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I remember growing up in the church in the late sixties and early seventies when the word “koinonia” became popular to describe the special relationship that exists among members of the body of Christ, his church. Today, this Greek word is often translated in the Bible as “sharing” (e.g., Heb. 13:6) or “fellowship” (e.g., 1 John 1:3-7). It is not used very often in Scripture, nineteen times in the New Testament, but in common usage it often finds its way into the language of the church such as naming places and events—“Fellowship" Hall, "Fellowship" Meal, and spending some time in “fellowship.”
One aspect of Christian fellowship is sharing.
Fellowship is not a word unique to Christianity though (some academic benefits are called “fellowships”). When this English word developed in the late Middle Ages it was used to describe close friendships, companionship, and unity among members of a group. But what does it mean in Christian circles where it seems to be most often used when Christians gather together? What does it mean, from a biblical perspective, to have “fellowship”? One aspect of Christian fellowship is sharing.
Sharing is an important part of Christian fellowship. As members of the body of Christ we are to be a sharing people, not only in terms of the good things of life, material things, financial benefits, meals, and hospitality, but also in suffering.
Christians are called to the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, which includes helping others in their sufferings.
There is no doubt that to be a Christian means to suffer. Peter writes in his first letter,
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (1 Pet. 2:21)
As Christ suffered, so we also as his followers expect to suffer. Paul writes that it is his desire to know Christ “and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship (koinonia) of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:10 NASB). We should expect suffering to be part of our lives—there is little doubt Christians know and experience this, whether it is at the hands of those who persecute us or the suffering of medical maladies or other painful and difficult challenges of life. In this life fellowship with one another means sharing in suffering—and this involves knowing how to help, for "if one member suffers, all suffer together" (1 Cor. 12:26).
Christian fellowship involves getting to the roots of each other’s lives.
As Christian brothers and sisters united together in Christ, we must take time to be part of each other’s lives. True fellowship means knowing each other intimately. Fellowship is not done merely over a meal but in the sometimes private areas of life such as listening to a friend in pain or hardship. It means working to know the heart of others by sincerely striving to learn about them, their families, their work, and their difficulties. Christian fellowship, especially when it comes to the distresses we all experience, means no longer knowing others on a surface level but instead getting to the roots of each other’s lives.
Of course, we cannot know everyone we meet or all fellow members in our local church in this deeper way; yet, we can make good efforts to know more closely a number of people with whom we come in contact. In this way we can share in the suffering of others with empathy and care, listening with an attentive ear and bringing comfort in the form of sharing. We do this by being with others in their sufferings and helping them to know they are never alone but are in true fellowship with our Lord and his eternal brothers and sisters.
This article was originally featured in Beautiful Christian Life’sOctober 2023 monthly newsletterunder the title “Sharing in the Fellowship of Christ’s Sufferings.”
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Beautiful Christian Life LLC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through its links, at no cost to you.
Much is made these days about compatibility when it comes to romantic relationships. Indeed, the entire online dating industry is built upon the idea of compatibility, and a simple Google search will provide you a dizzying array of romance gurus ready to share their wisdom on how to find the person with whom you are the most compatible.
One popular Christian dating website offers seven types of compatibility, including the nebulous “Personality Compatibility.” One social-psychologist states that when we’ve found another person with whom we share the “traits that really matter,” we are most likely to experience the greatest happiness and avoid divorce. That’s quite a promise.
Unfortunately, the idea of compatibility, if misunderstood (as it commonly is), can keep Christian men and women from marriage rather than serving as a means to draw them into it. But Scripture clears away the complexity often created by these compatibility discussions by giving us only three areas with which we must concern ourselves. Let’s consider each of these categories.
1. Sexual Compatibility
First, there is sexual compatibility. Is the person in whom you are interested a member of the opposite sex? If so, then you are sexually compatible (Gen. 2:22-24).
2. Spiritual Compatibility
Second, there is spiritual compatibility. Is the person in whom you are interested a Christian? If so, then you are spiritually compatible. Of course, this principle assumes that you have good reason to believe that the person in whom you are interested is truly a Christian. A mere profession of faith in Christ is not enough, nor is an active religious lifestyle enough to determine if a person is truly born-again.
Marks of genuine conversion include understanding and enjoying the truth of the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Cor. 1:18-31); bearing of spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23); a desire for holiness (Matt. 5:8; Heb. 12:14); a tender spirit toward the Word of God (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-27; Ps. 119); a love for Christ (1 Cor. 16:22); a willingness to make hard, costly decisions for the sake of obedience to Christ (Luke 9:23-25) and so on. While we can never be absolutely certain of another person’s regeneration (because we can’t see their hearts), these are marks of genuine faith that will allow us to make a reasonable decision on whom to date and marry.
