Author: Jason Smith

The Grace Opportunity

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life2 Comments
Montagues and Capulets

Many are familiar with Jesus’ famous words: “First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5, NIV). His point was that we tend to see the faults in others before we see them in ourselves.

For example, when you’re on the freeway, have you ever noticed it’s always the other guy that doesn’t know how to drive? Those who drive faster than you are the maniacs that are trying to get themselves killed. Then, there are the slowpokes. It’s always their fault for making you late! But notice from this example that everyone is judged by you. You are the gold standard of good driving, and everyone else is measured by you.

That reminds me of the woman at an airport who, while waiting for her plane to arrive, sat down with a book and a package of cookies she’d just purchased. After she’d become engrossed in her novel, she suddenly noticed the man sitting next to her fumbling to open the package of cookies on the seat between them. She was so astonished that a stranger would help himself to her cookies that she wasn’t sure what to do. So, she grabbed a cookie and ate it. The man said nothing but reached for another cookie himself. Well, she wasn’t going to let this guy eat all of them, so she grabbed another. When they were down to one cookie, the man reached over, broke the cookie in half, and got up and left. The woman was appalled. Where did this guy get the nerve? The announcement came to board the plane, so she gathered up her purse. Still angry at the man’s audacity, she reached in to grab her ticket. It suddenly dawned on her that she really shouldn’t judge others too harshly—for there in her purse lay her still-unopened package of cookies.

What is your gut level response when you’ve been wronged? How do you respond to derisive comments about your appearance, ability, or beliefs?

The greatest example of all in this respect is the Lord Jesus Christ. How did the One who reigns supremely over the entire universe respond to insults?

“Indeed this is part of your calling. For Christ suffered for you and left you a personal example, and wants you to follow in his steps. ‘Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in his mouth’. Yet when he was insulted he offered no insult in return. When he suffered he made no threats of revenge. He simply committed his cause to the one who judges fairly.” (1 Peter 2:21-23, J. B. Phillips Translation)

Seek Reconciliation, Not Retaliation

When Saturday Night Live comedian, Pete Davidson, crudely mocked Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw because of his eye patch and glibly remarked, “I know he lost his eye in the war or whatever,” no one anticipated how Crenshaw would respond. Instead of firing back in anger, Crenshaw showed incredible humility and compassion for his mocker. A torrent of comments came in from SNL fans who criticized Davidson, calling his remark “disgusting” and chewing him out for his disrespect for a modern war veteran who had been injured in the line of duty defending the country.

In response to the backlash, Davidson spiraled downward into a pit of depression and self-loathing, even to the point of contemplating suicide at one point. Davidson wrote on Instagram, “I really don’t want to be on this earth anymore. I’m doing my best to stay here for you but I actually don’t know how much longer I can last. All I’ve ever tried to do was help people. Just remember I told you so.”

Many might have expected Crenshaw to join in the criticism and even say something like, “Serves him right for mocking a veteran.” Instead, Crenshaw did the unexpected thing. He reached out to Davidson in a friendly and encouraging way. He told the comedian that everyone has a purpose in this world and that “God put you here for a reason. It’s your job to find that purpose. And you should live that way.”

Instead of firing back, Crenshaw built a bridge. And instead of getting defensive, Crenshaw showed humility. Crenshaw, the Navy SEAL trained in military strike and defense seized the grace opportunity. He put Davidson’s own well-being before his pride and chose to show unconditional love. Interestingly, when Crenshaw reached out to Davidson, he learned that Davidson’s own father was a firefighter who had been killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when Davidson was only seven years old. When they later appeared on SNL together, Crenshaw offered high praise for the sacrifice that Davidson’s father had made. When the segment was over, the humbled comedian leaned over and whispered, “You are a good man.”

When we seize the grace opportunity, we can actually win over even our enemies. It all begins with not retaliating when someone belittles us.

Confront without Condemnation

“Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.” (James 4:11, NIV)

Isn’t it interesting? James says that when you retaliate by verbally tearing someone to pieces—especially your own Christian brother–you are not just judging that person, you’re judging the law! You’re becoming a critic of God Himself, because you’re essentially telling Him, “You need help in judging the world!” But God never needs our help in judging others. He can do it just fine on His own.

This doesn’t mean there’s no place for confronting someone caught in sin. But when you condemn others, you’re essentially putting yourself in the Judgment Seat reserved for God.

For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” (Romans 14:9-10, ESV)

Paul’s argument works like this. Have you died and returned to life? No? Then who are you to make any kind of final judgment about a person? Never forget that it’s not just the person who wronged you, but you too who will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

So even when you confront others in sin, don’t condemn them with your words or actions. Do you really want to be the one who says, “God’s judgment isn’t severe enough”?

If you study human history, it is remarkable when you consider how much bloodshed, battles, and wars have been caused by this deep personal desire to get even—to settle the score. Because of vendettas, the Capulets war against the Montagues, and the Crips war against the Bloods. When the mighty Samson was bested in a game of riddles, his desire for personal vengeance sent him into a fit of rage, in which he slaughtered 30 Philistines and torched a grain field. And today, we are tempted to torch one another with our words, instead of taking the opportunity to show grace.

The cycle of retaliation and slander can even happen in the microcosm of a family, where one brother is always seeking to one-up another.

Romans 14:4 says, “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls.”

Honor Your Opponent

The great evangelist Dwight L. Moody once had his own grace opportunity when preaching the gospel to a large crowd. One young, headstrong theological student in the crowd began to publicly challenge the things that Moody, the veteran preacher, was saying. The student rudely interrupted him several times and tried to trip him up. Finally, Moody got fed up with this ill-mannered student. The evangelist, who was well-known for his eloquence, used his gift with words to punish the young man, sharply putting him in his place in front of everyone.

Thinking that the young man got what he deserved, the crowd applauded. However, later in his talk, Moody stopped himself and said, “Friends, I have to confess before all of you that at the beginning of my meeting I gave a very foolish answer to my brother down here. I ask God to forgive me, and I ask him to forgive me.”

In that moment, Moody could have chosen to go home satisfied that he had soundly defeated the insolent opponent. Instead, he chose to take the grace opportunity. Even though his was the lesser sin, he was the first to repent and ask for forgiveness. Moody recognized that too often it is easier to tear someone down because it gives us a momentary victory. But the real victory is to lay aside our pride and not sit in judgment on someone. Otherwise, their arrogance becomes our arrogance, and we haven’t really won anything more than the applause of men.

It’s not always the case, but sarcasm is often deployed to cut an opponent down. One area I want to grow in is responding to those who mock me with gentleness and warmth. In one sense, I want to score more grace points than put-down points. How many times am I choosing to show grace when a quick put-down feels more natural? If I’m calling myself a follower of Jesus, I better look like He did when He was mocked and attacked by others (see Luke 23:34).

A quick word of clarification: There is a difference between making moral judgments and making a judgment of condemnation on someone else. Christ never discourages us from making moral judgments. While we cannot totally separate the sinner from their sin, there is a way to say, “I am utterly opposed to what you are doing, but I am totally for you as a person made in God’s image.” To say “abortion is evil” is a moral judgment, and it’s right to make that judgment because I’m agreeing with God’s condemnation of murdering innocent humans as stated in the Bible.[1] But what God forbids is slandering or condemning our neighbor, because only God has the right to pronounce final judgment on our lives. This means I can refute the arguments of an advocate for abortion choice, but I can also show that very person dignity as someone created and loved by God.

Our world is characterized by outrage, anger, and retaliation. “Getting even” and “Giving people their due” is even encouraged. But God wants us to rise above the selfish response. He calls us to treat others better than they deserve. Jesus has treated us infinitely better than we deserve, and He calls us to seize the grace opportunity.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] https://lampandlightdevotionals.wordpress.com/2022/03/03/what-does-the-bible-say-about-abortion/

A Gay Man Surrenders to Jesus

On By Jason SmithIn Theology for Life, Why I Believe2 Comments

“What about homosexuality? What is your church’s stance on it? Is it a sin or not?”

This is the question that Becket Cook, a Hollywood set designer, asked a young man studying his Bible at a coffee shop in Los Angeles. It wasn’t the first question he asked, but the young man’s friendly and thoughtful demeanor when Becket first approached him opened the door for the bigger question brewing below the surface.[1]

How would you respond to Becket’s question? Do you have an answer ready if someone asked this simple yet pointed question? In one sense, this might be the question of our generation: Is homosexuality a sin? Wherever you come down on this issue, I would urge you to think through what the Bible and your church believe about this. When asked directly if homosexuality is a sin, I have heard numerous Christian celebrities and pastors hedge and stumble through an answer. They don’t seem to realize that because of their influence, their non-answer only adds fuel to the fires of confusion. If you haven’t carefully prepared for when this question comes—and be assured it will—it could prove incredibly detrimental in your own life and the lives of those with whom you interact. Out of love for family and friends, we cannot afford to get this one wrong.

