I'm currently reading through Tim Keesee's Dispatches From the Front and Mindy Belz's They Say We Are Infidels. The Lord is using both books to expand my understanding of the incredible advances, unique opportunities, ever present challenges, and tremendous needs discovered on the front lines of gospel ministry. Thankfully, my bubble of American Christianity is being punctured, as I thrill to see the God of the nations working among the nations and as I weep at the horrible persecution faced by so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. ​​I am continually finding myself deeply challenged by what I'm learning is happening to and through the church globally, and I realize that my experience here in America is more the exception than the rule, both in the effects of the gospel and in its obstacles.

I'm not sure what the end result will be in how God is challenging me through these resources, but I'm already finding myself stirred toward three responses: (1) yearning to see gospel advance on the frontlines of the United States of Amercia, (2) desiring to be more global in my own gospel vision, and (3) strategizing how to mobilize our singles group, which is uniquely positioned to really make an impact as we take risks for the sake of the gospel.

Concerning that last response in particular, I've already started exploring ways in which we can participate in global frontline missions from Indianapolis — financial aid to persecuted Christians, support for Bible projects, short-term mission trips, etc. I'll keep you posted and would covet your input and prayers, too.

In the meantime, I want to highlight below some resources that I'm finding particularly helpful to remove the blinders from my eyes and to help me see the successes and suffering of my Christian family worldwide.

​Persecution Updates & Haystack Prayer Group
​These resources from Frontline Missions International (the Persecution Updates and the Haystack Prayer Group) are a valuable tool for receiving real-time updates on situations in which our brothers and sisters are being persecuted, especially in the 10/40 window. Just today, I received the following update.

They Say We Are Infidels by Mindy Belz
This has been a fascinating book to read so far, for many of the same reasons as the Dispatches. However, its goal is less to chronicle the advance of the gospel, and more to tell the stories of Christian brothers and sisters silently suffering across the Middle East. The book's subtitle is "On the Run from ISIS with Persecuted Christians in the Middle East," and I've learned much about charity, endurance, and mission from the faithful testimonies of these dear believers. Furthermore, the author provides much helpful behind-the-scenes insights into the politics generating the last decade-plus of chaos in that region. You can learn about the book here and listen to an interview with the author here.

FX Conferences & NEXT Missions Training
These two ministries form the recruiting and training arm of Frontline Missions International. The Frontline Experience (FX) is a conference designed for those who have a heart for missions in restricted-access settings. NEXT training assists serious Gospel risk-takers as they explore long-term, cross-cultural gospel ministry through field experiences, mentoring, language acquisition, and professional development. ​

As we look back at our nativity set, we cannot overlook a pair of simple characters with shepherd’s crooks, one carrying a sheep, the other gently bending near the child. In the face of these characters, we are reminded to respond this Christmas with enthusiastic evangelism.

​The shepherds first heard the gospel in an extraordinary way in Luke 2:8-14—glorious angels appeared in the night sky to triumph God’s joy and peace and salvation, all wrapped up in a tiny baby who had recently been born nearby.

What a scene! How did the shepherds respond? How should we respond this Christmas? The shepherds reacted with enthusiastic evangelism that expressed itself in four ways:

1.  They personalized the gospel (vv. 15-16).

Having heard this angelic message, the shepherds first had to determine what they were going to do with it personally. They could deny it or doubt it. They could postpone it and forget about it. Or they could believe and investigate it.

The passage testifies that they did the later, “hastily” (v. 16) following the instructions of the angels to “see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us” (v. 15).

Application: What have you done with the Christmas story? What is your perspective on this “good news of a great joy”? Have you investigated the gospel for yourself? Do you understand that “Christ [i.e., the Rescuer God promised to fix this world and save us from our sin, when we rebelled at the Fall (cf. Genesis 3:15)] died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3b-4). It is of “first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3a) that you personalize this message and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior!

2.  They prioritized evangelism (vv. 17-18).

They were in middle of their work, “keeping watch over their flock” (v. 8), but they quickly left their responsibilities to search for the child of promise (v. 16) and then to tell others (vv. 17-18). These angels knew what we often forget—nothing is more important that the gospel! They were not going to let temporal matters rob them (or others) from eternal joy.

Application: Too often, our problem is that we are more like Jonah than these shepherds. They both had the same message to tell—the shepherds literally couldn’t wait; Jonah did all he could to avoid it. Jonah didn’t prioritize evangelism, because he simply loved plants more than people (Jonah 4). The shepherds couldn’t get over the wonder of it all, and so, as they had lavishly received grace, they shared it.

Are you prioritizing evangelism, especially at this time of the year when people may be more open? Or, are you distracted by your “plants”—your job (“sheep”), your reputation, your toys, your agenda, your calendar, your entertainment, your traditions, etc.? The shepherds teach us to use the Christmas holiday to verbally share the good news.

3.  They praised God (v. 20).

The shepherd scene ends this way: “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” For these shepherds, evangelism was natural (or supernatural), not contrived; it was a delight, not a duty; it was overflow, not “pulling teeth.” Why? Because it was the byproduct of worship!

John Piper has suggested, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” Too often, we aren’t good witnesses, because we aren’t good worshippers. We don’t tell others about the gospel, because we aren’t telling it to ourselves.

Application: If there is ever a helpful time in the calendar year to stoke the fuel of our praise, it is Christmas! Allow the riches of this spiritual season—its focus on the incarnation, which made possible Jesus’s substitution in life and in death, which resulted in the resurrection, and which guarantees our glorification—to lose your lips to declare God’s praises, and when you do, “many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).

