Tag: exposition

spiritual warfare
The Art of Spiritual Warfare

The Art of Spiritual Warfare

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I never fully understood the spiritual warfare metaphors in the New Testament. Maybe it is because I am in 21st century America and I am isolated from war and conflict. I have always known brothers and sisters in Christ who found the idea that the Christian life is a spiritual war helpful, encouraging, and practical. But personally, I never fully understood its significance.

Even when my Pastor preached through Ephesians, it didn’t fully “click.” Reading (part of) the great Puritan work on the armor of God was helpful, but not entirely clarifying. I still did not understand the “warfare” metaphor at a fundamental level.

Finally, I decided to take my own advice and think through the Biblical metaphor of spiritual warfare. I can’t claim to have grasped every aspect of what the Bible says on this topic, but I now see numerous practical implications to God comparing the Christian life to warfare.

New Testament Texts that Discuss Spiritual Warfare

Before I give you my thoughts on spiritual warfare, I think it is helpful to lay out a few texts where “warfare” language is used. This list is by no means exhaustive, but I think these five verses give a good overview of how the New Testament uses warfare language.

The first text is the most famous and well known one: Ephesians 6. This text contains the most extended use of the warfare metaphor. Paul presents the conflict and then details the different armor a Christian has to stand in the conflict.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:11-12 ESV, emphasis added

Paul returns to the metaphor in 2 Timothy. There, Paul focuses less on the “armor of God” and emphasizes the Christian’s identity as a soldier of Jesus.

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

2 Timothy 2:3-4 ESV, emphasis added

Paul slips in the metaphor again when talking about how Christian’s should behave in the present age. The alternative for continuing in sin is putting on the “armor of light.”

The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:12 ESV, emphasis added

Jesus seems to imply spiritual warfare when He says in Matthew 16 that the gates of hell (Hades) will not prevail against the Church. What attacks a gate? An army.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18 ESV, emphasis added

Finally, Paul uses the warfare metaphor extensively in 2 Corinthians to describe how he does ministry.

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 ESV, emphasis added

5 Realities Spiritual Warfare Illustrates

1. It implies you are on the alert

The Bible calls Christians to be on the alert in numerous places. The warfare metaphor helps you comprehend what the Bible is calling you to. In a war, soldiers must be ready and aware of what is going on around them. If you fail to know where your enemies are and where they might attack, you are setting yourself up for defeat.

Contrast this with “peacetime.” There is no real need to be alert. You can go about your daily life without thinking about every aspect of what you do, why you are doing it, and what your goal is. In war, you don’t have the luxury of sitting back and acting like there are not problems around you. You want to get information on any aspect of the enemy you are facing. What is the threat? How soon could this threat engage us? What can be done to mitigate the enemy’s advantage?

Spiritual alertness means a conscious awareness of what is going on spiritually around you. How might the devil tempt you today? Who is going to influence you? Will that music or movie draw you closer to Christ or further away?

Christians should not live their lives passively. Alertness means thoughtfully and reflectively engaging in all you do.

2. Calls you to action (especially before the enemy acts)

Action is necessary in war. Oftentimes, the side that strikes first gains a military advantage. Warfare is often focused on gaining strategic advantage, then acting to exploit that advantage. Action is not just an “available option.” It is a necessity. No one wins a war without acting.

Spiritual warfare is no different. Christians who are aware that they are in a spiritual conflict won’t wait around for temptation to come. They will be proactive, not reactive. God’s word lays out the weapons Christians have in their arsenal. Ephesians 6 and 2 Corinthians 10 clearly lay them out. A Christian takes the weapons he is given and uses them to combat the enemy at hand, whether that enemy is the flesh, temptation, or plain old unbelief.

Know the weapons God has given you. Know your goal and target. Then join with fellow Christians and act.

3. It sets your expectations for how life will be

In times of peace, there is a comfort and a bliss. Things are going well, and you assume things will continue to go well. In warfare, only a fool would think everything is good and that life will be easy and comfortable. In a war, you have a completely different set of expectations than when you are in a time of peace.

I am convinced a lot of the spiritual warfare language God uses in Scripture is to create a certain mindset in the Church. Don’t assume everything is going to be good and well. Don’t be surprised when things are difficult. There will be losses along the way. Some battles you will lose, others you will win. You will need to make tough choices. In wartime, you must act with limited information that is often ambiguous. But you make decisions based on the information you have.

War is difficult. It takes work. It takes all the effort and strength you have. So too in the Christian life. If you expected following Christ to be an easy endeavor, the “warfare” language of the New Testament sets your expectations straight. You are on the front lines. You are giving up your own life, your own priorities, your own comfort for a larger cause. Expect hardship and resistance every step of the way.

4. Sacrifice is the norm and pleasure is not the priority

In war, you must sacrifice now in order to gain later. Self-denial is not a choice, it is a necessity. In times of peace, it is easy to prioritize self and spend your time maximizing your own pleasure. God calls Christians to arms. God’s glory is at stake, people are perishing, and there is no time for a holiday.

That isn’t to say the Christian life is drudgery. There is happiness presently for the Christian and happiness promised in the future. But Jesus calls us to take up our cross and deny ourselves. The warfare language Scripture uses clarifies what Jesus is calling us to. In war, you aren’t surprised when sacrifice is required of you and you aren’t disappointed when your pleasure isn’t the most important thing in your world.

As a Christian, there is a higher cause that you are living and dying for. Christ. The gospel. The glory of God displayed in all things. If this cause is your priority, you will joyfully accept the sacrifices that Christ, your great commander, requires of you.

How you respond to suffering and calls for self-sacrifice will reveal whether you have a peacetime or wartime mindset

5. Implies strategic action

You don’t have to have a strategy in peacetime. You just live. Go about your day. Do what you feel like you want to do. But in war, everything is done strategically. There is a problem, there is a battle plan, and then you execute the plan. I think a lot of difficulties in local Church ministries comes down to failing to strategize. Just as most defeats in warfare occur due to poor or non-existent strategy, so too are many spiritual defeats caused by the Church failing to strategize.

Christians are at war. We have goals and people side by side working towards those goals. To execute on a plan, you first need to make a plan. You have to think about what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how best to do it. Christians need strategy sessions where they go to Scripture to understand their call, look out at the local context around them, and ask the question “how best can we live out these commands in this outpost God has called us to man?”

Your local Church is an outpost where God is equipping you to strategically engage those around you with the Gospel

Conclusion

So much more could be said about spiritual warfare. It is a rich Biblical metaphor with dozens of implications. God wants us to have proper expectations of what our life will be as Christians. Thankfully, Christ has already won the victory and we are “more than conquerors” through Him.

But until Christ returns, we have work to do. A war to fight. And you are on the front line. The battle is raging at work. In our homes. Within our communities. In our local Churches. At our Schools. God has given us all the weapons of spiritual warfare we could possibly need. We simply need to wake up, realize we are on the front line, and heed the orders of our sovereign and powerful Commander.

If you want to try to meditate on a Biblical metaphor yourself, check out this tool I made to guide you through the process. If you found this post helpful, subscribe and share below. Follow The Average Churchman on Instagram to get more content.

worldview-confronting preaching
We Need Worldview-Confronting Preaching

We Need Worldview-Confronting Preaching

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The Bible is powerful. Every Christian who has a proper view of Scripture will agree with this. The Bible convicts, corrects, rebukes, and trains in righteousness. It is living and active, sharper than a two edged sword. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So how can a preacher or teacher in the Church clearly present this powerful Word to a congregation? The answer is worldview-confronting preaching.

There are many types of preaching and different forms of sermon structure. But regardless of the structure, preaching should help the people of God see with clarity the truth of God so their lives are changed. That last part is key. Christians are called to be doers of the word, not hearers only. In a culture that seduces with the subtle sins of self-determination, worship of money, and pride, Pastors and teachers need to clearly contrast what the word of God says with what the culture says.

In this post, I want to lay out what worldview-confronting preaching is, why it is important, and how to do it when you are preaching or teaching.

Nothing is more important in the present time than to show how the Bible specifically corrects the false beliefs our modern culture holds

It is only through exposure to the living word of God that people can see the surpassing value of Christ and have their hearts transformed through the Holy Spirit.l

Worldview-confronting preaching defined

When I say “worldview-confronting preaching”, I am really talking about a form of application which is directed to the listeners. Other people have written far better definitions of “worldview” than I can in this post. For our purposes, “worldview” is a set of lived out beliefs and values. There are numerous sources which affect one’s worldview and one’s worldview affects how a person interprets reality around them.

Christians want to hold a set of lived out beliefs and values which align with Scripture. They want to interpret reality as God defines it, not how they define it. However, even the strongest Christian is influenced by sin and the culture around them.

Christians need to have their worldviews constantly corrected and conformed to the teaching of Scripture

This does not happen automatically. And that is why I say “worldview-confronting preaching is needed. This type of preaching goes right to the heart of the issue: people have wrong & sinful beliefs and values which cause them to live in opposition to God and His word. The goal of worldview-confronting preaching is to expose this; to show that everyone is influenced by wrong thoughts about God, Christ, ourselves, those around us, and the world in general.

The second aspect of worldview-confronting preaching is to then present the worldview Scripture gives. You show that God’s ways are right, are clear, are superior to the values and beliefs the world holds. It is through this contrast that your listeners can see their wrong beliefs for what they are and to see the beauty and wisdom of how God has ordered the world.

The importance of worldview-confronting preaching

I don’t think it is a great secret that you and I live in an age of excessive information. Everyone, including Christians, is bombarded with hundreds of worldviews, values, facts, and arguments every single day. Whether through the television, the internet, social media, news, music, art, or simply hanging around other people, it can become exhausting to be constantly discerning with what you listen to.