Embracing the Truth No Matter What

If homosexuality is a good and God-honoring practice, then we ought to be joining in all the pride parades, waving pride flags, and celebrating it along with the crowds. However, if the truth is that, despite increasing cultural approval, God’s Word reproves homosexuality as a distortion of God’s good design, we should humbly accept this. Whatever is true, we should embrace out of love for God and others.

Thankfully, the young man in the coffee shop was ready. Becket writes, “His answer didn’t shock me. He didn’t beat around the bush, and very matter-of-factly stated that both he and his church agreed homosexuality is indeed a sin.”[2] What a refreshingly clear response! No complex answer filled with a thousand qualifications. After calmly explaining the Bible’s teaching on the matter, he proceeded to invite Becket, who was openly homosexual, to his church.

Initially, Becket hated the thought of going to a church where homosexuality was condemned. And yet, something was pushing him to go anyway. Maybe it was the way this young man gently but firmly held to his convictions. Maybe the Lord was drawing Becket despite his atheism.

A Change of Affection

Somewhat reluctantly, Becket went to the church service and heard the pastor proclaim the gospel of God’s infinite love for broken sinners for the first time. He learned that God had come in human flesh and was known as Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus went to the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and rose from the dead in triumphant glory. This gospel touched Becket at the deepest level. After going forward for prayer, something happened in Becket’s heart.

“All of a sudden, a giant wave of God’s presence came crashing over me… I was utterly overwhelmed, and I started bawling uncontrollably.”[3]

Becket surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. According to the Bible, when this happens, we are born again and become a child of God (John 1:12-13). We are made new inside.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

At conversion, God sovereignly gives us a new heart with new affections and desires, and He puts His Spirit within us, claiming us as His own.

“And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Along with a new and intense desire to honor God, Becket immediately came to understand God had a new direction for his life—one that included leaving his gay lifestyle in the dust.

“I had finally come to the realization that homosexual behavior was a distortion of God’s perfect design for human sexuality and flourishing… Surprisingly, I was perfectly fine with this realization. The complete reversal of my opinions and pursuits in this area worked like this: I had just met the King of the universe!… How could I hold on to anything that didn’t bring me closer to Him?”[4]

Only the living God could transform the way Becket looked at homosexuality and everything else. Today, as Becket says in his book A Change of Affection, he lives life free of guilt, free of what others think of him, and free of the fear of death. As he put it, he has met the King of the universe! What could possibly compare?

As Christians, we need to remember that every last one of us is sexually broken apart from Christ. Without His grace and wisdom, our desires are disordered and not in line with His perfect design. We all are desperate for His transforming work!

Embracing Christ and Forsaking Sin

In spite of powerful testimonies such as Becket’s, many in our world want to deny that this kind of change can happen in someone’s life. We have an enemy who is bent on deceiving people about the transforming power of Christ. He wants us to imagine that if one is “born this way,” they have no choice but to live according to their homosexual desires. But true life is found in saying no to anything that would conflict with God’s best.

While giving people designations according to sexual orientation, such as “gay” or “straight,” might be a modern concept, the Bible is concerned with the sexual practice itself. And the simple fact is that homosexual behavior is always viewed negatively in Scripture.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality; nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, ESV)

But praise God that’s not the end of the matter! After this clear warning on what marks the lives of those outside the kingdom, we are given this word of hope:

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (v. 11, emphasis added)

God cares about what we do with our bodies, and our bodies can only flourish according to His good design. To live contrary to His design, is to flout the authority of the Designer Himself.

Just like we cannot pour Gatorade into our vehicle’s fuel tank and not expect engine problems, we cannot ignore God’s stated design for human sexuality and not expect negative consequences.

Consider again how you would respond when asked what you believe about homosexuality. In that moment, will you be more concerned with the approval of others or the God who made us all? Just imagine if that young man in the coffee shop had told Becket he and his church had no problem with people living whatever way they wanted. What if the pastor had avoided preaching the gospel? How we speak about homosexuality really does matter, and God will hold us accountable. God used these men to draw Becket into the kingdom. He no longer identifies as a “gay man,” but as a child of God.

So let’s commit to speaking the truth of God’s Word with clear resolve, but also with a gentle and invitational love that says, “There’s room at the table for all who embrace Christ and forsake sin. I hope you’ll join us.”

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] Becket Cook, A Change of Affection (Nashville: Nelson Books, 2019), 8.

[2] Ibid, 6.

[3] Ibid, 19.

[4] Ibid, 23.

Answering a Muslim’s Challenge to Jesus

On By Jason SmithIn Why I Believe1 Comment
Joram van Klaveren, author of Apostate

A Muslim friend of mind recently recommended I read the 2019 book Apostate: From Christianity to Islam in times of secularization and terror, written by the recently converted Muslim, Joram van Klaveren. The well-written book describes van Klaveren’s journey from Dutch Reformed Protestantism to Islam, from Christian to Muslim.

While there is much to agree with, my conclusion after reading the book is that van Klaveren has abandoned a Christianity that he never fully embraced. I mean that respectfully. Throughout the book, van Klaveren admits that he’s always had intellectual struggles with concepts like the Trinity, the dual natures of Christ, and the idea that divine forgiveness requires a blood sacrifice.

I love Muslims, so I wanted to read this book to better understand some of their objections. At the heart of the disagreement between Christians and Muslims is Jesus Himself—His person and work. My great desire is to see my Muslim friends come to know Jesus personally as their Lord and Savior.

But when I share the gospel of a crucified and risen Jesus, a dilemma immediately presents itself. The Quran—the text all Muslims believe is the revealed word of Allah (God)—declares that Jesus (Isa) never even died on a cross (Surah 4:157). Muslims revere Jesus as a prophet, but not the eternal Son of God. The Quran clearly states, “The Messiah son of Mary was no other than a messenger before whom similar messengers passed away, and his mother was a saintly woman” (5:75).[1]

Jesus: Prophet of Allah or Son of God?

In Apostate, van Klaveren lays out some of the nagging issues he had with Christian theology for many years, which eventually led him to outright reject the faith and convert to Islam. His biggest struggle is with the deity of Christ. He quotes Colossians 1 as saying Christ is “the firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15, KJV). And then asks, “If Christ is created, has there then existed a time before he was created? God, however, is eternal.”[2]

Here, van Klaveren seems to have a misunderstanding about the incarnation of Christ. Christians have never believed that Christ is created. The New Testament repeatedly teaches that Christ is the Creator of all things. In fact, van Klaveren fails to quote the very next verse, which says that Christ is the Creator of all things (v. 16). I’ll quote the passage in context in the English Standard Version (ESV):[3]

“He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17, ESV)

His confusion seems to be rooted in his understanding of the King James translation of verse 15, which says, “He is the firstborn of every creature.”

Van Klaveren seems to think that “firstborn” indicates “first created.” But the Greek word prototokos (firstborn) does not mean “first created” one. We have to ask what Paul the Jew meant when he first wrote this. When we turn to the Old Testament, we find that “firstborn” certainly can mean simply “first one in birthing order.” But there is also a well-developed understanding of the “firstborn” as the one with a special status before God. For example, Moses tells Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22).

We also see the term taking on messianic significance when God speaks of David, who was a prototype of the Messiah. God says of David: “And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27, ESV). All this rich background to the term firstborn seems utterly lost on van Klaveren. Ironically, the very term Paul uses to emphasize Christ’s exalted status as Lord, he takes to mean “less than God.”

I can understand why van Klaveren would have questions about why Paul would call Jesus “the firstborn of creation.” But even without the Old Testament background on the term, if he simply read the passage in context, he would see that Paul is repeatedly emphasizing Jesus’s deity throughout. Christ created all things (v. 16). All things were created for Christ (v. 16). Christ is before all things, and He holds all things together (v. 17). In everything, Christ is to be preeminent (v. 18). In Christ, all the fullness of God dwells bodily (v. 19; 2:9). There’s really no escaping what Paul intended to teach: Jesus is the Creator God in human flesh.

Did Jesus Deny that He is Divine?