4.  They pushed through the shame (v. 8).

Shepherds were largely avoided or rejected by society. They were humble commoners whose place was looked down upon. That didn’t stop these transformed nomads at all! Nor did the fact that it was the middle of the night. Like this child that had changed them, they “despised [i.e., “to count lightly or as insignificant] the shame” (Hebrews 12:2) and boldly declared good news.

Application: Let us not be silenced! Yes, let us be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16); yet, let us be gracious and kind; yes, let us be discerning and prudent—but let us not be ashamed! In America, we still have so little to fear in our freedom to witness, and yet we do fear. That spirit is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7), so let’s pray for boldness instead (Acts 4:23-31; Ephesians 6:18b-20; Colossians 4:2-4; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
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And even if cultural shame increases and we find ourselves oppressed, let us remember the hope of the gospel! We “are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in [us] is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). They may hate us, they may despise us, they may reject us, they may persecute us…but they can only kill us (Matthew 10:28)! In the very message we bear, “shame is shamed, and fear has fled” (C. Anderson, “Every Knee Shall Bow”)!

​My wife and I recently watched Newsies, the 1992 musical based on the New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899 and starring Christian Bale.

While I grew up watching this movie, it was the first time Dawn had seen it, and we both enjoyed the thick New York accents, the witty humor, the triumph of the riffraff over the societal elite, and the rousing original music — that is, with the exception of "High Times, Hard Times," the song that actually won the 13th Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song.

There were two moments in that 121 minutes of entertainment that my mind stirred from its momentary vegging and made a connection to something greater than the story I was watching.

First, I found an assertion by newspaper tycoon, Joseph Pulitzer (played by Robert Duvall), to be particularly relevant. In a warning to the newsboys’ rebel leader, Jack Kelly, Pulitzer declares, “The power of the press is the greatest power of them all. I tell people how to think, how to vote—I shape [this city’s] future”! Truly, that declaration stands today.

Too many people today are contentedly told what to think by today’s media. This includes many Christians, who not only don’t think for themselves, but also rarely exert themselves to think biblically. John Piper has said, “As few things are as easy as thinking, few things are more difficult than thinking well.” Indeed, it is so difficult that many of us simply opt not to do it. And so, “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) uses one of his many devices (2 Corinthians 2:11), the “power of the press,” to mold our thinking, and thus our deciding, and finally our living.

Dear fellow believer, let us “prepare our minds for action” (1 Peter 1:13; KJV, “gird up the loins of our mind”) and let us “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

To help train yourself to think well, let me encourage you to check out Dr. Albert Mohler’s daily podcast (and transcript), The Briefing.

Second, one of the compelling elements of (good) video is its ability to transport you into the story, causing you to strongly identify with the characters and feel their emotions. This happened for me powerfully at the 1:32:03 time mark of the movie, and I found myself again looking beyond the drama I was watching to something larger and more significant.

At that point in the movie, the newsboys have just printed their own paper, assembled a massive rally of people, and confronted their unfair and oppressive employer, who (it is implied) meets their demands. Jack Kelly departs his successful meeting with Pulitzer, and, to communicate the victory to the crowd, he hoists his young sidekick up on his shoulders and the two of them shout, “We won!”

The multitude erupts into a joyful, ecstatic celebration! And, as my emotions stirred and my eyes welled with tears, my mind wandered to another celebration, dramatically foreshadowed by the one I was watching.

This is the Story that all others point to; this is the Triumph that all others are longing for. This is the day—distant, perhaps, but certain—when the people of God (those who have by faith trusted in the salvation of Jesus the Lamb of God, who have experienced the full forgiveness of their sins through the One who died for them and rose again, and who have been everlastingly clothed with His blessed righteousness) will gather in mass and hear it proclaimed, “We won!” (Revelation 21:6; 22:3).

Indeed, the newsboys won and their legacy was eventually remembered in more far-reaching child-welfare reforms. But their victory was bound by the contexts of time, economy, and culture. The victory of our Lord, however, reaches to the ends of the universe (Revelation 21:1, 4-5) and the extent of eternity (Revelation 22:3-5).

How should we think about …
 
(1) TERRORISTS

• Mercy — Biblical evidence: (1) Jesus taught us to love our enemies by praying for them and actively doing good to them (Matthew 5:44-47; cf. Romans 12:14-21). (2) God declared that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but would rather have them repent and be saved (Ezekiel 18:23, 30-32; cf. 1 Timothy 2:4-6 [1:12-16]). (3) God patiently extended mercy to the terrorists of Nineveh, evidenced by His sermon, “yet forty days…” (Jonah). (4) God showed mercy towards us when we were His enemies (Romans 5:6-11).
• Justice — Biblical evidence: (1) A common theme throughout Scripture is that we are to do and seek justice (Micah 6:8). (2) We may pray for justice, even in the imprecatory vein of Psalm 10 (cf. Psalm 2). (3) The purpose of government is to  “bear the sword” in order to be “a terror…to bad” people and to be “an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:1-7).

Balance — We pray for both generally, and allow God to act according to His specific will in these situations. We trust government to “bear the sword.” We mercifully preach the gospel to terrorists, perhaps like Jonah even taking the message to them.
 
