Bible 101, Question 1: Is the Bible the inspired Word of God? If so, what are the implications for its inerrancy and authority?

How can we know God? 

This question, and the search that often results as people seek to answer it, is at the heart of what it means to be human. It’s one of the things that distinguishes us from animal life. From Aztec ruins to the buried city of Pompeii to ancient China, archaeologists unearth so many religious artifacts that an entire field of study has resulted.

People’s answers to this question have varied widely: polytheistic societies with their competing deities vying for power or sharing tenuous alliances; pantheism which sees everything as divine; deism which envisions a creator distant from everyday life; monotheism which holds firmly to the idea that there is only one God. Whatever the answer people give, archaeological research consistently finds some attempt to connect to God everywhere on the earth. To be human is to some way, somehow relate to something beyond ourselves. The question of the existence of God thus seems to be the default position of humanity; it’s what we assume by instinct. Given that assumption, then, where does the Bible fit in?

Scottish theologian Hugh Ross Mackintosh put it this way: “A religious knowledge of God, wherever existing, comes by revelation; otherwise we should be committed to the incredible position that a man can know God without His willing to be known.” (McGrath, 153). Christians through the ages claim that God reveals Himself through the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. Other religious texts also claim to be the revelation of God; it is not my purpose here to evaluate those claims. Instead, we will take up the question of Biblical revelation. Is the Bible the inspired word of God?

What do we mean by inspiration?

To say the Bible is the inspired word of God is to make the claim that God is the ultimate author of Scripture. The Holman Bible Handbook puts it this way: “By inspiration we mean the Holy Spirit’s activity of directing and guiding the writers of Scripture so that what they wrote was actually the Word of God or was just what God wanted recorded….it preserved or recorded what God had revealed so that the resulting document carried the same authority and effect as if God Himself were speaking directly.” (Dockery, 7).

That’s a big claim. It’s easy to understand why many people assume that this is a claim that must be taken by faith alone. Indeed, Scripture itself alludes to the idea: “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). And yet as I shared in my first post of this series, that simple faith is not my story. I required more evidence, the “doubting Rosa” that I am. So what convinced me?

Evidence of Inspiration

Before assessing the inspiration of the Bible, I wanted to be sure that the text we have is accurate. Does it say what the authors originally wrote down? According to Bible.org, there are three main tests of Biblical accuracy: Bibliographic (the quantity and quality of the manuscripts); external; and internal. Each of these tests provide layers of evidence that we can use to determine whether the Biblical text is accurate – something that for me was a pre-requisite to believing it truly is the inspired word of God. (Note: For purposes of this question we will focus on the Old and New testaments. The Apocryphal writings will be considered separately when we discuss the canon of Scripture.)

Bibliographic Evidence

First, let’s clear up a common misunderstanding: There is no single “original Bible” that is held in protective status anywhere. The 66 books were written separately over a period of thousands of years, by multiple authors, in a variety of cultural and political settings. As with any ancient texts, what we have are copies. Bibliographic evidence examines what we know about those copies.

Old Testament. Time has taken its toll on the Hebrew manuscripts. The temple, where many of the scrolls were stored, was destroyed twice, first in 586 BC by the Babylonians and then in 70 AD by the Romans. The surviving scrolls were traditionally buried by scribes when they became too worn. However according to Bible.org, there are six major sources of Old Testament texts:

•          Masoretic Text – Jews standardized all their various Hebrew texts into the MT by the sixth century A.D. and, apparently, eliminated texts that deviated from this standard.
•          Septuagint – In the third century BC, the Hebrew text was translated into Greek by Jewish scholars in Egypt. This Greek translation is used extensively in the New Testament. Although a translation, there is no significant difference to the known Hebrew texts, and no differences that affect any major doctrinal issue. For example, there is a different order of passages in the Hebrew and Greek versions of Jeremiah; however, there is no difference in the prophetic content of that book. 
•          Dead Sea Scrolls – These scrolls contain some of the oldest-known transcripts of the Old Testament books. Most are in Hebrew, with about 15% in Aramaic or Greek. Partial or complete copies of every Old Testament book, with the exception of Esther, are included in these scrolls.
•          Samaritan Pentateuch – A paraphrase of the first five books of the Old Testament written in the Samaritan alphabet. Translations of this work exist in Greek, Arabic, and Aramaic.
•          Targum – A paraphrase of the Old Testament in Aramaic, commonly used in synagogues.
•          Talmud – Jewish teachings and commentaries on the Hebrew scriptures, which often include the text of the Scripture being discussed.