3. Gender-Roles Compatibility
Finally, there is compatibility in the area of gender roles. The reason why I believe this is an issue of biblical compatibility is that gender roles comprise the very essence of male-female romantic relationships. If you disagree with the idea that man’s God-given calling is to lead, protect, and provide for his wife and family, and the woman’s God-given calling is to follow and support her husband and care for the home and children, then one of you will have to violate your conscience in order to have peace in the relationship and in the home.
The Bible, however, is explicitly against intentionally violating one’s own conscience or requiring another Christian to do so (see Romans 14:23). If you are unable to find agreement on this issue, it would be best to graciously part ways and look for someone with whom you share the same convictions.
If we move beyond these basic areas of compatibility, we run the risk of keeping ourselves from the blessing of marriage. Sadly, I see this happening with Christian couples on a fairly regular basis. The truth is that none of us is fully compatible with our girlfriend, fiancé, or spouse. Why? Because we are sinners.
Perpetual Incompatibility
Actually, what most relationship gurus probably won’t tell us is that we enter every romantic relationship in a state of perpetual incompatibility because we each have selfish desires that will often create conflict (James 4:1-3). Having similar interests (rock climbing, ballroom dancing, ethnic restaurants, etc.) or “feeling liked” by our partner may lead to some superficial agreement, but not enough to mitigate the relational turmoil our sinful hearts will produce. To add a stack of extra-biblical compatibility requirements on top of Scripture’s simple, straightforward instructions will only enslave us and keep us from marriage.
Compatibility and Selfishness
Much of the underlying problem with the compatibility discussion is that it promotes a self-centered approach to dating and marriage. The unspoken goal in most (if not nearly all) thinking on compatibility is, “How can I find the one who makes me happy.” But such an approach to dating and marriage is contrary to the entire fabric of Scripture and actually militates against our joy.
Our deepest, most abiding happiness will come when we seek the happiness of another above our own. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:35). Paul instructs us to “consider others as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3). These two verses essentially undo the entire contemporary discussion on compatibility.
Scott Croft is very insightful here. I’m not including this quote in order to defend the courtship model (principles, not titles, are what really matter); nevertheless, Croft’s point is well taken.
Modern dating is essentially a selfish endeavor. I do not mean maliciously selfish, as in “I’m going to try to hurt you for my benefit.” I mean an oblivious self-centeredness that treats the whole process as ultimately about me. After all, what is the main question everyone asks about dating, falling in love, and getting married? “How do I know if I’ve found the one?” What is the unspoken ending to that question? “For me.” Will this person make me happy? Will this relationship meet my needs? How does she look? What is the chemistry like? Have I done as well as I can do?….Biblical courtship means that a man does not look for a laundry list of characteristics that comprise his fantasy woman so that his every desire can be fulfilled, but he looks for a godly woman as Scripture defines her—a woman he can love and, yes, be attracted to, but a woman whom he can serve and love as a godly husband. In other words, modern dating asks, “How can I find the one for me?” while biblical courtship asks, “How can I be the one for her?” (Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, pp. 147-148)
When considering the issue of compatibility, don’t allow man-made wisdom—often very plausible-sounding wisdom—to lead you into a labyrinth of confusion in your pursuit of a romantic relationship. God is most wise, and he has only given us a few vital areas with which to concern ourselves when it comes to compatibility: sexual compatibility, spiritual compatibility, and gender-roles compatibility. When we move beyond these, we keep ourselves from the blessing of marriage.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Beautiful Christian Life LLC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through its links, at no cost to you.
Do you ever feel like other people are better Christians than you are? Maybe they read their Bibles more, give more money to the church, pray more for others, are involved in church ministry, do more good deeds, or never seem to do anything really sinful. It’s easy to get discouraged when we start comparing our own Christian walk with other believers we know.
One of the big reasons this happens is that humans are geared to think that keeping rules is how we are right before God, and they are actually correct about this (see Lev. 18:5; Luke 10:25–28). The problem is that no one can keep God’s law perfectly. This is why Jesus came: we need his perfect righteousness and perfect sacrifice to be counted to us through faith in Christ so we can be declared justified before God.
Some Christians can add requirements that the Bible doesn’t dictate.
Even while knowing they have peace with God in Christ alone, Christians are often prone to think that they will be closer to God by keeping certain rules and living certain lifestyles. The problem with this is that some Christians can add requirements that the Bible doesn’t command, or they may consider certain lifestyle choices to be more spiritual than others. What is a Christian to do when it comes to knowing how to live according to God’s word in this world?
The Westminster Confession of Faith gives us excellent counsel in this area in its chapter, “Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience”:
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship. So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also. (WCF 20:2)
Look at the phrase, “or beside it.” With these words, the Westminster Confession of Faith reminds Christians that they are not bound by any “doctrines and commandments of men” that are not found in God’s word. It is also true that believers must be considerate of their neighbors, not causing them to stumble (Rom. 14:13–23: 1 Cor. 8:7–13). The sixteenth-century pastor and theologian John Calvin reminds Christians to use their freedom responsibly and lovingly:
Nothing is plainer than this rule: that we should use our freedom if it results in the edification of our neighbor, but if it does not help our neighbor, then we should forgo it (The Institutes, 3.19.12)
Christians may also add unnecessary rules by taking a Bible verse out of context.