The danger is all this information is not neutral. It has an effect on you. As you are constantly exposed to various secular worldviews, you can unconsciously start to adopt them. Here is an example: imagine you are working in an office full of people whose sole purpose in life is to advance in their career and get more money. They are all smart, and driven, but living purely for themselves.

What kind of impact would your coworker’s worldview have on you? Even if it is subtle, I would argue to some degree that love of money and selfish ambition would influence you. Perhaps you start thinking more about money than you used to. Maybe because you want to earn the respect of your coworkers, you start working harder and longer hours, but for the wrong reasons.

What do you need on a Sunday in this example? You need a Pastor to expound Scripture clearly and show how love of money, according to God, leads to ruin but “godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Worldview-confronting preaching aims to equip congregants with the Bible’s worldview so when they are confronted with false worldviews every single day, they stay firmly fixed on what God’s word says

Practical steps to take

After expositing a text of Scripture using the tools available, what do you do next? I would argue there are four “steps” you have to take to preach in a worldview-confronting way.

1. Explain the right beliefs, values, and actions as laid out in the text

The first step is to clearly communicate the worldview God lays out in the text you are studying. Ask these questions of your text :

  • What does this text have to say about God? About mankind? Christ?
  • Are there any things in this text that are held up as valuable? As worthless? Dangerous? Good?
  • What commands, explicit or implicit, are given in this text?
  • How does this text explain the world around you?

There are other questions you could ask, but these are a good start. Your goal should be to connect the specific text you are teaching to the present reality your listeners are experiencing. What is the worldview God communicates in this text? Lay it out for your congregation so they can see it.

2. Contrast this with the beliefs, values, and actions the culture has

Once your listeners see what the Biblical worldview is, remind them how completely different it is from the worldview of the culture. Use these questions to help:

  • What beliefs are common in the culture that are opposite of this text?
  • What are the things the culture values which this text shows are worthless? Are there things the culture considers worthless that this text declares are valuable?
  • Describe the wrong actions that are common in the culture because they don’t believe this text
  • How does the culture describe the world which is in opposition to this text?

The key here is to accurately describe the culture’s worldview. Don’t just make up things about “the culture.” Don’t commit a straw man fallacy. Also don’t only focus on the most extreme beliefs of the culture all the time. Deal with subtle things like self-love or pride or excessive busyness for its own sake.

3. Show where adopting the culture’s beliefs, values, and actions leads a person

You could simply stop after the first two steps. But oftentimes, it is not enough to show the difference between the Biblical worldview and the culture. You need to show that the culture’s worldview isn’t merely wrong; it is ruinous. It will destroy those who follow it, even though it promises happiness. To do this, answer these questions:

  • What happens when a person adopts this belief which is contrary to God’s word?
  • How will following the world instead of God take away a person’s happiness and peace?
  • What poor or sinful choices will a person make if they follow the world instead of God’s word?

Oftentimes, Christians let the culture inform their worldview subtly over time because they think there is some utility in it. Perhaps they think a certain belief will make them happy or it seems more loving or it is safe or it will make them more “effective”. To combat subtle syncretism, you must show only Scripture’s path leads to life and all others lead to death. Warn your congregation of the dangers of following the world instead of God.

4. Expound the superiority of Scripture’s worldview and how it better explains reality

Finally, after showing the path of sin leads to ruin, circle back to God’s truth. Display again for your listeners how much better God’s ways are. Leave you listener without a doubt that what the Bible says is better in every way than the voices of the culture. Here are some questions to help:

  • How does the worldview presented in your text display God’s glory? God’s wisdom?
  • In what ways does this text better represent reality compared with the culture’s worldview?
  • What promises does God make with regards to this text?
  • How does this text connect to God’s plan for the world? To Jesus and the Cross?

For the preacher, this last step is a time for worship. God has graciously shown His people the path to life. He has given them wisdom for how to live in this complicated world. There is blessing when you follow God’s word.

Conclusion

Churches need worldview-confronting preaching. No body benefits from preaching which says “peace, peace when there is no peace.” Part of “equipping the saints for the work of service” is helping them see that God’s ways lead to life and the world’s ways lead to death. Don’t expect your congregation to connect the dots themselves. Clearly show the contrast between the biblical worldview and the world’s explanation of reality.

If you truly believe the Bible contains the truth and the only path to life, take every opportunity to share with other people just how unique and wonderful God’s truth is. There is not worldview, false religion, or belief system that compares to it. When you directly show the superiority of the Bible’s worldview over and against the culture’s worldview, you are glorifying God by showing His infinite worth and superiority over every man-made philosophy.

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Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: God Keeps His Promises

Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: God Keeps His Promises

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We have come to the last post in this series on Numbers 14. I have shown you Israel’s sinful fear, their lack of faith, and their false repentance after God confronts them. But Numbers 14 also gives us a positive picture of courageous faith, God’s merciful character, and Christ’s mediation. In this final post, I want to answer the simple question: Has God rejected Israel for their disobedience? Will God keep His promises to bring them into the land and bless them?

God will still keep His promise because He is faithful

Numbers 14 ends in a depressing place. Israel attempts to enter the land by their own strength against the advice of Moses. What happens? Complete defeat. The last verse in Numbers 14 has the Israelites routed by the Amalekites and the Canannites. At this point, you might say to yourself “Israel is hopeless! How is God going to stay with them? Will God continue to be faithful when Israel is unfaithful and disobedient every single step of the way?”

Numbers 15:1-2 comes with an answer:

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you,

Numbers 15:-12, ESV emphasis added

Not if Israel comes into the land: when Israel enters it. At this point your mind should be blown. God is still going to give Israel the land He promised them. After all Israel’s rebellion, after their false repentance, after they tried to claim the land without him. What kind of God would respond in this way?

A promise-keeping God. It is who God is fundamentally.

After all that happened in Numbers 14, after all the sin Israel committed, God is still committed to keeping His promises. God is a promise-making, promise-keeping God. Even human rebellion cannot thwart God’s sovereign plans. Paul explains this truth in 2 Timothy:

If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:13, ESV

God cannot deny Himself. Even when His people are faithless. Why is God so faithful to you time and time again? Why is His covenant love, his steadfast love, so inexhaustible? It isn’t because Israel is great. It isn’t because you and I are great. 

God’s love is great because God Himself is great.

There is of course discipline when you sin. You saw that in Numbers 14. God does not let the guilty go unpunished. But He is rich in forgiveness, in faithful love. When you are tempted to believe God will give up on you or that He will not fulfill His promises in Christ because of your unfaithfulness, remind yourself it isn’t about you. It is about how great God is.

Numbers 14 and the Gospel of Jesus

In 2 Timothy Paul says Scripture can make one wise unto salvation in Jesus Christ. So how would someone reading Numbers 14 anticipate Christ? I would say there are at least two ways.

1. The New Covenant is necessary

Israel had the law, had a mediator, had God among them, but they still rebelled. Why? Because of unbelief. Even though Israel had the law:

  • They didn’t have the power in themselves to keep the law
  • The law didn’t produce faith in God
  • The law was still outside of them and it didn’t bear the fruit of trust in the Lord

And if you keep reading the Old Testament, this lack of fruit and faith continues. God sends prophets again and again to call out Israel for their unbelief and disobedience. The law does not fix either problem.

That is why the promise of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31 is so amazing. God says it won’t be like the covenant He made with Israel when He brought them out of Egypt: God promises to put His law within His people, on their hearts.

In Numbers 14, Caleb and Joshua had faith in God’s promises and begged Israel to believe too. In Jeremiah 31 God says that won’t happen anymore:

  • “No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother saying “know the Lord””
  • Why? “Because they will all know me, from the least to the greatest.”

Numbers 14 should cause you to ache for the New Covenant. And how is God going to bring about this new covenant? 

Matthew 26 gives us the answer: “Then Jesus took a cup and after giving thanks gave it to them and said “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood that establishes the New Covenant, it is shed for the forgiveness of sins.”

God is going to establish a New Covenant. But establishing it will be costly. The price: the blood of His own son, Jesus Christ. The New Covenant wasn’t free. If you are a believer and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, if you are set free from the curse of the law, and if you know the Lord, realize that all that came with a price.

Jesus had to bring it about. Through His blood alone.

2. Only those who believe enter God’s promised rest

Hebrews 3 and 4 looks back on Israel’s history, including Numbers 14. The author sees Numbers 14 as a warning for people who read it. The author of Hebrews saw that even though this generation of Israel was redeemed from Egypt and saw signs in the wilderness, they still rebelled. The result? God swore in His wrath, as we saw in Numbers 14, that Israel would not enter His rest. The promised rest in the promised land.

The author of Hebrews in 3:19 gives the same conclusion you saw in Numbers 14: Israel was unable to enter because unbelief. Then Hebrews turns to us and gives us a warning.

If you hear about the rest promised in Jesus Christ, the rest from having to earn your standing before God, do not harden your hearts. Don’t be like Israel who stood at the edge of the promised land yet did not enter because of unbelief.

You can hear the gospel a hundred times but if you never actually believe it, you won’t enter the rest Jesus promises.

Let me say it again because it is a crucial takeaway from Numbers 14: You can be as close to the promises of God as Israel was, but if you don’t believe them, they won’t do you any good. You can be around God’s promises, you can hear the gospel, you can even be an upstanding member in a Church but unless you believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, you will perish outside of God’s promises.

Conclusion: Flee from unbelief, have faith in God’s promises

So, by way of summary, let me remind you the main point from this series: Israel did not enter the promised land because of their unbelief in God. And as I just explained above: you can be as close to God as to see His miracles, and yet still perish because of your lack of faith, your rebellion, and your false repentance.

I think Hebrews 4 gives us the best ending word: “So, let us make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.” Let us pray the Holy Spirit would work in our hearts so that you and I behave like Caleb. He was loyal to the Lord and His promises. Israel was fearful of men, but Caleb feared God. And in the end, Caleb, through his faith, ended up entering the promised land.