Despite the lack of copies of the Old Testament, the reliability of the existing copies is excellent. We can thank Jewish scribes for this, because they were vigilant in accuracy. They would destroy any copy that included a single mistake. It’s hard to over-emphasize the care they took; according to Bible.org:  “The number of letters, words, and lines were counted, and the middle letters of the Pentateuch and the Old Testament were determined. If a single mistake was discovered, the entire manuscript would be destroyed.”

In 1947, the Old Testament text got a major test: The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered at Qumran. These scrolls are about 1000 years older than the Masoretic Text, the standard text of Jewish scholars. What differences would show up in those 1000 years? Well, the surprising answer (for many) is – not much! There are a few textual differences, but most simply affect spelling and style. You can get a sense of the type of differences by looking at the plain text of the U.S. Constitution and then compare it to the copy housed at the National Archives. While there are some differences in style, there is absolutely no difference in meaning.

So with that brief overview, what is your conclusion about the bibliographic evidence that the Old Testament in your Bible is accurate? For me, I’m convinced. The level of care taken by Jewish scribes, the consistency between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the copies of the texts 1000 years later, the wide use of the Septuagint throughout the Roman Empire and in the New Testament quotations from the Old Testament, and the supplemental Jewish writings which include passages from the various Old Testament books, all support the conclusion that the Old Testament texts are accurate. What we have in those first 39 books of our Bible is what the authors wrote down.

New Testament. What about the New Testament? First, we have many, many more copies of the New Testament manuscripts – literally thousands. The earliest of these copies date to just within a few years of the events they occur – early enough that eyewitnesses would still be alive to challenge any false statements. Often scribes would copy texts that were read aloud, so there are more variants than in the existing Old Testament documents – but again, no major doctrines are affected. Because of these variants, scholars are able to compare documents and make decisions that affect translations – something we will discuss when we get to question three, “Which version should I read?” Bible.org gives the mind-blowing conclusion about the New Testament copies: “The New Testament can be regarded as 99.5 percent pure, and the correct readings for the remaining 0.5 percent can often be ascertained with a fair degree of probability by the practice of textual criticism.”

By comparison, check out this chart from the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry that compares ancient Greek texts by number of copies and reliability of content. The 5600 copies of the New Testament have a 99.5% accuracy rating – they are consistent with each other 99.5% of the time. By comparison, Homer’s Iliad has 643 known copies and boasts a 95% accuracy rating. Did you read Homer in college like me? If so, do you recall your professor even raising the question of the authenticity of the text? Me either. Yet the accuracy of the New Testament surpasses even that.  

Furthermore, the New Testament was written by individuals who either walked with Jesus while on earth, or in the case of Paul, encountered the resurrected Lord in a dramatic fashion. They did not keep their writings secret; anyone was free to challenge their statements. This is an incredible level of transparency that, in my opinion, reflects an underlying confidence in their message.

So what’s your conclusion about the New Testament? Personally, I’m sold on its accuracy. We have far too many consistent copies, some of which are incredibly close to the date of the original, and the books were by and large written so quickly after Jesus walked the earth, that to conclude anything short of accuracy would require a logical leap. I’m convinced that what we have in its pages is what the authors wrote in these 27 books.

External Evidence

Assessing the inspiration of the Bible includes not only being sure that the text we have is accurately what was originally written. If the Bible is truly inspired by God, we can expect that it will be factually accurate as well. There is a vast body of literature on this subject, far more than I can easily summarize. However, I can note that there are some general categories of facts that can be researched and a vast number of scholars who do just that. I’m including a basic bibliography if you are interested in studying these areas further. One general principle to note: Watch out for skeptics who argue from silence. Many of the discoveries that prove Biblical facts right were unknown a century ago, leading to a lot of doubt about the Bible. Time and better research skills have changed that and revealed the accuracy of facts that previously were questioned or dismissed altogether.