Sometimes well-meaning Christians add unnecessary rules by taking a Bible verse out of context and making it say something it doesn't mean to imply. When the Bible tells us to “rejoice always” (1 Thess. 5:16) and “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17), does that mean we should stay up all night to praise God and pray and never sleep? The verses do say “always” and “without ceasing.” Of course, this is not what Paul means. He wants Christians to consistently rejoice in and pray to the Lord as they go through life. When making decisions in life, we must always wisely look at the whole counsel of Scripture and seek to interpret a passage’s meaning in its proper context.
For another example, some people have mistakenly believed that women shouldn’t braid their hair based on 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:3-4:
Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. (1 Tim. 2:9-10)
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. (1 Pet. 3:3-4)
During the time period Paul and Peter wrote their letters, some women spent excessively long hours braiding their hair into very intricate styles, which caused them to put an inordinate amount of time into their appearance for the sake of their hair being a status symbol. Paul and Peter were exhorting women not to be vain and overly concerned with their appearance but rather to focus on the beauty that comes from an obedient heart devoted to loving God and their neighbor. They weren’t saying that women can’t ever braid their hair, wear gold or pearls, make wise purchases of quality clothing, or improve their appearance in appropriate ways.
We should not impose restrictions on Christians where God has given his children liberty.
Christians have great liberty of conscience in many aspects of life. This includes the vocations they choose, where they reside, how they spend their money and time, whether they marry, how they raise their children, what attire they wear, and how they go about growing in the love and knowledge of their Savior.
If Christians do decide to get married, the Bible does instruct them to marry a fellow believer (1 Cor. 7:39; 2 Cor. 6:14). Every Christian has different gifts, abilities, and circumstances, and these differences produce wonderful fruit in many beautiful ways in God’s kingdom.
We cannot know what is in the hearts of fellow Christians as they seek to honor God in their daily lives, and we should not impose restrictions on believers where God has given us liberty. Although it is human nature to do so, we also should avoid comparing ourselves with other believers and thinking that they are better than we are—or that we are better than they are—for whatever reason, since all of us are sinners in need of God’s grace in Christ.
Christians should always seek to keep all of God’s commands in his word, even though they shall do so imperfectly in this life. May we enjoy our freedom in Christ while practicing godly behavior in all we think and do, always seeking to grow in holiness to the glory of Jesus our King.
This article has been updated since its original publishing date of July 10, 2019.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Beautiful Christian Life LLC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through its links, at no cost to you.
“Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other.” — Reinhold Niebuhr
The beloved Serenity Prayer has been adopted by many 12-step programs, most famously Alcoholics Anonymous, and spoken to God by countless millions of people around the world. The Serenity Prayer comes from an untitled prayer that was written by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who shared it in a sermon in 1943. According to Wikipedia, the Serenity Prayer is commonly quoted as follows:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.
Here are three related Bible passages for each of the three main petitions of Neibuhr’s prayer:
Christians are duty-bound to uphold God’s moral law.
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)
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)
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Luke 11:42)
God alone is sovereign.
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20)
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)
“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’” (Isaiah 46:9-10)
We need God’s wisdom to navigate life joyfully in a fallen world.
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. (Proverbs 3:13-14)
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)
The Serenity Prayer helps us to remember that the Christian life involves standing for all that is right and good, our loving and good God is sovereign over all, even in the most difficult and dismal of times, and wisdom is essential for loving God and our neighbor well and resting in God’s will for us. We can be thankful for prayers such as Niebuhr’s that help us in making our petitions to God today.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones. (Prov. 3:5-8)
This article was originally published on March 29, 2023.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Beautiful Christian Life LLC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through its links, at no cost to you.
In order to better understand their faith—and share the hope they have with others—Christians should have a clear understanding regarding the difference between the law and the gospel. Here is a brief explanation:
The Law
According to theologian R. C. Sproul, the law is like a mirror: it shows us our sin, but it can do nothing to save us. In fact, the law condemns everyone who is not in Christ. Jesus was born in the flesh in order to be the perfect Son whom God had promised since the fall of Adam in the garden (Gen. 3:15).
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Rom. 8:3-4)
Jesus kept the law perfectly on behalf of all who trust in him for salvation, and they are counted righteous in God’s sight through faith alone by God’s grace alone.
The law also serves the purposes of restraining evil and showing us what is pleasing to God. Christians should also strive to keep God's law joyfully in thanksgiving for all God has done for them in Christ, although they will do so imperfectly in this life. For more on the "three-fold use" of the law, click here.
The Gospel
The Gospel is the good news of what Jesus did to redeem his people (his birth, life, death, and resurrection) and inaugurate the kingdom of God and the new creation (1 Cor. 15). It is good news because we are unable to save ourselves, as all our works are tainted by sin and we are all guilty in Adam (Rom. 5:12-21).