If you missed a post in this series, click here. If you want to listen to a sermon I preached on Numbers 14, click here. Subscribe and share below. Be sure to follow The Average Churchman on Instagram so you can get more content.
Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: Moses’ Mediation, God’s Mercy

Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: Moses’ Mediation, God’s Mercy

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We are coming to the end of this ongoing study on Numbers 14. Already I have shown you Israel’s sinful fear, God’s judgement on their unbelief, and Israel’s false repentance. Then, I showed you how Caleb’s courageous faith stood in stark contrast to Israel’s absence of faith. Now, I want to focus on Moses’ mediation.

You can glean a lot of truth from a narrative passage of Scripture just by observing how its characters relate to God. What do they do? What do they say? What do they not do or say? However, there is an even more important reason to study Moses’ mediation in Numbers 14: Moses illustrates what mediation looks like so you and I can better understand how Jesus mediates for His people.

So for this post, I want to give you one thing Moses did not do when mediating, and two things Moses did do.

“I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

Numbers 14:12-19, ESV emphasis added

Moses does not plead Israel’s merits

Explanation

Sometimes it is helpful to think about what something is not so you can more clearly see what something is.

In this case, think about what Moses did not say as he pleaded for God’s mercy on the Israel. Not once does Moses mention Israel positively. In fact, Moses hardly mentions Israel at all in his prayer to the Lord. There are a number of things Moses could have pleaded as he mediated on Israel’s behalf:

  • Could talked about the good things Israel has done in the past
  • Could have reminded God of the times Israel did have faith
  • Could have argued destroying the whole nation is not proportional to the sin

But Moses says none of these things. Why? Because Israel had no merit to plead. No rights, nothing they “deserved.” Israel was a nation helplessly enslaved and doomed apart from God’s gracious action. And now, they were rebelling against that same God.

No good thing Israel had done, no moment of faith could counter Israel’s sin and unbelief. Moses does not approach God on the basis of good things Israel had done because no good work could counteract their sin or merit God fulfilling His promises.

Application

When you think of Jesus mediating and interceding for you, what do you picture? Do you imagine He mentions you, your character, your merits, your personal holiness? It is so easy to imagine that you and I have “something to bring to the table” before God.

Let Numbers 14 humble you and remind you there is no good work you have ever done that merits you any blessing from God. Jesus did not need to die because you needed some minor improvements. You had no righteousness to bring before God.

And that is the amazing grace of the gospel. It is Christ’s merits, not yours, that matter. When you are tempted to look at your own works, character, or “goodness” and imagine that somehow these grant you right standing before God, remind yourself of Moses and Israel in Numbers 14. You have nothing to bring. But Christ has all you need.

Moses pleads God’s reputation among the nations

Explanation

If Moses does not approach God on the basis of Israel’s merit or past goodness, how does Moses address the Lord? The first way is by pleading God’s glory among the nations. Moses starts out by saying if God destroys Israel, the nations who have heard of His “fame” will think less of the Lord.

Here you see again that Israel’s purpose was to display God’s glory among the nations. It started with God’s original promise He gave to Abraham in Genesis 12: “In you all nations shall be blessed.” In Deuteronomy, Moses says one of the reasons God gave Israel the law is so that other nations would look and say “Wow! What a nation! Israel is wise and their laws are righteous and their God dwells among them!”

What made Israel special was not Israel. It was God choosing to display His glory through Israel. Need more evidence of this?

  • In 2 Samuel 7, David prays and says God saved Israel from Egypt to make a name for Himself.
  • In 1 Kings 8 when Solomon is dedicating the temple, he says nations will hear of God’s great name and come to the temple to worship
  • The Psalms are constantly calling the nations to praise the Lord, often right after recounting God’s redemptive work in Israel: Psalm 96:3 “Tell of God’s glory among the nations! His wonderful deeds among all the peoples!”
  • Ezekiel 39:7- God says “My holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy named be profaned anymore. And nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy one of Israel”
  • And then in the New Testament: Romans 1 says “Through Jesus Christ our Lord we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations, including you who were called to belong to Jesus Christ.”

If you get nothing else from these verses, see that God seems primarily concerned with the nations knowing who He is and seeing His glory. And that is why Israel was originally redeemed out of Egypt and that is what Moses pleads here in Numbers 14.

It is not about Israel’s righteousness or worth. It is God’s glory, God’s promise, God’s plan for the world. God destroying Israel in Numbers 14 would not be the main tragedy. The tragedy would be other nations thinking less of God.

And that is Moses argument: since the Egyptians know about what the Lord has done for Israel and God’s promise to bring them into the land, if God destroys Israel know Egypt will think less of God. So Moses pleads “Don’t damage Your reputation among Egypt and among the nations!”

Application

Why does God do what He does? This is a vital question to answer for you to make any sense of your life. Thankfully, Scripture seems incredibly interested in giving you that answer: God’s glory in all things. God displaying His magnificence and worth through His chosen means.

And what is most astounding of all: God chooses to display His glory by showing mercy to sinful humans. By saving His helpless, fallen creation. By choosing and calling a people for Himself to “declare the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Is this comforting to you? Do you value God’s glory above all things? I think passages like Numbers 14 humble us and remind us what really is most important in the universe.

In a world that tells you to think highly of yourself, God’s word reminds you that His glory and the display of that glory is the most important.

Moses pleads God’s character

Explanation

Moses doesn’t just plead God’s glory. He pleads God’s character as revealed in Exodus 34, particularly God’s “faithful love.” The word is “chesed” and it is an incredibly important Old Testament word. It signifies God’s loyal, covenant love. In fact, the word shows up around 250 times in the Old Testament and is often mentioned in the same context as God’s character and covenant.

This loyal love, this covenant love expresses itself in kindness and mercy towards the object of God’s love. This covenant love is one reason why God in the prophets often compares His relationship with Israel to that of a marriage relationship. It is the same idea: God has entered a covenant relationship with Israel and is committed to doing them good, even when they don’t deserve it.

“Chesed” is not a feeling of love, it is a commitment God has made. And Moses’ mediation is specifically in light of this love: “God’s power be magnified (i.e. displayed), pardon the people’s wrongdoing in accordance with Your faithful love.”

What is God’s response to Moses’ mediation? God heard Moses’ plea on behalf of the people and though Israel proved unfaithful, God remained faithful and gracious. Of course, we saw in a previous post that Israel’s punishment was still severe. But God did not destroy the nation.

God is merciful to Israel but not at the expense of justice. God isn’t just rich in faithful love; He also does not leave the guilty unpunished.

God is faithful to His covenant, but He will discipline His people when they disobey Him.

Application

Moses pleading God’s covenant love and covenant commitment should become the image you think of when you read about Jesus mediating on your behalf. Jesus does not plead your merits. He pleads the “New Covenant in His blood.” Why is this a comfort? Because you can stop worrying about God casting you aside.

The “perseverance of the saints” is a marvelous doctrine, but many people (including myself) struggle to live out on a day-by-day basis. We know we are saved by grace alone in Christ alone, but it is still so easy to fall back into a “merit-based” theology. Numbers 14 is a comfort because it reminds us:

  1. Pleading your merits before a thrice Holy God will condemn you every time. You have nothing in your hands to bring.
  2. Despite this, all who believe in Christ have entered into a covenant with God. It is a covenant based in God’s promises and for God’s glory.
  3. Because of this covenant, “who can bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” God will not destroy you, just like He didn’t destroy Israel in Numbers 14, because to do so would break His covenant.

When you are discouraged and feel like you have ruined any chance of God being merciful to you, think of Christ standing before the Father. What is He saying? He is pleading His blood, the blood that brought you into an eternal covenant with God. And until Christ’s blood loses its power to cover your sins, which it never will, then you are safe and secure in your salvation.

The New Covenant in Christ’s blood is what keeps you secure. Your good works can’t add to it’s power, nor can your worst sins nullify it’s effectiveness

Conclusion

One of my favorite hymns is “Before the Throne of God Above.” A verse from it is a fitting end to this post:

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look, and see Him there
who made an end to all my sin

Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Before the Throne of God Above

Moses’ mediation in Numbers 14 gives us a beautiful picture of Jesus’ mediation. It is not based on our merits or works. It is based on God’s covenant and commitment to His own glory. That is freeing truth. It shifts your perspective away from self and back to God.

If you missed any previous posts in this series, find them here. Subscribe and share below.
Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: Caleb’s Courageous Faith

Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: Caleb’s Courageous Faith

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What is “courageous faith?” How does bold belief in God and His promises manifest itself? So far in Numbers 14, I have shown you how faith of any kind was completely absent from the nation of Israel. They were afraid of the people of the land. Israel wanted to turn back and return to Egypt. Even when confronted with God’s just judgment, Israel chooses to continue in unbelief rather than respond in true repentance.

Israel’s behavior in Numbers 14 is a stark warning of the consequences of unbelief. But thankfully, Numbers 14 doesn’t just give us a negative example of what not to do. Instead, the Holy Spirit has included in this account an example of courageous faith, even in the midst of widespread unbelief. This faith is exemplified by Caleb. If you don’t have an Old Testament “hero” yet, I would strongly suggest you consider Caleb. He is easily one of my favorite Biblical individuals.

In this post, I want to look at Caleb’s courageous faith, its source, and finally Caleb’s legacy. By studying Caleb’s role in Numbers 14, you can live out what Paul says in Romans 15:4.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Romans 15:4 ESV

The call to courageous faith

At one level, Numbers 14 focuses on contrasting the unbelief of Israel as a whole with the faith demonstrated by Caleb (and Joshua). If you remember, Israel was terrified when they heard the spies’ report on the promised land. They had not even directly seen the land firsthand, but their reaction was immediate weeping and unbelief.

Joshua and Caleb actually saw the land. They entered it. And their reaction is completely different to Israel’s reaction.