​
(2) REFUGEES

• Compassion — Biblical evidence: (1) God reiterates throughout Scripture that He is a God of the oppressed (Psalm 9:9). (2) The ethic of God’s people is to mirror that compassionate character of God, being further motivated by the compassion He showed us when we were “outsiders” (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:34; Deuteronomy 10:19 [cf. Ephesians 2:11-22]). (3) James says that “religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction” (James 1:26-27). (4) We are exhorted to “love…your neighbor [simply the one near me in need] as yourself” (Luke 10:25-37) and to “not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” but instead “remember…those who are mistreated” (Hebrews 13:2-3).
• Caution — Biblical evidence: (1) One of the roles of government is to protect us from real dangers (Romans 13:1-7): not all Muslims are terrorists—in fact, most are not—but some are, and they have declared their theology/strategy (i.e., Caliphate with sharia law). (2) It is good for Christians to “seek the welfare of the city,” our nation (Jeremiah 29:4-7).

Balance — We should pray for our government to wisely determine the appropriate response to this refugee crisis, resting in God's sovereign use of it, whether it makes the decision we want or not. We should show compassion whenever God brings us into personal contact with the refugees (and other neighbors).
 
​
(3) SOCIAL MEDIA DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THESE (AND SIMILAR) TOPICS

• Beware ignorant arrogance! Today, we can read or listen to some news headlines, Wikipedia articles, blog entries, and podcast episodes and immediately deem ourselves experts on a topic, declaring our opinion as absolute truth. The resulting Facebook statuses, Tweets, and blogs often reveal a great lack of humility and true thought.
• Beware depersonalized harshness! Social media depersonalizes these complex and somewhat divisive discussions and empowers (often uninformed) language that is often rash, harsh, condescending, biting, and vitriolic. The fact that it was privately typed and submitted into the impersonal cyberspace does not make this language any less “corrupting” than what Christians are clearly instructed to “put off” in Ephesians 4:29. A personal mentor once challenged me to allow three simple words to govern my public declarations and confrontations: "slower, softer, sweeter.”
• Beware pressured opinions! Some confident personalities are able to form opinions rapidly and support them powerfully. And then there are the rest of us. For us, we can take encouragement from James command to “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19). In issues as complex as these, it is okay to quietly listen, to learn, to study, to research, to ask, to develop one’s opinion over time, and even to change one’s position. Let’s strive to be good thinkers, even as we want to be good communicators—for if we are not thinking well (John 17:17), then we don’t yet have anything worth opining.
• Beware distracted focus! The real need is for our world to hear from you, not your opinion on whether or not we should bomb ISIS or whether or not we should accept Syrian refugees, but your testimony of gospel truth—(1) that a personal and knowable God created and loves them, (2) that human sin has destroyed the perfection God made and cursed it with multi-faceted hurt, (3) that all the brokenness we daily witness within and without can be fixed only by Jesus Christ, who entered our shattered existence, took upon himself our weakened flesh, and endured our earthly striving unto the death of the cross and out of the empty tomb, that His might personally rescue us from the destruction of sin, and (4) that His work has accomplished the certainty of future and everlasting restoration.

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​Resources

• Albert Mohler, The Briefing 11-16-15, http://www.albertmohler.com/2015/11/16/the-briefing-11-16-15/
• Russell Moore, Stop Pitting Security And Compassion Against Each Other In The Syrian Refugee Crisis, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/11/19/stop-pitting-security-and-compassion-against-each-other-in-the-syrian-refugee-crisis/
• Kevin DeYoung, Immigration Policy Must Be Based On More Than An Appeal To Compassion, http://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/kevindeyoung/2015/11/17/immigration-policy-must-be-based-on-more-than-an-appeal-to-compassion/
• David Crabb, Building His Church in a Refugee Crisis, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/building-his-church-in-a-refugee-crisis
• D. Glenn, Eight Words from Jesus in a World with Refugees, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/eight-words-from-jesus-in-a-world-with-refugees
• Joe Carter, 3 Ways to Pray for Our Enemies, http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-ways-to-pray-for-our-enemies
• John Piper, Terrorism, Justice, and Loving Our Enemies, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/terrorism-justice-and-loving-our-enemies

That God is not done with Israel, but has merely set them aside for a time in His gospel program, is evident from such passages as Romans 9-11 (cf. Romans 11:25-36). In this "Age of the Gentiles," God's obvious focus in His ministry of saving grace is on those outside of that ethnic group. However, when the "fullness" of this age is complete, God will revive His attention toward Israel and will show them mercy.

Nonetheless, even now, God is saving a remnant from among the unbelieving Jews (cf. Romans 11:3-5), as many believe in Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah. The video below is just one sample from a site (www.imetmessiah.com) dedicated to sharing the testimonies of these believing (i.e., Messianic) Jews.

Having recently studied through "The Scarlet Thread" in our SMBS, it is also wise for us to ask the question that a few of you were asking, "How can Jews miss Jesus in Isaiah 53?" This article by Dr. Layton Talbert, entitled "How Do Orthodox Jews Read Isaiah 53?" helps provide a simple, but sad answer.

Praise the Lord for His current work of rescuing a remnant within Israel, and let's pray with Paul that His kinsman might be saved (cf. Romans 9:1-3; 10:1).

