Remembering Gospel Truths Amidst Evil

By / Jul 14

Mass shootings are no longer rare events in our nation.  Many will remember the shootings at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, Virginia Technical University on April 7, 2007, Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14, 2012, or at Parkland High School only 4 years ago.  When these events occurred, there was shock among many in our nation.  Questions such as, “How could something like this happen?” or “Who could do something like this?” filled our minds.  But now, we look back and think of the shootings in Buffalo, NY, Uvalde, TX, Highland Park, IL, the mass shootings that occurred over the weekend of June 4th-5th, and it is becoming commonplace.  

As we continue to hear about these sorts of atrocities, we must not become numb to what is happening across the country.  It is easy to blame others, call for new gun regulations, and examine our mental health structure as these events continue to happen.  These discussions need to take place.  But before we move straight to solutions, we must realize that those involved are real people.  They are sons and daughters of men and women like you and me.  Families are connected to these victims and many are hurting.  As we reflect on these types of events, let us never separate ourselves from the connection that we have with other human beings before we come up with an explanation or a solution.  Instead, let us consider how we ought to process these sorts of events as Christians before an unbelieving world.  

Evil is Real

First, as Christians, let us remember that evil is real.  Though most of us recoil in horror at the thought that anyone would ever be able to even think about killing someone, there are others who have given into the wicked tendencies of their hearts to commit such atrocities.  With sin entering the world through our first parents, we see murder as early as Genesis 4 with the story of Cain and Abel.  Since this murder, we have seen countless acts of evil occur throughout human history and we see no signs of it letting up.  As men and women allow their consciences to be seared to the truth (1 Tim. 4:2), we see that God gives them over to a depraved mind (Rom. 1:28).  So, we rightly call these events evil, as what occurs comes as a result of the continued suppression of the reality and truth of who our God is.  

Sin is Irrational

Second, as Christians, let us remember that sin is irrational.  This kind of evil is inexplicable and beyond our understanding.  According to the Department of Homeland Security, many of these mass shooters open fire due to “personal grievances, reactions to current events, and adherence to violent extremist ideologies.”  Whatever the reason, to open fire on a group of innocent people is irrational.  But at its core, all sin is irrational.  Consider what James 1:14-15 says, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”  For many perpetrators, the desire to enact “justice” as a form of payback for “injustice” is a rational thought.  Many of us long for justice for our own misfortunes.  But this desire is not rational at all. After it was conceived, it brought forth sin, and the sin, at its fullest, brought about death. Let us never find ourselves entrapped by the lusts of our sinful desires, because sin, though irrational, has a way of presenting itself as the best solution to us for our problems.  

Jesus is Our Only Hope

Third, as Christians, let us remember that Jesus is our only hope.  On the surface of it, that statement might appear to be a little trite.  But it isn’t.  It’s true.  Jesus is our only hope.  In the conversation of life and death and sin and evil, Jesus must be the focal point.  Jesus came to live, die and rise again so that we would be forgiven, but also so that as Paul says in Romans 6:6, “we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”  Ultimately it was the enslaving power of sin that led to these evil acts.  But then, in addition to this, Jesus provides us with the only hope we can have beyond the grave for these many victims.  For all who are in Christ will one day be resurrected to new life, with all justice finally served and all tears and heartaches wiped away.  When Jesus is the focal point of our conversation on tragedy, we have the confidence to cry out, “Come Lord Jesus,” as we trust in a savior who has overcome the world. 

Let us weep as we mourn the loss of human life.  Though many of us may not know these victims personally, they were people with hopes and dreams and families and friends just like you and me.  Let us pray for those connected with these mass shootings.  Pray that the love of Jesus Christ and the comfort that can only come from His gospel would be proclaimed.  But also pray for churches in the area of these shootings as they seek to minister Christ in the face of such events.  Beyond this, let these events remind us that this world is not our home.  We live in a place where evil runs rampant and sin dwells in the hearts of many.  We are mere sojourners passing through this world, proclaiming the hope of the world to come, with our eyes fixed on Jesus.



In the Depths? Help from Jonah 2

By / Jul 12

A single image, from my first few visits to London, is impressed on my mind: the view from the top of an escalator in the larger Underground Tube stations. I remember standing looking at this enormous moving stairway, tilted at a frightening angle, inching slowly but steadily into the depths of London’s underground. Imagine gazing at hundreds of people on this downward trajectory into the belly of London.

This image of downward motion is one which is created by the book of Jonah in the first two chapters. Initially, Jonah goes down to the port of Joppa (1:3). Once aboard a ship, Jonah goes down to the inner part and lies down (1:5). Jonah is then thrown from the deck down into the raging sea (1:15). In chapter 2 Jonah then recalls being thrown down into the sea (2:3), where he then sinks down (2:3, 5)—finally sinking down to the sea floor (2:6). 

For two entire chapters Jonah has been moving downward. In chapter 2, we therefore find him in the depths. But from those depths Jonah shares four truths that might encourage those of us who are likewise in the depths.

Truth #1 – God is Sovereign

We should be amazed at the sovereignty of God in the story of Jonah. It is stated explicitly in 1:17 as it is noted that the LORD ‘appointed’ a fish to swallow Jonah—it isn’t a chance happening, it isn’t a stroke of good fortune—God has orchestrated it. Not only does the fish swallow Jonah, but at God’s command he spits him out again (2:10). It isn’t just the fish that is under God’s control, however, it is also the waves. In 1:4 we are told that the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea to create in the storm. But, in chapter 2 Jonah himself acknowledges it is God’s doing (v. 3): ‘your waves and your billows’. God is sovereign. There can be no doubt about it. All these circumstances—both the waves and the fish—it is all at God’s beck and call.

In the depths Jonah is careful to encourage us to remember God is sovereign. No matter what we face we can face it with confidence because God is in control of all things. When we feel we are drowning in life, God can send a ‘fish’ to rescue us. We must trust our God; no, we can trust our God.

