling false teachers “springs without water.” The picture here is of something that promises to bring what is excellent and life-bringing, the rain, yet the rain never comes, becoming a source of immense disappointment. Imagine the farmer desperate for rain, and though there are dark clouds promising rain, it never comes, leaving behind only dissatisfaction. False teachers are the same, like clouds without water; in the end, they only bring disappointment because their doctrines deceitfully promise what they can’t deliver—life.

We are then told false teachers are like autumn trees without fruit. This points out the utter uselessness of a tree that doesn’t bear fruit. Jude goes even further, saying they are “doubly dead and uprooted.” This is striking when we consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 15:13, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted.” Essentially, Jude pronounces that these teachers are judged as that which God did not plant.
 
The next illustration will ruin some of your trips to the beach, and for that, I am sorry. The imagery here paints perhaps the most vivid picture of how God views false teachers more than any others. He calls them “wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam.” We understand wild seas: unruly, untamable, unteachable, destructive, and so forth, but what is so bad about sea foam? Here’s where you decide never to play in the foam again. Seafoam is generally a collection of dead organic material such as rotting algae, fish scales, decayed coral, and other debris. The more dead fish parts, putrefying plant life, and sea scum, the more foam is produced. Yuck! In extreme cases where there is significant foam, people must be warned because as the bubbles in the foam burst, it can expose the skin to toxins. This is God’s description of the false teacher.

The last picture offered is that of a wandering star, which is really to say, a shooting star, communicating that there is something of a bright flash, and then it vanishes into utter darkness. False teachers are often flashy, but what they leave will be burned up, have no substance or lasting presence, and ends in darkness.
 
In a culture where the 11th commandment (thou shalt be nice) is all the rave, Jude brings the stark reality that false teachers are so deadly that they must be called out for what they are. Jude started his epistle with a desire to speak of the positive things of the faith, but instead, the Holy Spirit moved his hand to write a warning about false teachers, a warning we desperately need in our own time.

Now that we see just how vile, deadly, and deceptive false teachers are, the remaining question is how we respond to them. At the end of this short epistle, Jude teaches us that we should always desire to see false teachers come to Christ. No Christian should ever delight in the fact that men will go to hell. And yet, we are also cautioned to take great care when dealing with false teachers. For some—those who follow false teachers but are not yet fully convinced—we are to show them the truth, hoping that they will embrace it willingly. We reveal the truth to others a little deeper in deception, hoping to snatch them from the fire, knowing they are near peril. And for those who are the teachers and leaders themselves, for most of us, our role is to pray and warn. Still, for those who have the opportunity, we should call them to repentance and Christ, but approach them as ones who have polluted every fiber of their being with evil and deal with them using extreme caution.
At the end of the day, if we are to care for our own souls and look after our fellow brothers and sisters, we must view false teachers the way God describes them. We must see their teaching as that which can sink a soul into the pits of hell like a reef takes down a cruise ship or oil tanker. We must see the doctrine they teach like sea foam filled with death and decay, knowing that they are fruitless and uprooted, awaiting God’s judgment, and then we should be spurred on to guard our own doctrine even as we pray that some will be snatched out of the flames.

**Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly 

Counseling: Biblical Vs. Secular

Few issues draw more attention in the modern day than the issue of pastors versus secular counselors. It only takes a single tweet suggesting that pastors are indeed equipped to counsel believers to light a fire throughout the world of social media.

Before you can blink, the accusations come railing in championing the secular world of counseling and demonstrating little understanding of the role of the pastor. However, there is a genuine question in the mix: is the pastor equipped to counsel people? The short answer is yes. That’s part of the pastor’s job description. The pastor is told that he must “shepherd the flock of God among you” (1 Peter 5:2), and Paul tells Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Correcting, rebuking, and exhorting with patience and instruction sounds a lot like counseling people in godliness, doesn’t it? It’s hard to miss this if one takes the time to consider what is involved in Paul’s instructions to Timothy. But, of course, the question arises as to why this is so confusing since the Scriptures are clear.

I believe a great deal of confusion comes from the modern use of the term “mental illness,” and this is where we get into trouble. The immediate assumption from many is that if the word “mental illness” is used, it must be outside the pastor’s realm. The irony is that secular counseling has nothing to do with surgeries, true medical needs, or even prescription medications.

For the record, I am not speaking of the necessity for true medical health care. If one has diabetes, a broken leg, or even a headache, by all means, see the doctor or take the appropriate medication. But we are talking of counseling, giving direction and guidance to deal with life’s difficulties.

Part of the issue is that the accusation of “pastors aren’t equipped to deal with mental health issues” is a multifaceted accusation rooted ultimately in biblical ignorance, a poor worldview, ignorance of the field, and ultimately idolatry.

Biblical Ignorance
I mention biblical ignorance is part of the issue because the Bible is sufficient and, in its sufficiency, addresses every core issue that would require counseling. Beyond that, the undershepherd is, by definition, a counselor. He brings the Word of God to bear on every aspect of the Christian life: how we are to act, think, and speak. The pastor counsels from the pulpit to the classroom to one-on-one sessions.

