7 Reasons to Stand Against False Teaching

“Do your best,” the apostle Paul writes to protégé Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God has one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15a). Paul is promoting a kind of eager, committed persistence for the truth that the flawless Word of God inspires in us who believe. 

According to 2 Timothy 2:15-19, we can learn to stand in truth and against false teaching for at least seven reasons:

1. God is to be pleased.

2. False teaching leads to ungodliness.

3. False teaching quickly spreads.

4. The faith of some believers might be upset by false teaching.

5. A firm foundation already exists.

6. God differentiates between those who spread truth versus falsehood.

7. False teaching is sin.

Paul unfolds his reasons about fervency for the truth on the basis of who God is and the kind of regard we are to have for Him and those around us.

Because God is Worthy

1.) God is to be pleased.

According to Paul’s teaching, one reason to be firm in the faith is for God to be pleased. Timothy was to view his work as a preacher/ leader as being directly for the Lord. In our contexts, we can consider our handling of God’s Word also as labor we present to Him in love.

We stand against false teaching because God is highly worthy to be pleased with our deeds. 

2.) False teaching leads to ungodliness.

Paul progresses to instruct Timothy that any talk irreverent toward Scriptural truth will only produce more and more ungodliness. If believers present the Word of God as trivial, as means for personal gain or influence, or as mere material for displays of intelligence, wit, or debate skill, these self-serving attitudes can be readily replicated by others—far more readily than the devotion that comes from following God with one’s whole heart.

We stand against false—irreverent—teaching because we follow a God who deserves our fear and devotion so that our human words might reflect well upon the worth of divine ones. 

Because People Stand to Be Deluded

3.) False teaching quickly spreads.

In 2 Timothy 2:17, Paul reiterates that irreverence can spread like a deadly condition. If we are dismissive about the importance of studying, discerning, and conveying the truth of God, others around us stand to be swayed. Those who might have been receptive to the authority of the Scriptures can find their interest in a complete commitment to Christ and His Word diminished if a less demanding alternative is made to seem viable.

4.) The faith of some believers might be upset by false teaching.

False teaching can also bear an impression upon committed believers. 2 Timothy 2:18 teaches: “[Those who have swerved from the truth] are upsetting the faith of some.” People who have been born again may entertain doubts about orthodox truths because falsehood can often sound profound and persuasive, what was once clear becoming clouded. 

We stand against false teaching so that the seeker is not deterred from having ears that hear and the believer is not deluded into believing he or she has an unstable foundation.

Because God Has Spoken

At least three more reasons for determined persistence in truth are conveyed in Timothy 2:19: “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’” 

5.) A firm foundation already exists.

As Paul’s ultimate impetus for presenting oneself as a right handler of God’s Word, he indicates that God’s truth cannot be broken—that its authority stands regardless of the actions or attitudes of men. So, we stand against false teaching because God’s Word is exactly that. 

6.) God differentiates between those who spread truth and falsehood.

By way of support, Paul outlines two primary inscriptions on God’s unbreakable foundation. First, God is able to differentiate between those who speak truth versus those who speak falsehood. While people might be deluded by false teaching, God’s perception is piercing. He knows.

We stand against false teaching because we are not judged by others’ reception to God’s message. Should world, friends, or family reject us for truth—that God sees us and knows us can be our strength and comfort.

7.) False teaching is sin.

Paul then refers to an activity that ought to characterize believers—while not being sinless, we are to be those departing from our sins. We stand against false teaching because teaching God’s truth falsely is iniquity.

Two Ways I Stand Against False Teaching

As a church member

In my daily life, one way I stand against false teaching is through my ongoing commitment to the kind of home church I have selected. I have confidence that those entering the place our church worships will receive words from the pulpit that arise from the Scriptures and that have been presented to and weighed before God prior to being delivered to the congregation. And, I have confidence in the eagerness of my church to attend to the truth of all that is being taught throughout its leadership, from pastor and elder to small group leader. 

As a parent

Another way I stand against false teaching is through mothering my four-year-old daughter. I engage with her in apologetic and polemical work as we discuss the world in which we live—its reception to Christ and its favorite messages to her age group.

As a family, we also seek to find new ways to discuss and describe the gospel message, teaching nuances and applications. This guards against misconceptions that further teaching can dispel and against the fallenness of human memory that can find itself withered where once stoutly built. All of this I do as a follower of Christ who is ever needful of Him and His cross. So, as often as I sin against my daughter, I seek to make swift apology—to uphold what is right through failure to do it. After apologizing, I often reaffirm to her the truth of the perfection of God, who never does her wrong—and we rejoice in Him, and His truthfulness and graciousness, together.

Being firm in the faith can be considered a habitual occupation—a layer of good work for the Lord that rests atop the rest of the labor of our days. We can hear Paul’s instructions to Timothy like a refreshing call of reminder to be fervent about what is true, about the faith that has been delivered once for all to us, the saints (Jude 3).

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This post was originally published at Unlocking the Bible.

8 Words for Worshipful Meditation

The voice of the dinner host resounds throughout the dining room and kitchen, “Alright, the food is ready, friends! First, grab your silverware, plates, and napkins here, and then start going along this side of the table to get your food. Don’t forget, drinks are on the far counter—we have ice water, lemonade, and coffee.” 

For guests to follow instructions from their host about the meal he or she has prepared and provided is honoring to do. Similarly, as we hear what God’s Word teaches about itself, we are guided through the “meal” of meditation. 

Eight Words for Worshipful Meditation

Meditation has been defined as follows:

Act of calling to mind some supposition, pondering upon it, and correlating it to one’s own life. A wicked individual meditates upon violence (Prov. 24:2). The meditation of a righteous person contemplates God or His great spiritual truths (Pss. 63:6; 77:12; 119:15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 148; 143:5). He hopes to please God by meditation (Ps. 19:14). Thus meditation by God’s people is a reverent act of worship.[1]

To remember the ways God has said his Word is profitable toward our souls while we contemplate it in meditation is honoring to him and worshipful. As one way to help in this pursuit, below are 8 words taken from Psalm 19 and 2 Timothy 3:16 that God speaks concerning Scripture. Provided as well are some explanations about these words, followed by questions to guide us as we ponder and then correlate to life the principles and teachings we have studied throughout the Bible.