And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”

Numbers 14:6-9 ESV, emphasis added

Of all the spies who saw the land, only Joshua and Caleb remained faithful. They both knew that the strength of God’s promises were greater than the strength of the people in the land. And so, in the middle of Israel’s weeping and wailing and rebellion, Caleb and Joshua pleaded courage.

Several times in these verses they repeat “Don’t be afraid!” Why? Because God is fighting for Israel. Notice: Caleb and Joshua had the exact same information as the nation of Israel had. They were in the same exact circumstances. But rather than let external circumstances challenge their belief, Caleb and Joshua examined their circumstances in light of their belief.

Courageous faith means holding on to and acting on God’s promises even in frightening circumstances. It means trusting the Lord even if no one else around you is.

The basis of courageous faith

How could Caleb and Joshua have this confidence? Their courage isn’t a reckless foolishness or some abstract thing. The basis of courageous faith is the Lord and His promises. Joshua and Caleb hold fast to the belief that God will bring them into the land and God will enable them to defeat the nations.

Unlike the rest of Israel who was quick to forget God’s promises and His purpose for bringing them out of Egypt, Joshua and Caleb actually apply the promises, believe them, and live them out. To put it another way, Caleb and Joshua’s theology actually changes their response to this situation.

Want to test your theology? Watch how you respond to trying circumstances, discouragement, and difficulty.

Caleb and Joshua’s theology is practical and logical: God promised them this land. Therefore, if God wants to give it to Israel, the strength of the nations is irrelevant. Why? Because God is sovereign not only over Israel, but also the nations. Notice in Numbers 16:9, Caleb and Joshua point out that the nations’ “protection has been removed from them”.

The courage Caleb and Joshua are calling Israel to is not wishy-washy, abstract, or foolish confidence. It isn’t self confidence. It is courageous faith. Faith-fueled courage. Israel was looking at their circumstances purely in human terms. But Caleb and Joshua knew that God would keep His promises.

But courageous faith can be costly as well. Caleb and Joshua call out Israel’s sin in verse 9: do not rebel against the Lord. Joshua and Caleb label Israel’s fear and lack of trust in the Lord as rebellion. And Israel’s response is to try to stone them both.

Not trusting the Lord and His promises is a form of rebellion.

Caleb’s reward and legacy

But how does God respond to Caleb and Joshua? In the midst of this decisive judgement, God rewards their courageous faith. God not only punishes unfaithfulness; He rewards faithfulness. Those who believed His original promise received further promises.

But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.

…not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Numbers 14:24, 30 ESV

Joshua and Caleb pleased the Lord through their faith and lived to enter the promised land. The rest of Israel died because of their unbelief. If you fast-forward to when Israel actually enters the land, Caleb still has as much faith and boldness as he did in Numbers 14.

Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.” Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.

Joshua 14:6-14 ESV, emphasis added

40 years after Numbers 14 and Caleb is still talking about God’s promises. I find it interesting three times Joshua 14 talks about Caleb being loyal to the Lord. Five times it mentions God’s promise to him. After 40 years wandering, Caleb is still ready for battle and to claim what God promised him. And in the end, Caleb receives the promised inheritance. It took years and years but Caleb’s faith was not disappointed.

Faith means loyalty to the Lord just as unbelief is a form of rebellion.

Conclusion

Numbers 14 sets Caleb and Israel in stark contrast. Israel through their fear forfeited entering the land for 40 years, but Caleb through faith was promised a special portion of the land and lived to possess it. What a legacy! Caleb was loyal to the Lord even when in the minority. He knew God would fulfill His promises.

Matthew Henry in his commentary on Numbers 14, leaves us with the perfect application:

“Those that would follow God must have another Spirit from that of the world. The Spirit of faith of Caleb.”

Matthew Henry

When you see the courageous faith of Caleb in the promises of God, may you “go and do likewise.”

Click here to read any posts in this series you might have missed. If you want to listen to my sermon on Numbers 14, click here. Check out my other ongoing series “Happy?” where I expound on what the Psalms have to say about happiness in the world.

sermon structure
How to Effectively Structure a Sermon

How to Effectively Structure a Sermon

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No one taught me how to structure a sermon or a teaching. I was given a limited amount of tools for studying a text, and I was told the importance of preaching. But the question of how to effectively structure a sermon was not answered for me. So, through reading and listening to a wide variety of preaching, I found a number of different ways to create an orderly sermon.

There is certainly not “one way” to structure a sermon. But there are a number of patterns or “archetypes” used by preachers both present and past. In this post, I want to give you a handful of ways to structure a sermon. There is no perfect way, in fact, I would recommend thinking through sermon structure each time you preach. Depending on the text, the length of the passage, the type of literature, and other factors, one structure might be preferred to another.

I will first define three important terms that I will use to analyze sermon structures. Then, I will present two general sermon structures from two different structures derived from the New Testament Epistle. Finally, I will present a few sermon structure “archetypes” I have analyzed by listening and reading the great expositional preachers through history.

Definitions: Doctrine, Application

The distinction between doctrine and application is one of the most important concepts to think through. In order to even begin to think about sermon structure, you must understand the vital difference between doctrine and application. Essentially, doctrine describes reality. It is a declarative statement from the Lord about what the world really is like. Application, on the other hand, gives the readers/listeners how they should live in light of this reality. It is an imperative statement which commands some response.

For example, if I said “It is raining outside,” that is a declarative statement. I am making a claim about reality. If I followed this up with “You should bring an umbrella” I am now making an imperative statement. In light of the reality of rain, I tell you that you should bring an umbrella. Most of the time, doctrine and application are connected with a “therefore”. Because something is true, you should do something.

Scripture is full of doctrinal teaching and application. But different authors go about this in different ways. The two main different ways which are helpful when thinking about sermon structure are what I will call “Paul style” and “Peter style”. I will first go through each of these styles before looking at how preachers in general often structure their sermons.

Sermon Structures Derived from Scripture

Doctrine-application structure

Even though there are exceptions, Paul favored introducing doctrine first before application in his epistles. Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians all have a pretty “predictable” structure. Paul spends the early chapters of the book piling on doctrinal, declarative, objective spiritual truths. He builds on these truths throughout the book until he reaches a “therefore.” This “therefore” transitions from the first half of the books which is primarily declarative to the second half which is primarily imperative.

Romans 12 is a great example. For 11 chapters, Paul goes through doctrine and truth and spiritual reality. Then, in Romans 12, Paul transitions to imperatives with a “therefore”.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1, ESV emphasis added

How does this help you structure a sermon? The way Paul structures his epistles is one of the foundational sermon structures you could choose from. Essentially, a “Pauline” sermon structure might look something like this

  1. Introduction
  2. Expound, analyze, and argue doctrinal truth
  3. Take that doctrinal truth and command a certain, necessary behavior from your congregation in response to it

The “logical progression” structure I discuss at the end of this post borrows from Paul’s typical flow. Essentially, since all application should arise from doctrinal truth, sermons which use a “Paul style” strictly separate doctrine and application. Moreover, this type of structure focuses on presenting doctrine first before transitioning to any sort of commands.

The benefits of this structure include:

  • Clear division of doctrine and application so they are not confused
  • Complete focus on either doctrine or application rather than switching from one to another
  • Logical order of doctrine then application based on that doctrine

Apply-as-you-go

The other major ordering of doctrine and application you see in the New Testament is common in the general Epistles. I call it the “Peter style” even though the ordering is found in Hebrews, 1 John, and James. In 1 Peter, Peter does not wait until the end of the letter to transition to application. Peter applies doctrine as he goes. Throughout 1 Peter, you read a doctrine and then almost immediately see it applied.

For example, halfway through 1 Peter 1, the text transitions from discussing the salvation and inheritance the Church has received in Christ to a call to holy living.

It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:12-13, ESV emphasis added

So, a “Peter style” sermon structure does not move from doctrine to application, but from one point to the next. A sermon using this organization would look like this:

  1. Introduction
  2. Expound doctrinal truth 1
  3. Apply doctrinal truth 1
  4. Expound doctrinal truth 2
  5. Apply doctrinal truth 2
  6. Repeat until finished

As you can see, each point is applied as you go through the teaching. This style has several benefits:

  • Gives readers/listeners practical application as the sermon progresses
  • By applying doctrine as you go, each application is directly tied to whatever specific doctrine it arises from

There is more that could be said on the different ways to divide doctrine and application. But understanding the two general Biblical relations gives a helpful context for analyzing the sermon structures of great preachers.

Sermon Structure Archetypes from Great Preachers

There are four general patterns I have seen in how preachers order their sermons. I have ordered these four archetypes from most “text driven” in structure to most “preacher driven” in structure. “Text driven” refers to how much of your sermon structure is derived directly from the text while “preacher driven” refers to how much of your sermon structure comes from your own opinion on how the sermon should be ordered.

Running commentary

The first archetypal sermon structure I have encountered is what I will call the “running commentary”. Calling it a “structure” might be deceiving, however, because it is almost a non-structure. Your sermon starts at the beginning of the text and ends where you decide to end for that week. Its characteristics are simple:

  1. Introduce & read the whole passage
  2. Read a small section of the passage
  3. Explain what it means
  4. Move on to the next small section
  5. Explain what it means
  6. Repeat until complete

As you can see, there really is no formal structure to this type of sermon. The preacher simply works through the passage word by word, line by line and explains it and applies it as he goes. If you choose to preach using this method, you probably don’t even think about “sermon structure”. You simply go through the text and give your commentary to the congregation as you go.