Furthermore, biblical ignorance is demonstrated when people say, “show me where the Bible mentions manic depression.” Just like I can’t show you the word “Trinity” in Scripture, which is surely taught and made evident, so it is often the same with “mental issues.” For example, Philippians 4:6–7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This verse gives us a command and the remedy for anxiousness. First, we are told not to be anxious. Then we are told that instead, we are to develop a posture of prayer and thankfulness, and the result is that dependency upon the Lord and a heart of thankfulness will cause the peace of God to guard our hearts and minds. “Anxiousness” isn’t a mental disease; it’s a mindset contrary to that of Scripture and requires renewing the mind through obedience to Scripture and trust in God.

Poor Worldview
Insistence upon secular counseling is a poor worldview because it ultimately views the secular, godless, and God-hating world as being far more understanding of the human condition than God, the one who created man. It also assumes that a system that either (a) is wholly based upon the presupposition that God doesn’t even exist or (b) hates God, therefore intentionally removing “spirituality” from man, is somehow more rooted in the “truth” of how man works than Scripture, which is born from God, the very source of truth. In essence, the worldview of modern counseling is that man is greater or equal to God.
For instance, Alfred Adler referred to religion as “fiction.” Sigmund Freud, in his book New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, wrote that “religion is an illusion and it derives its strength from readiness to fit in with our instinctual wishful impulses.” Carl Jung believed that God was nothing more than an aspect of the human psyche, and B.F. Skinner says, “I don’t believe in God, so I’m not afraid of dying." The reality is that these men are the foundation for secular counseling, and the question that needs to be asked is, “Why does any Christian reject God’s Word in favor of counsel from those who hate God?”

Ignorance of the Field
Most people seem to believe that counseling/psychiatry is a fixed, proven system with absolute knowledge of how to treat various mental illness that are as diagnosable as cancer. This is erroneous, failing to acknowledge that this area of “medicine” is still experimental (i.e., “we’ll try this med; if it doesn’t work, we’ll try that medication,” ad Infinitum).

In addition, most fail to realize that the goal in secular counseling is never to find the root issue, but rather merely to treat the symptom. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is about symptoms, not causes. People also turn a blind eye to the various horrors of medication side effects: addictions, long-term permanent damage, and dependency, to name a few. Rather than helping, many medications simply decrease brain function, to which many cheer, “You’re cured.” But the Psalmist didn’t seek a concoction to numb the mind. Rather, he recognized that “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

In secular counseling, ignorance is perhaps even worse because it also must involve a conscience decision to abandon logic and reason. Why would you take advice from a system that hates God and is opinion-based, rooted in observations that reject the spiritual nature of the human being over God’s Word, rooted and grounded in absolute truth from the one who created man?

It should be a huge red flag for the Christian to consider going to someone who believes there is no God, no morals, and no absolute truths with the request, “Can you give me the truth on how to resolve my issue?”

The believer should first be going to the ones who shepherd them from the highest counsel, God’s counsel. This is what pastors are trained for; this is their God-ordained role. God never intended the godless to shepherd His people. Consider the type of person the secular world can provide. At its best, secular counselors are defined in Ephesians chapter two as one who is dead in their trespasses and sins. It goes on to say that those without Christ are living according to the lusts of the flesh and the desires of the flesh and the mind, following after the prince of the power of the air, and that they are by nature children of Wrath (Ephesians 2:1–3). This is what Christians subjects themselves to when they go to secular counseling.

If that weren’t enough, in Ephesians 4:17–19 we read, “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.”

Counseling from God’s Word is counseling from the light, while counseling from the world is, by necessity, counseling born of darkened minds. There should be no option for the Christian—run to the light.

Idolatry
I mention idolatry for several reasons. One is that medications have become an idol that many bow down to as the supreme “fix,” instead of dealing with real-life issues, addressing sinful habits and ways of thinking, and seeking God’s wisdom. Instead of worshiping God in seeking His counsel, our age has made a golden calf of medication.
It is clear that a great deal of “mental issues” come from sin, though not all (consider Job), and rather than deal with the need for repentance, it has become easier to take a pill and effectively remain your own God.

Not only have medications or quick fixes become idols, feelings have also become idols. Many people believe they should never feel remorse, sadness, suffering, etc. “Joel Osteen Christianity” is the desired mentality: healthy, wealthy, prosperous—always smiling. Feelings drive our current culture. One doesn’t have to listen long before hearing something like “if it feels good to you, do it.”

As Christians we are not to be ruled by our feelings, but by truth. One way the idolatry of feelings occurs is when we attempt to simply do away with difficult emotions that would otherwise drive us to Christ and demonstrate our dependence upon Him. Job didn’t ignore his pain and sorrow but worshiped God through it. Concerning sorrow, Charles Spurgeon writes, “I would sooner be holy than happy if the two things could be divorced. Were it possible for a man always to sorrow and yet to be pure; I would choose the sorrow if I might win the purity, for to be free from the power of sin, to be made to love holiness, is true happiness.”