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•           Historical: From the earliest years after Jesus walked the earth, Roman writings referred to Him and some others from the New Testament, including John the Baptist, by name. Josephus is a must-read for any serious historical scholar. He was not a Christian but was a Jew who first fought against, then worked for the Roman government. Other historical sources include Tactitus and other Roman historians. With regard to the Old Testament, a number of writings make reference to rulers and events included in those books; Eugene Merrill’s An Historical Survey of the Old Testament provides an excellent overview.
•          Archaeological: Archaeologists continually unearth new items in ongoing digs. Much of it is discounted as inauthentic or meaningless; however, there have been some significant discoveries. One of my favorite stories is the walls of Jericho. Long thought to be a Biblical “problem”, recent research has proven every bit of the story accurate. Excavations not only showed that the walls did, in fact, collapse to the ground, but the researchers also found a section of wall uncollapsed with houses tucked safely against an embankment – providing consistency with God’s promise to protect Rahab’s family. Furthermore, the rubble fell in such a way that it would be easily scalable by the Israelites to enter and take the city.  Dr. David Graves’ Biblical Archaeology: An Introduction is a great starting point in this area.
•          Scientific: The Bible never claims to be a textbook on science; however, it does reflect a consistency with scientific discoveries that one would expect from a book inspired by the Creator of the universe. Not only does it hint at facts that would not be discovered for thousands of years after the writing, but it also avoids some of common scientific errors of its time.   

Internal

The strong bibliographic and external evidence give assurance that the Biblical text is accurate in what it says. With confidence in the books, we can begin to examine the internal evidence. What do we see in the text itself that points toward inspiration?

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•            Authorship. 40 men over 1000+ years wrote 66 books. Overwhelmingly these individuals did not know each other, especially the Old Testament writers, though of course there are exceptions. Yet there is an internal cohesion to the books, with themes that run through the entire Bible. Some of the authors reference other books, such as when Daniel refers to reading Jeremiah, indicating an acceptance of other works as authoritative. Despite the differences in time, location, style, genre, and language, the Bible has a “built in redundancy” about all significant doctrines.    
•           Eyewitnesses. The Bible includes a number of eyewitness accounts. Indeed, “eyewitness” is an important element throughout the entire New Testament (see John 19:35; 21:24; 1 John 1:1-3; 2 Peter 1:16).  These men wrote very close to the time of the events and maintained their testimony through persecution and martyrdom.
•           Internal claims of inspiration. The Bible itself claims to be inspired. Short of discarding the text as inauthentic – something our research to this point makes it impossible to do with intellectual integrity – we are confronted with these claims. Phrases like “The word of the Lord came to…”; “Thus saith the Lord”; “by the authority of the Lord Jesus”; “God said”; and more pepper the entire Bible. The New Testament upholds the inspiration of the Old Testament in passages such as these:

o   2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;  that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." “Inspired” literally means “God-breathed”.

o   2 Peter 1:21, "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

o   Hebrews 1:1-2: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

The argument from Scripture itself that it is inspired is undeniable. Faced with the bibliographic, external, and internal evidence, we are left with one conclusion: The Bible is comprised of accurate texts that claim to be the word of God. What we do with that fact will define our lives.

My study years ago led me to the conclusion that God did, indeed, choose to reveal Himself through the pages of the Bible. Let me be very clear about biblical revelation. Revelation does not require a recipient. God’s words are true, eternal, written in heaven, and firm whether they fall on receptive ears or not. However, my part is to receive these words not as the words of men, but as the word of God, which is at work in those who believe. When I receive His word in this manner, I will understand its implications in ways I simply cannot if I look at it the same way I look at any other ancient writing.

The Bible is the inspired word of God, without error in the original texts, trustworthy in the content that we have today with minimal variations from those texts. It is God-breathed and authoritative. Its claims lay forth a question that everyone must answer: God has revealed Himself through these words. What then will you do with what He has said?

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Dockery, David. Holman Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, 1992.

McGrath, Alistair. Christian Theology: An Introduction. Fourth edition. Blackwell Publishing, 2007.

Other posts in this series: 

Introduction: Questions Every Christian Should Ask About the Bible

2. What texts should be considered Scripture?

3. Why are there differences in translations?

4. What is the purpose of reading and studying the Bible?

5. How should I approach reading the Bible?

6. What are some basic principles for interpreting Scripture?

7. What role does the Word of God play in my local church? 

Bible 101: Questions Every Christian Should Ask About The Bible

"The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine on the land--not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from border to border searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it." 

(Amos 8:12 NLT)

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.
 (2 Timothy 4:2-3 NLT)

These two prophecies, Old and New Testaments, center on the word of God. 

One foresees a time when people look for a word from God but cannot find it; the other, a time when they don't even look for it. 

One famine came when people repeatedly rejected God's word, so He allowed them to become  hungry for it. He would speak, centuries later, through a Vessel unlike any they had ever heard. The other rejection will come as a result of self-centered thinking. Unlike the days of Amos, there will be no shortage of people claiming to speak the word of God. Instead, the shortage will be of those who want to listen to it.