There are definite positives to this method:

  • Every single word of a passage is explained to some degree
  • You can devote more focus to studying a text rather than figuring out how to structure your sermon
  • The length of the sermon can easily scale based on how large a passage you choose

There are some drawbacks to the “running commentary” method, however:

  • It is easy for your sermon to lack emphasis
  • You can focus so much on individual words or phrases that you “miss the forest in the trees”
  • Your sermon can sound more like a class teaching rather than heralding the word

I would argue this method is most helpful for dense passages of Scripture like prophecy or the Epistles. Passages which have a definite logical argument or inherent structure can benefits from having the “running commentary” approach applied. The thoroughness of this method makes it applicable to the most complicated and detailed portions of Scripture.

Text-determined structure

This method is still based on the text, but gives a more defined structure to your sermon than the “running commentary” method. Essentially, you look at whatever passage of Scripture you are expounding and find any transitions, shifts, or sections that are contained within it. You then use these divisions to form the backbone of your sermon. In the end, your sermon structure looks like this:

  1. Introduce the text and its main divisions
  2. Read, expound, and apply the first section
  3. Read, expound, and apply the second section
  4. Repeat until all sections of text are preached

This method I call “text-determined” because you are letting the logical, grammatical, or textual breaks of a passage determine each section of your sermon. In this way, your sermon structure is still determined by the passage of Scripture itself, but you are extracting an outline from the passage instead of just walking through the passage.

If I had to summarize this method, it is making the outline of your sermon the outline of the passage. To apply the “text-determined structure” you should outline the Bible passage you are preaching early on in your study. From there, you already have a rough sermon structure into which you can add any application or further exposition.

This method has a lot of advantages:

  • The flow of your sermon follows the flow of the passage
  • Sermon structure is easily seen by your congregation in the text itself
  • Your sermon’s transitions are based on real transitions within the text
  • Outlining the passage does “double duty” by also becoming the headings of your sermon

Some drawbacks to this method include:

  • Not every text or literary type easily breaks into a defined structure
  • Depending on the length of your text, your sermon can have too many points
  • The structure of the text might not be an ideal structure for understanding the meaning of the text

What is great about the “text-determined” structure is how applicable it is to different literary types and text lengths. I think it particularly shines when preaching through Psalms (which often have clear transition points), Epistles (which have logical and grammatical features which are easy to use as transition points), Proverbs, and prophetic writings. I would argue in most cases, this structure should be your default.

Clearest communication structure

This sermon structure is less “text driven” and more “preacher driven.” It is similar to the “text-determined” structure, only with another step to it. You find the transition points of a passage and outline it. However, then you order whatever sections exist in the text in an order you as the preacher think makes the most sense. You essentially pick whatever headings or points you think the text makes, and then order your sermon based on what you think makes the most sense to your listeners. A “clearest communication” sermon would look something like this:

  1. Introduce the text and the main points you will preach on
  2. Give point 1, show where it exists in the text, expound, apply
  3. Give point 2, show where it exists in the text, expound, apply
  4. Repeat until done preaching the passage

In this method, you are not making the outline of the text the outline of the sermon. Your sermon outline, though based in the text and your study of it, is decided by you, the preacher. You think through what the most clear way to preach the text is and you let that concern for clarity drive how you order your sermon. In the end, you decide what the “organizing factor” is within the text, whether that be the main points of emphasis, the main characters of a passage, or the events of the passage. In this method, you must make a sermon structure apart from whatever structure already exists in the text.

There are some definite benefits to this method:

  • You can make the emphasis of the passage the clear emphasis of your sermon
  • Your congregation is in view as you study and prepare to preach
  • This method allows you to reduce a long or complex passage into a few central points

As with all methods, there are some drawbacks too:

  • Your sermon structure can become arbitrary or foreign to the text itself
  • It can be less clear to the congregation where you get each point you make
  • You can spend too much time focused on how to present the text rather than what the text says

The “clearest communication” structure really shines with narrative sections of Scripture and long passages of Scripture. I have written before on the difficulties with preaching narrative. Unlike poetry or logical argumentation, narrative does not always have a clear structure to extract. Therefore, having the “clearest communication” structure in your toolbox will help you when you have to summarize large portions of Scripture or when you have to deal with texts that don’t have clear or equally sized divisions.

Logical progression structure

This final sermon structure is the most “preacher driven” and has the least connection to the structure of the text you are preaching. The “logical progression” structure fits any sermon on a given passage of Scripture into three categories: definition, exposition, and implication. The structure is as follows:

  1. Introduce and read the text
  2. Define key words in the text
  3. Summarize the doctrinal truth from the text
  4. Expound on this truth by connecting it with other Scripture
  5. Draw out logical implications and applications of the doctrinal truth to your listeners.

This structure follows the “what does it say, what does it mean, how do I apply it” flow of a typical “inductive Bible study.” The Puritans often used this structure when they preached.

Some benefits of this structure include:

  • Clear, predictable flow for the congregation
  • Covers all major aspects of studying and applying a text
  • The sermon builds logically from the verse itself to the listener
  • The last thing your congregation hears is how the text applies to their lives

The drawback so the logical progression structure are:

  • Forces you to fit the nuances of a text into arbitrary categories
  • Treats all types of literature in the Bible the same way
  • Demands you reduce all of a passage into a single, definite proposition

I personally really enjoy this way of structuring a sermon. It particularly shines in expounding Epistles or smaller statements found in other Biblical literature. I do think this structure is not as effective with narrative passages or larger sections of Scripture in general. But if you are teaching only a verse or two, I highly recommend preaching like the Puritans did.

Conclusion

Structuring a sermon is a difficult but necessary task. There are a number of ways to order your teaching and no one way is the best fit for every type of literature of Scripture. My hope is that after reading this post, you have a few more sermon structures to pull from in the future. One of the highest privileges of a preacher is presenting the truth of the Bible clearly to the congregation. Keep thinking through ways to better communicate God’s truth to others.

For tools to help you in your sermon preparation, check out the Bible Study Tools page. If you need help thinking through sermon application, use these series of questions the Puritans used. I used some of these sermon structures in my own preaching, which you can find here.
Your Faith Needs Encouragement (Part 3)

Your Faith Needs Encouragement (Part 3)

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In my last post in this mini series on Romans 1:11-12, I showed from the New Testament how your personal faith can be an encouragement to other believers. Now that you understand the truths in Romans 1:11-12, I want to give you five implications the passage has for your life.

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Romans 1:11-12, ESV

Implication 1: Your faith isn’t a static thing. It needs to grow and be encouraged

Think of Abraham. You see that he had faith in God’s promises. Yet this faith grew throughout Genesis until you see Abraham willing to even sacrifice his own son Isaac. Your trust in the Lord can grow and develop and find new expressions of obedience. And other Christians might have what you need to grow in your faith.

Your individual experience is not the whole of the Christian life. It isn’t even normative. You need the perspective of others to see where your faith is lacking or weak. It can be so easy to write people off in the Church. You can look at someone and say “well, they don’t know as much as I do” or “I don’t think they are obeying the Lord in this or that way” or simply “I don’t connect with them. I don’t care for them.”

But remember: Paul undoubtedly knew more truth than the Church in Rome. Yet Paul was aching to meet with the Church because he was not above being encouraged by those believers.

Anyone who loves the Lord has the potential to encourage you by their faith. Anytime you are going to meet with another believer, your soul should brim with anticipation.

Why? Any believer you meet with according to Scripture has the Holy Spirit dwelling in their heart, who has had their eyes open to see truth about the Lord, and who knows God. The living God. The creator of the universe! And God could use that interaction to grow or encourage your faith. To COMFORT you in a tough time you are going through.

You never know what is going to happen when you talk or meet with a brother or sister in Christ. That leads me to the next implication.

Implication 2: You need the local Church

Certainly, you can get encouragement from any believer. And you should!. Every Time you have a chance to talk with a fellow Christian, there is the potential for that conversation to help strengthen your faith. But where primarily are you going to interact with fellow believers? The Church. The local Church. Families who are not related by blood, but who have covenanted together to worship together, serve together, and live their lives together.

In my Church’s membership covenant, there is a line that says “I will bring to (the Church) such faith and comfort as I have means to render.” I love that line. Your membership is about glorifying God and blessing others. So bring your faith! Your faith encourages and comforts others in the body.

To put it another way, when you gather with the body, is this your goal? What are you aiming for in your interactions? Are you coming with a self-focused perspective? Romans 1:11-12 gives you a good goal and aim for when we gather together as a body: mutual encouragement from each other’s faith!

Do you have an intense desire to be around other believers? In Romans 1:11-12, Paul didn’t say “you know, if I get around to it, it would be nice if I got to see you Roman Christians.” Paul had an intense longing to visit this Church. A Church he had never met. Do you have that same sort of longing to be with believers? More particularly, do you long to be with Christians you have committed to in your local body?

If Paul had an intense longing to be among believers in Rome who he had not met, how much more should you long to be around believers who you know and see week after week?

So those are the first two implications: Your faith needs encouragement, and You need the local Church

Implication 3: Talk about your faith with other believers

One of my favorite passages is in Deuteronomy 6:

These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

emphasis added

If you want to encourage others with your faith, the first step is to talk about your faith. If you never share what is going on spiritually in your life or if you never ask another believer what God is doing spiritually in their lives, how are you going to mutually encourage each other?

Certainly seeing faith in action is an encouragement, but I would argue most of the time it is hearing about what God is doing in other believers lives that encourages you. How do you start those conversations? One time at a conference, I heard two really good questions to ask fellow believers:

One time at a conference I heard two really good questions to ask fellow believers:

  • How has the Lord been growing you in your knowledge of Him lately?
  • How has the Lord been growing you in living out your faith lately?

Ask questions like these when you are around other believers. Answer these questions when you are around other believers. Talking about your faith is the surest way to go from a normal conversation to a mutually encouraging one.

I’ll go a step further: Even if you don’t get asked spiritual questions, still answer them. Talk about the Lord! Sin and pride keeps us from always boasting in Christ and in God. But the more you talk about something, the easier it will become to talk about it.