Truth #2 – God Answers Prayer

Jonah asserts this truth before he even gives us the content of his prayer (2:1–2). Even from the depths God hears and answers prayer. Jonah’s situation was desperate. He is struggling to keep his head above water in verse 3, by verse 5 the seaweed is pulling him under and so in verse 6 he has reached the sea floor—alternatively known as death. This prophet of the LORD, who thought he could escape God’s call on his life, is facing the end of his life. It is here, for the very first time in the book, that Jonah calls out to God.

The sad reality is that sometimes we must be brought to the end of ourselves before we seek God. Often it is only in the most desperate of circumstances that we will cry out to God. How is this supposed to be encouraging? Because when we do, God hears and answers. This is Jonah’s testimony (2:2, 7). Cry out to God, speak to him, tell him how you feel and watch as he answers.

This comes with a warning though, because often the answer is not quite what we would expect. Consider Jonah, in the gut of a great fish he thanked God for deliverance! Nonetheless, it was an answer to prayer.

Truth #3 – You’re Not the First

This is more of an implicit truth than an explicit one. But here we have Jonah—a prophet of the LORD commissioned with God’s message—and he is in the depths. We could also consider Elijah, Job, and Jesus himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. They all experienced the depths. In Spurgeon’s Sorrows Zack Eswine writes: 

After citing historical examples such as Martin Luther, Isaac Newton, and William Cowper, then Biblical examples such as Job, King David, Elijah or our Lord Jesus, Charles [Spurgeon] will inevitably say: ‘You are not the first child of God who has been depressed or troubled.’ Even ‘among the noblest of men and women who ever lived, there has been much of this kind of thing…Do not, therefore, think that you are quite alone in your sorrow.’ (pg. 37)

Do not despair simply because you, as a Christian in particular, are in the depths. History teaches us that many have walked that road before, many will walk it afterward, and undoubtedly there are many there with us in our depths. Moreover, God will not leave us alone in the depths (Josh. 1:5; Heb. 13:5). 

Truth #4 – Salvation is From God

It is in the depths that Jonah confesses that salvation belongs to God alone (2:8-9). Idols are vanity, says Jonah. But Jonah doesn’t worship an idol—his is the living God and so with thanksgiving, sacrifice and vows Jonah will proclaim that salvation belongs to the LORD. We should not miss the clear echo of the end of chapter 1 here. The sailors at the end of chapter 1 forsook idols, worshipped Yahweh, and made sacrifices and vows. Sadly, it took Jonah to descend to the depths before he could follow the example of the sailors.

As one commentator writes, ‘The fish stands for the amazing grace of Yahweh, which came down to where [Jonah] was and lifted him to new life’ (Allen, Jonah, NICOT, pg. 213). Because of God’s salvation Jonah’s direction changed. At the end of verse 6, instead of continuing downward, the LORD lifted—brought up—Jonah. Salvation is from God.

In the Old Testament, the word salvation refers to both physical and spiritual deliverance. But as we read the Bible in its entirety, we soon come to see that all physical deliverance is simply an illustration of the great spiritual deliverance that God offers in his son Jesus. In the depths, as Christians, we must never forget that it is in Christ alone our hope is found—for there alone is sin dealt with. 

A Fresh Start

Chapter 2 ends with the fish spitting Jonah out onto dry land—salvation is complete. Jonah is alive and on dry land. One commentator jokes that the disobedient prophet is so revolting that even the fish can’t stomach him for long. But something much more beautiful is taking place here than simply a great fish being ill on the beach. Chapter 2 is finishing where the story of Jonah began: with the prophet on the dry land and knowing where God would have him. Here is Jonah’s fresh start. 

Each time we find ourselves sinking into the depths we must remind ourselves that God is sovereign, in his sovereignty he answers prayers, we are not the first to experience this and salvation always belongs to the LORD. In remembering these things, however, we too have the hope of a fresh start.



Human Cruelty and the Compassion of God

By / Jun 27

This summer, I finally decided to open a book my mom gifted me last year called Where the Crawdads Sing. Since it is one of the best-selling books of all time and has a theater debut in July, it went from the bottom of my bookshelf to the top of my summer fiction reading list.

My hesitancy in exploring the narrative sooner came from a warning I received about how heartbreaking the journey would be. Without going into detail, these cautions were not unfounded. Yet, as I read the life of marsh-dwelling protagonist Kya, coming face-to-face with the reality of human depravity filled me anew with care for those in this broken world who do not know Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:28-32 tells us this about the unrighteous:

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They are filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Before the Lord saved me, stories of horrific things around the world were almost unbearable. It was hard to want to live in a world where so much evil exists.

But this passage is not just speaking to an outside world: it speaks to our state without the grace of God. This passage isn’t just calling out the person or group of people who may come to your mind when you think “evil,” “boastful,” or “ruthless.” Without God’s work, this is you. This is me. This is the culture of death that we daily exist in.

It may sound harsh, but watch how quickly the veneer of love, grace, and patience disappears when our idols are jeopardized. In writing to the early churches, James exhorts fellow believers:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions (4:1-3).

People with good intentions (myself included) can end up defending themselves rather than listening to the pains of another. Those who claim to be passionate about truth can resort to weaponizing God’s Word to prove a point rather than guiding to living water. Even the brief haughty response given at a slight inconvenience reveals the selfishness of our nature. We don’t want to admit it, but we can be cruel.

Blessedly, one of the few things more overwhelming than human cruelty is the compassion of God.

This is important for me to remember not only as I flip through the pages of Where the Crawdads Sing, but also as I experience cruelty against me or observe it festering in the world. One of the best places to go to recall God’s compassion, even on the darkest of nights, is his Word.

God’s Word comforts those in affliction while also instructing us when we are tempted to go our own way:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I will hope in him.’” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:12-14).

Living in the grace of God is not a guarantee—it is a gift.

Though salvation is guaranteed secure through Jesus, we can’t assume that confession of a surrendered life means living a life submitted to the gospel—for us or anyone else. To “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,” and “run with endurance the race that is set before us,” as commanded in Hebrews 12:1 means acknowledging that pursuing righteousness is a daily decision.