Reviving (Psalm 19:7a)

Matthew Henry writes that Scripture “is of use to convert the soul, to bring us back to ourselves, to our God, to our duty.” Scripture makes us turn to the Lord, it plunges his life-giving ways into more of the depths of our hearts.

How does this passage awaken my soul to the Lord and things eternal, and deaden me toward the world?

Making Wise (Psalm 19:7b)

Henry writes, “It will give us an insight into things divine and a foresight of things to come. It will employ us in the best work and secure to us our true interests.” Scripture causes us to see life in light of the greatness of God, helping us live with increasing temperance and diligence.

In light of this passage, how am I challenged to live, act, and make decisions in a more godly way?

Rejoicing (Psalm 19:8a)

Henry writes, “The law, as we see it in the hands of Christ, gives cause for joy; and, when it is written in our hearts, it lays a foundation for everlasting joy, by restoring us to our right mind.” Scripture gives joy to our lives; the person who knows and follows what is right and true is spared from great misery. 

What teachings, provisions, and promises in this passage bring joy to my life as I align with them and know my God better?

Enlightening (Psalm 19:8b)

Henry writes, “It brings us to a sight and sense of our sin and misery, and directs us in the way of duty.” Scripture gives us new understandings — it challenges our minds to see everything by holy light that glories in God.

What can I learn from this passage that I did not previously know—how does it change the way I think about what is true, valuable, etc.?

Teaching (2 Timothy 3:16)

John Calvin writes, “[Instruction] ranks above all the rest; for it will be to no purpose that you exhort or reprove, if you have not previously instructed.” Also, Matthew Henry refers to “teachings” as “doctrine.” Scripture instructs us, giving us information about God, our world, and ourselves that we simply could not otherwise know.

How does this passage help me understand God, his acts in this world, and his will for people?

Reproving and Correcting (2 Timothy 3:16)

Calvin writes, “Reproof and correction differ little from each other, except that the latter proceeds from the former; for the beginning of repentance is the knowledge of our sinfulness, and a conviction of the judgment of God.” Scripture confronts the sin and untruth in us; it stands contra evil and provides clarity about how to change.

How am I convicted as I read this passage? How do my ways not measure up to the holiness of God, and how can I be corrected?

Training (2 Timothy 3:16)

Calvin writes, “Instruction in righteousness means the rule of a good and holy life.” Scripture fills our lives with the abundant peace of living according to the everlasting ways of God.

According to this passage, in what ways can my life be filled with the righteousness God loves because I love him?

As we meditate upon God’s holy Word as he has intended, he teaches us to pray from our hearts, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

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1.  LeBron Matthews, “Meditation,” in Chad Brand, Charles Draper, Archie England, Steve Bond, E. Ray Clendenen, Trent C. Butler, and Bill Latta, eds. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003)

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9 Spurgeon Quotes on Fear and Faith

According to Charles Spurgeon (here and here), Psalm 56:3—“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you”—holds a tension and, yet, a resolve that is uniquely characteristic of the Christian’s experience of fear. 

1. Spurgeon gives voice to inner complexities.

Notice, first, then, that here is David in a complex condition. He says, “I am afraid,” yet with the same breath he says, “I will trust in You.” Is not this a contradiction? It looks like a paradox. Paradox itmay be, but contradiction it is not!

2. He illustrates that intellectual qualms need not be viewed as displacing of faith.

You have seen a precious promise or a glorious Doctrine and you have believed it because you have found it in God’s Word. You have believed it so as to grasp it and feel it tobe your own, yet, perhaps, almost at the same time certain rationalistic thoughts have come into your mind and you have been vexed with doubts as to whether the promise is true. You remember, perhaps, the insinuations of others,or something risesup out of your own carnal reason that renders it difficult for you to believe, while at the same time you are believing! You battle with yourself—one selfseemsto say, “Is it so?” and yet your inner self seemsto say, “I could die for it, I know it is so!”

3. He teaches that there is courage in being honest about fears.

David says, “I am afraid.” Admire his honesty in making this confession. Some men would never have admitted that they were afraid. They would have blustered and said they cared for nothing! Generallythere is no greater coward in this world than the man who never will acknowledge that he is afraid.

4. He reminds that even when faith can stand to grow in those times of life when death seems impending, faith one can still have. And greater truths also abound.

But if, as a rule, you and I can think of death without any kind of fear, if no tremor ever crosses our minds, well then, we must have marvelously strong faith, and I can only pray we may be retained in that strength of faith! For the most partthere is such a thing as terror in prospectof death—the fear is often greater in prospect than in reality! In fact, it is always so in the case of the Christian.

[…]

And so the fear and the faith shall go on hand in hand together for a while, till at last perfect love shall come in and take the place of fear—and then faith and love shall go hand in hand to Heaven!

5. In noting the despondency of going anywhere but to God, and that being one’s end, he promotes gratitude for grace. 

It is a sure sign of Grace when a man can trust in his God, for the natural man, when afraid, falls back on some human trust, or he thinks that he will be able to laugh at the occasion of fear. He gives himself up to jollity and forgetful-ness, or perhaps he braces himself up with a natural resolution—"To take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them." He goes anywhere but to his God.

6. He puts on display the illogical nature of natural human impulses.

You say, "I feel so dead and cold, I have not the spiritual vivacity and warmth and life that I used to possess. I used to come up to the Tabernacle and feel such joy and rejoicing in worshipping on God's Holy Day, but now I feel flat and dull." Oh, but do not be tempted to get away from Christ because of this! Who runs away from the fire because he is cold? Who, in summer, runs away from the cooling brook because he is hot? Should not my deadness be the reason why I should come to Jesus Christ?