Make it a habit when you are together with fellow believers to ask about their faith & their walk with the Lord

And the reality is: if you are individually pursuing the Lord and developing a relationship with Christ then it should not take much effort to start talking about Him with other believers.

Implication 4: Don’t think your faith is above encouragement from others

Christ’s address to the Church in Laodicea is one of the most sobering sections of Scripture in my opinion. And to me one of the scariest lines of all is simply this:

“Because you say I am rich; i have become wealthy and need nothing,” and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked

Revelation 3:17, ESV

It can become very easy as Christian at a spiritual level to think this about your faith. Self-satisfaction is a constant danger for the believer, particularly when it comes to faith. If your life is going fine, if you are “in a groove” spiritually so to speak, you can easily slip into the thinking “I don’t need to grow in my faith! It would be nice but I’m pretty much set right now.”

As soon as you slip into that mindset, you stop looking for encouragement from other believers. You stop asking other believers questions, you stop noticing the ways their faith is being lived out. Why? Because of spiritual pride.

As soon as you fall into the mindset of “I don’t need other believers,” you think that you are stronger than Scripture says you are. “You who stand take heed lest you fall.”

Spiritual pride says “I got this! My faith doesn’t need encouragement from others! In fact other believers should be coming to me for advice!” Let Romans 1:11-12 warn you against that mindset.

You would agree that Paul’s faith was undoubtedly strong, he was undoubtedly serving the Lord and loving Christ. Yet Paul was not above encouragement from other believers. Why? Because Paul was humble. Paul said to the Corinthians “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

The Christian is humble because there is no room for pride in the gospel.

Don’t be deceived. You need the body of Christ more than you think. Even if it is true that you are in a good place spiritually, there is still more to know and to grow. You serve an infinitely glorious God. There should never be a time when we have had enough of Him or enough of Christ. humble yourself and admit that you need other believers.

Implication 5: Even small things build up the Church

“Do not despise the day of small things.” It is so easy as a Christian in America to only focus on the big things: Numbers. Success. Impact.  You and I live in a culture where bigger is better and if you aren’t noticed you are told you are not important. I read this quote in a secular book a few months ago: “You are either great or you don’t exist.”

That is the wisdom of the world. You are either great or you don’t exist. What a sad, misinformed perspective. God is great and You exist because God is great to show God is great, to enjoy His greatness. But this mindset of “I have to be or do something great to make my life valuable” is everywhere.

How does this mindset manifest in the Church? Personally, I find in my own life I always have to be doing something. Maybe you feel like you need to serve in such and such ministry. Maybe you want to teach or be the “wise Christian” people come to for advice.

What Romans 1:11-12 encourages you to see is that even little conversations can have bigger impact than you think. “Don’t despise the day of small things.” You might not have a massive ministry, but you can encourage someone else in the faith. By encouraging a fellow believer you can bless them and the Church.

Other believers need to hear what the Lord is teaching you. You might think “I am not the smartest in the room, I don’t have the strongest faith, I don’t know the most Scripture.” Let Romans 1:11-12 encourage you: you do have something to bring to the table! You do have a role to play in the life of the Church.

Speak and share your faith. It doesn’t have to be eloquent but your faith, your walk with the Lord can be a blessing to others. You might not be able to teach a Sunday School, but you can share something God has been teaching you. You may not get called on to lead a ministry, but you can tell someone about an area God has allowed you to be obedient in. You might not be the one everyone goes to for life advice and wisdom, but you can share lessons God has taught you from your own war against sin.

God has given you everything you need to bless the Church, to help other believers: your faith. Your love for Christ. Your personal commitment to follow Him as laid out in Scripture. Your voice as you sing praises to God on a Sunday morning.

You are well equipped to bless your local Church and any other believer you come in contact with. Why? Because of Christ, because of the gift of faith God has granted you.

Conclusion

I have listened to sermons and read great books but the most impactful thing in my life has always been consistent spiritual conversation with other people who love the Lord and who know the Lord. Paul could not wait to get to Rome so that his faith could be encouraged and so that he give encouragement to the Roman Church with his faith.

Next time you are talking with a believer, ask yourself and ask the Lord “How is this interaction mutually encouraging our faith?” God uses ordinary conversations about Christ to produce fruit in our lives.

Click here if you missed any previous posts in this mini series. Check out my other teachings here. Be sure to follow The Average Churchman on Instagram so you don’t miss any future posts.
Your Faith Needs Encouragement (Part 2)

Your Faith Needs Encouragement (Part 2)

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In the last post in this mini-series on Romans 1:11-12, I showed you what “encouragement” meant and what believers are encouraged by in the New Testament. The question to answer now is how can another believer’s faith be encouraging? Paul actually calls the encouragement of faith a spiritual gift in Romans 1:11-12.

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Romans 1:11-12, ESV emphasis added

Paul connects encouragement to faith. How does someone’s faith encourage or comfort you? How can your faith encourage or comfort someone else? In this post, I will give two ways and then describe the commonalities between Paul and the Roman Church that make this mutual encouragement possible.

Strong faith sets an example

Throughout the Bible, God gives us examples of strong faith. God doesn’t just say “have faith”. He also gives us practical pictures of what faith looks like. A great example of this is found in Luke 7 where Jesus marvels at the faith of the Roman Centurion.

You remember the story. A centurion’s slave was sick, and the centurion requested that Jesus heal him. In humility and faith, the centurion tells Jesus “There is no need to actually enter my house. You have authority simply to say the word and my slave will be healed!” How did Jesus react? The text says Jesus was amazed at the Centurion’s faith and said to the crowd “I have not found faith so great even in Israel.”

Jesus holds up the Centurion’s an example of strong faith to the crowd around Him. The Centurion was humble, came to Jesus in that humility, and had confidence in Jesus’ power and authority to heal. This is one way faith is an encouragement. When you demonstrate a strong faith in Jesus, other people are encouraged to imitate that faith.

Your faith can comfort other believers by setting an example of humble trust in Jesus and God’s word.

“Faith in God” can become an abstract thing in our minds, something very “heady” or intellectual. But thankfully in the local Church body, God gives us living and breathing examples of what faith looks like. A brother at my local Church mentioned a few weeks back “sometimes you don’t know how to live out a command of Scripture until you see another believer living it out.”

Faith is an encouragement because it sets an example to those around it. That is one reason Paul is anxious to come to Rome. His faith is going to set an example to the Roman Church, and the Roman Church’s faith is going to display what faith in Christ looks like to Paul.

Seeing faith in action increases our endurance

Faith doesn’t just set an example of the type of faith you should have. When you see someone’s faith in action, that encourages your faith to become more steadfast. This is exactly what happens in the 10th and 11th chapter of Hebrews. Hebrews 10 gives the problem with the Christians the letter was written to: they have faith, but they need endurance.

The author of Hebrews gives these Christian’s the encouragement to continue in the faith, to not draw back. How does the author of Hebrews then encourage enduring faith? In chapter 11, Hebrews gives a long list of what faith looks like in action.

Hebrews 11 goes through tons of Old Testament believers who had faith in God’s promises and lived in accordance with those promises. These examples didn’t just have faith, they acted on that faith. And did this in the midst of suffering and trial!

Then after going through this “cloud of witnesses,” the author of Hebrews turns again to the Church and says “therefore, you also run this race with endurance!”

When you see other Christian’s exercising faith, it encourages your faith to endure.

How? You see that you are not alone. That God was faithful to believers in the past and will therefore you can trust that He will hold you fast in the present. Hearing about someone’s faith in action encourages your faith to endure. And you know this is true in your own experience.

How many times have you read about some great missionary or Christian figure and felt your own heart hunger to live out your faith? When you see other people’s faith it gives you an example to follow and it also makes your own faith stronger.

That is how Paul can his faith and the Roman Christian’s faith can mutually encourage each other. Paul can say this because faith sets an example and also strengthens the other person’s resolve.

The foundation of mutual encouragement

But there is a final question to ask: what do Paul and the Church in Rome have in common? This might be one of the more important questions you could ask Romans 1:11-12. The apostle Paul is going to Rome and is excited to have his faith encouraged. But how could this happen? What common ground does Paul and the Roman Church have?

Apparent differences between Roman Church and Paul

If you take a superficial look at Paul and the Roman Church, they do not have a lot in common. If you focus just on externals, Paul and the Roman Church are pretty different.

  • Paul is from a completely different part of the world.
  • Paul lived and grew up in a completely different context than these Roman believers.
  • Paul an apostle specifically called by God.
  • Paul studied the Old Testament with Gamaliel, Roman Church was likely not near “his level”
  • Paul was traveling around planting Churches, Roman Church likely had a more ordinary local ministry

If you step back and look at the superficial differences, it should make you think “how could Paul and the Roman Church have anything in common? How could there be mutual encouragement when they had completely different backgrounds, lived in different parts of the world, had different levels of intelligence and Biblical knowledge?”

But if you leave the superficial, external differences, you can see just how similar Paul and the Roman Church were at a spiritual level.

Commonalities between Paul and Roman Church

Despite these superficial differences, Paul and the Roman Church on a spiritual level have many things in common. In fact, the whole of the letter to the Romans demonstrates the rich spiritual commonalities Paul and the Church in Rome have.

Same problem: Sinners under God’s wrath

Paul and the Roman Christians had the same fundamental problem: the wrath of God on their sins. Paul persecuted the Church. We might not know the specifics of what sins the Roman Church members were guilty of before believing in Christ but we do know “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Paul and the Church in Rome had the same problem, the same problem you and I face: every human has not given God the glory due to Him. Rather than glorifying God, acknowledging Him, worshiping Him, thanking Him, every human has exchanged God’s glory. Given it up. Instead we build idols of self or out of material things.

Neither Paul nor the Romans before they were saved looked for God. No one seeks after God, no one does good, not even one. Paul thought he was doing good when he persecuted the Church, but no, it was rebellion.