Rather than questioning the Bible’s accuracy, van Klaveren is convinced that the biblical Jesus denied He is God. He approvingly quotes Abdal Hakim Murad:

“In the Bible, Jesus sometimes appears explicitly to deny that he is Divine. Texts include, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone’ (Mark 10:18), and ‘The son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing’ (John 5:19).”[4]

Again, context is crucial to our understanding of what Jesus intended to convey. As we will see below, there are countless times that Jesus did affirm His own eternally divine nature. First, let’s consider the Mark 10 passage.

In context, Jesus is responding to a young rich ruler, who has just said, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17, ESV). Jesus responds with a question of His own, which He often did as a way of leading people to the truth. “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (v. 18). Notice that Jesus does not explicitly deny that He is God. He asks a question that corresponds to the man’s starting assumptions.

Jesus is leading this self-righteous young man to reevaluate his concept of goodness. Believing Jesus to be a wise teacher, the man is happy to consider Jesus “good.” He probably was willing to call many rabbis “Good Teacher.” He also considers himself good, asserting he has not broken any of the commandments since childhood (v. 20). But Jesus can see through his self-confident exterior. In reality, this young man worships money, not God. That is why Jesus calls him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor before following Him. The man is hoping to add Jesus to his wealth rather than come to Jesus as Lord and Savior. He is not yet recognizing his desperate position as a sinner accountable to a perfectly good God.

The other passage mentioned, John 5:19, does not deny Christ’s deity either. In fact, in this very passage Jesus clearly expresses His deity. Interestingly, Murad does not quote the whole verse, which reads:

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19, NIV)

When Jesus says, “the Son can do nothing by himself,” He is speaking about His obedience to the Father. According to the Bible, the plan of redemption originated in the Father, who sent the Son into the world to accomplish redemption. The Son, who is coequal and coeternal with God, is nevertheless functionally subordinate to the Father. That’s why Jesus frequently says He can do nothing apart from the Father’s will (e.g. John 6:38). This is a statement about their difference in roles, not difference in nature.

Murad cuts off Jesus’s statement that “whatever the Father does the Son also does” (v. 19). How could someone less than God be said to do whatever God does? In Apostate, van Klaveren argues that when Jesus is called “the son of God,” in the Jewish context that term didn’t suggest that He was literally divine, “but rather refers to an exalted status because of his exceptionality.”[5] But that’s only partially true. When Jesus spoke of God as “My Father” and Himself as “the Son,” He clearly taught His equality with God.

In the immediately preceding verses, we are told:

In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:17-18, ESV)

A little understanding of context goes a long way in clarifying many of Jesus’s statements. The Bible teaches that, as a man, the sinless Jesus was subject to many limitations such as being hungry, tired, thirsty, had to learn and grow, and was even subject to temptation. But that is with respect to Christ’s human nature. As God, Jesus could also make statements no mere man could make:

“For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” (John 5:21-23)
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40)
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

In terms of roles, the Father has the highest authority. That’s why Jesus can say, “I do not speak on my own authority” (John 14:10) and “the Father is greater than I” (v. 28). But at other times, Jesus speaks to their shared divine nature, such as when Jesus says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (v. 9) and “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me” (v. 11).

Furthermore, we cannot overlook all the times that Jesus received worship. In Scripture, godly men and angels always refuse to be worshiped (see Acts 10:26; 14:12-15; Revelation 19:10; 22:9), and wicked men like Herod seek to be worshiped as a god (Acts 12:21-23). So, how could Jesus be merely a man—especially a godly man—since He always welcomes worship?

And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:33, ESV; cf. Matthew 28:9)
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:28-29, ESV)

Is the Trinity a Late Invention?

Van Klaveren’s other main objection to Christianity seems to be that the doctrine of the Trinity is a confusing mystery and “intellectual impediment.” This is a common view among Muslims I have interacted with on college campuses. The Trinity is viewed as an obscure or nonsensical belief that was added into the Bible many years later.

Van Klaveren states that “the most evident Trinitarian reference” is 1 John 5:7-8, but this is a later addition to the original manuscripts. I found it interesting that van Klaveren, a self-proclaimed former Christian, would say this, because while it remains a common argument Muslim apologists make, it’s also a very outdated and unconvincing argument. Here’s what I mean. He is referring to the King James Version, which renders the verses:

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” (1 John 5:7-8, KJV)

Certainly, van Klaveren is right that the earliest manuscripts we have do not include “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,” but instead only include “the Spirit, the water and the blood” as the three giving testimony. But nearly all our modern translations reflect what we find in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts. Furthermore, I don’t know of any Christian scholar who would appeal to 1 John 5:7-8 to make a case for the Trinity.

For example, in his 200-page book defending the Trinity, Christian apologist James White never even mentions 1 John 5:7-8.[6] Why? Because the New Testament as a whole is thoroughly Trinitarian. In other words, so many statements made by Jesus and the New Testament authors cannot be rightly understood apart from the doctrine of the Trinity. While the word “Trinity” is never found in the New Testament, the concept clearly is. The following facts can be gathered from a careful reading of the New Testament:

  1. There is only one God (John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Timothy 2:5).
  2. God exists as three divine persons who share the same eternal divine nature (John 10:30; 14:9): the Father is God (1 Corinthians 8:6), the Son is God (John 1:1), and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4).
  3. The Father is a distinct person from the Son (John 16:9), and both are distinct persons from the Holy Spirit (John 15:26).

When you put all three together, what do you get? There is one God who has eternally existed as three distinct, coequal, and coeternal persons. That is the definition of the Trinity. So, to say that the best reference to the Trinity is also a late addition to the Bible is misrepresenting the facts, and it fails to interact with the multitude of passages that so clearly teach God’s triune nature.

Truly Man, Truly God

The late Christian apologist, Nabeel Qureshi, has said that when he was a Muslim, he was taught that the Trinity was nothing but “veiled polytheism.”[7] But if you actually follow the history of how the Christian church came to understand God as Trinity, it’s clear that they were simply working out the implications of New Testament teaching. It should be added that from the earliest records outside the New Testament, the Christian church has always affirmed Jesus’s deity.

Writing around AD 107-110 (about 460 years before Muhammad was born), Ignatius wrote, “God appeared in human form to bring the newness of eternal life.”[8] This was long before the Arian controversy was settled at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. In AD 180, Irenaeus similarly affirmed that Jesus was “truly man” and “truly God.”[9]

While van Klaveren is right in one sense that the Trinity is a deep mystery we cannot fully grasp, that is not an argument against its veracity. After all, we are talking about the nature of the infinite Being. If God has revealed Himself as triune, who am I to say I won’t accept it simply because I cannot rationally comprehend it? We finite creatures are in no position to tell God what He can or cannot be like. Ultimately, only the Holy Spirit can reveal these truths to our hearts. As Paul wrote, “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13, ESV).

The overwhelming testimony of the New Testament is that Jesus is the divine Messiah and Lord of the world. John could not have been clearer when he wrote:

“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 were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-3, 14, ESV)

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] There are times when the Quran seems to misunderstand what Christians believe about the Trinity. In one passage, Allah asks, “O Jesus son of Mary! Did you say to people: ‘Take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah?’” (5:116). The Trinity that is refuted here includes Jesus, Mary, and Allah, and is a polytheistic group of three gods (“two gods besides Allah”). But this is not what Christians have historically taught about the Trinity.

[2] Joram van Klaveren, Apostate: From Christianity to Islam in times of secularization and terror (2019).

[3] I believe the ESV is a more accurate translation than the KJV for two important reasons: 1) It depends on the earliest and most reliable NT manuscripts, which were not available during the first publication of the KJV. 2) It uses language that strikes a balance of matching original word choice in Koine Greek with comprehensibility in modern English.

[4] Murad, 2013, quoted in van Klaveren, Apostate, 43.

[5] Van Klaveren, Apostate, 45.

[6] James R. White, The Forgotten Trinity (1998).

[7] “Nabeel Qureshi explaining the Trinity.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zc9ee08JeM Accessed on May 29, 2023.

[8] Ignatius, Letter to the Ephesians, 19, quoted in Allison, Historical Theology.

[9] Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 4.6.7, in ANF, 1:469.

Photo from cover of Apostate by Imam Malik Islamic Centre, Leiden

How Humility Leads to Joy

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional1 Comment 
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

Recently, I was talking with an atheist friend about our different views of reality. Rather than pointing to more objective evidence, I asked him if there was ever a time when he had been in awe of the sublime grandeur of nature. After a brief pause, he said he had indeed felt overwhelmed by the vastness—and even beauty—of the universe. I pointed out how, whether we claim belief in God or not, we humans seem wired to take joy in something greater than ourselves.