7. He teaches that when lamenting over a life that has created, of oneself, nothing that pleases God, but only the opposite—to then rejoice, for grace is true.

When I can see marks of Grace in myself, to trust Christ is easy—but when I see no marks of anything good, but every mark of everything that is evil and then comeand cast myself upon Him and believethat He can save me, even me, and rest myself upon Him—this is the faith which honors Christ and which will save us! May you have it and such time as you are afraid of sin, may you trust in Christ!

8. He is honest and serves as an example of how to respond inthe starkest realizations unworthiness.

I dare to say these ancient words [of Psalm 56:3] tonight from the depths of my soul! I am afraid of my sins! I am afraid of my unworthiness! I never live a day but what I see reason to be afraid! If I had to stand all by myself, I would be afraid to stand before God! If I had never done anything in my life but preach this one sermon, there have been so many imperfections and faults in it that I am afraid to place any reliance upon it! But my Lord Jesus, You are my soul's only hope. I trust entirely in You!

9. Best of all, he takes Christ at his word.

A Christian has no right to be always saying—"Do I love the Lord or no? Am I His, or am I not?" He may be compelled to say it, sometimes, but it is far better for him to come just as he is and throw himself at the foot of the Cross and say, "Savior, You have promised to save those that believe! I believe, therefore You have saved me!" I know some think this is presumption, but surely it is worse than presumption not to believe God! And it is true humility to take God at His word and to believe Him.

In the day of being afraid, Spurgeon teaches that Christian confidence is not in one’s inner state, intellectual reachings, adequacy of confession, absence of future experiences of fear, coping abilities (i.e. humor or human resolve), history of actions and inactions, or self-perception. With all of these in view—and the cause for fear growing when considering each one—“when I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Ps. 56:3). A Christian’s confidence in fear is that God does exist as One who, of his own incomprehensible decision and grace, rewards those who seek him (Heb. 11:6).

70 Prompts for Adoring God

I worship you, my God, because of who you are: 

1. Eternal, immortal, and invisible, you alone are God (Psalm 90:1-2; 1 Timothy 1:17; Isaiah 45:5).

2. You are Spirit (John 4:24). 

3. You are living (Joshua 3:10).

4. You are one able to create ex nihilo, or out of nothing (Hebrews 11:3), in six days, and resting on the seventh (Genesis 1).

5. You are independent of all creation, and have life in and of yourself (John 5:24).

6. You are known to all (Romans 1:19-20).

7. As self-existent Yahweh, you are self-revealing to your people (Exodus 3:14-15).

8. You are omnipresent, or everywhere, always (Psalm 139:7-12).

9. You are omniscient, knowing everything (Proverbs 15:3).

10. You are omnipotent, or all-powerful (Matthew 19:26; Hebrews 1:3). 

11. You are omnisapient, or all-wise (Romans 16:27).

12. You are sovereign (Ephesians 1:11, 20-21).

13. You are one God in three Persons (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 8:6).

14. Each Person of the Trinity is fully and equally God; in appearance and outworking, the Father begets the Son (John 1:18), and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 14:26; 16:7).

15. Jesus Christ was preexistent before the incarnation (John 6:38; John 17:5).

16. Jesus Christ humbled himself (Philippians 2:5-7).

17. Jesus Christ became incarnate in the flesh (John 1:14), conceived by the Holy Spirit without a human father and born from a virgin (Matthew 1:18). 

18. Jesus Christ, with a human nature, experienced the weakness and growth that are a part of the human experience (Mark 2:15; 14:33; 15:34; Luke 2:40; 7:9). 

19. Jesus Christ was tempted and overcame (Luke 4:2); with a divine nature, he could not sin. 

20. Jesus Christ is God—the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15) and the one of whom deity is claimed (Luke 1:43; John 1:1; Matthew 22:44; Hebrews 1:10-12).

21. Jesus Christ’s omnipotence is displayed through his miracles over nature (Matthew 8:26-27; Matthew 14:19; John 2:1-11). 

22. Jesus Christ’s eternality is known through self-revealing statements (John 8:58; Revelation 22:13).

23. Jesus Christ’s omniscience is displayed through perceiving hidden thoughts (Mark 2:8; John 1:48), and in knowing all things as attested to by his disciples (John 16:30).

24. Jesus Christ is omnipresent, as seen in his claim to be with the disciples always (Matthew 28:20).

25. Jesus Christ is sovereign, as demonstrated in his authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-7).

26. Jesus Christ is worthy to be worshipped and adored (Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 5:12).

27. Though not relinquishing any divine attributes, Jesus Christ gave up the outward appearance and radiance of his glory in order to complete the mission of the Father (Philippians 2:7), using his divine attributes only as necessary for his mission and ministry, out of submission to the Father.

28. Jesus Christ is one Person without separation, including two natures without confusion—human and divine—in hypostatic union (Hebrews 1:3). 

29. The Person of the Holy Spirit has intellect, emotions, and will. With intelligence, he knows the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-11); with emotions he can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and according to his will, he distributes spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11).

30. The Holy Spirit is deity with omniscience (1 Corinthians 1:11-12), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7), and involvement in creation (Psalm 104:30); blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is blasphemy against God (Matthew 12:31-32).  

31. Father, Son, and Spirit—one God—you are unity (Deuteronomy 6:4).

32. You are Elohim, sovereign and transcendent over all the earth (Deuteronomy 2:30; 33; 3:22).

33. As El-Shaddai, you are God Almighty, powerful and strong (Genesis 17:1). 

34. As El Elyon, you are God Most High who reigns supreme (Genesis 21:33).

35. As El Olam, you are God Everlasting and changeless forever (Genesis 21:33).

36. As Yahweh Jireh, you are “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14).

37. As Yahweh Nissi, you are “The Lord Our Banner,” the victorious (Exodus 17:15).

38. As Yahweh Shalom, you are “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24). 

39. As Yahweh Sabbaoth, you are “The Lord of Hosts,” the commander (1 Samuel 1:3). 

40. As Yahweh Maccaddeshcem, you are “The Lord Thy Sanctifier” (Exodus 31:13). 

41. As Yahweh Tsidkenu, you are “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).

42. The way you relate to your creation can be described by many images, like the image of Father (Matthew 6:26; 2 Corinthians 6:18; 1 John 3:1). 