The law could not help either of Paul nor the Roman Church either. For “by the works of the law no human being will be justified in God’s sight, because through the law comes the knowledge of sin.” Paul and the Roman Church had the same problem when they were unbelievers: their sin and rebellion. It manifested itself differently, but deserved the same punishment: the wrath of God.

Same need: Christ’s righteousness

And so, because Paul and the Roman Church had the same fundamental problem, they had the exact same need:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Romans 3:21-22a, ESV

That is what Paul and the Romans both needed. The law was a dead end, they could never keep it but God has made another way. “For what the Law could not do because it was weak because of the flesh Christ did.”

Jesus. He is the end of the law for all who believe. Jesus’ death and resurrection are the only way God can be just and justify sinful humans. Paul and the Church had only one question they needed to answer, the question every human being has to answer: “How can God still be perfectly righteous, perfectly just and yet forgive me?”

Through Jesus. God’s righteousness has been manifested, displayed, shown apart from the Law. How did God do it? God put Jesus forward as a propitiation. Jesus paid the punishment for those who would believe in Him. When Jesus was on the cross he cried “My God my God why have you forsaken me?” It wasn’t for His own sins that Jesus suffered.

It was because “God laid upon Him the iniquity of us all!” “it pleased God to crush” Jesus. Why? So that by His wounds, we can be healed. That payment, that righteousness is given to all who have faith in Jesus and His sacrifice. It is what Paul and the Roman Church both needed.

They were different in so many ways, but Paul and the Roman Church were now united. They were united in that they had both received mercy! Magnificent mercy! Costly mercy!

Paul and the Church had the same background and the same need. And everyone in the world also has the same background and need.

Have you received God’s mercy in Christ? Have you believed upon Jesus and this gospel?

The world tells you that you have a lot of problems and gives you a lot of solutions but the Bible is the only place you can find the truth about yourself. The truth about your real problem. And God offers to you His very son as the solution.

If have not repented, turned from your rebellion against God, and turned to Jesus by believing in His death on the Cross, there is only one implication for you: believe. Do not delay. There can be no encouragement for a faith that doesn’t exist. You must have faith before your faith gives and receives encouragement.

Conclusion

Paul and Roman Christians were united in all the important ways. They had the same needs, same present reality, same future. Therefore the encouragement really can be mutual. Even though Paul and the Roman Church had different backgrounds, they could speak into each other’s lives because their lives were the same in all the important ways, in all the essential ways.

Christians need other Christians so that their faith can be encouraged and can endure.

Fellow believers are one of the main sources of comfort God gives. Your faith can both set an example for someone else and also encourage a fellow believer to endure. The reason any believer can encourage you is that you are UNITED to any other person who believes in Jesus.

In the final post in this mini-series, I will lay out 5 practical implications of these truths from Romans 1:11-12.

If you missed Part 1 of this mini-series, find it here. You can also listen to me preach this text here.
Your Faith Needs Encouragement (Part 1)

Your Faith Needs Encouragement (Part 1)

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You need other believers. Your faith needs the encouragement only other Christians can provide. And Romans 1:11-12 are some of the most encouraging verses to think about the importance of the Local Church.

A lot of times when you want to emphasize the importance of the local Church, you go to 1 Corinthians 12 with the body analogy or Hebrews which constantly emphasizes the need to gather together. But I think these couple verses in Romans where the Apostle Paul shares his heart for this Church in Rome, a Church he has never even met before, really instructs you and I about what our expectations should be for the local Church

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Romans 1:11-12, ESV

What are your expectations when you come to Church? When you gather together on a Sunday, what are you coming for? What are you hoping to get out of it? Why do you attend a midweek small group? Is there a reason to prioritize taking time out in the middle of your week to partake in a men or women’s bible study?

Even more broadly, what should excite you about having conversations with fellow church members or other believers in general?

These are important questions.

A lot of people’s expectations for the local Church are not biblical. They might want to be entertained. To simply hear things they already agree with, they might never want to have their behavior and beliefs challenged by the Word.

Romans 1:11-12 is helpful for answering these questions. In this 3 part mini-series, I will start by defining some key terms in the passage, then answer some questions that come to mind, and finally give some biblical implications from the point Paul gives in these verses.

Defining key terms

“Long to see you”

This word means “to earnestly desire, to passionately long for.” In 2 Corinthians 5:2 Paul uses it to describe his desire to be with the Lord. Philippians, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Timothy all contain this word referencing Paul’s desire to be with Churches he has planted and to be with Timothy.

Interestingly, the word is also used in 1 Peter 2:2 to communicated believers should long after word. The text uses a metaphor: a baby with milk. A baby’s longing for milk isn’t a casual thing. The baby isn’t saying “I kinda would like some milk, if it isn’t too much trouble.” No, the baby strongly desires it.

So the word Paul uses in Romans 1:11 doesn’t just indicate desire for something. It also indicates the intensity of that desire. Paul’s longing to see & encourage the Roman Church is intense, like a baby longing for milk.

“Spiritual gift”

This word is “Charisma” meaning “a divine grace, a divine gift”. It points to origin of gift, namely God. Don’t immediately think of “gifts of the Spirit” when you see this word. The New Testament uses “Charisma” to describe a variety of gifts that are from God.

  • Rom 5:16-17-the divine gift is justification in Christ
  • Rom 12:6- “spiritual gifts” i.e. gifts of spirit for edification of Church
  • 1 Tim 4:14, 2 Tim 1:6-gift of eldership/teaching

So by using the term “charisma,” Paul is highlighting where he got the gift from. In Romans 1:11-12, Paul is emphasizing faith is a divine gift from God. God is the one giving these gifts freely. The gift is not earned. Paul is saying “I have received this gift of faith from God, and I want to share it with the Church in Rome!”

This gift Paul wants to share with the Church is a divine gift, something Paul has received freely from God, namely faith.

“To strengthen you”

This word gets to the reason why Paul wants to share his faith with the Roman Church. The word means “to set fast”, “to turn in a certain direction” or figuratively “to confirm, fix.”

In the epistles it always is used figuratively: “establish and exhort you in the faith”, “so that he may establish your hearts in blamelessness and Holiness”, “establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

In the Septuagint, this word “to strengthen you” is used in Exodus 17:12 where Israel is fighting a battle and Aaron has to hold Moses hands up. Aaron has to steady Moses, establish Moses, fix Moses’ hands.

Now, what is Paul strengthening or establishing for these Roman Christians? I think it is the gospel, if you keep reading Romans. The Roman Christians already believe in the Gospel. But Paul still preaches the Gospel, expounds the Gospel, argues for the Gospel because the Roman Church needs to be reminded.

Why? It is through reminding them of the gospel that Paul intends to establish them. Paul wants to remind them of the Gospel so the Church is more certain, more fixed, more established on that truth. And that goes along with what follows: Paul clarifies what he means when he says “strengthen”. It means being mutually encouraged by “each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

“Mutually Encouraged”

This word is only used once in Bible and it is a combination of two words: one that can mean “comfort or encourage,” the other meaning “with”. So, this compound word really is well translated “mutual encouragement.” It is joint comfort, both groups are getting comfort and encouragement.

Paul isn’t just wanting to give encouragement. He also expects to receive encouragement.

So, in summary so far: Paul intensely longs to visit the Church in Rome so that both he and the Church will be encouraged by each other’s faith. This faith is a gift from the Lord, and the encouragement they receive from each other will help anchor their faith in Jesus, making it more steadfast and enduring. 

Christians need other Christians so that their faith can be encouraged and can endure.

That is you see just by looking at the words in these verses. Now, to better understand the truths in these verses, there are 3 areas of further study: what encouragement is in the New Testament, how your faith can encourage another believer, and what Paul’s faith and the Roman Christians’ faith have in common.

Encouragement in the New Testament

Why is encouragement and comfort important for believers? Paul’s letters are full of encouragement for local Churches. Why is this so important?

A quick look at the New Testament reveals that Paul and the other authors were concerned with encouraging the Church. The biblical concept of a God who comforts His people was not common in the ancient world. Pagan dieties would never comfort a suffering person. After all, why would a lowly human expect a god to care about his or her personal suffering?

The Bible reveals a completely different picture. The New Testament explicitly gives a number of sources of encouragement for the Christian.

The truth encourages the Church

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11, ESV

In the context here, Paul is talking about the hope of being with the Lord forever. Then Paul says “therefore, in light of this hope, encourage one another! Build one another up!” In other words, the application, the practical response to the truth of Christ’s return is it should encourage the Church.

Paul was not communicating spiritual truth to the Church merely for their intellectual benefit, or there general awareness. The truths of Scripture should comfort and encourage the Church.

Christ encourages the Church

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Philippians 2:1-2, ESV

The “if” clauses here are hypothetical. Paul is implying the answer. Think of this verse as saying “since there is encouragement in Christ.” Paul sees Christ as a source of encouragement. And this encouragement Christ provides is Paul’s basis for commanding the Philippians to have unity. Christ comforts His Church and is the foundation of the Church’s unity.

God encourages the Church (and the Church imitates God)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, ESV

The source of comfort and encouragement is God. God is the one who comforts us, and part of the reason He comforts us is so we can then comfort others. God comforts those in the body so they can comfort others in the body.

Christians encourage other Christians

This comes full circle to Romans 1:11-12. Believers offer encouragement and comfort to other believers. This is actually one of the main reasons the Bible gives for believers gather together.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV

One of the reasons to gather together as a body is so Christians can encourage each other.

So in summary: encouraging the Roman Church was important to Paul because the source of Christians comfort matters. Paul wanted to encourage those believers who were a minority in their culture, who were facing persecution. Being a Christian in the ancient world meant sacrifice and suffering, sadness and loss.