QUESTION #6

God told the Israelites that He would conditionally bless them if they kept His commandments and walked in them (e.g., Leviticus 26:3-4; Deuteronomy 4:1, 6:24-25, 8:1). In “keeping His commandments,” is God referring to a general following after Him, knowing that the Israelites would sometimes disobey, but that God would still bless them if their heart was set on Him (dismissing their imperfection)? Or does God mean complete perfection here, even though He knew they couldn’t keep His commandments without spot (making them depend on God’s grace)? I know God requires complete perfection for eternal life with Him (and that’s where the gospel comes in), but these verses are more about material blessings for the Israelites. Was God just looking for their faith in His promises, ready to count their faith as righteousness like He did for Abraham?

RESPONSE

Acknowledgement — In every dispensation, the truth that our actions do bring consequences (positive and negative) has always been in effect. While God would not punish children for the sins of their parents (cf. Deuteronomy 7:10; 24:16; Ezekiel 18:19-32), the children would indeed be affected by the disobedience of their parents, either in continuing their sin or in facing the repercussions of it (cf. Exodus 20:5-6). Correspondingly, the same was true of an individual’s righteousness and obedience—it brought blessing. The New Testament continues to teach this truth, for example, in its reference to “reaping and sowing” (cf. Galatians 6:7-8).

Background — In essence, I think the question being asked here is, “Was the Mosaic Covenant/Law intended to provide salvation?” The easy and clear biblical answer to that is, “No!” Salvation has always been by grace alone through faith alone in God’s person and promises. Before the Mosaic Covenant, God’s relationship with Abraham in the unilateral, unconditional, eternal Abrahamic Covenant provided mankind with a picture of how one is restored to a relationship with God—by grace through faith (cf. Genesis 15:6). Abraham’s “amen” (the Hebrew word for “believed”) echoes throughout the rest of Scripture, testifying to the sufficiency of grace and faith (also cf. Habakkuk 2:4 and its reverberation throughout the NT). The “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 reaffirms the timeless veracity of such classic NT texts as John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:5. Obedience to the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 6:24-25) was supposed to be a manifestation of a heart of faithful love (Deuteronomy 6:5-6, 13-14).

So, then, what was the purpose and essence of the Mosaic Covenant?[i]

(1) Unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, the prototype of God’s dealing with sinful mankind by grace through faith, the Mosaic Covenant was bilateral in its nature and goal of the Mosaic Covenant—that is, both God and the people had commitments/responsibilities in this covenant relationship. It was also a conditional covenant, meaning that if the Israelites failed to live up to their end of the bargain, then God wasn’t bound to fulfill His (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-28).

What was the condition of this covenant? God shared it with Moses when Israel first arrived at Mount Sinai, “The Lord called to Him out of the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant [Exodus 19-31], you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel”’” (Exodus 19:3-6).

Tracing their spiritual progression, this nation was already a redeemed nation, for the Exodus and Passover was behind them. Now, the Lord desires to enjoy fellowship with them and engage them in mission—but to do so, they had to adhere to the Mosaic Covenant. The commitments and responsibilities of the Mosaic Law were given in order for Israel to become, not “saved” or “justified,” but a special and distinct and “priestly” nation. As we know, Israel drastically failed in this goal, and after hundreds of years of patient warning, God punished them with the curses He had promised during their captivity (and beyond). He also prophesied of a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31) that would replace the old, broken one and would become everlastingly effective.

The Mosaic Law itself contained language to describe what would happen if one treated it as a means of salvation. Perfect adherence and complete obedience was required, nothing less (James 2:10; Galatians 3:12 [Leviticus 18:5; Romans 10:5]); otherwise, failure to adhere to this covenant brought a curse (Galatians 3:10; from Deut. 27:26 [Jer. 11:3; Ezekiel 18:4]).

(2) In its failure, we actually discover, then, the ultimate purpose of the Mosaic Law (Galatians 3:19-26)—to serve as a guard, proving the sinfulness of every person and imprisoning them in its guilt (cf. Romans 7:5-13), and to serve as a guardian, pointing to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (cf. “shadow”: Hebrews 8:5; 10:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13). And in the New Covenant ratified by Christ’s blood, we are no longer under Law (Romans 7:1-4).[ii]

ENDNOTES

[i] “A covenant is a legally binding promise, agreement, or contract. Three times in the NT the word “covenants” is used in the plural (Gal. 4:24; Eph. 2:12). All but one of God’s covenants with man are eternal and unilateral—that is, God promised to accomplish something based on His own character and not on the response or actions of the promised beneficiary. The 6 biblical covenants include: 1) the covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:8-17); 2) the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; see note on 4:13); 3) the covenant of law given through Moses at Sinai (Ex. 19-31; cf. Deut. 29, 30); 4) the priestly covenant (Num. 25:10-13); 5) the covenant of an eternal kingdom through David’s greatest Son (2 Sam. 7:8–16); and 6) the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 37:26; cf. Heb. 8:6-13). All but the Mosaic Covenant are eternal and unilateral. It is neither, since Israel’s sin abrogated it and it has been replaced by the New Covenant (cf. Heb. 8:7-13)” (The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1710).
[ii] “Paul uses the two mothers, their two sons, and two locations as a further illustration of two covenants. Hagar, Ishmael, and Mt. Sinai (earthly Jerusalem) represent the covenant of law; Sarah, Isaac and the heavenly Jerusalem the covenant of promise. However, Paul cannot be contrasting these two covenants as different ways of salvation, one way for OT saints, another for NT saints—a premise he has already denied (2:16; 3:10-14, 21, 22). The purpose of the Mosaic Covenant was only to show all who were under its demands and condemnation their desperate need for salvation by grace alone (3:24)—it was never intended to portray the way of salvation. Paul’s point is that those, like the Judaizers, who attempt to earn righteousness by keeping the law receive only bondage and condemnation (3:10, 23). While those who partake of salvation by grace—the only way of salvation since Adam’s sin—are freed from the law’s bondage and condemnation” (The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1796).