If you confess Christ as Lord, I implore you to keep going. Even when waves of hatred threaten to drown you, remain steadfast in Jesus. When you grow weary of doing good, cast yourself upon your never-changing God. Remember when you come face-to-face with human cruelty, you have a God who showers compassion upon you and upon this hurting world through the mercy of his Son. Recall that by the power of the Holy Spirit:

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

If you have experienced the compassion of God, you can show the compassion of God.

Let us consider how we may reach out our hands to the hurting and guide them toward God’s goodness today.



The Beatitudes of Leadership

By / Jun 22

Released at the height of pandemic binge-listening, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill dominated church leadership discussions throughout the back half of 2021. It seemed like everyone was discussing and dissecting Christianity Today’s incredibly popular podcast.

With the first anniversary of the show’s release approaching, what was it that made Mars Hill a rich source of conversation? More than that, why did its message resonate so deeply with listeners?

 Certainly, much of it has to do with the quality of the podcast. Mike Cosper and his team told a powerful story in a powerful way. It might also be true that part of the show’s popularity came from our cultural obsession with schadenfreude. It’s hard for us to look away when we know a train wreck is coming.

Yet, perhaps the greatest reason for its popularity comes from its relatability. If you’ve been in ministry for any time at all, chances are you’ve lived and led through your own version of the Mars Hill story. The characters and the stakes may have been different, but the drama felt all too familiar.

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill reaffirmed our collective sense that something is broken in church leadership today.

Too many church leaders today know what it’s like to be bullied by their brothers and scarred by their fellow shepherds. Many of us have witnessed and even been wounded by power struggles within the church.

It’s not hard to see that we need a better way. We need a blessed way. We need a way of thinking about and practicing leadership that is both blessed by God and serves as a blessing to those in our care. For that reason, we must look at the Beatitudes.

While the opening words of Matthew 5 aren’t the first passage we think of when it comes to leadership, they should set the tone for all ministry. Jesus used these eight statements to define life in the kingdom. For that reason, they must also define kingdom leadership:  

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 What do these Beatitudes look like in leadership? How can we be sure they define us both as followers of Christ and leaders in His church?

  1. Jesus calls leaders to “spiritual poverty.” Jesus begins by commending those who recognize their need for God. No one is good enough or qualified enough to earn God’s favor. While there’s something to be said for knowing your strengths, Jesus would first call leaders to admit their weakness. All of us are completely and totally dependent on God. Without Him, we have little hope of leading anyone anywhere.  
  2. Jesus calls His shepherds to compassion and care. The second Beatitude reminds us to mourn over the brokenness in this world and within ourselves. Our hearts ought to break when we see our own disobedience. Our souls ought to ache when we see the cost sin imposes on God’s people. Leaders have hearts that break over the things that break God’s heart.
  3. Kingdom leadership also requires humility and submission. In God’s economy, leading other people doesn’t mean placing yourself above them. Leading means serving. True leadership is about pouring yourself out for the people under your care. “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” (Matthew 20:26-27)
  4. Jesus also demands that His leaders hunger for Him and His righteousness more than anything else. Sadly, too many leaders seem only to hunger and thirst for numbers. They want the Word so long as it brings people through the doors. They want to worship so long as the style connects to their target demographic. We always want bigger. We always want better. But, it’s only in chasing His righteousness that we find fulfillment.
  5. Leaders who bless others also practice mercy. Their very lifestyle lavishes forgiveness, kindness, and generosity on those around them. Though people may frustrate them and let them down, kingdom leaders respond with mercy. The grace they have received in Christ becomes a fountain of generosity for those under their care.
  6. Purity of heart also defines biblical leadership. A leader’s outer life and inner life ought to be in perfect sync with one another. To say it another way, the “pure in heart” exhibit a consistency between inward purity and outward piety. We all know how easily motivations can be warped. We’ve seen people do the right thing for the wrong reason. We can’t for a minute think that sort of behavior is beneath us.
  7. Kingdom leaders should also be characterized as peacemakers. Every church faces times of conflict and chaos. In many ways, our ministries will be defined by how we responded to those seasons. Did we feed the disagreement? Did we pursue what was best for us? Or, did we long for reconciliation? Peace ought to be both a personal and a professional goal.  
  8. Kingdom leaders need the ability to see the blessing of persecution. The final Beatitude presents the biggest surprise. Persecution is a blessing? Admittedly, very few of us today know what it’s like to truly experience persecution. We do, however, know what it’s like to be challenged. How do you handle people who disagree with you? How do you respond to church members who attack your decisions? Kingdom leaders need the ability to see the blessing in disguise.

 Church leadership is at a crossroads. It’s time for us to choose a better way – the “blessed” way.



How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament: Step 9–Literary Context

By / Jun 20

God gave us his word in a book that is made up of multiple books. Whereas biblical theology (step 10) looks more at Scripture as a whole, literary context focuses on the individual parts as they come to us within their overall canonical context. It’s the difference between appreciating a whole quilt and looking carefully at one of its single squares, which itself has its own color, texture, and story.

The question in literary context is, “How does the passage contribute to the book’s overall story or argument?” To answer this, we need to have a solid grasp of the book’s thought-flow, which is best initiated by reading the whole book several times on your own, each in a single sitting, and while comparing several book outlines drafted by those who have spent far more time in the book than you have. As you examine your passage in view of the whole book, there are at least three areas you want to keep in mind: literary placement, literary function, and literary details.

Literary Placement: A Passage’s Location

Literary placement refers to your passage’s location. Is the passage part of a larger literary grouping with a discernible beginning, middle, or end? What leads up to the passage? What flows from it? How is the book organized, and how does the passage fit within the section, book, canonical division, Testament, and Bible––in that order? 