43. The image of Mother (Isaiah 66:13; Isaiah 49:15; Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34).

44. The image of Husband (Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:19; Revelation 21:1-7). 

45. The image of Friend (John 15:12-15). 

46. The image of Shepherd (Psalm 23; John 10:11)

47. The image of Teacher (Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 48:17). 

48. The image of Ruler (Psalm 103:19; 1 Timothy 6:15). 

49. The image of Judge (Isaiah 33:22; 2 Timothy 4:8). 

50. The image of Deliverer (Exodus 6:6; Matthew 1:21).

51. And the image of Justifier (Romans 3:26). 

52. You are a preserver of all you have made (Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:17).

53. You are one who gives decrees that are all-encompassing, or inclusive of all creation (Ephesians 1:11).

54. Your decrees are for your own glory (Psalm 19:1), and they are based upon your sovereign contentment (Daniel 4:35).

55. Your decrees are best because they are based upon your infinite wisdom (Psalm 147:5; Psalm 104:24). 

56. You are morally pure and set apart (Leviticus 11:44-45).

57. You are holy (Revelation 4:8).

58. You hate sin and are angered by it (Joshua 7:1). 

59. You are perfectly wrathful (Romans 1:18; Nahum 1:2).

60. You are compassionate (Psalm 103:13-14).

61. You are patient (Romans 2:4).

62. You are love (1 John 4:8, 16).

63. You are good (Psalm 25:8).

64. You are just (Genesis 18:25).

65. You are righteous and gracious (Psalm 145:17).

66. You are rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4).

67. You are immanent, near and active (Jeremiah 23:23-24; Acts 17:27-28). 

68. You are immutable, or unchangeable (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17). 

69. You are true (Isaiah 65:16).

70. You are the blessed and only King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15).

Help me to know you, to love you for who you are, and to value what you value, my God. 

Amen.

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This post was originally published at Unlocking the Bible.

70 Prompts for Praising God

A list of praise-worthy truths—to You, God:

1. The world changes, but the Christian hope stays the same (Heb. 13:8).

2. You are present to protect us—guiding us straight through this life to eternal joy (Ps. 16:11).

3. Even before we fell, You had plans to lift us up in Christ (1 Pet. 1:20; Eph. 2:6).

4. The sweat of blood, the cross, the bitter cup—You bore sin for us (Lk. 22:14; Matt. 20:22; 1 Pet. 2:24).

5. Christ is not a shadow, but the true sacrifice (Heb. 10:1-18).

6. As friends, Christ has let us in on future plans (Jn. 15:15).

7. Death tears apart our bodies and souls, but You’ll put them together again; we know because of Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20).

8. We will share in His inheritance as glorified sons and daughters (Rom. 8:17).

9. Satan will be destroyed with a breath (2 Thess. 2:8).

10. Death itself is going to meet an irrevocable end; You have appointed the day (Rev. 20:14).

11. You have fulfilled prophecy before and You surely will again (Acts 3:18).

12. We reach the ends of ourselves and our insights, but your Word never stops pouring riches (Ps. 19:10).

13. The Bible is true, so we are right to trust it all (2 Timothy 3:16).

14. Your Word is like nourishing food to us (Matt. 4:4).

15. When we stand upon Your Word, we stand upon what is forever and cannot be broken (1 Peter 1:25; John 10:35).

16. You are bigger than our hearts; we do not have to be led by our feelings (1 Jn. 3:20).

17. We struggle with motives, but You never do. Your plans are always pure (Ps. 18:30).

18. With You, each day is new. Your forgiveness helps us to forget what’s best forgotten (Lam. 3:22-23).

19. You will love us for eternity (Ps. 100:5).

20. Loving You is possible; we were created for this (Phil. 2:13).

21. One day, we will be sinless like You (Rev. 21:27).

22. No discipline we receive from You is condemnation; our condemnation is no more (Rom. 8:1).

23. The discipline we do receive is good; You are good (Prov. 3:12).

24. We can never run far enough to be away from You, and You do not despise a contrite heart that repents (Ps. 139:8; Ps. 51:17).

25. You are patient with us and slow to anger (Ps. 145:8).

26. Even after every failure on this earth, in eternity, you’ll simply welcome us to enjoy (1 Thess. 5:9); You welcome us now (Lk. 7:48).

27. We can resist temptation and find ourselves loving You more (1 Cor. 10:13).

28. We never wake to a single day when You are not our Advocate before the Father (1 John 2:1).

29. While we require an ever-expanding view of You, You knowingly and simply see all we think, feel, and do (Ps. 33:13).

30. By fearing You, we can hate what is evil and align our hearts with Yours (Prov. 8:13).

31. Your path is straight; we’ll never be misled (Prov. 3:6).

32. In Christ, obedience is joy (Lk. 11:28).

33. The boundaries You give us are just right—pleasant, freeing, and sweet (Ps. 16:6).

34. You made us; You chose to create. You give us life and hold us together (Gen. 1:27; Col. 1:17).

35. You are perfectly wise and just, even amidst vast complexities (Job 38-41).

36. You are everlasting while this world and our lives are but a breath (Isa. 40:28; Ps. 39:5).

37. We have kings, but You are King—with all power and authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18).

38. You are Head of Your church. You direct each one of us (Col. 1:18).

39. No longer does a human priesthood intermediate; we are all a priesthood with access to Your throne through the God-Man, Christ (1 Pet. 2:5).

40. You give us membership in the church, the church You love (Eph. 5:32).

41. We, Your people, are one (Romans 12:5).

42. Our brothers and sisters have faith that proclaims how good You are (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 1:8).