At its core, humility is the ability to take joy in something or someone outside yourself. Some people think of humility as a posture of self-degradation (“I’m not really good at anything”), as if running oneself down all the time is a sure sign of a humble spirit. But that’s incorrect. Humility is not self-focused at all; it’s a willingness to be so invested in others that the joy of others becomes your joy.

Count Others More Significant

No wonder that a New Testament letter on joy in Christ gives one of the clearest teachings on true humility:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4, ESV)

Paul says that when the Philippians do this, his joy is complete.

Many have pointed out how strange it is that while Americans are among the wealthiest in the world, we are also a nation where anxiety and depression are steadily on the rise. We also live in a nation where individualism and self-esteem are prized far more than most cultures of the world. Could it be that our me-centered mindset is directly linked to this general decrease in happiness?

Of course, this isn’t a uniquely American problem. Even in first century Rome, the Apostle Paul could speak of the coming problems of the last days:

“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:2-5, ESV)

Two things stand out to me about this passage. First, this parade of qualities is a perfect description of our ungodly 21st century world. Second, I find it interesting that every single one of these traits seems to be directly opposed to a humble spirit.

Worldly wisdom says that happiness is found in putting yourself first. Your needs. Your desires. Your appearance. Biblical wisdom says that thinking too highly of yourself actually steals your joy.

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." (Romans 12:3, NIV)

Who Am I?

Self-centered thinking leads you to believe everyone owes you. That you’re always in the right and that everyone else is in the wrong. But true humility leaves you in awe of how truly blessed you are. The humble person can look at all they have in life and say, “Who am I, that I get to have all these blessings in life?”

Some of the most miserable people in this world are those who have either forgotten or maybe never known how precious it is to walk in true humility. To have no sense of entitlement. No sense of God owing you. And what can change all that unhealthy thinking is humbly recognizing just how extraordinarily gracious God has been with you. Yes, you! God has loved you while knowing everything about you. He loved you even when you were weak, even when you were His enemy (Romans 5:6-10). Think of what kind of love this must be! And He loves you more than anyone else ever could or would.

Jesus told His followers, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), because He wanted us to humbly recognize just how much we need Him in every part of our lives. It’s about admitting that if we are in the driver’s seat of our lives, the car always ends up in the ditch. Life is far better when the true King and Captain of our soul is behind the wheel.

Without Grumbling

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” (Philippians 2:14, ESV)

This is one of those verses that convicts me the more I contemplate it. It’s so easy for me to complain about things in life. I can complain about circumstances, relationships, the weather, the government, high prices, and all the God-denying aspects of the culture. What about you? How easy is it to complain to co-workers about things at home? And then to come home and gripe to your spouse about co-workers? I don’t know about you, but complaining is something that comes way too easily for me.

But it happens more than just at home, doesn’t it? If someone was to look at how people talk about national leaders or what is said on social media, you’d think that grumbling was America’s favorite past time. It reminds me of the Israelites in the wilderness. God does so many amazing feats for them, like rescuing them from enslavement in Egypt, splitting the Red Sea for them, and causing water to gush forth from a rock in the desert.

God even invented the first store-to-front-door delivery system, with delicious cakes and fresh quail arriving outside their tents faster than an Amazon Prime van. God took care of them, and He commissioned Moses to lead them. And what happened, over and over, in that wilderness? They grumbled about Moses and God (I counted no less than 14 times the Bible records Israel grumbling in the wilderness!).

There’s a scene in the film Saving Private Ryan, where Captain Miller, played by Tom Hanks, is asked if he has any gripes about their mission. He responds, “Gripes go up, not down. Always up. You gripe to me, I gripe to my superior officer, so on, so on, and so on.” Gripes always go up says Captain Miller. If that’s true on the cosmic scale, then think of how much griping God must hear daily.

But imagine what it would look like if Christians were known, not for our complaining, but for our joyful acceptance of difficult circumstances. Paul calls us to do all things without bitterness, resentment, and grumbling. Why?

“…that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:15, ESV)

Radiant Joy

Paul says, that because of the joy of the Lord, we can live as true children of our God. When Paul says we can be “blameless and innocent,” he’s not talking about Christian perfectionism here. He’s speaking about humbly recognizing that, as grace-drenched children of God, we really have no reason to grumble. We can say, “Who am I, that I should be called a child of the living God?” When we live with a confidence in God’s hand guiding us through every trial, instead of being known as complainers, we’ll be known for our radiant joy, even in difficult circumstances.

Just yesterday, Dennis, one of the elders at my church prayed something like this, “Father, we really don’t know just how good we have it. Help us to see that we have nothing to complain about.” Amen!

All of this can only happen when we regularly apply the power of the gospel to our lives. As we humbly submit our thinking to what God has done for us in Christ, the Holy Spirit fills us and leads us into songs of joy and thanksgiving (see Colossians 3:12-17). Grace is always best received by the empty hands of those who most recognize their need for it.

When we refuse to bitterly complain even in the midst of hardships or mistreatment, we’re telling the rest of the world that we have a hope they need to get in on!

Here’s a question to consider for personal application. Do you look at difficult situations or dark times as a chance to grumble to others or be humble toward others?

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

Is Christianity a Force for Good or Evil?

On By Jason SmithIn Theology for Life, Why I Believe2 Comments 
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV)

In 1971, the popular Beatles singer, John Lennon, sang of a dream he had where no religion existed in the world. In that dream, not only was there no such thing as religion, but also no heaven or “hell below us,” and “above us only sky.” Such a world, he sang, would bring about world peace and unity since there’d no longer be anything worth killing or dying for.

Many today hold on to Lennon’s dream. In 2020, when most of the world was in isolation during the COVID-19 outbreak, Lennon’s song “Imagine” was sung by 25 celebrities in a compilation video posted on YouTube. Many still believe that a world without religion would be preferable. More specifically, many people have thought it better if Christianity didn’t exist in the world.

The so-called New Atheists, such as Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens, have argued vociferously in their books The God Delusion and God Is Not Great that “religion poisons everything.”

However, only 8 years before Lennon recorded that song, another dream was expressed across the pond by Martin Luther King, Jr. In that dream, he imagined that one day “little black boys and black girls [would] be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” The irony is that while Lennon’s dream envisioned a world where there was no Christianity, King’s dream was firmly rooted in biblical Christianity. His iconic speech appealed to his Christian faith, which holds that every person was made in God’s image and has sacred value in God’s sight. King even deliberately quoted Scripture like Isaiah 40 to make his point.

“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.”

After quoting this passage, King declared, “This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with… With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

So which worldview is right? Is religion—and more importantly—is Christianity a force for good or evil in the world today?

Is Christianity Headed for Extinction?

In a 2016 survey, 30.9 percent of freshman college students claimed no religious affiliation, which is a 10 percent rise since 2006. Many have noticed this growing trend to be non-religious and have predicted that Christianity and the other religions are destined for extinction. This has been called the secularization hypothesis, because it predicts that religion will be pushed more and more to the fringe as secular values advance.

But is this true? Actually, no. In contrast to the thinking of many academics, the reality is that Christianity has never had a wider reach. Right now, Christianity is the largest belief system in the world, with 31.5% percent of the world’s population identifying as Christian. While it’s true that those identifying as religious in Europe and North America has declined in recent years, on the global scale, Christianity is growing stronger than ever.

Many sociologists have been forced to admit that the whole secularization hypothesis has been totally debunked. Robust Christianity is globally on the rise, and the trend is actually toward a more religious rather than secular world.

Biblical Christians would expect nothing less. Not only did Jesus promise that His gospel would be proclaimed to all nations (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:10), but He also promised that the church He built will prevail “and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18, NIV).

But the question remains: Is Christianity a force for good or evil in the world? After all, just because something is believed by many doesn’t make it true (also, many who claim to be Christian don’t follow Jesus’s teachings).

Joy in Knowing Jesus

A 2016 article in USA Today was entitled “Religion May Be a Miracle Drug.” The authors begin by asking, “If one could conceive of a single elixir to improve the physical and mental health of millions of Americans—at no personal cost—what value would our society place on it?”[1]

They go on to lay out all the correlations between mental and physical health benefits and consistent religious participation. According to their research, Americans who are actively involved in a local church tend to be more optimistic, have lower rates of depression, are less likely to commit suicide, have greater purpose in life, are less likely to divorce, and even tend to live longer! There is also good research showing that those who live out a robust Christianity—including having a regular prayer life, active Bible reading, consistent church attendance, and meeting the needs of others in the community—tend to be happier in life.

In fact, in his book The Happiness Hypothesis, even atheist social psychologist, Jonathan Haidt, makes the case that devout Christians tend to be happier than secular atheists like himself!