Without Christ being born in the flesh, keeping the law perfectly and being the perfect once-for-all sacrifice for sin, we would be without hope:
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Rom. 5:6-9)
And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (Heb. 10:11-12)
Because of God’s love for the world in sending his Son, there is a way to peace with God: it is the narrow gate that is through faith in Christ alone:
Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matt. 7:13-14)
There is salvation in no other name, because only the God-man could save us from ourselves (Acts 4:12).
God’s moral law is a guide for Christians in living to the glory of God in this world, but it can never save us. The gospel is the good news that salvation is found by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning Beautiful Christian Life LLC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through its links, at no cost to you.
God doesn’t do anything arbitrarily. We may not be able to grasp his intentions in full or even in part, but we can be sure that everything that he does is full of eternal purpose and divine wisdom. The secret things may belong to God, but those that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever (Deut. 29:29).
Those revealed things have to do with all that God has made known to us in the Scriptures. The heart of biblical revelation is the revelation of Jesus. The chief reason why God breathed out the Scriptures is that we might come to know him in and through his Son—and that we might have life in Christ. While every book of the Bible is about Jesus and our relationship to him, the four Gospels give us the close-up shots of the Savior in the days of his time on earth.
As a young Christian, I remember wondering why it was that God chose to give us four Gospels rather than one. This is no illegitimately curious or superfluous question. It is one that we do well to consider. I have actually come to believe that there are many reasons why our God has given us four—rather than one—Gospel records. Here are three:
1. It takes more than one man’s record to capture the glory of the infinite Savior.
Interestingly, the great B.B. Warfield set out to answer this question in a short article titled “Why Four Gospels?” which he wrote for the 1887 edition of The Westminster Teacher. Using the imagery of painters observing a beautiful scene in nature and composers writing different parts of one magnificent composition, Warfield concluded the following:
No one man could stand above this mountain of grace and write out for us a description of what it is and of all the streams that flow from it to make glad the country spread at its base; neither were we to be confined to the view of it that one man, from his lower standpoint, could obtain. This would indeed have been an inestimable blessing. What one man, illuminated in his spirit by the Spirit of God, could understand of the signs and deeds that Jesus did, and, directed in his hand by the same Spirit’s inspiration, could record of what he saw, would be enough to make us believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and to bring us life in his name. But this was not all that the Spirit could give; and it is not all that He has given. He has, as it were stationed Spirit-led men around the foot of the mountain and bidden them look and write. And one tells us what it is on this side, and on, what it is on that side, until through their eyes we may catch, piecemeal indeed, but with truth and perspective some shadowy glimpse of the perfect whole…In this Divine song each evangelist has his part to sing, and each part is complete in itself; while the Holy Spirit is the composer of all, the author at once of their diversity, suiting the part to the voice that is to sing it, and of their concordant harmony by which we may get a foretaste of that vaster music which it shall be ours to hear “when we shall see Him as He is.”[1]
It is for this reason that the first three Gospel records are often called “the Synoptics.” The word “synoptic” simply means “to see through.” We are meant to put the lens of Matthew over the lens of Luke and Mark and to focus in on what is before us. As we do so, we find that each writer is giving us a different angle shot. As we simultaneously look through the lens of John’s Gospel, we see Jesus in 3D. Warfield concluded:
That a full and proper use may be made of them, we must begin by knowing each separately in its individuality and point of view, that we may end by knowing the Jesus of all alike to be the one divine Savior of the world.
2. The Gospels are suited to different audiences.
It has often been noted that each one of the four Gospels has a unique flavor that is suited to different recipients of the letters—both historically and spiritually. For instance, it is well agreed upon that Matthew’s Gospel was written to convince Jews of Jesus’ messiahship and Luke’s to convince the Gentiles. Matthew’s Gospel is focusing on Jesus as true Israel, who came to fulfill all the promises made to Abraham. Luke’s Gospel was written to focus on Jesus as second Adam—the Divine Healer who came to undo everything Adam did and to do everything Adam failed to do.
It is for these reasons that Matthew takes us back to Abraham when he gives us Jesus’ genealogy by way of adoption unto kingship through Joseph (Matt. 1), and Luke—by way of addition—takes us back to Adam when he gives us Jesus’ genealogy (Luke 3).
Many have suggested that Mark gives us the picture of Jesus as the Son of God and Servant of the Lord. While much of the material in Mark is common to Matthew and Luke (many believing that Mark wrote Peter’s testimony of Christ, from which Matthew and Luke then drew), there are things in Mark that are unique to Mark.
Since Matthew and Luke give us more detailed treatments of the same material that we find in Mark, we can be tempted to think that Mark is less important or less necessary. However, when you think you can live without Mark because you have Matthew and Luke; remember that Mark has supremely important truths about Jesus that you can’t live without (e.g., Mark 10:45).