43. You have granted us the high, worthy calling to contend for Your truth, given once for all (Jude 1:3).

44. You give Your children different gifts; yet, You show no favoritism (1 Pet. 4:10; Acts 10:34).

45. Our brothers’ and sisters’ gifts shine brightly for You (1 Cor. 12:4-5).

46. Even if poor, Your children are rich (Rev. 2:9).

47. The redeemed praise You together, with a single voice (Romans 15:6).

48. You are faithful and able to establish the work we do for You, according to Your will (Ps. 90:17).

49. We can be successful in Your eyes through faithfulness to keeping Your Word (Ecc. 12:13).

50. You are our treasure, our great delight (Ps. 43:3).

51. The Messiah, first promised in Genesis, has come (Gen. 3:14-15); the Spirit He promised does indwell (Jn. 14:15-31). We live in a precious time of history (1 Pet. 1:12).

52. Your good news truly changes lives (Jn. 1:12).

53. You know our needs; each need gives our hearts a deeper capacity for You (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

54. In each one of our breaths and steps—whether taken in joyous celebration or amidst troubling sorrow—You hem us in behind and before (Ps. 139:5).

55. Prayer matters; we are invited it, to You (Lk. 11:1-4)

56. When we know You are near, even if we cannot feel You experientially, we cannot be lonely (Ps. 16:8).

57. We do not mourn as those without hope on this earth (1 Thess. 4:13).  

58. The depths of Your glory that we will experience in the future will incomparably outweigh the depths of our present sorrows (2 Cor. 4:17); Your glory is wonderful.

59. You understand (Heb. 4:15).

60. Today’s perseverance and endurance—even if no one else sees them—are remembered by You (Rev. 2-3).

61. We are weak, but You are strong (Ps. 147:5).

62. We worship the same God as Abraham, Esther, Deborah, David, Moses, Paul, and John.

63. Nothing stretches or reaches beyond You; we cannot take a step outside of Your sovereignty (Ps. 115:3).

64. All people will bow; Your glory will be fully seen (Phil. 2:10; Rev. 1:7).

65. You give us permission to crave Your quick coming (Rev. 22:21).

66. When we delight in You and want You, You never fail to give us what we want (Ps. 37:4).

67. You are going to dwell with us on a new earth; You Yourself will be with us and be our God (Rev. 21:3).

68. Your Kingdom will know no end (Lk. 1:33).

69. You take no pleasure in the deaths of those who die without repenting (1 Tim. 2:4; Ezek. 18:23).

70. Those who do not know You still have the opportunity to repent and believe (2 Pet. 3:9).

“My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your glory all day long.” Ps. 71:8

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This post was originally published at For The Church.

Speak Scripture into Suffering

When my first daughter went to be with the Lord, one friend wrote to me, “There are no words.” There are no words to describe, quantify, or eliminate the pain of child loss—it was a depletion of my person in nearly every possible manner.

There are no words for the kinds of suffering we can endure on this earth. Yet, experiencing that kind of depletion is not a reason to despair with hopelessness, for it can give way to great rejoicing. Through it, the abundance and sufficiency of Scripture become unmistakable. There are divinely-inspired words—that can never be depleted—to speak into intense suffering.

God Speaks through His Word

Many who have not personally experienced intense suffering feel depleted of words the minute they hear about someone else’s deep pain. Perhaps that is you. You feel you cannot relate well to others’ agony. Perhaps you have heard the wide-spread advice that the best approach to someone who is suffering is to be present and only listen. Or, perhaps you have only had occasion to read or learn about what not to say when someone is suffering, so you are at a loss for exactly how to act or be. God’s Word is an abundant, sufficient help for you too.

In The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom was familiar with her own suffering and that of others. She recounts that women with her in a Nazi prison camp would encircle her and her sister, pressing in closely and attentively, as they read the Word of God (thanks to a Bible God miraculously provided). Precisely during this level of suffering, they desperately needed and wanted the Word. The God speaking there—through those pages—was their only hope. This remarkable account shows the Word bringing hope and light to a dark and, from an earthly perspective, hopeless circumstance.

So as a Church, as disciplers, as teachers, as leaders, as friends, as one who is suffering intensely—right where you find yourself—let’s do well at speaking Scripture into suffering. In order to do so, we will need to learn the Word itself, not just verses we pluck from the book, but the meaning of passages and, then, the application of passages to our overall theology and the way we view the world. Then, we need to become good listeners. I have learned that there is no substitute for these—learning the Word and listening—and that when they are done well, I have much more to offer someone who is suffering in addition to myself.

Applying Scripture to the Aches of Suffering

Think about your life and heart. What often results in your own spiritual growth? You have an ache. And you bring it to the Lord and his Word. Whether through an article, a conversation with someone else, a lecture, a small group meeting, a sermon, a book, reading the Bible in the quietness of your home, you have a realization about that ache. That is, you learn what the Bible speaks into that ache. When you do, you grow. You are made more whole with the truth of his Word. One experience like this after another, after another is what carried me through grief.

So, if you have a suffering friend, listen for the ache when he or she speaks. If you cannot identify it or if you do not yet know how the Bible speaks into it, then be satisfied with being a good listener—after all, you would only be speaking for the benefit of your friend. Make no assumptions, for a response of biblical perspective to the ache they feel might not be the words you think they need to hear.

If you can indeed identify another’s ache and can grow to interpret and apply the Bible well to the aches you begin to hear around you, then trust that the Word of God is your sufficient and most compassionate resource to share with someone who is suffering.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE ACHE OF SUFFERING’S PRESENCE

When suffering is new, resonate with the ache. A sorrowful reaction to suffering is biblical.

• When everything in life now feels meaningless, remember that there is reason for this feeling—the world is not as it should be (Ecclesiastes).

• When the experience of grief is life-consuming, remember how consuming David’s grief was over his baby’s impending death (2 Samuel 12:15-17).

• When suffering makes you feel lonely, read the Psalms to know you are truly not alone.