He writes: “Surveys have long shown that religious believers in the United States are happier, healthier, longer-lived, and more generous to charity and to each other than are secular people… Religious believers give more money than secular folk to secular charities, and to their neighbors. They give more of their time, too, and of their blood.”[2]

Obviously, sociological research isn’t the ultimate reason to surrender your life to Christ. We are to surrender to Christ because He is the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15). But it’s worth noting that objective research done by secular scholars inadvertently agrees that there really is joy that comes from knowing Jesus. Non-religious scholars like Haidt have begun to realize there really is something to what Paul taught: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

The truth is that when the Bible is taken seriously and faith in Christ is lived out, there is a positive impact—both personally and in society. Christians first started universities to educate the mind, launched hospitals to care for the sick, and built orphanages to house those whom the world had rejected as a lost cause.

It is because of their Christian faith that William Wilberforce worked to abolish slavery in England, Dietrich Bonhoeffer spoke out against the Nazis, and Martin Luther King marched for the civil rights of black Americans. Today, many speak out boldly for the life of the unborn, largely due to their faith in Christ.

From Atheism to Jesus

This happened for Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker. Sarah was an atheist, known by her friends at Cambridge for being “politely hostile” to Christianity. She passionately believed that one should defend the human rights for the hurting and underprivileged. But something happened while she attended a series of lectures given by the well-known atheist, Peter Singer, who was trying to make the case for human rights from an atheistic worldview.

As Sarah listened, it slowly dawned on her that despite Singer’s best attempts to prove otherwise, the godless worldview of the atheist gave no explanation for why humans should have any rights at all. If we are nothing more than a bunch of organized cells in a mindless universe, how could anyone really speak of human rights at all? She later met a group of Christian students whose lives were deeply shaped by Jesus. They were a joy-filled community that lived out their faith “feeding the homeless, running community centres, and housing and advocating for migrant farm laborers.”[3]

As Sarah considered this issue, she realized that it was none other than the biblical worldview—which she had rejected as a teenager—that made the best sense of humans having value and therefore, having rights worth defending. A human being, she realized, whether born or unborn, is not just another organism to be disposed of, like a worm or a beetle, but had intrinsic value because he or she had been made in God’s image, and thus was a neighbor deserving her love. Sarah gave her life to Jesus and today she fights for the rights of the underprivileged from the solid standing of a biblical worldview.

This is just one of countless examples of how the light of God’s truth can pierce through the darkness of this fallen world and bring about the dramatic transformation of a single individual.

I began by asking whether Christianity is a force for good in the world today. Consider that Christianity alone—of all the world’s religions—not only offers a reasonable explanation for why human beings have value in God’s sight, but that it also declares the truth that everlasting life is found in knowing this great God. Christ-centered Christianity is without question the greatest force for good this world has ever seen, because it alone points to the free offer of eternal life found in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23).

But this is only the case as Christians have held tightly to the Word that their Lord gave them. When Christians have conformed to the world around them and lost touch with the biblical worldview, they have ceased being a force for good, because they no longer have brought hope to the world. And I think we can all agree that this world desperately needs hope.

Because Jesus is the ultimate Light of the world, His followers are called to be lights shining in the world (Matthew 5:14-16).

Consider what this means for you personally. In what areas of life is it hardest to bring the light of Christ? In whatever area that may be—at home, in the workplace, with family—ask God for courage to hold fast to the Word of life in this dark world.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] Tyler VanderWeele and John Siniff, “Religion May Be a Miracle Drug,” USA Today, October 28, 2016, https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2016/10/28/religion-church-attendance-mortality-column/92676964/

[2] Jonathan Haidt, “Moral Psychology and the Misunderstanding of Religion,” Edge, September 21, 2007, https://www.edge.org/conversation/jonathan_haidt-moral-psychology-and-the-misunderstanding-of-religion.

[3] https://believersportal.com/former-atheist-prof-sarah-irving-stonebraker-shares-incredible-story-of-conversion-to-christianity/ Accessed on May 3, 2023.

Strangers in Our Own World

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for Life2 Comments

In October 2019, the Pew Research Center released a major new report called “In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace.” The research said that while 65% of Americans still nominally identify as Christian, the alarming thing is that this was a 12% decrease in only ten years.

This may be hard for Christians to hear, but it really will be to our benefit when we face up to the reality of how hostile our world is to biblical Christianity. When we downplay this, we are only making it harder for ourselves to know how to respond. The simple fact is, we may enjoy certain legal protections as Christians still, but our world is increasingly hostile to our faith, the values  we stand for, and the Christ we proclaim as Lord. Rather than putting our head in the sand like an ostrich, we want to be like the men of Issachar who “understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32, NIV).

Strangers and Exiles

In the Book of Hebrews, the author recounts the incredible faith of godly men and women who stood out from the world around them because of their serious commitment to God. He then sums up their lives like this:

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” (Hebrews 11:13, ESV)

When he calls them “strangers and exiles on the earth,” he’s not only talking about the likes of Noah, Abraham, and Sarah. He’s talking about all who belong to the one true God. Similarly, the Apostle Peter uses the word “exiles” to describe all his fellow believers scattered throughout modern day Turkey (1 Peter 1:1; 2:17).

So this is not a designation for a select few. This is us. As followers of the risen Jesus, we too are strangers and exiles in our own world. The Greek term for “exile” (παρεπίδημος, parepidemos) usually referred to a traveler from a foreign land, only staying in a certain place for a limited duration. So Peter calls Christians “elect exiles” (1:1) and “sojourners” (2:17) to remind us that we are not permanent residents of this world.

As the old hymn goes, “This world is not my home. I’m just a-passin’ through.” Some Christians might object, “But aren’t we destined to live on a restored earth in real resurrected bodies?” Absolutely, we are! But Peter’s point is that the world as it now is—fallen and corrupted by sin—is not our home. This is an identity statement.

When Christ sets you free through faith, you come to see that your new identity in Him will never be embraced by the world. You’ll never fully fit in with the world. You’ll never be totally at home here. We are strangers. It’s essential for us to recognize this because too often we can forget our calling. We can forget why we’re here. We’re not here primarily to soak up as many worldly pleasures as possible. God has a much bigger view of joy than we do.

Citizens of Heaven

So what does that mean for us? We shouldn’t let our roots go too deep. We should keep a loose hold on the things of this world. We need to remember and embrace the truth that “this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31, NIV).

If we think of this world as our permanent residence, we will begin to live like citizens of the world rather than citizens of Heaven. We’ll start to live like the world, embrace the world’s values, and forget our purpose here is not merely to “live it up because you only live once,” but to live for Christ.

I want to encourage my Christian brothers and sisters to be mindful of this and not be caught off guard. Following Christ makes you different in this world—you are a sojourner and an alien in a world that rejects Him.

We tend to think that if we are living faithfully for Christ, people will automatically be drawn to us. The sober truth is that when you live for Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and faithfully obey His commands, you will be at odds with the world around you. On the night before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples:

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19, NIV)

What was true of the disciples then is true of us today. “In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12, CSB).

Between Two Worlds

Peter calls the church “God’s elect exiles” (1 Peter 1:1, NIV). In other words, believers have been chosen and set apart by God. That is something to marvel at: that God would graciously choose us who were once His enemies. On the other side of the coin, being God’s elect—or God’s chosen people—inevitably estranges us from the world around us.

To live as an exile means you’re living between two worlds—the world you are inevitably enmeshed in and the world to come, the world to which you now belong.

But what does it mean to live between two worlds?

Let me illustrate this principle. When Whitney and I had our firstborn, Logan, our world became very different. In one sense, we still lived in the old world. We were still married. We still had the same friends and other interests. But, on the other hand, we had just entered the very new world of parenting. We now had a new schedule, with much of our time and interests wrapped up in the eating, sleeping, crawling, and babbling of our little bundle of joy. Oftentimes, new parents find themselves a bit alienated from their other friends who don’t yet have children, because they suddenly have less in common and their schedules are totally different from what they used to be. You are still you, but your life has totally changed.

Peter was writing to former pagans who worshiped dozens of gods who have now become followers of the one Lord, Jesus Christ. And that is a much bigger change than entering the world of parenting. Peter is writing to assure them that their new identity as followers of Jesus will set them apart from the world they inhabit.

In chapter 4, Peter will tell them, “You used to live like pagans, but you’re different now.”

“You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.” (1 Peter 4:3-5, NLT)

Those first Christians Peter is writing to had entered another world. And because they had committed themselves to Jesus, their worldviews were now diametrically opposed to their pagan friends. In the same way, your old party buddies might wonder the same about you. “What’s with you now? Why don’t you like to get drunk with us anymore? Why do you take sexual purity so seriously? And why have you become a Jesus freak? It’s like you can’t stop talking about Him!”