QUESTION #4

What does Paul mean in Colossians 1:24 when he says, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church” (italics added for emphasis)?

RESPONSE

Option #1 — Purgatory: “Roman Catholics have imagined here a reference to the suffering of Christians in purgatory.  Christ’s suffering, they maintain, was not enough to purge us completely from our sins.  Christians must make up what was lacking in Christ’s suffering on their behalf by their own suffering after death.

That can hardly be Paul’s point, however.  [1] He has just finished demonstrating that Christ alone is sufficient to reconcile us to God (1:20-23).  To do an about face now and teach that believers must help pay for their sins would undermine his whole argument.  The New Testament is clear that Christ’s sufferings need nothing added to them.  In Jesus’ death on the cross, the work of salvation was completed.  [2] Further, the Colossian heretics taught that human works were necessary for salvation.  To teach that believers’ suffering was necessary to help expiate their sins would be to play right into the errorists’ hands.  [3] The idea that Paul refers to suffering in purgatory is ruled out by both the general content of the epistle and the immediate context, as well as the obvious absence of any mention of a place like purgatory in Scripture.  [4] Finally, thlipsis (afflictions) is used nowhere in the New Testament to speak of Christ’s sufferings.”[i]

Option #2 — Eschatological: “These sufferings are part and parcel of Christ’s afflictions—not His death on the cross or redemptive sufferings which are ‘finished’—but the afflictions of His people which He endures [cf. Acts 9:4].  The expression Christ’s afflictions is to be understood against an OT and Jewish background with its notion of the afflictions of the end time.  These were called the ‘birth-pangs of the Messiah,’ those pains and woes which would occur before the arrival of God’s anointed ruler, the Messiah.  In the NT they occur between the first and second comings of Jesus.  The exalted Christ is in heaven and before His return He suffers in His members [that is, His spiritual body, the church], not least in the life of Paul himself [cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23-29].  These afflictions have been limited by God; the quota will be complete when the end comes.  All Christians take part in these sufferings; it is through them that we enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22; 1 Thes. 3:3, 7).  Suffering with Christ is essential if we are to be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17).  Through the sufferings he endures in his own flesh, Paul contributes to the sum total, to what is still lacking.  The more he suffers the less the Colossians have to.”[ii]

Option #3 — Individual: “We may simply understand it to refer to “the persecution that was intended for Christ.” MacArthur explains, “Jesus, having ascended to heaven, was out of their reach.  But because His enemies had not filled up all the injuries they wanted to inflict on Him, they turned their hatred on those who preached the gospel.  It was in that sense that Paul filled up what was lacking in Christ’s afflictions.  In 2 Corinthians 1:5 he wrote that ‘the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance.’  He bore in his body the marks of the blows intended for Christ (Gal. 6:17; cf. 2 Cor. 11:23–28). God is sovereign over these afflictions and knows what is each of our lot [cf. Acts 14:22; 1 Thessalonians 3:3, 7]—so also they might appropriately be enumerated in our lives as ‘filling up…what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.’”[iii] I prefer this understanding over Option #2, (1) because Option #2 is not a clearly delineated doctrine in Scripture but is instead a bit of a logical leap, (2) because the context is not dealing with eschatological matters but rather present realities, and (3) because Option #3 takes a simple approach to Paul’s statement that is in keeping with his expressions elsewhere (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:5; Galatians 6:17).

The Point — Twice in this verse, Paul uses the Greek preposition huper, which means “on behalf of, for the sake of.” Paul saw himself as suffering for the sake of the Colossian believers—yes, even suffering on behalf of the universal body of Christ, His church. While the same preposition is used for Christ’s suffering (cf. 1 Peter 2:21), it obviously carried a different meaning.[iv] Paul’s suffering wasn’t sacrificial, atoning, or propitiatory, as was Jesus’ (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18); nonetheless, it was still experienced “on the behalf of” or for the benefit of the church.

See, Paul practiced what both Peter and John wrote concerning our response to Christ’s sacrificial suffering. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:21, “For even [unto suffering] were ye called, because Christ also suffered for [huper] us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.” John concurred in 1 John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for [huper] us, and we ought to lay down our lives for [huper] the brethren.” Therefore, while Christ’s suffering and death was more than just an example—it was atoning!—it also serves, for His followers, as an example. That is, just as Jesus suffered and died for our spiritual benefit, we should suffer (and perhaps die) for the spiritual benefit of others.

As a servant of the gospel, Paul willingly faced suffering so that others might come to know the hope of the gospel and thereby be reconciled to God (vv. 21-22) and continue in the faith (v. 23). In fact, Paul understands that some would hear the gospel only because of his suffering, like Caesar’s household, for example (cf. Philippians 1:12-13; 4:22). So, he willingly sacrificed his own temporary comfort and convenience for the everlasting glory of gospel fruit (cf. 2 Timothy 2:10).[v] He surrendered himself to temporal suffering, so that others might not experience eternal suffering!  Christ suffered in death to save the church, and Paul is suffering in life to help the church!