• When you feel angry with the woeful way of the world, think of Jesus’ troubled, even angered, response to death because of death’s impact upon those grieving the loss of Lazarus (John 11:33).

• When this life feels full of anguish, think of Jesus’ anguish in the garden of Gethsemane. The burden he felt when anticipating the cross demonstrates the miserable state of the world (Luke 22:44).

• When suffering makes you feel ostracized, take heart that you are in good company when suffering (1 Peter 4:12).

• When suffering makes you feel misunderstood, look to the account of Job and the mistaken assumptions of his friends (Job 4-31) or to the gospel accounts to see how constantly Jesus was unappreciated, misunderstood, unrecognized for who he is. People are flawed.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE ACHE OF SUFFERING’S PURPOSE

Listen for the aches longing for light, hope, comfort, or purpose amidst suffering.

• When friends and family members do not meet all of your needs, be encouraged that the comfort we receive—even when given through others—is comfort ultimately from God (2 Corinthians 1:4).

• When you see debilitating sickness or death overcoming your body or the body of someone you love, remember that we believers will one day have resurrected, glorified, and redeemed bodies just like his heavenly one (1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 15:42).

• When the force of emotion is strong and your words won’t suffice to express your heart, take comfort that the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for you (Romans 8:26).

• When you feel forgotten in your suffering, remember that God memorializes every tear that falls from your eye (Psalm 56:8), just as he knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7).

• When suffering severs a relationship, remember the ultimate relationship forsaking willingly endured within the Godhead for you (Matthew 27:46). God understands.

• When you do not feel the compassion of others, remember that Jesus’ suffering (Is 53) and overcoming-power makes him a High Priest who relates to us and causes us to overcome with power too (Hebrews 4:14-16)—giving grace for the present and the promise of heaven.

• When death or the fear of death seems to conquer you, remember that he has ultimately defeated death (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

• When you feel distant from God, dwell upon the truth that he has given a love that no suffering, pain, or heartache can pull away from you (Romans 8:38-39).

• When suffering makes you feel unmoored, haphazardly walking through life while wondering when you will finally be free from earthly concerns, remember that you are truly and solidly anchored through Christ to the world to come (Hebrews 6:19).

• When suffering makes life feel slow, remember that by God’s definition—in view of the eternal state—this suffering is light and momentary (2 Corinthians 4:17).

• When you need to be reminded of the treasures that can come alongside of suffering, learn why Jesus said that it is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting (Ecclesiastes 7:2), or why Peter said that faith refined through suffering is gold (1 Peter 1:7). God’s glory can be evident in your faithfulness, giving you purpose and joy.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE ACHE OF SUFFERING’S PAIN

Listen for the ache of being stuck when suffering.

• When you experience unending bitterness toward God, look to the story of Jeremiah, who also felt bitterness at his intense suffering. Hear how patient and sure were the words of exhortation and restoration that God spoke to him (Jeremiah 15:18-21).

• When others avoid you or when you are tempted to always avoid others who do not fully understand, think of how you might give someone opportunity to enter into your mourning or suffering with you. Then, take heart that when you can share their joy, it truly becomes your own (Romans 12:15).

• When you can think of no reason to not blame God for the suffering that has come into your life, look to Genesis 3; the original sin of Adam and Eve is what broke the world. God is One in whom there is no darkness (1 John 1:5), who created the world good (Genesis 1:31), who cannot tempt with evil (James 1:13), and so, cannot be convicted of wickedness, malice, or evil.

• When you simply cannot understand your suffering within God’s sovereign plan, rest content that his ways are beyond yours (Romans 11:33; Matthew 18:2).

• When suffering makes you stuck in a cycle of looking only inward, remember that you have gifts that can be employed for others’ good and God’s glory (1 Peter 4:10).

• When you, Christian, are having difficulty being grateful for what you do have, remember the wrath from which you have been saved (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10).

• When escape from suffering has become your focus, remember that Jesus Christ, and his good pleasure, is your reward (Matthew 25:23).

• When you are tempted to blame yourself for circumstances beyond your control, remember that God has purposed all of the events in your life and the lives of those you love—including birth and death, and every circumstance in between (Psalm 139:16)—just as he planned from the beginning of creation that Jesus would die for us (1 Peter 1:20). Remember his sacrificial love as reason to move forward, and move forward in devotion to him.

• When you question if your suffering has any meaning or purpose, trust in the sovereignty of God to bring his purposes to fruition through the circumstances of your life, all of which are a part of his plan (Genesis 50:20; Job 42:2).

• When you question what miracle of goodness God can bring from your suffering, meditate on Romans 5:3-5 and trust that suffering can teach you, give you a depth of knowledge of God like never before, and bring encouragement when the genuineness of your faith becomes evident (1 Peter 1:17).

This list is far from exhaustive. What would you add?

Listen for the Ache

Whatever the circumstance, listen for the underlying yearning or longing. Let’s keep learning how to carefully apply Scripture to all of the aches we experience. The process of teaching and discipleship is God’s to faithfully lead. And our aches are often the impetus and route God uses for our growth in order to increasingly display his glory through changed and faithful lives. The kind of lives that display his glory like this are grown from his Word.

While it’s not ours to invent or assume others’ aches, it is ours to listen well, to acknowledge back to the sufferer what we hear, and trust that for every need of the heart, God has spoken abundantly and sufficiently in his Word. You can learn skillful application of his Word to human aches and be empowered to give others more than yourself—you can speak his Word. Take heart that this is your source of compassion for the sufferer and this is your source of comfort when suffering, for putting his salve of truth skillfully into our aches is always our good.

If or when a circumstance of suffering comes into your life that cannot be described in words, remember, he speaks.

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This post was originally published at Gospel-Centered Discipleship.

5 Perspectives for Enduring Panic Attacks

Panic attacks—they are crippling. Your mind spins, your pulse is out-of-control fast, the world fades, and you feel like you are sinking into it. If this is happening to you—I am so very sorry.