Among many others, these passages highlight the significant role the word of God has in the life of His people. Yet in my nation, a 2012 study showed that among churchgoers, only 19% read the Bible daily. Let that sink in. This was not a study of professing Christians, but of regular churchgoers - individuals committed enough to their faith to carve out time each week to gather with other believers. Since the US has a literacy rate of 99%, we can assume that lack of ability is not the issue. And since 88% of American homes own a Bible, we can rule out lack of access. 

So what is the disconnect between the presence of the word of God in our homes and the lack of its presence in our daily priorities? More broadly, what role should the Bible play outside the walls of our churches?

For many years, you could find me as one of those churchgoers who rarely picked up the Bible outside of services. Like many in my southern culture, I grew up in church every time the doors were open from infancy until college. Even during college I maintained a very loose affiliation with a local church. At my furthest point away from a relationship with God I still occasionally attended church and was unwittingly drawn to what I was missing. 

For most of those years, my connection with Scripture was even looser than my commitment to church. As a child I would pick it up and read a verse before bed so I could check off the "read Bible daily" box on my Training Union envelope. As a college student and into my 20s, I fell into the trap of many intellectuals, wanting to pick and choose my way through the Bible and explain away things that I found hard to accept. 

Yet something happened that began to transform my life. At my darkest point, God began to show His grace to me. He began to open my heart to have hope for a future that could be different. And in those days, I began to ask some questions about the Bible that I had grown up with, the Bible that had sat on my shelf and traveled with me and silently waited, filled with words I barely knew. 

When I began to pick up the Bible, I didn't do so with any preconceived ideas. I literally started at ground zero: Why should I even believe what's between these pages? Even as I began to read the Bible, I also started researching its claims. Despite growing up in church I didn't have an automatic faith that it was the word of God. Many do, and I don't want to discount the reality of their trust. It just isn't my story. 

My story is one of asking, seeking, and knocking, trying to find out if what I had been taught was true or false. As I came to see the Bible as the word of God, not the words of men, I began a lifelong habit of reading through cover to cover. The first time through my emotions were all over the map as I realized false things I had been taught, saw deep truths for the first time, and came to know a God who loved me enough to send His Son to die for me -- but also loved me enough to meet me where I was. He never shied away from my questions. He never made me feel less of a child because I asked "why" one too many times. Instead, He taught me about Habakkuk, who asked God "why" and got an answer. He showed me Thomas, the Apostle who wouldn't take anyone else's word but had to see for himself. Jesus didn't love him any less than he loved John, who seems to exemplify childlike faith in many ways. Blessed are those who believe without seeing, yes ... but Jesus still loved Thomas enough to let him see. That was Who I met in the pages of the word of God. 

I didn't know at the time God was preparing me to teach His Word. Like Beth Moore says, I think He called me to teach because He knows I have so much to learn. Through teaching, I have learned that most often God calls me to teach lessons only after He has deeply imprinted them on my heart. Over the past few months God has let me see that the process I went through to have this confidence in His word is something that I should share with others. I'm convinced that our faith can stand up to the toughest questions, not because we have perfect faith but because we have a perfect God. He has chosen to reveal Himself generally through creation, and specifically through words. What we do with those words will undoubtedly define our lives, one way or another. 

So, in this series, I will unfold some "big questions" around the Bible. I have asked every one of these and will share with you my conclusions. I feel these are questions many of you have asked. Certainly they are questions worth asking. The list is below if you are looking for a specific topic.

This is not an exhaustive list of questions. The purpose of this series is not to address specific theological debates or cover specific passages, though we will look at some as they relate to the topics at hand. Instead, my goal is to encourage believers about the trustworthiness of Scripture and equip you to study God's word for yourself. I want to fulfill the purpose God intended with this teaching gift, equipping His people to do His work, maturing us so that we aren't easily swayed or influenced by "lies so clever they sound like the truth" (Eph. 4:14 NLT). I want to help the body of Christ grow, healthy and full of love. 

I hope you will join me on this journey. If you have questions to add to the list, message me or put them in the comments. Along the way, if you see anything that contradicts your pastor's teaching please study it for yourself and talk to him about what you learn. Don't just take my word for it. I'm not claiming to be inspired, I'm just sharing what I have learned. I'll be praying for you as I write, and please pray for me as you read!