Paul recognized that his suffering served God’s gospel purposes—it “filled up” the ordained afflictions of Christ’s body and gave the Colossians the opportunity to hear the message of salvation and respond in faith. For him to avoid suffering could only have come by his ceasing to proclaim the gospel, thereby forfeiting the opportunity of salvation for those who might hear. So, while suffering is never pleasant, in God’s sovereign plan for His gospel-ministers, it is purposeful.

ENDNOTES

[i] John Macarthur, Colossians (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), pp. 74-75.
[ii] D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, 4th ed. (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994).  Cf. Richard R. Melick, Vol. 32, Philippians, Colissians, Philemon, electronic ed., Logos Library System in The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001), pp. 139-140.
[iii] MacArthur, p. 75.
[iv] “Jesus’ afflictions became Paul’s sufferings.  Paul carefully distinguished between the two.  He suffered in his body (‘in my flesh’), and there was a real struggle.  The text reveals some parallels between Jesus and Paul.  Both suffered in the flesh; both suffered vicariously; both suffered for the gospel; and both suffered for the church.  Many differences between them occur, however.  Paul did not suffer redemptively.  Jesus completed the work of redemption for all people.  Paul’s task was to open the door for a universal proclamation of the gospel.  At the least, he hoped to convince all people of the validity of the gospel and its application to all persons, Jew or Gentile” (Melick, p. 240).
“Participating in the sufferings of Christ is a spiritual experience which is born out of the believer’s union with Christ.  Paul is one of a great army of believers who, having taken up their cross and followed Jesus, contribute to the growth of the church worldwide.  Christ suffered in death to save the church, and Paul is suffering in life to help the churches.  Paul can add nothing to the redemptive work of Christ; there is no sacrificial act of atonement suggested here, rather a participation in the reproach of the Saviour which Paul faced as God’s messenger” (Ian S. McNaughton, Opening Up Colossians and Philemon [Leominster: Day One Publications, 2006], p. 33).
[v] John Foxe, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”

QUESTION #2

What is the meaning of 1 Peter 3:19-20 regarding Christ preaching to spirits in prison?

RESPONSE

Principles — (1) God’s word is inerrant and does not contradict. So, apparent contradictions can be explained, and God’s Spirit will be our teacher. (2) Always move from clearer passages to less clear in your Bible interpretation; let the clear passages be your foundation and help you interpret the less clear passages. (3) Beware of building a theological dogma on an unclear passage.  (4) Use the context to help you understand the unique nuance the author is seeking to convey.

Option #1 — (1) Rather than suggesting Purgatory, this text must be interpreted in light of clearer biblical teaching, like Luke 16:26 and Hebrews 9:27 which teach that there are no second chances to respond to the gospel after death. Furthermore, the word for preach is not “preach the gospel” (euangelizo), but “preach” or “proclaim” (kerusso), so the idea of those who die having a second chance to hear and respond to the gospel is not substantiated by this text.

(2) Jesus preached to these “spirits in prison” “in [the Spirit]”—that becomes quite helpful. It was not, then, a physical preaching in which His presence was materially present.

(3) Who are these “spirits in prison”? I believe that the grammar, context, and purpose of the passage strongly indicates that they are those who didn’t obey Noah’s preaching during the time of God’s patience when the ark was being prepared for judgment (v. 20).

• Grammatically, the pronoun “they” in verse 20 refers back to the antecedent (“spirits in prison”) in verse 19 and describes those spirits as “they…[who] did not obey…in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.” Additionally, while the ESV begins verse 20 with “because,” the Greek word pote is an indication of time and is better translated “when” or “once/formerly” (i.e., the ESV acknowledges this in its note).
• Contextually, 1 Peter 1:10-11 records that the Spirit of Christ was the One speaking through the Old Testament prophets in their messages of salvation and grace, and 2 Peter 2:5 uses the same word for “preach” here (kerusso), when it refers to Noah as a “preacher of righteousness.”
• Concerning the purpose, the NET Bible notes, “These verses encourage Christians [a minority, like in Noah’s day] to stand for righteousness and try to influence their contemporaries for the gospel in spite of the suffering that may come to them. All who identify with them and their Savior will be saved from the coming judgment, just as in Noah’s day.”[i]
  

So, because of the grammar, context, and purpose of this passage, I believe these are the unbelievers who used to be alive in Noah’s day, and after they died, having rejected his preaching, they were imprisoned in eternal condemnation (i.e., they are “the spirits now in prison who once were disobedient…in the days of Noah,” NASB). Both the NET and NASB translations favor this interpretation.

John Piper explains it this way, “I think it refers to the time when people in Noah’s day were disobedient, mocking him as a righteous man obeying God (like the situation in the lives of Peter's readers), and that Jesus, in the spirit, was sent by God in those days to preach to those people through Noah. Just like in [1 Peter] 1:11 the Spirit of Jesus was in the Old Testament prophets predicting his coming, so the Spirit of Jesus was in Noah preaching to the disobedient people of Noah’s day. They are NOW in prison—that is, in a place of torment awaiting the final judgment (Luke 16:24).”[ii]

Option #2 — While the NET Bible argues for this interpretation, it also suggests a viable alternative: "Christ’s announcement of his victory [cf. v. 18] over evil to the fallen angels who await judgment for their role in leading the Noahic generation into sin [cf. Colossians 2:14-15; 2 Peter 2:4-5; Jude 6-7; Genesis 6:1-8];[iii] this proclamation occurred sometime between Christ’s death and ascension”[iv] (cf. MacArthur Study Bible).