I understand that you have likely spent significant time praying and yearning for a remedy. I understand that you cannot envision your life like this—tomorrow or years ahead. And I understand that when you hear the words “worry,” “fear,” or “anxious” from others applied to your brand of panic and anxiety, you often cannot relate to what is said next. I understand that you would stop the panic attacks if you could, that they cannot be resisted like sin can be resisted. And I understand that you have trouble feeling normal.

Yet, this is your normalcy even now. Your goal today is as it has ever been—to be faithful to your God by being a keeper of his Word, and to endure with him, in his presence, until the day he sovereignly brings you relief, whether now or in eternity. Until then, endure well by remembering his Word to you.

Here are five perspectives to help endure panic attacks well.

1. A day with panic is not a bad day.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. (Psalm 73:26, 28)

If you cannot do everything today that you did yesterday, lament this before the Lord. And then move forward. Even more, move forward as the Psalms do—to praise.

There is much you can do today. You can praise and honor the Lord God. He is with you. So this day is very precious. If you had a panic attack today and all you can comprehend is recovering, then recover to his glory. Recover in his presence. Ask how you can worship your way through recovery, acknowledging in your heart and to those around you his good works. Or, if you can comprehend doing more, though still not as much as you would like to do, then lament that too. Lament what you cannot do this day, and move forward to praise in what you can do.

There is much joy to find—even if you wish the day could feel different. No day is a throw-away day when you can still praise God in what you think, love, speak, and do. This day may not be your ideal. But this is a beautiful day. This is a good day. Enjoy it as a gift. And every day is new and independent of the last; start anew each day.

2. The resolution is not up to you.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my path. (Psalm 142:3a)

You do not know the plans God has for your life. Believing that a good day is only one in which you are cured of panic attacks and anxiety is just as unwise and untrue as determining for yourself that panic attacks and anxiety will be with you for the rest of your days. You simply do not know. You do not know what change or progress God might bring.

But when the foundation of your life is God’s sovereignty, you do not need to know. He has a plan. As you continue to be faithful to his Word and ways, he will enable you to fulfill his plan for your life regardless of whether panic attacks and anxiety come along or not.

He is gracious, loving, caring, generous, infinitely thoughtful, and gentle with you. He knows how you feel, truly. Christian, he knows your heart, he sees every longing to honor him still—and that you wonder how this will be possible. Trust his sovereignty; don’t make plans for three or thirty years from now that you do not have enough information to make. Don’t spend your thoughts on what you do not know. Instead, ask God for ways to honor him—ask that you might fulfill every good purpose he has for you. He knows your path—even on the days when you cannot think too deeply, and even concerning the aspects of the future outside of your present comprehension.

3. God protects you.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31:24)

Panic attacks and anxiety impact your life in legitimate, practical ways. I understand the barriers before you to overcome—that the grocery store, or the place where you experienced your first panic attack, or that flight to a vacation you want to enjoy, feel out of reach. I understand that taking a step too soon can be unwise, bringing an experience of panic that will then require even more from you as you move forward. Most of all, I understand that what is simple for another person is, for you, completely courageous.

So pray for wisdom to know simply the next stepof faithfulness. Don’t concern yourself so much with an end goal, and don’t forget that your anxiety about that next step is often worse than the experience itself. You do not know how you’ll feel then, but you can trust now. Take just that next step and don’t categorically disqualify yourself from any experience in the future. Be patient with your progress.

God is already protecting you. So be wise and prayerful without believing the lie that you are sovereign over your own protection. God leads your progress and your life. On this earth, God will act to protect you as he sees fit; no matter what happens, he will protect you straight into eternity. And he knows your heart and your mind already—and perfectly. So be courageous, prayerful, wise, and patient, even as you have already been.

4. Use this opportunity to examine your life.

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

When panic attacks and anxiety come, all of life’s concerns and discontents are magnified. Your internal processing is intensified. What comes to mind? This is an opportunity. Use this time to identify what is presently most concerning to your heart in order to grow in holiness and loving obedience before the Lord. The cares of this world are passing away—to which ones do we cling? What sins are we cherishing that we can confess and turn from? What weights can we lay off and entrust to him?

While there is opportunity for self-examination, let it also reach its natural end. This is not to say that there is an end to sin in this life. But this period of life and the reflection it allows can be directed in prayer to the God who leads you on according to his everlastingly good ways. During times of panic and anxiety, we tend to fixate ourselves on finding a cure. The temptation here will be to use opportunities for increased righteousness as a way to be cured, or even to bargain for a cure, instead of as a way to purely honor God.

Your reason to grow in holiness is not for the purpose of ridding yourself of suffering, but simply for the purpose of growing closer to the heart of Christ in what you think, love, say, and do. Once you have confessed your sin and repented, trust in Christ’s forgiveness and move forward from it with him.

5. Peace can dwell even in the midst of panic.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

You will find ways to grow and be stretched in loving obedience to God in the particulars of your panic attacks and anxiety. Through self-examination and receiving God’s forgiveness, and through perspective and holiness in this trial, you will find a renewed experience of peace. Your experience of peace is possible because of the genuine and unalterable peace that you have been given with your God.

Be at peace with how you choose to live amidst panic attacks and anxiety. Feel also your firm, already-accomplished peace with God in Christ. You have this; it cannot leave.

Now, you can have this rest—salvific peace with God and experiential peace in your heart and mind—while still going on to experience a panic attack outside of your control. Peace can dwell within that experience, saying, God, my peace is you, and I live in peace before you, though still this panic comes over me. Please do not be discouraged in your faith, as if a panic attack disqualifies you from knowing peace. Endure now and take heart—press on and know confidently that you have the crown of life waiting for you (James 1:12).

God’s presence with you enables you to endure panic attacks well. He is solid, like an unbreakable rod in the center of who you are that connects you to him. Cling to him. Remind yourself, continually if needed, the perspectives he teaches. They will always be there for you; his Word never fails and you have access to him always. Look to him, “to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2).

As you do, whether or not your panic attacks and anxiety are removed, so much will be added to you.