John, by way of contrast with the synoptic Gospels, shows us the inner life of Jesus as the eternal Son of God in a way that spoke more potently to those who adhered to Gnostic heresies (akin to modern day new-age and eastern mysticism). In the well-known words of John Calvin:
[The synoptic Gospels] are more copious in their narrative of the life and death of Christ, but John dwells more largely on the doctrine by which the office of Christ, together with the power of his death and resurrection, is unfolded. They do not, indeed, omit to mention that Christ came to bring salvation to the world, to atone for the sins of the world by the sacrifice of his death, and, in short, to perform every thing that was required from the Mediator, (as John also devotes a portion of his work to historical details;) but the doctrine, which points out to us the power and benefit of the coming of Christ, is far more clearly exhibited by him than by the rest. And as all of them had the same object in view, to point out Christ, the three former exhibit his body, if we may be permitted to use the expression, but John exhibits his soul.[2] (emphasis added)
In the same way as the Gospels were uniquely suited to historical audiences, they are uniquely suited to those of differing spiritual bents and inclinations. Those who want signs and wonders—like the Jews of old—will most likely reap the most benefit from Matthew. Those who long to know compassion and healing will most certainly be drawn to Luke. Those who want quick cameos that capture the essence of true religion—those who move hastily from one thing to the next—will benefit most from Mark’s “immediate” movement from one account to another in the life of Christ. For those who consider themselves to be “spiritual,” who like to dabble in eastern and mystical religions, John’s Gospel is best suited to speak into their lives.
3. The Gospels form a trustworthy witness.
If only one man had written a record of the earthly ministry of Jesus, it might have been called into question as being suspect. Just as the Scriptures everywhere stress the importance of every word being established on the mouth of two or three witnesses (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Matt. 18:16, 20; 1 Cor. 14:29; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19 and Heb. 10:28), so our God has supplied us with ample witness to the details about the life and ministry of Christ through the fourfold witness of the evangelists. This is no insignificant observation. When Jesus was questioned by the Jews of his day–concerning the veracity of his messiahship—he pointed to a fourfold witness:
If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:31-40)
The fourfold witness was Jesus’ own Person, the witness of John the Baptist, the witness of the Father’s works in Christ and the witness of the Scriptures. In the same way, the Holy Spirit has given us the witness of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
While there is, no doubt, more rationale for why our God has given us four Gospel records of Christ, the three reasons that we have considered suffice to show the divine purpose and wisdom in giving us the fullest picture that he wishes us to have for our faith in the Person and saving work of Jesus.
As we gather the lens of the synoptic Gospels together and bring them into focus with the telescope of John’s Gospel, we see Jesus in his glory, Son of God and Son of Man, son of Abraham, true Israel, second Adam, Servant of the Lord and the eternal Word coming to redeem his own and to bring them to glory. Praise be to the triune God for the fourfold witness of the Gospels to Christ!
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The word of God places holiness in a very prominent place when God reveals that his people are to strive for holiness, “without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). If we want to see God, to live in his presence in heaven forever, we must possess holiness. But what exactly is holiness, and how do we obtain it?
Holiness is the fruit that shows the image of Christ.
Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God,” according to J.C. Ryle (Holiness, p. 42). It is a desire and ability to love God by keeping his commandments, namely obedience. It is a visible display of God's grace in a person’s life, the fruit that shows the image of Christ that is being renewed in his followers. Being of one mind with God means “hating what He hates, loving what He loves” (Ryle, p. 42). But, holiness is no small endeavor because it is a battle—hating the sin that remains in our flesh while loving the Lord, who draws us by his love to faithful obedience grounded in gratitude for God’s great salvation in Christ Jesus. The aim of God’s work of sanctification is holiness.
In sanctification God is changing a person.
The transformative process of sanctification means dying to sin and living to righteousness. It is transformative because in sanctification God is changing a person, and it is a process because it continues on until we die and pass into the presence of our Savior. A temptation though, is to attempt to make ourselves holy by brute effort—a work that we do ourselves, striving to shed the sin that seems to grab us at every turn and working to please our heavenly Father by perfectly keeping all of his commandments. The problem is that our experience and our conscience testify that we just can’t do it. Too often we sadly fail.
Growing in holiness is a process that takes time and dependence on God.
We are weak and unable. As much as we strive forward, we fall back. We try to be perfect right now, not realizing that in his goodness and wisdom God is patiently transforming us throughout this life—it is a process that takes time and dependence on God, with patience and the faith that unites us to Christ.
Holiness is a gift from God—it is his fruit in and through his people who are rooted and living in Christ by faith. Christ commands in John 15:4,
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."
Trusting Christ means loving him, and loving Christ means obeying him.