The book of Daniel, for example, is most naturally structured in two parts: (1) God’s sovereign control in the present (chs. 1–6) and (2) God’s sovereign control in the future (chs. 7–12). Part one includes a progression of court stories about the exaltation of Daniel and his three friends. Together they stress that, while not always clear in the present, Israel’s God is sovereign over all things and is working for his own against the world’s rebellion. Part two then supplies a series of apocalyptic visions about the rise and fall of succeeding empires. Together these emphasize that, while it may not always be evident in the future, Israel’s God controls all things according to his purposes and will ultimately establish his kingdom through his Messiah, destroying all evil. 

If you were studying the episode of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3, it would be good to know its placement in part one between the stories of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the image/statue in chapter 2 and the king’s punishment and restoration in chapter 4. It would also be good to know that in Jesus’ Bible, Daniel’s hope of God’s kingdom opens the final narrative portion of the Writings, which sought to remind the believers who were in exile and slavery (Ezra 9:9; Neh. 9:36) that Yahweh’s power and kingdom-purposes still stand. In this context, Daniel follows Lamentations and affirms the concluding statement, “But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations” (Lam. 5:19). Furthermore, in response to the lamenter’s final cry, “Renew our days as of old––unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us” (5:22), Daniel declares that God had not completely rejected and would both restore and renew. Standing in the concluding portion of the Hebrew Scriptures, Daniel plays a vital role in thrusting the reader’s eyes toward the New Testament, which begins to realize God’s kingdom purposes.

Literary Function: A Passage’s Purpose

Literary function addresses your text’s purpose. What is the book’s main thrust, and how does this passage advance the book’s storyline or reasoning? Do the verses fill in, add on to, introduce, bring to completion, or counterbalance the portion or book of which it is a part? What does the passage contribute to the overall picture? What does the overall picture add to it? If this passage were missing from the book, what would be lost? 

If the book of Daniel as a whole supplies a glorious, hopeful vision of God’s kingship over all the created sphere, how does the story of Daniel 3 contribute to this message? In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of a statue-like image with four parts, each of which represented earthly kingdoms that would ultimately be overthrown by God’s kingdom that would never perish (Dan. 2:44). Babylon, led by Nebuchadnezzar, was the first of these kingdoms (2:37–38). In Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar appears to have gotten caught up in his dream from chapter 2, but he is determined to be not just the head of gold but the whole. He erected a massive image that appears to have represented himself. All peoples, nations, and languages were to worship it, lest they immediately be cast into a blazing furnace (3:1–7). Daniel’s three friends––Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego––were unrelenting in their commitment to Yahweh and refused to bow down (3:16–18), thus resulting in their punishment. But they were not burnt, for one “like a son of the gods” protected them (3:25). As such, Nebuchadnezzar declared them to be “servants of the Most High God” (3:26), praised their God for his mighty act (3:28), and then decreed that none should speak against their God (3:29). 

This episode plays a key role in showing how Nebuchadnezzar grew in his awareness of Yahweh’s sovereign control of the present. This recognition would only expand until we read, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (4:37).

Literary Details: A Passage’s Distinctive Contributions

Literary details are the particular features or aspects of the text that set it apart and that help identify its overall contribution. How comprehensive or selective is the passage? Do any details help you decide whether the author wrote it in connection with a specific cultural or historical situation? Does the passage relay material from a distinctive perspective? What does this tell you about the author’s intentions? 

The biblical author clearly wrote Daniel 3 to remind the audience of Yahweh’s greatness and worth and of his ability to save either out of or through suffering. Nebuchadnezzar initially displayed pride when he questioned the three: “Who is the god who will deliver out of my hands?” (3:15). This stands in contrast with his later declaration, “There is no other god who is able to rescue in this way” (3:29). The king’s initial challenge is also countered by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s relentless commitment to the true God and their confidence that he was able to rescue. “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (3:17–18). The three did not presume that they fully knew Yahweh’s will, but regardless of his pleasure, they would trust and obey. Such details force readers to decide whether we will equally surrender to the supreme Sovereign and Savior in this story. 

Furthermore, when read in view of the whole book, the emphasis that one “like a son of the gods” protected the three in the furnace (3:25) likely anticipates the “one like a son of man” who will reign over God’s kingdom (7:13–14). Later this figure is probably tagged the “Messiah,” during whose ministry God intends “to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place” (9:24, 26). As such, Daniel 3 does not merely add general hope in a delivering God; it also fuels anticipation for the Messiah’s reign.

Psalm 121 in Its Literary Context

In Psalm 121 the psalmist expresses his confidence in Yahweh as his helper, and he builds his belief in God’s protection by rehearsing to himself and to others the qualities of God’s faithfulness that he has grown to know are true. Psalms like this predictively provided Christ with words to capture his own heart cries, and now, for those in Christ, they model how to remain Godward and hopeful at points of desperation, both individually and corporately. 

Psalm 121 occurs in the fifth book of the Psalms (Pss. 107–150). This section offers reflections on the restoration after exile and presents Yahweh as one who will renew his people in fulfillment of his Davidic kingdom-promises. Much like David’s own prayer in Psalm 14:7 (cf. 1 Chron. 16:35), Book 4 ended with the psalmist praying for return from exile. He cries in Psalm 106:47: “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.” The psalmist is most likely hoping not simply for a physical return to the land (cf. Deut. 30:3–5) but for the climactic second exodus of which the prophet’s spoke and that would align with the coming messianic kingdom (e.g., Isa. 11:1–12:5; 49:1–6; Jer. 23:5–8; Ezek. 34:16, 22–24; 37:20–28; Hos. 3:5). Now Book 5 opens in Psalm 107 with praise to God for answering this prayer. We read in Psalm 107:1–3: “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.” 