The Point — (1) God the Son has always been concerned with the salvation of sinners, even in His pre-incarnate state. (2) The ark is a prophetic event, a shadow of the gospel, pointing forward to the gracious provision of God through the substitutionary Atonement on a wooden cross. God provides a way of salvation from His wrath on our sin, and we must take our refuge in Him in order to be rescued! Just as Noah and his family were only saved by being “in the ark” which bore the brunt of God’s punishing waves, so we are only saved by being “in Christ” who bore the wrath of God for us.

QUESTION #3

What is the meaning of 1 Peter 3:21 regarding baptism? It seems like it is saying that baptism is necessary for salvation.

RESPONSE

Starting with the clearer truth, we know from Scripture that baptism does not save a person. So, we have to figure out what this passage means, when it appears on a surface level reading to contradict that clearer truth.

It is helpful for us to observe that Peter writes that baptism “corresponds” (i.e., “like figure whereunto,” KJV; “antitype,” NKJV; “symbolizes,” NIV; “prefigured,” NET; BDAG: a representation, copy, corresponding situation) to the ark.

• See, the ark didn't save Noah, but was the means of His salvation…God saved Noah!
• “Corresponding to that,” baptism doesn’t actually save…Jesus does according to verse 18! Even verse 21 says that “baptism saves...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
• So, like the ark, baptism is the means of salvation in as far as it is an expression of faith. Being an expression of faith is an important and clear interpretation, and is evident by the qualifier, “not as a removal of dirt from the body [which is all that water baptism can do] but as an appeal to God for a good conscience [which only He can give].” It is possible, then, that he isn’t even referring to water baptism, but spiritual baptism (cf. Romans 6:1-4).
• Piper puts it this way, “Baptism is a way of saying to God: ‘I trust you to apply the death of Jesus to me for my sins and to bring me through death and judgment into new and everlasting life through the resurrection of Jesus.’”[v]
  

ENDNOTES

[i] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2006).
[ii] http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/strengthened-to-suffer-christ-noah-and-baptism
[iii] Noting that the word for “preaching” or “proclaimed” here is not the Greek word euangelizomai, but kerusso, Gleason Archer suggests a slight variation to this option: “the proclamation made by the crucified Christ in Hades to all the souls of the dead may have been to the effect that the price had now been paid for sin, and all those who died in the faith were to get ready for their departure to heaven—shortly to occur on Easter Sunday [cf. Ephesians 4:8]” (Bible Difficulties [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982]).
[iv] The NET Bible First Edition.
[v] http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/strengthened-to-suffer-christ-noah-and-baptism

20 Things I Wish I'd Known in My Late Twenties
Well-written and really practical advice! Worth the five minutes it takes to read and consider these key principles the writer wishes she had known when she was our age. At least we all have #19 down! And, here's a sneak peak at one of them: "18. Live loved. — Wake up every morning and—before you put your feet to the floor—let your mind and heart linger on the fact that the Creator of the Universe loves you passionately, completely, unconditionally and eternally. Nothing matters more than this. This one truth can change absolutely everything."

20 Ways to Be Refreshing in the Local Church
Some really good suggestions here! I'd encourage you to read through and highlight 2 or 3 that you could start doing this coming week. Put them on a notecard or on your phone; sticky tac them to your mirror; pray for God to help you refresh your church family in this way; and then work to do so! Here's why — (excerpt) "There are few epitaphs I would rather have engraved on my tombstone than Paul’s words of commendation to Philemon, 'the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you' (Philemon 1:7). Oh, how I love Philemons and want to consistently be one!"

A Christian’s Guide to Reading the News: Five Rules to Remember
"If you have been following the news recently, you probably have noticed a lot of discouraging headlines about war, disease, immorality, and economic uncertainty. People are protesting in streets from Hong Kong, China to Ferguson, Missouri. From Moscow to Washington D.C., leaders seem to be more interested in drinking vodka and playing golf than helping the people they serve. How should a Christian react to all of the bad news in this world? Here are a few thoughts that might help us read the news in a redemptive way. ..." If you are a news-reader or news-worrier, this is a helpful article!

The Deadly Deception of Sexual Atheism in the Church
"The love, sex and dating forecast among adult single believers for the foreseeable future is this: cloudy with a chance of fear and pride." Don't allow your fear of missing out or your pride over knowing better excuse, empower, or embitter you in this crucial area! 

A Letter to the Caliph
Worried about the rise of militant Islam. You have nothing to fear ... really! Read this open letter from Tim Keesee (director of the "Dispatches from the Front" DVD series) to the ISIS commander and self-declared Caliph. "...I think it’s best that you know that you will not succeed. You and your Caliphate are destined for failure. Of course, all empires, caliphates, and reigns of terror eventually come to an end, but something else is happening — another kind of failure in your command over the Islamic world. It’s that Jesus Christ is building his Church, and he said that “even the gates of hell” (which sounds a lot like Mosul right now) cannot stop its advance."

THE SETTING
Jesus returns to Capernaum (probably to Peter’s home—cf. Matthew 4:13 and Mark 1:21, 29; important to note that this would have been a relatively small and simple home made with stones with a flat roof that would be frequently used for relaxation, oftentimes with an exterior staircase providing access), and the people discover that He’s back. They gather at the house to hear Jesus teach the Scriptures. The crowd of listeners was so large that people were crammed outside against the house.

THE PROBLEM
A group of men carrying their crippled friend arrive on the scene, trying to get to Jesus. They were unable to, because of the great crowd.