If a person is to bear the fruit of holiness, they must be abiding in Christ, and that only happens by faith—by a hearty trust in him. Trusting Christ means loving him, and loving Christ means obeying him (John 14:15). Trusting Christ means we persevere with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength while striving toward the habit of being of one mind in Christ (Phil. 2:2). Trusting Christ means being immersed in his Word, constant in prayer, never neglecting the fellowship and care of other Christians, and it means battling against the sins of our flesh because "it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), King David playing the harp; image from Wikimedia Commons; .
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Editor’s note:This is the nineth installment of a series on the Apostles’ Creed. Rev. Campbell Markham is a Presbyterian minister in Perth, Australia.
“[I believe in] the forgiveness of sins.” (The Apostles’ Creed, Article 10)
The author of a large part of the Bible did some desperately wicked things.
I’m talking about David, Israel’s greatest general and king, and author of at least seventy-three of the Psalms.
God’s justice demands that sin be punished.
It is about 1000 BC, and David has been king for some time. His realm is expansive, his rule is secure, and his armies are off campaigning.
We find him strolling on his rooftop (2 Sam. 11). The sun sets over Jerusalem. The scent of smoke and evening meals fills the air.
David sees a woman bathing on her rooftop, a very beautiful woman. He makes inquiries.
She is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of David’s greatest soldiers—a friend and brother-in-arms. Uriah is away with the army.
David orders Bathsheba to be brought to his chambers…
Weeks later she sends him a note: “I am pregnant.”
David attempts a coverup. He calls Uriah back to Jerusalem for “news from the frontline.” He then sends him home to his wife Bathsheba with a gift.
But there’s no way that Uriah will enjoy an evening with his wife while the Ark of the Covenant and his brothers-in-arms are out in the field. Uriah sleeps outside.
Frustrated, David tries again. This time he gets Uriah drunk before sending him home to his wife. Again, Uriah sleeps outside. He is a good soldier, a man of principle.
David writes an order to Joab, his general: “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die” (2 Sam. 11:15).
David has Uriah carry the order himself. He makes a faithful friend carry the instructions for his own murder.
As planned, Uriah is struck down in battle. David marries Bathsheba. The Lord is displeased. He presses on David’s conscience.
We all may, and must, seek God’s forgiveness with humble confidence.
Later, David wrote about this time: “My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me” (Ps. 32:4).
For a year David refused to confess his sin, but his God-stricken conscience groaned. Finally, David relented:
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Ps. 32:5)
David confessed his lust, betrayal, scheming, manipulation, cruelty, adultery, and murder.
And God forgave him. Literally, he “covered” David’s sins; he did not count his evil against him.
This is what Christians believe, that if we humble ourselves before God and “confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
The Bible shows God forgiving a very great sinner like David his very great and foul sin so that no one will think that they are beyond redemption. We all may, and must, seek God’s forgiveness with humble confidence.
This costs us nothing but our pride.
It cost God the lifeblood of his only Son.
Justice demanded that David’s sin be punished, and it was punished in the sacrificial crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Jesus bore David’s sin and condemnation so that David could be forgiven. The wickedness of all who confess their sins and believe in Jesus Christ is forgiven. “His blood makes the foulest clean.”
May we, the forgiven, in turn forgive. Pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
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If we are citizens of heaven, awaiting a future of glory and an eternal inheritance—someday to be forever in the presence of Christ and again among our earthly brothers and sisters—then why should we grieve over our brethren who die and go on to heaven before us?
Isn’t it a sign of earthly-mindedness to grieve over such things? Isn’t it unspiritual to be sad when a fellow Christian dies? If so, wouldn’t it then be even more unspiritual for a Christian to rejoice when a fellow brother or sister is healed and allowed to live longer here on earth? The answer to all these questions is a resounding “no.”
“To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
The apostle Paul proclaimed, “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). He reminded the Philippians that they were citizens of heaven, someday to receive new bodies like the body of their Lord (Phil. 3:20). Yet, Paul was also grateful to God for sparing his brother and fellow worker Epaphroditus from death. Philippians 2:25-27 explains:
I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus by brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
It is merciful of God to spare our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Notice two things from these verses in Philippians. First, Paul considered it merciful of God to spare Epaphroditus. We might ask Paul, “Why is that a mercy? Don’t you believe that it would be better for Epaphroditus to go to heaven?” Paul would certainly answer, “Oh yes, to depart and be with Christ is far better” (Phil. 1:23). But don’t forget that he would also say, “But to remain here means fruitful labor (Phil. 1:22) and fruitful relationships (Rom. 1:12).”
Paul’s longing for heaven and his desire for his people to aspire for heaven was not some morbid fascination with death that ignores the pain of losing loved ones and chides prayers for healing. Paul’s love for Christ flowed out into sincere love for people.
Our sorrow over the death of a fellow believer is a grief with hope.
This brings us to the second observation: Paul would have been sorrowful if Epaphroditus would have died.
Christians should grieve over the death of a fellow brother or sister in Christ. It is good and right to feel the weight of sorrow when our beloved fellow Christians are taken home. It is not a grief without hope (1 Thess. 4:13), but it is a grief, even a “sorrow upon sorrow.”