In conclusion, we are told there will be difficulties, troubles, and trials in this world. Jesus says to the disciples in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

The goal of the Christian life should never be taking the easiest way out, nor should the Christian look to the world for guidance and counseling. Rather, we are to look to Christ and be satisfied and content in all things. He is our great counselor, and He has given us a book by which we may come to rightly view God, ourselves, and the world around us. He has given undershepherds to the church, and they are God’s plan for counseling His people in life and godliness.

Therefore, for Christians in need of counseling, the Bible should be the first resort, not the last, and they should seek the pastors of the church rather than the godless of the world.

**Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly

A Culture of Pugnaciousness

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to view the post-modern climate of today’s world and discover that it is a breeding ground for pugnaciousness. If one were to browse any given social media platform, you’d quickly find a world filled with envy, rage, and an eager spirit to fight.

Inevitably, you’re shaking your head in agreement right now, having seen the vitriolic nature that our current climate fosters so well. From Twitter to Instagram to most news outlets, there’s a fight around every corner, 24/7, or so it seems. But where does this leave the Christian? After all, we are a people who are to contend for the truth, right?
In the book of Jude, written by the half-brother of Jesus, we are even told that we are to “contend.”
 
Jude says in verses 3-4 "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into indecent behavior and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." So, not only do we have constant battles outside of the church, but we also have endless battles within the church.

The challenge then, especially for the Christian, is whether or not we are fighting because we love the truth and wish to see God and His word lifted high or merely fighting because we love to pick a fight. I’m reminded of an event where a prominent polemics ministry leader was disqualified, and one of the red flags along the way was a pugnacious spirit. Of course, for the pastorate, this is a disqualifier. 1 Timothy 3:1-3 reads, It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.

In other words, the man of God must not have a combative spirit. While these are qualifications of an elder, they are also those characteristics that every Christian should exhibit. A peaceable spirit should characterize the believer, whether preaching from the pulpit or sitting in the pew.

However, it isn’t always easy. Suppose you are like me or the millions of others regularly exposed to social media. In that case, you’ll instantly recognize the pull towards aggression, anger, and combativeness as we engage in social media. But these things are of the spirit of the age and something which, as believers in Christ, we must resist. It’s challenging to be sure; imagine you pull up your Twitter app, and within 1 minute, you come across a culture that celebrates the same sexual perversion for which God destroyed entire cities, a barrage of people bent on maliciously murdering children in the womb, a dozen different heretics spouting everything from Apollinarianism (from Apollinaris who denied the full deity and full humanity of Christ) to modalism, to women preachers. You name the heresy or perversion, and you can find it quickly on social media.

Indeed those that love the truth desire to set these things straight and speak to the issues of the day, but the real question is, what is the heart behind our responses? The concern and danger are that a heart set on fighting uses the guise of “contending for truth” as a cover for something that is altogether antithetical to the Christian way of life. Of course, for the majority, this is probably not the heart they have when fighting for truth, but still, we must be guarded against temptation.

The first thing we should consider is simply the fact that we do not need to respond to, nor should we respond to, everything we see. Admittedly, I fail in this area from time to time. Occasionally, I respond when I shouldn’t, and other times I fail to respond when perhaps I should have. In this, I can relate to the Apostle Paul, and I am sure you can too, when he says in Romans 7:15 when he says, “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” But we must realize that prudence, discretion, and self-control teach us that we do not have an obligation and, in many cases, it is unnecessary to join every battle that makes itself known to us. We should and must fight plenty of legitimate battles when appropriate; we don’t need to add to the list.

The second thing that is helpful in guarding our hearts is remembering why we fight. Again, Jude’s admonition is not merely “to fight.” But rather than we “contend for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” The goal of fighting isn’t for the pleasure of the fight but for the glory of God; for the preservation of truth; and ultimately, so that the lost might see the church for what it is, a holy congregation declaring the Good news of the Gospel to those who are without Christ.

We fight, not because we enjoy it or even because we want to, but rather because we must, because we are compelled by our love for Christ, our desire to see a pure church, and a longing to see the lost saved. This is a call for a heart check, and this is from the writer who is checking his own heart. And that brings me to the final consideration. What should our disposition be if we are to guard our hearts against pugnaciousness while simultaneously engaging in battle for the truth? I’d suggest contemplating passages such as Ephesians 4:29, which reads, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

Imagine if every tweet we tweeted, every Instagram we posted, and every Facebook message we sent were in line with Ephesians 4:29. (Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.) I don’t know about you, but that is a convicting thought and one, I would argue, will keep our hearts from entering that which the spirit of the age would tempt us to; a culture of pugnaciousness. So let us fight boldly but humbly, unashamedly but gently, and for the Glory of God rather than the self-satisfaction of putting down an opponent.

*Originally written for G3 Ministries by Nathaniel Jolly