THE INCITING MOMENT
The friends, insistent on getting their needy comrade to Jesus, are not ready to give up. They climb up the stairs to the roof, and begin tearing up the clay roof above where Jesus was teaching. When they had created a large enough opening, they lowered their friend down into the house near where Jesus was.

This was pretty bizarre considering that this wasn’t their house and considering that teaching below would have been interrupted as debris began falling upon those inside. This would have created quite the scene…embarrassment and social awkwardness.

THE RISING ACTION
When Jesus saw the faith of these friends (and apparently of the paralytic himself) so clearly demonstrated in their aggression, persistence, and boldness (they weren’t embarrassed) in getting their needy companion to Jesus, He responded by performing an invisible, and yet most important, miracle (more important, in fact, than the physical healing of this man, which was, of course, what these men had desired in brining their fellow to Jesus)—the salvation of his soul. Jesus would later actually respond to his initial request and heal him physically, too.

THE CONFLICT
When the religious leaders heard Jesus forgive this man’s sins, they were troubled. Their doctrine correctly taught them that only God could forgive sins, but their evaluation of Jesus incorrectly led them to conclude that He was blaspheming. The other valid option—that Jesus was God—was never even considered.

I’m not sure that my conclusion would have been any different, especially since I’ve been trained as a good Bible student to live by the book. Yes, a logical conclusion was that this man Jesus was God, even the Messiah, but there was so much practical and convention wisdom that went against that idea. It “made more sense” to be doctrinal and conclude that He was a heretic. Any good pastor would have concluded the same; so, I’m not going to fault the scribes here in verse 7.

Jesus, knowing this internal conflict within the scribes, begins to help them understand that the option they so readily dismissed (i.e., He is God) was the truth. He asks them whether it is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Obviously, it is easier to say the first because it is invisible and cannot be visibly proved. The latter can be verified immediately through physical and visible evidence. So, Jesus now determines to effectively say the latter in order to prove that He had effectively said the former.

THE CLIMAX: THE MIRACLE
The man “immediately” got up and walked “in the sight of everyone.”

THE RESPONSE
The people were “amazed” and “glorified God.” They also continued to come and listen to Jesus.

At this point, however, I believe that a reproof again the scribes is in order. Jesus had sought to correct their legitimate, but incorrect, conclusion—the physical healing proved the veracity of His claim and power to forgive sins, and should have caused the Scribes to change their conclusion and submit to Him as their God. We know, however, that this was not their response.

PRINCIPLE 1 — Jesus knows and can meet our greatest (and perhaps unknown) needs when we have faith in Him.

This man had faith in Jesus’ ability…this was more than knowledge about Jesus, belief in Jesus’ existence. I believe that this man sincerely and earnestly believed (as revealed in tearing the roof up) that Jesus could meet his needs and fix his problems. However, I don’t think that his faith was fully mature, correctly focused, or fully taught. His faith in Jesus is unquestioned, but it seems that he’s overlooking some things that we would consider integral, like Jesus’ purpose to save people from their sin. However, when he came in confident expectation to Christ to fix the problem, Jesus in His omniscience and grace honored his unwavering faith, by meeting his greatest need.

The content of saving faith has changed throughout the ages (e.g., “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness”), but saving faith is always rooted in the ability and promises of God. Today, saving faith is a confident belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and in His ability to completely fulfill His promise to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by Him.

This man demonstrated saving faith by unwaveringly and desperately clinging to the truth that if he just got to Jesus, Jesus would know what to do. He didn’t have all his theology worked out; He hadn’t thought through all the details of who Jesus was…but He confidently believed in Jesus’ ability to meet his need. And he discovered that faith in Jesus gets all of Him—Jesus met his physical and spiritual needs.

This is grace – He didn’t give them only what they asked for. Faith in Jesus, even though not fully mature (i.e., they believed in His ability to physically heal, but perhaps they hadn’t considered His ability to spiritually heal), was what pleased Jesus and caused Him to respond by meeting the need, not just the request.

PRINCIPLE 2 — Christ honors our faith when we bring other people to Him.  And, considering that He alone really knows the true needs, He may do more than we ever expected.

Had they allowed the circumstances to deter their perseverance to get their friend to the only One who they believed could help him (e.g., embarrassment from the situation), their friend would not only have never walked, but he also would have never experienced salvation. Their faith was in some way catalytic to the spiritual healing of their friend.

This would have been one of those sobering “wow” moments, in which they would have been very thankful for God’s grace in overlooking their limited faith and using it to draw this man (and perhaps themselves) to Himself. From the paralytic’s perspective, he had done nothing (except believe).  His friends had been tools. God had orchestrated everything (i.e., He had given the crippled man these friends and stirred within them this faith in Jesus’ physical-healing ability). Jesus saw and met the true need though these friends.

Comparing Scripture with Scripture, this passage cannot be teaching that a man can be saved by someone else’s faith. However, the passage is emphasizing how influential your faith can be in the salvation of someone else.

Application: How can we demonstrate faith by bringing people to Jesus?  Not bringing people to Jesus reveals a lack of faith.

1. Bringing the unsaved to Jesus:

• Inviting to church events
  
• Witnessing
  
• Giving out tracts
  

2. Bringing the saved to Jesus—“fellowship”:

• Giving a word of encouragement
  
• Advising someone
  
• Prayer
  

PRINCIPLE 3 — I don’t need any other proof from Jesus; I just need to trust Him.