After this, the remaining parts of Psalm 107, along with Psalms 108–109 emphasize Yahweh’s unrelenting affection for all who trust him (cf. Pss. 107:33–43; 108:11). With glorious messianic hope, Psalm 110 then stresses that the Davidic covenant has not been set aside. Quoting Psalm 110, Hebrews 1:13 tell us that Jesus is David’s “Lord” of whom Yahweh declared, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet” (cf. Matt. 22:41–45). Psalms 111–118 stress that the God who works on behalf of his people deserves wholehearted worship and loyalty at all times and in all circumstances. Such a call stresses the importance of God’s word, which is celebrated in Psalm 119. It also requires the centrality of Yahweh’s presence in the lives of God’s people, which is the focus of the Songs of Ascent in Psalms 120–134. It is in these Songs of Ascent that we find Psalm 121, which supplies hope-filled assurance in Yahweh’s guardianship and gives cause for enjoying his presence. Building off Psalm 121:6, Revelation 7:16 declares that, for all who die in the great Tribulation, having identified themselves with the slain Lamb, “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.” The favor that God shows his Christ becomes the favor he shows all who are identified with him. The longest of the Songs of Ascent is Psalm 132, which emphasizes the fulfillment of Yahweh’s promise to David that he would indeed have a king on the throne of Jerusalem forever. 

Psalms 135–138 summarize God’s work through creation and providence on behalf of his people, with Psalm 138 returning to psalms of David, which continue through Psalm 145. These psalms depict the anointed royal figure requesting God’s help in both in both spiritual and temporal matters (Pss. 139–144) and then celebrating Yahweh’s character and work (Ps. 145). The five books conclude with a string of five praise psalms that exalt the excellencies of God over all (Pss. 146–150). 

Standing as the second of the Songs of Ascent, Psalm 121 sets the readers’ gaze upward toward God and his holy mountain. “I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” Looking up means one thing: the psalmist was down. Nevertheless, in his pain, in his anxiety he looked Godward to the one who made heaven and earth. He says, “He will not let your foot be moved” (Ps. 121:3). Your Guardian never sleeps, and because of that you can. He was a refuge for Christ, and he will continue to guard all who find refuge in him. You can rest today, because the all satisfying Savior reigns in the person of Jesus. The Davidic hope has reached its fulfillment, and now the very psalms that Jesus drew from to clarify his own mission of triumph through tribulation can become the very cries of our hearts. “The LORD is your keeper…. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (Ps. 121:7–8).



Above the Clouds, There is Sunshine

By / Jun 16

Our little girl hates thunder. I can hardly blame her; it’s often far too loud and surprisingly too close. I can recall one afternoon though, when her fear met its match. Her mother and I stood behind her on our covered porch, watching as her two-year old mind tried to process the quickly approaching clouds and growing darkness before her. When she realized the storm was not diminishing as she hoped and began to feel its low rumbles under her feet, she froze. We half-expected a repeat of the day before, when a similar storm evoked a cry so intense, it rivaled the volume of the thunder she so feared. But today was different.

Her concerned facial expression deceived us, as she now began to signify a calm confidence. She was afraid, but she knew also knew something. We watched as she began to nod to herself, continuing to gaze at the ominous weather, and whispered just loudly enough where we could hear, “Dada’s got me. Mama’s got me”- seemingly reminding herself of the truth she’d heard from us so many times, reassuring herself that this truth has gotten her through thus far and must be reliable enough to trust. In this moment, we could see our little girl drawing strength from our presence.

A Greater Source for Strength

We all draw strength from something- whether it be an over-zealous confidence in our abilities or something outside ourselves altogether. Christians have a unique foundation for strength which has no rival. Christians can draw strength from the One with all strength, in whom there could be no true threat.

Something I’m beginning to realize in this life, and continually struggling to remember, is that I am very weak. Our daughter standing against a thunderstorm is a tiny comparison to the situations each one of us face each day. Medical diagnoses, financial burdens, family strife, personal loss, interpersonal conflict, and a host of other circumstances reveal just how weak we are. Yet, despite our smallness, as Christians, we can stand secure no matter the circumstance, as we draw strength from Christ Himself.

Christ offers us a shelter from the storm, a foundation for strength, in His life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promise of imminent return. No matter the season, He is the only true source for our peace, hope, joy, security, stability, encouragement, and so much more.

In the best of times though, temptations abound to find my strength in circumstance and success, acting as if I am my own master and control my own destiny. In this charade though, I fail to experience that which my heart most desires. When I must control my peace, I fret. When I must realize my hopes, I agonize. When I must satisfy my longings, I endure pains. When I must encourage myself through accomplishments, I often despair over missed opportunities.

As tempting as it is to act as master of my own fate, it certainly does not offer any type of lasting rest or comfort. When you’re in control, you always have to be on– incessantly working because you don’t believe He is. In the best of times, my strength must come from outside of myself.

Even in the worst of times, I’m still tempted to draw strength outside of Christ- whether it be through empty flattering (“You deserve better.”) or vain commiseration (“I can’t believe that happened to you, that’s so unfair.”) Empty words can often take the place of responding well to our fears being realized. Godly lament recognizes that even in the midst of fear, challenge, and weakness, Christ is near. He is the Friend of failures. He loves when the weak come to Him for strength. In those moments, He gets to be for us all that He promises, and we get to enjoy His fullness. In the midst of weakness, our solace should be nothing less than Christ Himself.

And so, whether it be the best of times or the worst of times, we must continue to scour our once-rebel hearts for any felt traces of former allegiances to false strengths, so that Christ may truly be all for us, our greatest and only source of strength.

The Sunshine is Sure

The afternoon our daughter stood against the storm, the Lord was kind to quell its intensity; for just as quickly as it had come, it was gone. The clouds had rolled away, the thunder had quieted to a whisper, and the sunshine began to peer down through the sky. As the rays caught her eyes, she perked up, shouting with excitement, “Sunbeam! Sunbeam! I go play?”

Our daughter’s trials from a stormy week increased her faith in the strength of her parents, but even more importantly though, I think, she saw a resolution to her fears. And even in a situation as small as this, I was reminded- there will not always be clouds for the Christian. Perhaps in this life. But one day, there will be no more fear. We’ll enjoy His presence each day. For there is endless sunshine in the Celestial City.