May we not fool ourselves into thinking we are more spiritual than the apostle Paul by stifling our grief over the sickness and death of our fellow brothers and sisters. May we not be ashamed when our hearts are broken over such loss. Grief is good. Grief is godly.
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Two people arm in arm. This always gives me joy. Of all the ways that human beings can express physical affection, this one seems unfailingly delightful. It brings people closer than holding hands. Unlike the kiss, it doesn’t exclude others. Unlike an embrace, it doesn’t prevent you walking along together.
A father and daughter proceed arm in arm down the church aisle. Two students, backpacks bouncing up and down, skip arm in arm to school. Comrades in arms march arm in arm on their country’s Memorial Day with grim smiles and misty eyes. Two friends walk briskly, arm in arm, to find mutual warmth on a frosty morning.
Two people arm in arm are going somewhere, helping each other on the way.
Two people arm in arm are going somewhere. They are going somewhere together. They are helping each other on the way. That is what I want with Jesus. I want to walk through life arm in arm with him. I want to go in the same direction as he is. I want to feel his love. I want his strength to hold me up and keep me going.
As we will see, the book of Proverbs urges us to do exactly this. It calls us, lovingly and loudly, to walk arm in arm with Wisdom himself, Jesus Christ the Son of God, our Creator and Redeemer. As believers we walk close to Jesus in our marriages, our friendships, our child-raising, our work, our finances, our food and wine, our speaking, our old age, and our final hours and breaths.
In Proverbs 3:5-6, we hear Jesus call us to walk arm in arm with him through every path of life:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. (All passages from NIV)
The medium is the message.
Here are four lines arranged in two couplets. This careful structure is designed to help us better interpret the meaning of the words. Notice the general plan:
This is what to do;
This is what not to do;
This reiterates what to do;
This is the consequence of doing.
Reread Proverbs 3:5-6 with this plan in mind, and its meaning will already seem clearer and stronger.
Now look at how the structure ties certain words and ideas together in such a way that they mutually explain each other. Notice how “trust” and “lean” and “submit” go together. Trusting is like leaning, and leaning is like submitting (or knowing, as we will see). Notice also how “ways” and “paths” go together.
Jesus is the hero of Proverbs.
Proverbs personifies Wisdom, showing her creating the world and calling to us on the street corners (ch. 8). Wisdom is manifestly Jesus himself. He is the wise Creator. He is the wise Teacher, out in the streets and fields, calling and instructing with the kinds of stories and pithy sayings that characterize Proverbs. And he is, of course, the LORD, Immanuel, God come to be close to his people—to save them and lead them with love, mercy, and justice.
Going back and reading Proverbs 3:5-6 through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we know that it is the Lord Jesus himself calling us to trust him with all of our heart. Keeping in mind the structure of Proverbs 3:5-6 and its deep-rooted Christ-centeredness, let us ask three questions.
1. What does the Lord Jesus require of us?
In short, he requires us to trust in him instead of ourselves. The word “trust” (bātach) doesn’t need a lot of explaining. It means to have faith in, to believe, to rely upon, to depend on, to have confidence in, to count on. The same word features in Psalm 22:9, “You brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast.”
Is there any more beautiful and compelling picture of trust than an infant lying against her mother’s breast, feeding with languid tranquility and satisfaction? The Hebrew preposition “on” strengthens this idea. Trust “on” Jesus. Rest yourself entirely on him.
Exactly a hundred years ago World War One was coming to its final ghastly end. We have all seen the haunting photos of the walking-wounded survivors of chlorine gas attacks. Chlorine turns to hydrochloric acid in the moisture of the eyes and lungs. It blinds and liquefies the lungs’ delicate membranes. The eyes of these men in the image above are rough-bandaged, and they stagger as they struggle to breathe. They lean heavily on their more able-bodied compatriots. They had to lean. They could not move without leaning. They were blind, and the supporting strength of their friends was utterly necessary.
Jesus commands us to trust in him by leaning on him. For by sin's noxious fumes our eyes are blinded, and our strength is shattered.
When I returned to the church in my early twenties, a friend criticized me: “Jesus is just a crutch for you.” The longer I have walked in life, the truer this seems to me. Jesus is my crutch, my support, my “hope and stay.” I lean utterly on him for forgiveness. I lean utterly on him for every step that I take toward my heavenly home. Yet, he is more than a crutch—he is my life support, for I cannot survive a moment without him.
Notice how “trust” and “lean” are linked to “submit” in the third line: “In all your ways submit to him.” Most versions translate the celebrated Hebrew word yāda as “acknowledge.” The word yāda means basically “to know,” and “acknowledge” has the advantage of conveying that sense of “knowing.” In everyday speech, however, “acknowledge” is an insipid word. If I say, “I acknowledged my old teacher across the street,” I am saying, “I nodded to him. I tipped my hat.” In fact, it often conveys reluctance: “I had to acknowledge that he was fitter than I am.”