Questions to cover:

1. Is the Bible the inspired Word of God? If so, what are the implications for its inerrancy and authority?

2. What texts should be considered Scripture?


3. Why are there differences in translations?

4. What is the purpose of reading and studying the Bible?

5. How should I approach reading the Bible?

6. What are some basic principles for interpreting Scripture?

7. What role does the Word of God play in my local church? 

Peace in every way (Ministry in Thessalonians #30)

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. 

- 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

And so it ends.

The journey Paul started with the Thessalonians ended, as far as we know, with these words. We have no recorded evidence of his return. Since Paul himself said that he constantly went to regions where the Gospel was not preached, we can presume that once he taught them the things in these letters he left them in God's hands.

As always, it was enough:

• Peace at all times and in every way from the hand of the God of peace. 
• Assurance of the authenticity of the message. 
• The grace of Christ. 

Paul, never one to simply spiritualize a message, ends with some deeply practical realities. We so often think of peace as something intangible, something deep within while chaos surrounds us. And it is definitely that. But it's also so much more. Steeped in the understanding of the Hebrew shalom (the Greek eirene used here reflects the same concepts) Paul writes of peace that comes at ALL times and in EVERY way.
- Peace in relationships
- Peace at work
- Peace in finances
- Peace between ethnic or cultural groups

The list goes on. "All times" and "every way" includes all this and more. Shalom means not just the absence of conflict, but wholeness. Something tangibly different because of the source of the peace. When the God of peace steps in, everything changes.

Paul has made his love for them evident through these two books. We know he longed to be with them. But the calling kept him moving forward, so he gave them something more than a visit. The blessings of peace and grace. And sandwiched between the blessings, another assurance that they can depend on the Word of God - very important as he pens some of the earliest writings that extended what they knew in the Old Testament into what would become the new. He gave them something to hold on to that would last far after he was with the Lord.

I have the tiniest glimpse of how Paul must have felt writing this benediction. I don't want to let this series go. I love what God taught me through these eight chapters. This study came to me during a season where God unfolded a profound ministry, a long-time dream come true. I pray that I never forget what I've learned.

Any writer becomes intimately connected with his or her work. Coming to the end and hitting the final submit button is a leap of faith. It's no different for me at the end of this series of blogs. For 9 months now I've journeyed through these books, studying them, memorizing them, processing them through miles and miles of walks with our dog, and writing about them. Some of you I know, some of you I won't meet until heaven, but I feel that you've been on this journey with me - even as I realize that most of the reason I write is for my own benefit, because I have so much to learn and this is one way God teaches me.

And yet He calls me forward, already planting in my heart the seeds of my next writing assignment. I hope to see some of you along that journey, but if not I know that I'll see you in heaven. Let's plan a long chat with the Apostle himself and find out what happened to this church long after the ink dried on Paul's quill. Let's get a glimpse of the text and see what his distinguishing mark looked like. More than anything, let's plant our feet in the river flowing from the throne and worship the One who overthrows evil incarnate by the very breath of his mouth and whose coming with be so resplendent that evil is destroyed.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. May you experience peace at all times and in every way, and a life marked by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Persevering or idle? (Ministry in Thessalonians #29)

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you we gave this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." We have heard that some among you are idle. They are not busy, they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.

 

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

- 2 Thessalonians 3:7-15

My mom is a wonderful, sensitive person with a tender heart. It is very easy to hurt her feelings, but as her daughter I found that she rarely got mad at me. Disappointed, yes, Hurt, yes. Angry - so rarely that every time stands out in vivid detail.

One of those few times was during high school. With my newfound freedom of "open lunch period" I enjoyed going off campus with my friends for an hour. In our small town every eating place was within driving or walking distance so we had a variety of options (okay ... 4). One day my mom, hoping to get to know my new high school friends and be part of my world, surprised me at lunch. After we ate she drove us back to school and that's when it happened. In the parking lot of the drive-in, my friends and I made fun of another student.

My mom did not for one second wait until I got home to deal with that. She slammed on the brakes, turned around in her driver's seat, and gave me "what-for" -- something every Southern girl does not want to get! She made clear what she was most angry about: "You know I raised you better than that."

And she had. Every bit of tolerance and respect for humanity that I have I first learned from my parents, whose disabilities had made them sensitive to other differences in a way that many of their generation learned much later. Behind her anger was disappointment and a great deal of love for the person she hoped I would become. I resolved that day to live up to her example.