The Holy Spirit and Human Flourishing

By / Jun 16

As human beings, we are most fully embodied and in our proper place when we are in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit. Thus, there is no path toward true and lasting human flourishing apart from God’s indwelling Spirit.

The Bad News: Let’s Rehearse!
Our sin, being the beast that it is (Gen 4:7), has corrupted our bodies and left deep wounds on our souls. “Claiming to be wise, [we] became fools” and severed the relationship between ourselves and the true Source of human flourishing – God (Rom 1:22). Moreover, just as Israel wandered aimlessly throughout the wilderness for forty years, so we wander through the desert of our lives and foolishly attempt to fill our hearts with all that is not God.

In Jeremiah 2:13, God describes our tragedy: “My people have committed a double evil: they have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves – cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.” Unless our thirst for God is filled, we are destined to die both physically and spiritually, with mouths full of sand.

At this point, someone might think, When will you stop being so negative? Why can’t you see the good in people? To which I joyfully respond, Oh, friend, have you never tasted the goodness of God? Have you never truly lived? Let me explain: it is only because I have tasted the bitterness of sin and felt the weight of sin’s consequences that I have been able to give myself over to an eternal binge on the never-ending, all-satisfying feast that is God himself.

Such is the joy of every Christian, a joy which becomes all the more sweeter when we set our minds on the fact that God has decided to take up his residence in our weak, dust-fashioned bodies.

The Good News: The Spirit as Signal of New Creation
In Galatians 4:6, the Apostle Paul says that “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.” So, not only is God with us—He is in us! More specifically, He is in “our hearts.” Here are a few other texts which demonstrate this awesome reality:

  • “On that day you will know that I am in the Father, you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:20)
  • “You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.” (Rom 8:9)
  • “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:4)

You see, we humans were designed to be in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit, which is to say that we were designed to be God-in-dwelt creatures. This is what God intended from the very beginning when he breathed his “breath” – the same Hebrew word for ‘Spirit’ – into Adam, causing Adam to become “a living being” (1 Cor 15:45; cf Gen 2:7). Moreover, through Christ’s sin-atoning death, sinful humanity has been re-positioned to receive God’s life-giving breath, “the promised Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:13-14). In Christ, rebellious sinners are transformed into holy saints and thereby crafted into a fit dwelling place for God’s Spirit (Eph 2:22).

This is why Jesus, after his resurrection, breathed on the disciples. This is strange, is it not? To be breathed on by the Son of God? With the biblical narrative in mind, particularly the opening chapters of Genesis, this was a perfectly fitting thing for Christ to enact upon the disciples. As God breathed his Spirit into Adam at the beginning of the old creation, so Christ, the Word made flesh, breathed his Spirit into the new humanity at the beginning of God’s new creation. Thus, Paul explains, “If anyone is in Christ–new creation! The old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Cor 5:17).

The Holy Spirit: Our Proper Place
Consider how one ancient theologian and church father, St. Basil the Great, describes God’s indwelling Spirit: “The Spirit is truly the place of the saints, and the saint is the proper place for the Holy Spirit, as he offers himself for indwelling with God and is called a temple of God” (On the Holy Spirit, 101). In other words, to be truly human, to inhabit our true and “proper place,” we must be indwelt by God’s Spirit.

Apart from the indwelling of the Spirit, we humans are like empty tombs, wandering to and fro. We are, in the words of Augustine, “restless until we find our rest in Him.” On the other hand, when we receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ, we are brought from death to life and set back in our proper place — the place of God’s dwelling! By the Spirit, therefore, Christians are able to enter the fullness of God’s design for humanity. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” wrote Paul (Gal 5:22-23). And if that’s not true human flourishing, then I don’t know what is!

There’s a lot of talk of human “place” and “embodiment” these days. As I hope to have made clear, Christians would be gravely remiss to leave God’s indwelling Spirit out of that conversation. After all, God himself, by the Spirit, is our true and proper place and therefore the only place wherein human beings truly flourish.



On Worship

By / Jun 9

This post is an excerpt from On Worship: A Short Guide to Understanding, Participating in, and Leading Corporate Worship by H.B. Charles. The book is out now from Moody Publishers and wherever Christian books are sold.

HOW TO WORSHIP GOD

In the first word of the Ten Commandments, God commanded His people to worship Him exclusively: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3). The second word is linked to the first:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children
to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Ex. 20:4–6)

There is some disagreement about how the Ten Commandments should be numbered. Roman Catholics and Lutherans read the first and second commandments as one commandment. To keep ten commandments, they call the preamble (Ex. 20:2) a commandment or divide the tenth commandment (Ex. 20:17) into two parts.

Exodus 20:3 and 4–6 record two different commands. They are two different sides of the same coin. The first commandment is about the proper object of worship. The second commandment is about the proper mode of worship. The first commandment addresses orthodoxy (right belief). The second commandment addresses orthopraxy (right practice). The first commandment tells us whom to worship. The second commandment tells us how to worship. God says, “Worship Me alone.” Then God says, “Worship Me this way.” How we worship matters to God.

The second commandment does not prohibit God’s people from being artistic. The Lord will instruct Moses to have artisans construct the ark of the covenant with artistic elements. The Spirit of God would inspire and empower men to creatively build the tabernacle. This is not a categorical prohibition against carved images. The Lord’s concern here is liturgical, not artistic. We must not make carved images for worship.

The second commandment warns us how misguided sincerity can be. When the children of Israel danced around the golden calf, the Lord did not respond, “Look how sincere they are!” The Lord became so angry that only the passionate intercession of Moses saved their lives. God demands proper worship.

WORSHIP GOD ON HIS TERMS

It is remarkable that the first commandment was necessary. After delivering the children of Israel from Egypt, God still needed to instruct His people not to worship false idols. The second commandment is a natural progression from the first. God disabuses His people of the assumption that it does not matter how we worship, as long as we worship the right God. Redeemed people can still offer unacceptable worship if it is not on God’s terms.