The Hebrew word yāda on the other hand means “to experience,” “to know intimately,” “to be in close relationship with.” Thus “Adam knew (yāda) Eve his wife, and she became pregnant.” Thus David “knew (yāda) how to play the harp,” for he had mastered the harp with thousands of hours of practice. (The idea is captured more or less by the French connaître, to know personally, as opposed to savoir, to know about something.)
“Submit” has the advantage over “acknowledge” in that it conveys a deeper and more serious connection. “Submit all your ways to him, put all your ways under his strength and rule.” Perhaps a better expression to capture the true idea of yādawould be: “In all your ways keep very close to him.” In short, “Walk arm in arm with him wherever you go.”
“Lean not on your own understanding” strengthens this. I remember when my daughters turned three. At this advanced stage of maturity and understanding, they no longer wanted me to put their shoes and jumpers on. “I do it!” became their battle cry. Mastering skills and learning to do things independently is a happy and healthy thing. But true maturity means depending on others for things that I simply cannot do on my own: depending on others to mend my teeth, to install electrical fittings, to fly me to Western Australia, to build the car that I drive, to bake the bread that I toast, to make the music that sweetens my days, and a million other unnoticed things.
Jesus says, “Don’t walk through life alone. Don’t be self-reliant. Don’t ultimately depend on your own muscle power, your own experience, your own brainpower and knowledge. Don’t depend on yourself for salvation. Walk arm in arm with me. Rely on my strength, my wisdom, my knowledge, my promises, and my love.”
2. How are we to walk arm in arm with Jesus?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” The word “heart” is a metaphor that transcends many cultures and languages. In English the heart represents the center of a person and his or her deepest longings and desires. I put my heart into preaching, which means that I give it the best of my working time, energy, passion, and ability. I love my wife with all my heart, which means that I would rather die than see her hurt or betrayed.
My heart’s desire is to see my children saved, which means that this is my deepest and strongest desire for them—far stronger than my desire that they be well-educated, married, and successful in their vocation. The French cœur carries the same freight, as does the Greek word kardia and the Hebrew word lēv. In the Old Testament, the heart is the center of a person’s will and desires.
I feel great love for Jesus when the whole church sings a rousing version of Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah! or Behold Our God! I feel great love for Jesus at the communion table. I feel great love for Jesus as I proclaim his love and grace from the pulpit. And I lean closely to Jesus in those terrifying Sunday morning hours before I preach, or when my children face a crisis.
Yet, what about when our planned trip to Europe all seems to be coming together? Or when the tax return is higher than expected? Or when I am lolling in front of Netflix? Or what about when my feelings are hurt, or I am getting cross with a difficult teacher? In these times of good and ill, I tend to walk life’s path alone. I tend to call for Christ only when things are unbearably good, or just unbearable. I trust in Jesus with some of my heart, or with all of my heart sometimes.
Israel was perennially tempted to lean on their strong fortresses, their horses and chariots, or their occasional alliances with Egypt. And I tend to lean on the fortress of job security or the horses and chariots of health and energy or my alliance with my house and land.
With these words Jesus calls you, urges you, goads you, and cajoles you to walk always arm in arm with him—to always lean entirely on him. How foolish to lean on self! Sick, stupid, stumbling, sinful self! How fatal! Lean on him, entirely on him! He is wise, strong, loyal, and good.
Walk arm in arm with Jesus and listen to him as you read his Word. Walk arm in arm with Jesus and talk to him in prayer. Walk arm in arm with Jesus with his other children. Walk arm in arm with Jesus and feast with him at regular communion.
3. What will be the result?
“He will make your paths straight.” The word “path,” like “heart,” is a universal metaphor, and the Hebrew derek may be translated “way,” “journey,” “undertaking,” “conduct,” or “situation.” Walk arm in arm with Jesus, and he will keep you on the right path, the path that brings contentment, joy, and peace, the path that leads to eternal life with him.
Walk arm in arm with Jesus, lean entirely on him, and he will take care of you. He will take care of your children. He will love your wife or husband much more and better than you do. He will give you your daily bread. He will wound you where you need to be wounded. He will cripple you to make you lean on him more. He will stay close when you are betrayed or abandoned.
Jesus will forgive you when you sin and wash away your guilt and filth. He will allow the world to abuse and hurt you, but he will stand with you and give you the words to say. He will thrash you severely and mercifully when you need correction. He will knock away the temporary supports you tend to lean on: strength, financial security, a secure job, or even a loving spouse.
When your heart fails, he will be standing to receive you. And at the end of time he will call your dusty corpse from the grave and clothe you with a renewed body that will never grow weary, thirsty, hungry, or sick. He will always love you. He will never let go of you.
Walk arm in arm with Jesus. He will take you down the best and hardest path and will carry you to the end.