3 Benefits of the Law for Those Under Grace

As Christians, we champion grace. Rightly so. We read, “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14), responding with an emphatic, Amen! The law is a great burden, one that you and I could not fulfill. Praise God that we are under his grace! Our salvation rests upon this.

In the New Testament (NT), the Old Testament (OT) law is described as something that “proved to be death” to us (Romans 7:10), “came to increase trespass” (Romans 5:20), and held us “captive” and “imprisoned” (Galatians 3:23).

So, in addition to being life-long advocates of the grace we have been given in Christ, we read these verses about the law and perhaps find ample reason to dismiss it. If the law proved to be death, came to increase trespass, and held us captive, are we not given reason to believe that Christianity in the NT has advanced in an alternate direction—away from the law of the OT?

However, we also have to contend with NT expressions. For example, in Matthew 5:17, Christ teaches that he is indeed not progressing away from the law: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” If that is not enough to convince you that Christ did not intend for us to abandon the law, I submit to you Romans 3:31: “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

An important question we may have is of the correct interpretation of the OT law in the NT age—for example, how exactly does all of Leviticus apply to us today? My purpose here is to write about our attitude toward the law, not to answer our questions of interpretation. My hope is that we will be motivated to learn more about interpretation after reading of the benefits of that work.

So, if according to NT teachings, we are not moving away from the law—if God indeed did not push some proverbial re-set button with Christ, nullifying it for us—then we are left with this question: What benefit does the law possibly have for those under grace?

We See Our Need More Clearly

The law serves to inform us of and increase our awareness of our sin.

We need to be taught and instructed, then taught and instructed again. Do you not feel that too? We need definitions and designations about right and wrong—teachings to visit and revisit. We are indeed “prone to wander.” So, God gave the law as a concrete, definitive designation—reflective of his righteous and holy character—about how to honor him in this life he has given. How goodthat we have this gift!

Following the law out of a motivation of love for the Lord and his character is an incredibly life-giving way to live. Think of an area of sin over which you have gained freedom. How much more abundant is life on the other side of every sin! Being freed of sin is not merely the absence of that sinful behavior. Being freed of sin is deeper communion with God and lasting joy from faithfulness to him. That is why Paul could say that law promised life.

The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. (Romans 7:10)

Yet, the law also proved to be death to those with a sinful nature. The law did not keep sinners from sinning. The law is holy, righteous, and good. But mankind has a propensity toward sin. Commandments plus the sin-nature do not function well together at all.

For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. (Romans 7:11-12)

Perhaps you too have heard this oft-cited example:

If you draw “do not write here” on the chalkboard and leave the piece of chalk right underneath, our nature produces in us a desire to defy—to write on that chalkboard. So, whereas the law itself is a good provision for which to be thankful, mankind’s sinful nature becomes revealed clearly for what it is.

Christians can relate as Paul pinpoints the condition of our hearts: “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18-19). Later he speaks of himself: “Wretched man that I am” (Romans 7:24)!

Wretched are we! The law is necessary for us. It is not to be neglected because through it we see ourselves more clearly, as Romans 4:15 teaches: “Where there is no law there is no transgression.” Our awareness of our sin is increased. It points us to the true source of our salvation, Christ: “From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

We Praise Christ as One Who Fulfilled the Law

According to our great need that the law clearly demonstrated, God did something incredibly gracious. He sent Jesus Christ, who could be perfect in righteousness according to the ways of God. He made a way for us to trust him and be credited his righteousness—leading to eternal life.

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21).

Through the necessary awareness of sin that God gave us through the law, he is able to demonstrate his further grace in Christ. In stark contrast to the capabilities of mere man stands Christ. The more we understand of the law, the more we see his capability and magnificence to fulfill it. Praise him! Grace could only come to us because Christ did not minimize one measure of the law, but instead met it in full.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)

When Jesus taught that a person’s righteousness must surpass the scribes and Pharisees, that would have been shocking to his audience, who viewed the scribes and Pharisees as the spiritual elite. Ultimately, when he said that righteousness must exceed the Pharisees,’ he was speaking of himself, who alone could do this perfectly.

We Love the Law with Hearts of Flesh

Whereas Christ already had the law in his heart, we have to have it written into ours (Hebrews 8:10).[1] Ezekiel 11:19 foreshadowed what we experience through new life in Christ: “I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” The words above from Matthew 5 are followed by Christ’s teaching that hate is murder and lust is adultery. So, the law has not been demolished, but revealed to be all about one’s heart. Those who have hearts of flesh by faith through grace can love the law and have the law written there to stay.

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. (Galatians 3:21-26)

God’s requirement of holiness for mankind has never changed from the beginning of time. But we changed; we sinned. Justly, God continued to require his “end of the deal,” that his righteous requirements be truly fulfilled. Grace, that is, being out from under the law of the OT, means that now, we are under the Christ who perfectly fulfilled the law—the one who gives the Holy Spirit to help us obey the law from the heart. Our faith in this Christ produces the desire to know the law of the Lord—to know his righteous ways and to see every possible fulfillment of his righteous ways in our hearts.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3-4)

Grace leads us right back to the law through a different perspective. We can say, “Wretched I am,” “I am forgiven by grace through faith in Christ,” and “I long that God’s righteous requirements be fulfilled in me,” all in one breath.

His grace will always bring us to love the law that Christ embodied. When under grace, Christians are not only free from the law and from the sin that the law increased for those with sinful natures. More, we are freed to the law.

Through grace in Christ, we are freed to return to the law with the knowledge that the burden of it is not ours, but that the grace of finding the freedom of righteousness out of love for him is. How good to have such a God whose justice never sacrifices the righteousness that is our freedom, and whose fulfillment of the law enables us to pursue that righteousness while already having complete peace with him. What a Savior!

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

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[1] Pink, A. W. The Sovereignty of God. (Blacksburg, Virginia: Wilder Publications, 2008), 151.

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This post was originally published at Unlocking the Bible.