God cannot be controlled. That is what happens with carved images. A symbol makes visible what is invisible and tangible what is intangible. In so doing, the reality behind the symbol is tamed, controlled, and neutered. Why do you think there is so much controversy over the American flag? It is a symbol that points to a reality. How one treats the symbol is a statement of what one thinks about the reality it represents.

The Babylonians had to carry their gods away on wagons to flee Cyrus of Persia. Yet the Lord reminded the house of Israel that He carried them since birth and will continue to carry them and save them (Isa. 46:3–4). This is why God forbids carved images. God carries us and refuses to be put in a position where we try to carry Him.

This second word may seem irrelevant. But we need this commandment today. Many Western contemporary Christians are ancient Hebrew idolaters in disguise. We make symbols for God; then we make gods of our symbols. We profess to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus, and the church. We actually worship the God of our cause, understanding, experience, race, nation,
comfort, and success.

WORSHIP GOD BY DIVINE REVELATION

There are two primary ways finite man seeks to know the infinite God: by imagination or revelation. Seeking to know God by trying to imagine who He is does not work. The second commandment prohibits any attempts to shape an image of God according to who or what we think God is. Habakkuk asked, “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!” (Hab. 2:18). The only way to know God is by revelation. We cannot imagine the nature, character, attributes, purpose, or glory of God. God must reveal Himself to us.

In a general sense, God reveals Himself in the created world. Creation advertises its Creator (Ps. 19:1). Heaven and earth proclaim the reality of God. But creation cannot declare the name of God. To know God personally, we need special revelation. God has personally revealed Himself to us in the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16). We must worship God on the basis of His revelation of Himself to us. God-pleasing worship is Word-driven worship.

When Israel met with God for the first time, they heard a voice but saw no image (Deut. 4:11–12). Moses reminded Israel of this to prepare them for the non-appearance of God. In the days to come, Israel’s worship would not be in video format. There would only be audio. They would have CDs to listen to, not DVDs to watch (Deut. 4:15–18). Worship is not about images to see. It is about words to hear. True worship is Word-based, Word-saturated, and Word-driven. We are to sing the Word, read the Word, pray the Word, preach the Word, and see the Word.

WORSHIP GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

God commands us not to make any carved images in the likeness of anything in heaven, on earth, or in the sea. Those who make images of God mar the image of God. What is the image of God? Genesis 1:26–27 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . . ’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

We are the image of God. This does not mean we have physical attributes that represent God: God is spirit (John 4:24). It means that God has given us personhood—mind, will, and emotions. We are free moral agents who can choose between good and evil, right and wrong, truth and error. Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the garden of Eden. All of humanity has fallen into sin as a result of our first parents’ original sin. Mankind was doomed to live in misery, die in sin, and suffer in hell. But God sent Jesus to save us. The Lord Jesus Christ is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Heb. 1:3).

Jesus is God in the flesh. Truly God, truly man. Paul sang, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15). Paul also said, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col. 2:9). To worship God is to worship Jesus. Christian worship is Christ worship. The Lord should have supremacy in everything we say and do in worship (Col. 1:18).

On the way home from church, a child told her parents she did not want to go to Sunday school anymore. When asked why, she griped, “Because they never do anything new there. Every week it’s the same thing. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” May that little child’s complaint be the legitimate critique of our corporate worship services. No one should ever catch us doing something new when they attend our worship services. It should be the same thing every week, every month, every year. Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!



The Hierarchy of Self: From Alteration to Something New Altogether

By / Jun 9

There is a famous thought experiment suggested by Heraclitus and Plato. It references the mythical king and founder of Athens, Theseus, and his ship, which the Athenian’s dutifully kept in seafaring condition. This Ship of Theseus paradox poses the questions: If every plank was systematically and eventually replaced with a new plank, is it the same ship, or an entirely new one? At what point have we moved from alteration to something new altogether?

In our modern quest for identity, whether we know it or not, we are inserting ourselves into this thought experiment. We wonder, if my interests, passions, gifts, body, or relationships change, am I still me? Our thought process leads us into such confusion we can come to believe we can lose ourselves if we are unable to pursue our long-held desires.

So, how do we solve the puzzle of identity over time and change? First, we stop operating from the materialist notion that we are only a physical being–we are not Theseus’ ship. We are physical beings, yes, but we are not only physical beings. Our physical reality is tied to a spiritual one. Secondly, we must stop trying to create our identity apart from the God who created us. We are humans, the imago dei, physical bodies with eternal souls. We are created as men and women, fallen, and offered redemption through Christ Jesus. We have an understanding of who we are then in a hierarchy of important factors. At the peak of this hierarchy are the necessary components that make us who we are, these necessary components are markers that are given to us by God and unchanging: we are created by God, in his image, we are redeemed through Christ, whether we are male or female. Much further down are the contingent factors, some of which are outside of our control, some that are chosen, but nonetheless these are subject to change or alteration.

Understanding this gives us fixed points of reality from which to navigate. We tend to put far too much emphasis on the lower level factors, and very little attention on those aspects of who we are that are of the most importance. We unnecessarily grapple with issues of identity because we have inverted these categories. At the peak of who we are is our union with Christ. If I am in Christ, that is the cornerstone of everything else about me.

There are many secondary realities that contribute to who I am. I am married, I have four children, I have brown hair, I enjoy reading and writing, and I am a member of a church in North Carolina. But these are all identity markers that are subject to change. I may move, my husband and children could die, my hair will gray, my eyes may be lost to glaucoma or my hands to arthritis–reading and writing may not always be how I occupy my time. Nonetheless, however these tertiary identity markers may change, I will still be in Christ. As I adjust within these shifting aspects of who I may be, the root of who I am is fixed. Recognizing these hierarchies of my identity is profoundly freeing.

Rightly ordering my identity this way makes it possible for me to experience any circumstance, and to meet challenges and the changes of time, without an existential crisis. I can simply and joyfully obey Christ’s call on my life. It means I am not subject to the finitude of my talents, rapidly decaying body, or my relationships. It means I am not a slave to my interests or desires, even the good ones. I do not have to lament over a sense of who I once was, because who I am is fixed, not in my circumstances, but in Christ.