Every follower of Jesus should come to terms with this. It doesn’t matter what your upbringing might be. There are certain practices, groups, and lifestyles we are called to leave behind. There are many things where we must, in personal conviction from the Spirit, say, “I can’t be a part of that anymore.” As strangers in our own world, there are times we have to say, “I won’t entertain myself that way.” We must never forget that we have been set apart because Jesus shed His blood and atoned for our sins.

What about you? What is Jesus calling you to leave behind? Let me encourage you, whatever it might be, if it’s contrary to the faith, give it up for Jesus. There is blessing in embracing your new calling. While many will reject you, God will use your living testimony to draw others to Himself.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

Photo of Portland, OR taken by Matthew Bacher.

Press On

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional4 Comments 
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12, ESV)

The Bible regularly calls followers of Jesus to a humble realism—a humble recognition that we have not yet arrived. In Philippians 3:12, the Apostle Paul has the humility to say, “I’m not yet everything that I one day will be.” And this humility itself is a sign of his spiritual maturity.

I remember listening to a radio talk show several years ago (this was an allegedly Christian radio station), and being shocked to hear the host claim to have reached a state of sinlessness. I had a double take, and I remember thinking, Did I hear this guy, right?  I played the sequence back a second time and confirmed that I had indeed heard him correctly.

The guest he was talking with seemed equally puzzled. He asked, “So, you’re saying you have no sin?” “That’s right,” he replied confidently. “I have a new nature. Praise the Lord!” Then the guest said, “Well, what about 1 John 1:8?” 1 John 1:8 says: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” The host continued to try to argue for his position, but his arguments seemed weak and unconvincing.

We need the humility to say with Paul, “I haven’t already arrived, but I’m pressing on!” The Christian life is much more akin to a marathon than a 100-meter dash. But let’s not miss something key in Paul’s statement. Paul’s confidence didn’t come from his pursuit of Christ. His confidence was rooted in the fact that “Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). Nothing compels us to pursue Christ more and more like knowing more deeply that He has already taken hold of us.

One Thing

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14, ESV)

I love the way Paul boils down for us his great motivation in living the Christian life. He says, “I’ve learned to simplify my whole life by focusing on this one thing that matters most.” This is a word we all need to hear. It’s so easy for us to get caught up in all the clutter of busyness in our lives that we forget to focus on the eternal things.

My older two boys have birthdays coming up. Recently, they each told me the “one thing” they desperately wanted for a present. They were emphatic that this one thing is all they cared about; they didn’t need any ancillary presents. This one thing (in this case, a Lego set) would most assuredly be all they needed. Undoubtedly, they understand that if they narrow down their birthday wish list to only one thing, they are more likely to get it.

Paul understood the beauty of simplifying life to one tremendous pursuit, one glorious ambition. In our digital age, we can let so many distractions pull our attention away from what matters most. The urgent overshadows the essential. Our phone is constantly buzzing, dinging, and chiming. Our watch is telling us we’re running behind. Our calendars are chock full. And after a busy day, it’s so easy to want to just plop down in front of the tube, isn’t it? Paul knew that if you want to be effective in this life for Christ, then you can’t be driven by worthless distractions which are constantly vying for our attention. Instead, we’ve got to lock on to the “one thing” that matters above all.

Selective Amnesia

Notice Paul says, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on” (vv. 13b-14a).

Paul says he’s learned to forget what lies behind him. There were many things Paul could have looked back at that could have slowed him down, or even tripped him up. He could have let the guilt and shame from his past in persecuting the church drag his feet. But he chose not to look back. I’ve heard my dad say, “If you’re always looking in the rearview mirror, you won’t be able to see where you’re going.”

Paul understood the beauty of self-forgetfulness. He wasn’t caught up with all the “what ifs” of life. He was in hot pursuit of Christ. Christ was his goal and his aim. He wanted to know Christ better. That’s the one thing that mattered most to this great man of God.

Believe it or not, God calls us to have “selective amnesia” and forget about our shame in the past so that we won’t lose our stride in the race of life. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead on the goal. Nothing matters more than crossing that finish line with eyes on Christ!

Whether it feels like it or not at this point for you, Paul wants us to understand that there is nothing in all reality that compares with knowing Christ. And yet, millions of people every day consider this idea foolishness. They hardly even think about Christ. But He is the reason we are here. Our life comes from Him, and He is the purpose for our existence (Colossians 1:16-18). It’s all about knowing Jesus.

In 1923, a race took place involving runners from Scotland and France. The best from each nation were there to compete and to win the title. Then came the famous 440-meter race. The gun fired, and all the runners took off. The runners were bunched together, shoulder to shoulder, and then came the first turn, where one runner was shoved to the ground just inside the track.

The crowd gasped and hopes were dashed, as the well-known runner hit the dirt. It looked like it was all over for this young Scotsman. But he had different plans. A moment later, he was flying down the track again. After only a few seconds, he was already catching up to the pack. The leaders continued to sprint hard. But there he was: “the Flying Scotsman!” With knees high and head back—Eric Liddell somehow managed, against all human odds, to cross the finish line first! This astonishing come-from-behind win was memorably captured in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. That race catapulted Liddell on to the international stage as a living legend.

What do you think most runners would have done after falling on the first turn? Shake their fist in anger? Maybe kick the dirt and storm off the track? Not Liddell. Perhaps he was motivated by this very passage. After all, he was a passionate follower of Christ who would later go on not only to win an Olympic medal, but also go on the mission field in China.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on” (Philippians 4:13-14).

Press On

Paul urges us here to “press on,” even when things look bleak, even when it looks like it is time to throw in the towel. Paul says, “Don’t give up and don’t look back! Press on, because the goal that awaits you is worth every ounce of your sweat!”

In Paul’s mind, success in the Christian life is not about never getting knocked down. It’s about what you do after getting knocked down—with knees skinned and mud splattered across your face.

In 1941, the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave a famous speech during a perilous time for England. He knew he needed to spur on every British citizen if they were to outlast the Nazis. As he stood before the captive audience, Churchill said, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

In the same way, Paul urges every one of us—wherever we are at in life and no matter what we’re up against—press on! Press on in the strength the Holy Spirit supplies.

I ran in the Cascade Lakes Relay back in 2010. The race covers some 216 miles divided up among 12 runners who run either two or three legs each. In the race, you get a breathtaking view of lakes, mountains, and golden sunrises. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also exhausting because, aside from running a total of 22 miles or so, you also get very little sleep. Runners are given the opportunity to sleep in a school gym filled with cots. So you can imagine that if one guy in the middle is snoring, everybody can hear him.

After getting maybe two hours of sleep, it was my turn to run again. The bracelet was handed to me, and I took off running into the darkness. I had probably gone about a mile down the road when I came to a course ribbon pointing me off the road to a trail that ran through the forest. Before long, I came to another fork in the trail. This time, there was no ribbon. I decided on the trail to the left, which took me up a very steep trail.

Before long, I realized I was completely lost. I later found out that the ribbon actually had a little sign attached to it pointing away from that first trail, but I didn’t see it in the darkness. In case you’re wondering, I don’t have great night vision. You can probably guess that my team teased me for being that lost runner off on a forest trail by myself. As it happens, our team’s name was “Press On,” taking the phrase from Philippians 3.

It’s possible that you are one who has gotten caught in the devil’s trap by only focusing on your failures. Maybe you have a past that is riddled with times when you went off the right path. If that’s you, then you need to know something. If you’ve turned from that sin and come to Christ for forgiveness, then God has already moved on. And it’s time you do, too.

Scripture says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Hear that, Christian. In God’s eyes, the banner over your life says “No Condemnation.” He no longer sees you as guilty, but pardoned. Now stay on the path marked “Forgiven.” Live as one who looks forward to the future with hope. Press on!

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

Faithful, Not Flashy nor Fickle

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional1 Comment 
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:31, NIV)

I don’t know what comes to mind when you hear the word faithfulness, but for me the word conjures up the image of faithful men and women I have known personally who have proven themselves trustworthy and loyal for many years. With such people I can share my burdens without fear of betrayal or rejection.

I know I’m biased, but I think of people like my dad, who has remained true to his convictions throughout his many years as a pastor and has held the course morally. I think of my mom, too, who has been faithfully by his side through thick and thin times in ministry. I also think of people I know who right now are overseas and have literally given their lives to the mission of reaching people across the world with the saving message of the gospel.