But the New Testament is full of teaching about a God who comforts His people, especially through suffering. And God comforts His people through means. One of the main means is other Christians. God doesn’t give you superficial comforts like the world gives.

Paul knew this. Paul didn’t want to come to Rome to correct everyone or confront everyone there. He says here he wants to encourage the Church in their faith. And as I said before, Paul expects this encouragement to be mutual. Paul expects to get comfort and encouragement from the Roman Christians’ faith.

Other Christians are a God-ordained source of consolation in times of suffering.

Never let your suffering pull you away from other believers. If you do, you are cutting yourself off from one of God’s main means of comfort.

What is interesting in this text, however, is Paul says the source of the encouragement is faith. Paul’s faith is going to encourage the Church in Rome and their faith is going to encourage Paul. This leads us to the next question: how can your faith be an encouragement to someone else? I will explain in part 2 of this post.

Read Part 2 of this mini series here. You can find my other ongoing series in the “Teachings” page. If you want to listen to the sermon I preached on Romans 1:11-12, you can find it here.
Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: An Enduring Warning

Fear, Faith, & False Repentance: An Enduring Warning

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What is the difference between true repentance and false repentance? It is an important question. Jesus declared when He started His ministry “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel!” In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about a “godly sorrow that leads to repentance.” But Paul also warns there is a “worldly sorrow which leads to death.”

The question is: are their any indicators that you are truly repenting? How can you discern whether your repentance is true or merely a worldly sorrow? Thankfully, Numbers 14 gives us a clear, memorable example of what false repentance looks like. We have already seen Israel’s fear and how it kept them from exercising faith in God’s promises. In the last post in this series, we saw God’s merciful yet just response to Israel’s lack of belief.

Today, I want to look at what Israel did after hearing God’s judgment. Israel’s response in Numbers 14 helps clarify what true repentance is and what it is not. Even though Israel was in a different circumstance than you would find yourself in today, this passage is instructive and vital to understand for Christians of all times.

Israel’s false repentance

Israel sorrowful again

When Moses reported these words to all the Israelites, the people were overcome with grief. They got up early the next morning and went up the ridge of the hill country, saying, “Let’s go to the place the Lord promised, for we were wrong.”

Numbers 14:39-40, HCSB

Moses reports God’s judgement on Israel’s sin. Israel had chosen to fear the people who lived in the land rather than believe in the God who freed them from Egypt. God declares His judgement and what happens? Israel is overcome with grief again! It is understandable reaction. God has just pronounced judgement for their sinful actions and it is pretty bad.

Israel would wander for 40 years in the wilderness and a whole generation would die because of their unbelief. Additionally, God had just struck down the spies who spread a false report about the land. Israel sees at once their error, and they respond emotionally as they did at the top of the chapter. Only this time, Israel is grieving not in response to a perceived threat of the nations, but grieving before the reality of God’s judgement.

Fear of man can be consuming until you come in contact with a God who is a “consuming fire.”

Israel even acknowledges they were wrong. They tell Moses they should enter the Land as God had promised. So Israel has sorrow, and Israel has an acknowledgement that what they did the day before was wrong. As a reader, you might think Israel is on the right track. After all, feeling sorry and admitting you were wrong would definitely pass as repentance in today’s culture.

If Israel felt sorrow for their sin and admitted they were wrong, does that mean they are truly repentant? What more could God want from them?

Israel try’s to fix things on their own

But look at verse 40 again. Israel feels sorry and admits they were wrong, but what do they do next? What is their plan? Go into that place that the Lord promised! To Israel it makes sense: they were wrong, they feel bad about it, but they are still right on the edge of the land!  Why not forget about yesterday and go take the land? God won’t mind right? They feel sorry after all!

The question you and I have to ask as readers is this: is this true repentance? Or does Israel have merely a superficial view of their sin? Thankfully, the text answers the question, because Moses responds to Israel’s plan. And it is Moses’ response that reveals what true repentance would look like for Israel in this situation.

Moses responds to Israel

Entering promised land without God is disobedience

But Moses responded, “Why are you going against the Lord’s command? It won’t succeed. Don’t go, because the Lord is not among you and you will be defeated by your enemies. The Amalekites and Canaanites are right in front of you, and you will fall by the sword. The Lord won’t be with you, since you have turned from following Him.”

Numbers 14:41-43, HCSB

Moses clarifies the problem with Israel’s plan: it is simply further disobedience. Rather than accepting the punishment and discipline of the Lord, Israel is trying a “quick fix.” Why? Because Israel does not like the consequences of their actions.

Notice: at no point in the passage does Israel cry out to the Lord. All we have in the text is that Israel is sad and doesn’t like the punishment God has declared. But Israel is missing the whole point. God wants their hearts to turn to obedience and by wanting to enter the land, Moses says they are not obeying the Lord!

Real repentance means accepting the Lord’s discipline and turning to Him in obedience. False repentance focuses on trying to fix consequences you don’t like

Entering promised land without God is doomed

Moses gives a further problem with Israel’s plan: if they try to enter the promised land against the will of the God that promised the land to them, Israel will be defeated. Why? Moses says “The Lord is not among you.”

Israel thinking they had the power in themselves to claim the promised land misses the point. It was never about Israel’s strength. God was going to enable Israel to defeat their enemies despite the nations weakness. Trying to take the land without God would be a disaster. Twice Moses repeats in verses 41-43 that God is not with Israel.

Moses then gives the reason God isn’t with Israel: since you have turned from following Him. Israel in all their weeping and confession of wrongdoing forgot the biggest piece of all: they had turned from following the Lord. They were disobedient and rebellious.

True repentance does not simply say “whoops God! Mistakes were made! Let’s get back on track.” Repentance means realizing dishonoring God was the fundamental problem.

Israel is in such a rush to get out of the consequences they forget to stop and think “is God with us still? Does He approve of this plan?” As a reader, you wish Israel would just stop here. That they would listen to Moses and seek God first. God had just declared Israel would not enter the land, yet Israel immediately says “Let’s enter the land!” Obedience and repentance in this passage would mean heeding Moses’ warning. But Israel still doesn’t get it.

The result of false repentance

Israel tries to claim God’s promise without God‘s presence

But they dared to go up the ridge of the hill country, even though the ark of the Lord’s covenant and Moses did not leave the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them as far as Hormah.

Numbers 14:44-45, HCSB

You wish the story ended here with Israel listening to Moses, their mediator. That Israel would turn back, TRULY repent before the Lord.But that doesn’t happen. Instead, the text said they dared to go up on the ridge of the hill country. And Israel did this without the ark of the Lord or without Moses. This is not just a throwaway line. If you go back to Numbers 10, you will see that the ark of the covenant is related to God’s presence

They set out from the mountain of the Lord on a three-day journey with the ark of the Lord’s covenant traveling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them. 34 Meanwhile, the cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp. Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say: Arise, Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, and those who hate You flee from Your presence.

Numbers 10:33-35, HCSB emphasis added

Leaving the ark behind is equivalent to leaving the Lord behind. It is as if Israel said “alright, if God doesn’t want to help us out here, we are doing it ourselves.” Israel fails to remember the only claim they have on the promised land, is that their God promised it to them. That is it. But instead of seeking God, Israel continues their pattern of disobedience. They focus on what they want, rather than what God wants.

Israel is defeated soundly

What is the result? The text makes it clear Israel didn’t make it far at all: they were routed. What an illustration of what Paul ways in 2 Corinthians!

“For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death”

In Numbers 14, the death is physical. Israel’s grief that they had in verse 39 did not produce repentance. It produced death. Therefore, Numbers 14 reveals Israel never truly repented but had merely a worldly grief.

To put it another way, this ending narrative shows the reverse side of Israel’s unbelief. At the beginning of Numbers 14, Israel didn’t trust God to give them the land. Then in desperation they attempt to take it on their own. At both the beginning and end of the chapter, you do not see Israel truly believing and seeking the Lord. Israel tried to gain God’s blessings apart from God. There is no true repentance because unbelief is still there. It has simply changed form.

Unbelief is like water: it can change forms and manifest itself in different ways, but at its most basic level, it is the same.

Application: false repentance vs true repentance

I will close this post with a helpful quote from Matthew Henry’s commentary:

It is folly to promise ourselves success in that which we undertake contrary to the mind of God

Matthew Henry, “Commentary on the Whole Bible”

Numbers 14 is an unparalleled picture of false repentance. Often times, you feel sorry for what you did, you might feel pained by the consequences and you want to quickly make it right as fast as possible. But don’t be deceived like Israel was:

Sorrow without obedience is not true repentance

The fundamental problem with your rebellion and unbelief is not what it does to you, but what it does to God. Therefore, if you want to truly repent, do not get merely upset with the consequences of your actions. See the ultimate issue: disobeying the Lord. Let that reality grieve you.

If you only focus on what your sin does to you, you won’t turn and change your fundamental behavior. You will just try to change your circumstances. True repentance means accepting Lord’s discipline and obeying rather than trying to fix the consequences of your sin.

Repentance is about turning from disobedience to obedience, not from consequences to no consequences

We live in a culture that thinks feeling sorry means repentance. Don’t be fooled. Heed the warning from Numbers 14. See how your sin grieves and dishonors God. Turn to the Lord in humility, accepting any consequences He gives. Commit to correcting the behaviors, thoughts, and/or heart attitudes that dishonor the Lord.

And most important of all: don’t try to correct yourself using your own strength. Don’t be like Israel leaving behind the Lord’s ark and leaving behind the Lord’s mediator (Moses) to try to take the land. Ask the Lord to empower you to correct your sinful behavior. Run to Christ, the better mediator, for “if anyone does sin, we have an advocate.”

May God empower you to flee false repentance and truly repent when you sin and “by the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the flesh.”

To read other posts in this ongoing series, visit this page. If you like this series, check out my other ongoing series “Happy?” where I show you what the Psalms have to say about finding true happiness.