As a result, I can throw myself fully into whatever calling God has placed upon my life in the moment he calls me. As a single woman, I could serve generously with all my time and effort in a myriad of ways. Instead of wringing my hands over my relational status, I simply and joyfully got to work using the time, resources, and gifts I had for the moment. As a married woman I don’t have to hold myself back in helping my husband build his career. I can manage our home, and be my husband’s wife, bringing him good and being the one in whom he has full confidence (Proverbs 31). As a mother I can throw myself fully into motherhood. I don’t have to be stingy as I spend my time, energy, and even my body, in service to my children. I don’t have to agonize over whether I will “lose myself” because the most important aspects of who I am cannot be lost. As a church member I don’t have to lament the lack of use of my gifts, or stress trying to discover them, and instead I can aim to be used wherever there are needs, trusting that the God in whom my identity lies, will provide the gifts for the commands he’s given. I cannot have an identity crisis when I keep firmly planted in the reality that I am in Christ, from whom neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate me (Romans 8:39).

In knowing this and resting in it, I can immerse myself in serving people, not based on my particular gifts, talents, or desires, but based on the needs that exist and the calling that’s been placed in front of me. I can be obedient to even the most challenging of Christ’s commands because I am glad to be conformed to his will. I can put to death sinful identity markers, and put on new ones that result through obedience as I seek to obey all that God commands. My passions may change, my talents may not be used as I expected, but in this way they are like planks on a ship, useful in their time, replaceable, changeable, decaying even. But the eternal reality of who I am rests firmly with the One who “emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8).



Three Pursuits Better Than Being Right

By / Jun 7

Having to be right all the time on every matter comes with a kind of burden that will often hinder our mission and witness. The need to be right all the time also silences fruitful dialogue across ethnic, cultural, and even generational bounds. Ultimately, in the name of being right catholicity takes a back seat. Of course, there are several first order doctrines that must be preserved and be the basis of our unity and fellowship with one another. These are doctrines that are as black and white as the words and pages in our Bibles (The virgin birth; the deity of Christ; the Triune nature of God; and the sanctity of human life) just to name a few.

But what about the gray? These spaces can be fertile soil to grow in fellowship and love for one another but often become the places we draw divisive lines and choose to make war against each other. And for what?

Nobody is going to get everything right all the time. As the church, our aim is not to be right on all things, in all the times. Rather, the Bible calls us to three pursuits of greater value.

Renewal 

First, the Scriptures call for renewal (Romans 12:1), and that comes with rewiring the way we think about everything in life. This is a life-long process that involves learning and working out our salvation in a way that looks more like the image of the Son (Philippians 2:12). When the body of Christ begins to buy into labels and categories of thought produced by the media and culture and adopt them as theological dogmas, it stunts our growth “to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). Labels, and the creeds that come with them, are another way of abandoning the pursuit of being transformed by the renewal of the mind. Labels have too long held the church captive by their vain philosophies and empty deceit (Colossians 2:8). Neither labels nor worldly ideologies require renewal or transformation. None of them require humility. And none of them bring life. They simply offer an unbalanced formula to conform to that creates a deeper divide within the church, as well as the culture at large.

We should embrace the possibility of being wrong and renewed rather than continue to pursue being “right” and wither away. We should embrace the doctrine of human fallibility not only in speech but in practice, as well.  If the church is going to embrace renewal, we must embrace the truth that we, as fallible human beings, will be in constant need of a reformation and renewal by the Spirit and the word of God. Often, saying “I was wrong” is part of that process.

Reasonableness 

Second, Scripture calls for reasonableness. Both James and the Apostle Paul call the churches to let their reasonableness be made known, and that the wisdom from above is both gentle and “open to reason.” (James 3:17; Philippians 4:5). Notice in both passages reasonableness is closely tied to gentleness. Oftentimes a commitment to being right all the time comes at a price, and that price is reasonableness and gentleness. Isolating ourselves in the echo chambers of voices who only say the things we want to hear and what we already believe to be true is the kind of environment where reasonableness inevitably dies. When any outside voice attempts to speak, it is considered foreign and threatening to the world that we have created and boxed ourselves into.

Living and camping out in our theological and political echo chambers causes our hearts and minds to become something different than what God has intended for His people. To borrow from C.S. Lewis, it will become, “safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will become unbreakable, impenetrable, and irredeemable.” This, of course, is in stark contrast to the heart being like a stream of water in the hand of the Lord (Proverbs 21:1).

Reconciliation 

Finally, the Bible calls for reconciliation. First to God, and then to one another. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18) Paul is saying that reconciliation belongs to the church. Notice, “And gave us the ministry of reconciliation…” This is not an optional ministry but a task given by Christ to His church as part of fulfilling the great commission.  To forsake the ministry of reconciliation that God has entrusted us is to bury the talent in the ground, only to return it to the Master on the last day the way he gave it to us, with no fruitful return (Matthew 25:24-25). There is no small need for this ministry today as our culture continues to splinter and fraction in a billion pieces.

People need to know that the gap they feel between a righteous God and the guilt of their conscience has been bridged by the wood and nails that held Jesus down, and an empty tomb that could not contain him. Jesus himself made a way for us to not only get God but to also get along with each other. More than that, He made a way for us to grow with one another so that each member of the body of Christ looks less like each other and more like the Savior. For brothers to dwell in unity, despite differences in non-essential matters.

At the end of the day, I don’t want to be right as much as I want to be renewed, and renewal often comes from the Spirit of God showing us where we were wrong. I don’t want to be known for being right as much as I want to be known for being reasonable and gentle. I don’t want to pursue “rightness” as much as I want to pursue reconciliation and righteousness. Being right, in a human way, is often antithetical to the gospel of salvation which begins with a repentance that says, “I was wrong.”