I also think of people who have been doggedly committed to Jesus Christ throughout church history. Men like Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon. And women like Hannah More, Susanna Wesley, and Corrie Ten Boom. And many, many others who were mocked, maligned, and sometimes murdered for their unashamed commitment to Christ above all else.

I wonder who comes to mind for you when you think of those you consider to be outstanding examples of faithfulness. There’s something about these people that we just can’t help but admire.

A Rare Quality

Faithfulness is a word I don’t hear all that often outside of Christian circles. In fact, it’s listed as a fruit of the Spirit, meaning it’s something that God the Holy Spirit produces in us (Galatians 5:22). If I was to boil faithfulness down to one definition, I’d say this: Faithfulness describes you if you are consistently loyal to the persons, principles, and plans to which you have committed yourself.

While “faithfulness” might sound like a religious word, even secular people are drawn to this type of person. People may use words like “reliable” and “dependable,” but even better than that is one who is “faithful.” And you know something? While people can’t help admiring the genuinely faithful person, the reality is that such people are somewhat rare.

“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6, NIV)

Hypocrisy doesn’t look good on anyone. But for the Christian, our integrity matters even more so, because we aren’t merely representing ourselves. We are ambassadors of Christ, representing His Name wherever we go.

That reminds me of the young man who came to his boss and asked for the day off to attend his grandmother’s funeral. His boss said, “Of course, you can.” The next day, the young man walked into the office, and his boss said, “Say, do you believe in resurrection from the dead?” The young man said, “Yes, in fact, I do.” His boss replied, “Interesting. Because after you left work yesterday, your grandmother came to visit you!”

Not Flashy nor Fickle

Faithfulness can be a powerful testimony of the Lord’s work in our lives, but we should be clear about something. Faithfulness is not about making a huge impact in the world. It’s not about getting your name in the paper or winning some Pulitzer Prize. Our motivation for faithfulness is Christ, and the fuel of our faithfulness is the faithfulness of God. God is supremely faithful to us. This is essential to get right, because we live in a world that values convenience much more than faithfulness.

Many people are motivated by the approval of others. It can be tempting for us to think, What others don’t know about me can’t hurt me. But the truly faithful person aspires to follow Christ even when no one is looking. Or even when obeying Him might earn us the disapproval or mockery of others. When you begin to hunger for the world’s approval, remember this exhortation:

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:3-4, ESV)

Others may have abandoned you, but God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Others may have deceived you, but God has never lied to you and never will.

Despite our best efforts, we will never master faithfulness in this life. I know that might not sound super encouraging, but the point is that this is something we always need to grow in. So, if you’re looking for the perfect example of faithfulness, don’t look at Billy Graham—though he was a great example of faithfulness—but instead look to Jesus Christ, the only One who was perfectly faithful.

People have all kinds of motives for wanting to do what is right. Maybe it’s that they don’t want to get in trouble. Maybe they want to look good in front of others. But for Christians, we have a much higher motivation. We should want to do what is right out of faithfulness to Christ. He’s our motivation! We are not our own; He has bought us with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Wherever He Has You

So, even though we want to love a lost and hurting world, we really shouldn’t be seeking the world’s recognition. If your motivation is the approval of others, your faithfulness will only extend as far as people are willing to applaud you. Seeking the world’s acceptance has led many Christians down the dangerous road of compromise.  Certainly, we should care about our testimony, but ultimately we live for an Audience of One. And we are called to be faithful to Him wherever He has us.

The story is told of a man taking a long walk down at the beach when he noticed a young man picking up a starfish and hurling it into the ocean waves. The older man was a little amused, so he asked, “Son, why are you doing that?” The youth told him that the stranded starfish would die if left on the beach in the morning sun. The man smiled and said, “But the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish. How can your efforts make any difference?” The young man looked at the starfish in his hands and then threw it into the safety of the waves. “It makes a difference to that one,” he said.

We are called to make a difference where we are. Wherever you live, work, and have your being, God has sovereignly orchestrated the circumstances so that you can be a light in a dark world. That’s why God uses the entire church in His kingdom work on earth. The failure or success of the kingdom does not ride on the shoulders of any one of us. Christ promised, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV). But if we are faithful in the place that God has called us, it will make a difference that will find its echo in eternity.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

Are We Living in the End Times?

On By Jason SmithIn Theology for Life2 Comments 
“The end of all things is near.”  (1 Peter 4:7, NIV)

Many Christians today are asking the question: “Are we living in the end times?” They look at how much of our society has lost its moral bearings, how godlessness is growing, and how it is becoming increasingly a challenge to live faithfully as a Christian in the Western world. So they wonder: Is Jesus coming back soon?

My answer, based on Scripture, is yes, we are most certainly living in the end times. However, I don’t base that conclusion on any recent turn of events in American society or on the international stage. Strange as it may sound, I believe that the church has been living in the end times ever since Jesus died and rose again. Why would I say that? Because all through the New Testament, we see this plainly taught. For example, the author of Hebrews could speak of living in the “last days” in the middle of the first century:

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2, ESV)

Writing around AD 54, the Apostle Paul told the church of Corinth that Old Testament scripture was written “for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11, ESV). When the Holy Spirit was given to the early church at Pentecost, Peter interpreted this event by quoting the prophet Joel:

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…” (Acts 2:17, ESV)

Even more remarkable is Peter’s statement in his first epistle: “The end of all things is at hand” (1 Peter 4:7, ESV). Of course, we might reasonably wonder, If Peter in the first century could say “the end of all things is at hand,” why on earth are we still here 2,000 years later? That’s a fair question. There are other passages where the Bible says something similar. James even tells his readers that Jesus’ coming is so soon that you can already think of Him as “standing at the door” (James 5:9)!

Were the Apostles Mistaken?

Many have wondered, Did the Apostles get it wrong? Did they assume Jesus was coming back right away but were mistaken?

I think this type of question is resolved when we stop to first remember that the Bible claims to be the word of God Himself (2 Timothy 3:16-17). So, we aren’t just reading what the Apostles thought; we are reading the very words of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 3:15-16). Furthermore, Jesus promised His Apostles that the Holy Spirit “will guide you into all the truth… and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13, ESV). So to assert that the Apostles might be in error in their teaching is actually to cast doubt on Jesus’ integrity.

But let’s consider something important about how biblical prophecy often works. Many have termed this “prophetic telescoping.” The idea is that when you look at biblical prophecies, it is often like looking at a mountain range. A single prophecy might appear to be fulfilled in that first mountain you can see, but what is not always explicitly stated is that there also may be greater fulfillment in the next mountain behind it and so on. In other words, when a prophecy is given, there are partial fulfillments, which tend to happen sooner. And then there are ultimate fulfillments which happen farther down the timeline.[1]

Another thing is that the Bible talks about the “last days” or the “end times” in terms of a phase in redemptive history. So, if you were to ask the Bible, “Are we living in the end times?” The clear answer is, “Yes, we are.” But that’s more a statement about us living in the final phase of redemptive history than it is about the precise timeline of Jesus’ return. The Messiah has come. He has suffered, risen again, and sent the Holy Spirit. The message of salvation is going forth.

The Bible views history as split by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He’s the central figure, and His resurrection was the central event. Before Christ, God’s people lived in anticipation. We could call those the “former times,” when the prophets anticipated a coming Messiah (Hebrews 1:1). But after Jesus came and accomplished redemption, a new era began, an era when God’s people are permanently indwelled by the Holy Spirit. This is the church age, but it’s also the final phase of redemptive history.[2]

Ready and Alert

Now, you might say, “It’s awfully confusing for Peter to say ‘the end of all things is near’ if there was still at least 2,000 years to go.” Well, not if you see it as a call for vigilance. God was intentionally ambiguous about the timing of Christ’s return. It’s a fixed date on His calendar, but He wanted every generation of Christians to live with the expectancy that Christ could return very soon. And even today, we should live with that expectancy. Jesus could come back very soon. That’s what the Bible means when it says we are living in the “last days” or end times.

We are called to faithfully and expectantly await His soon return, knowing it always could be just around the corner. Regarding His return, Jesus called His followers to “Keep alert at all times” (Luke 21:36) and “be ready” (Luke 12:40). He said, “Keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42).

Here’s something else we should consider. The Bible hints at the fact that Jesus would seem to take a long time to return, but each generation should anticipate His return with alertness.

In God’s eyes, Jesus’ return will be right on time, but there are indicators from Scripture that Jesus would seem to take a long time from our perspective. Why else would Jesus tell the parable of the ten virgins who waited for the bridegroom to come for the wedding? Five were wise and brought oil, and five were foolish and unprepared.

