Sanctify Us

Psalm 80 was a psalm sung by the temple singers in response to the Assyrian threat to the northern ten tribes. The relationship between Judah in the south and Israel in the north was strained—by this point they had been separate nations for many years and often didn’t get along. But even with their checkered past, the people of Judah didn’t want to see Israel fall. This psalm gives voice to their fears and their intercessions on behalf of their brothers to the north. Save us (1-7).  God is identified as the Shepherd of Israel—a title reserved for the king. The people recognize God’s place as their leader, but this is more than the typical notes of praise found in many psalms. There is a plea for God to rise up, wield His power, and save Israel. Even though Israel is the target of Assyria’s dreams of conquest, not Judah, the people of Judah nevertheless identify themselves with their brothers. “Stir up your might and come to save us!”   The tone of the psalm is best understood ...

Third John is a short letter written by the apostle John to a Christian named Gaius. It is a personal and heartfelt letter containing praise for Gaius’ faith along with a serious condemnation of another man—Diotrephes—who was causing problems in the church. Gaius (3 John 1-8).  We are not sure who Gaius was. There are a few people by that name in the New Testament: in Ephesus (Acts 19:29), in Derbe (Acts 20:4), and in Corinth [1]  (Rom. 16:23). But, Gaius was such a common name in the Roman Empire at that time that it is impossible to prove or disprove that that this Gaius is one of those others mentioned. Probably it is someone else entirely. Though we can’t identify him personally, the way John talks about him reveals much about his character.   We can empathize with John’s affection for Gaius and relief at hearing that Gaius was walking in truth (3 John 2-4). We all have brothers and sisters in Christ who live in far away places and at times we wonder how they are doin...

One of the goals of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was to address a serious problem with sin in the church. The situation described in chapter 5 seems to be private and personal, but it has infected the whole church nonetheless. Congregational arrogance (1 Cor. 5:1-2).  Paul begins this section with an indignant tone: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife” (1 Cor. 5:1). What is going on in the church in Corinth is shocking by every standard. Corinth was a wicked city that did not blush at sin, but even here there were limits. Greek, Roman, and Jewish law all condemned incest and had harsh penalties for offenders. This relationship between a man and his stepmother was sinful and was a rare case where even the nonbelievers knew better. Evidently, this had been going on for some time. It was public knowledge and word had spread to the church, the community, and ...

Everyone wants to be happy. It is probably the number one goal of humanity—if I can just achieve my dreams, I will be blissfully happy for the rest of my days. What does joy look like in the Bible? Biblical joy is not dependent on our circumstances.  Many people mistakenly believe that they can’t be happy unless good things are happening to them. It seems easier to be happy when there is more pleasure, more money, more power, more fame, and more freedom. Yet, there are examples all around us of people with plenty of these things who nevertheless are miserable; and on the contrary, there are many who apparently lack the necessary ingredients for happiness but are full of joy anyway.   In John 15:1-11, Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches to illustrate the connection between Jesus and His disciples. We must “abide” in Him to receive lifegiving spiritual nourishment. At the end of the passage, He says, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy be in you, and th...

Repentance is central to the gospel call. Jesus attested that His purpose was to “call sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). If we want to avoid perishing, we must repent of our sins (Luke 13:3,5). Yet, repentance is frequently misunderstood. It is sometimes mistakenly thought of as simply feeling sorrow or regret. Godly sorrow is good but is only the first step. Only when it leads to earnest, eager effort to change and live differently can it lead to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10-11). When people find out what they have to give up to be pleasing to God, they often balk and claim that it is too hard and that God wouldn’t ask them to do something so dramatic. This is true of those who are interested in being baptized and even sometimes of Christians who have sin that needs to be resolved. Would God ever really ask us to give up something important to us? Would He require me to get rid of something that makes me happy? This is inconceivable to many, yet Scripture is clear. The stakes are high. Le...

In the last two articles we considered the factionalism that was present in the church in Corinth as well as the dangers facing our congregations when we allow factions to develop. What can we do to remain united as a church? Let’s use Colossians 3:12-17 to exhort us to perfect harmony: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of...

In the last article we considered the factions that had developed in the church in Corinth and how Paul admonished them to be united in Christ in the first chapter of 1 Corinthians. Now let’s consider what is so bad about factionalism. Factionalism makes us “merely human”.  A little later in the letter, Paul says, “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not being  merely human  (1 Corinthians 3:1-4, emphasis mine)?”   Paul had just spent time before this explaining how worldly people believe God to be foolish and weak and read the Scriptures the same way. They cannot experience the...