Jesus says, “The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.” (Matthew 25:5, NIV)

The foolish virgins who are not ready for the bridegroom’s sudden arrival end up excluded from the wedding feast.

In the chapter before that, Jesus talks about the faithful servant who is ready when his master returns and then compares that to the wicked servant who grows negligent when his master takes longer than expected.

“But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51, ESV)

In both cases, there is a hint that Jesus will take longer than expected to return. But it doesn’t go so well for those who start to live like Jesus is never coming back. That is why Peter says “the end of all things is near,” and Jesus said He was coming soon (Revelation 22:20). From a divine perspective, He is coming soon (2 Peter 3:8-10). These are calls to be ready. Christians are to live as servants expecting their master’s soon return.

Sober and Effective Prayer

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. (1 Peter 4:7, NIV)

It’s fascinating how often drunkenness is contrasted with being filled with the Spirit in Scripture. The priests of Israel were not allowed to drink alcohol if they wanted to enter the Tabernacle. Samson’s mother is told not to drink alcohol during her pregnancy so that her son can be filled with God’s Spirit for his life’s mission. An angel prophesies that John the Baptist “is never to take wine or other fermented drink,” because “he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Peter has to correct people on the Day of Pentecost who assume that he and his fellow believers are drunk when they are actually filled with the Spirit.

And then there’s Paul’s explicit command: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18, BSB)

Drunkenness is primarily about escapism. People get drunk to avoid the troubles of life. They run from the battle and resort to the bottle. People look to the bottle to calm their fears, dull their senses, and relax.

But being filled with the Holy Spirit is about rescue from our old way of life. It’s not about running away; it’s about overcoming. Rather than encouraging us to hide from challenges, the Holy Spirit urges us to face our problems in reliance on Him – and overcome.

If being drunk dulls our senses, being filled with the Spirit sharpens them. People run to alcohol when they want to have a good time. But it is the Holy Spirit who brings the true joy and peace we are craving.

That’s why, contrary to what some think, Christians actually have a lot of fun together. The Spirit Himself creates the joyful atmosphere that we share together. While the Bible doesn’t forbid us from ever drinking alcohol, we don’t need alcohol to have a good time. And it’s worth noting that four out of the six sins that Peter mentions in 1 Peter 4:3 refer to abuse of alcohol.

So Peter is saying in verse 7, “Keep the gunpowder dry, so that you can fire off those effective prayers that can radically change circumstances. Tune in to what the Spirit is doing rather than tuning out.”

On September 17, 1788, the Austrian army achieved the unthinkable. They managed to lose the Battle of Karansebes before the enemy even made it to the battlefield. When the Ottoman army was delayed in arriving for the battle, the Austrian army got bored and decided to try the local Schnapps. After getting wildly drunk, the Austrians suddenly mistook one another for the enemy and began firing on each other. When the Ottoman army finally did reach the battlefield, all they found was an encampment of 10,000 wounded or dead Austrians.

Let’s not be like the foolish Austrians at the Battle of Karansebes. Let’s stay alert and sober, because there is a real spiritual war taking place right now. We are right in the thick of it, and the devil would love for us to begin turning our muzzles on one another and forget that he is the real enemy.

When you’re thinking deeply about Christ’s return, you will be moved to pray more effectively, renounce hidden sins, and demonstrate sacrificial love for others. Live expectantly in these last days. Anticipating His soon arrival compels us to live both soberly and passionately for the glory of our coming King.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!

[1] One clear example of this in Scripture is the prophecy of the coming “day of the Lord,” which had immediate partial fulfillment in the days that prophecy was given, but will one day have ultimate fulfillment on the day the Lord returns to judge and to save. For example, when Zephaniah writes of the day of the Lord (Zephaniah 1:7-8, 14-16), he describes it both as a coming event in history when Jerusalem will be destroyed (1:4, 10-12), but he also talks about it as an event at the end of history when people are wiped off the face of the earth (1:2-3, 17-18).

[2] This doesn’t rule out what the Jewish rabbis have called “Messianic Age,” which I believe will be fulfilled in the Millennium spoken of primarily in Revelation 20:1-10. I would simply incorporate the Messianic Age as a time of greater realization of blessing and peace with Christ’s reign on the earth in this age. I get this from passages like Ephesians 1:21, which speaks only of “this age” and “the age to come,” which I believe is the new creation and eternal state (Revelation 21-22).

The Declaration of Creation

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional1 Comment

Recently, my family and I stopped to feast our eyes on an exquisite sunset, complete with a bright glowing blend of red, orange, and purple. Just after dusk, my three boys and I went frog hunting on my in-laws’ property. We crept up on a little pond, from which we could hear a chorus of croaks and chirps. As we closed in on the frogs, they suddenly fell silent in unison. It didn’t help that our dog, June, plunged into their pond a moment later.

On our way back to the house, we stopped to gaze up at the night sky above us, a deep black canvas dotted with tiny sparkling diamonds. It was sublime. We could even spot Jupiter and Venus. What a way to begin spring! Despite the cold March air, it was hard for the four of us to stop staring. In the midst of our shared excitement, I was reminded of the first line from Psalm 19:

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1, ESV)

Ears to Hear

According to the Bible, that starry sky above is making a declaration to us. It’s announcing to us that there is an Artist and Designer behind it all.

Everything you see in this world – towering trees, majestic mountains, fertile fields, mighty elephants, growling lions, chirping crickets – all of it owes its existence to an all-powerful Creator, who ordered and designed this world for the glory of His great name.

Some people might say, “I don’t hear any announcement.” But think of it this way. Someone can be shouting something to you from across the room, and you still don’t hear it. Maybe you’re deaf or you’re wearing noise-canceling headphones. Or maybe you’re just choosing to ignore that person. Although the stars don’t actually speak (v. 3), their message of God’s glory is being declared “through all the earth” (v. 4) to those who have ears to hear.

God’s glory is all the beauty and majesty of His character and nature. The word “glory” (kabod in Hebrew) gives the sense of something being weighty or having importance. So to say the heavens declare God’s glory is more than saying they point to His existence. All of creation is announcing His importance, His power, His worth. The starry skies are urging us to worship God as the One who deserves all the glory.

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11, NIV)

Many people today like to say they’re not too sure about God’s existence; instead, they prefer to look for a scientific explanation. But the more we learn about the heavens, the more we should see God’s glory. The magnetosphere is a magnetic field surrounding the earth that stretches out into space 36,000 miles. It acts like a massive shield, protecting our planet from the sun’s harmful solar winds. When the charged particles of the solar winds are redirected to the north and south poles, they create the beautiful auroras, known as the northern and southern lights. Science should lead us to exult in God’s incredible design. Not only does the magnetosphere act as a massive protective bubble, but it also creates a breathtaking display in the night sky.

Interestingly, scientists have discovered a host of features like the magnetosphere that have to be just so for earth to be a habitable planet. This includes the size of earth in relation to the sun, the size of the moon in relation to earth, the amount of oxygen in our atmosphere, the amount of water on earth, the size of the surrounding planets, and even our location in the Milky Way galaxy. These are well-documented in The Privileged Planet, a book written by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards.

The Sufficiency of Scripture

David, the psalmist, goes on to say that while creation declares there is a glorious Creator, it doesn’t tell us how to get right with Him. General revelation (nature) tells us there is a Creator, but we need special revelation (Scripture) to learn that there is also a Redeemer.

“The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
    making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7, ESV)

While astounding things can be learned from observing the created world, true wisdom is found in God’s law. Such wisdom comes from above; it is more precious than gold (V. 10). Most people don’t realize what an extraordinary privilege it is to have a Bible in their home. It’s like they are sitting on a storehouse of treasure, and they’ve never realized it. God’s Word alone is perfect, flawless, and true. Through Scripture, our eyes are opened to see that this wise Creator has made a way for us to be forgiven and granted eternal life. Many have chased after gold and riches, but David reminds us that “the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever” (v. 9).

David wants us to understand the sufficiency of Scripture. The wonder of God’s Word is that you don’t need to have an advanced degree in physics or philosophy to know what God is really like. Scripture itself imparts wisdom to even the “simple” or uneducated (v. 7). It tells us plainly of God’s goodness, justice, and grace. And most importantly, it tells us about the Redeemer Jesus Christ, who alone lived a life acceptable in God’s sight (v. 14) and then offered that life as an acceptable sacrifice in the place of sinners (Ephesians 5:2).

So while creation declares God is powerful and wise, Scripture declares that God is loving and gracious. The Bible alone is “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15, ESV).

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!