Paul's words in this passage remind me of my mom. Not that he is angry - but he is very direct in dealing with idleness. He essentially tells the Thessalonians, "You know we raised you better than that." Paul and his team had set a model of hard work and perseverance. His example gave him the authority to give them "what-for" over being idle.

Paul's prayer immediately before this passage included asking God to fill their hearts with "Christ's perseverance". This extended section on idleness is a contrast to what Christ's perseverance looks like. His admonition to them to "never tire of doing what is right" underscores the contrast.

We tend to think of perseverance in primarily spiritual terms, and it is definitely a spiritual act. But it plays out in lots of practical ways as well. Think of everything you know about the character of Christ. Do you think His perseverance only applied to the cross or to his ministry? Didn't it take perseverance to keep walking in the dust around Israel? What about perseverance to get up early after a late night of ministry? And what about all those years as a carpenter - don't you think he was a hard and diligent worker? We all know from experience that it takes perseverance to give a full, hard day's work.

Just as Christ's perseverance should play out in our lives in both spiritual and practical ways, idleness cuts both ways as well. Someone who is lazy tends to be lazy in more than one area. Physical laziness breeds intellectual laziness - hence the term "couch potato" for those who sit, eat, and watch TV. Emotional laziness is a temptation for anyone in any kind of relationship. It's easy for spiritual laziness to follow any of these types of laziness.

The great and beautiful news of grace is that we never stop having chances to turn things around. Filled with God's love and Christ's perseverance (v. 5), we are empowered to "never tire of doing what is right" (v. 13). As we start in one area, we will see benefits spread to other areas. Personally I know that when I am faithful in my quiet time and Bible study, it becomes easier for me to eat right. When I eat right, I am more consistent in exercise. When I exercise, I have more energy to take care of my home and do a good job at work. The perseverance of Christ works it way into every aspect of my life, pushing out idleness.

Certainly there is a need to balance our lives, which is why God gives us the principle of Sabbath and blesses our times of rest. But Paul rightly identifies a temptation that often can come as we embrace the hope of heaven which filled 1 Thessalonians. He admonishes them that being heavenly minded should result in earthly good. We should fill our days and hours with things that matter, that are eternally good and practically important. Then when the times of rest come, we can enter in fully, knowing that we followed the good example of those who went before us. Rather than getting "what-for" we will hear, "well done".

Strengthened and protected by the word of God (Ministry in Thessalonians #28)

Finally brothers, pray for us, that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

- 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 

Over the years I have learned so much from Paul's prayers. I love the theology tucked into these passages, often overlooked at the beginning and end of his books. I also love the permission some of these prayers give to ask God for big things! This passage is one of the most specific prayers, and it is rich with meaning.

The humility of Paul and his team is such a lesson for all of us. Despite being the "apostle to the Gentiles", who planted this church and left after only 3 weeks, Paul asks THEM for prayer. Think back to the early years of your walk with the Lord. Imagine one or two years in getting a letter from someone who was instrumental in leading you to the Lord - asking you to pray for him or her! What an encouragement that would be to your faith, to be entrusted to pray for someone you loved and respected so much.

But what is truly amazing is what he asks them to pray.
   - That the message they proclaim would spread rapidly and be honored
   - That they would be delivered from wicked and evil men

This is a Gospel-centered prayer request! Paul wants others to receive the message of the Lord as the word of God, not the word of man - just as the Thessalonians did (1 Thess. 2:13). As the team moves forward in proclaiming that message, Paul asks prayer for deliverance from "wicked and evil men". There are those who intentionally oppose the Gospel's advance, and Paul wanted to be delivered from them -- not for his own comfort, but so the message could continue. This prayer provides biblical permission to pray for deliverance of those who are imprisoned or otherwise persecuted for their faith!

Ever the pastor, Paul then reassures them -- God is faithful and will strengthen and protect YOU. He draws an important distinction - while they pray that they "may" be delivered from evil men ... he is certain of God's protection from "the evil one". What a beautiful reminder tucked into this prayer that even when men on the earthly level "succeed", God still ultimately protects from the evil one. Satan wants to steal our faith. God promises to protect us from his ultimate goal.

How does that strengthening and protection work? I see a key in the very next verse. While it seems to break the flow of the prayer, it is really an important part of it. Paul is certain that the Thessalonians are doing "the things we command" -- standing firm on their teachings which were the very words of God. As we hold on to the word of God and doing what it says, our faith grows - because "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God" (Romans 10:17). As our faith grows, we are strengthened and protected from Satan's schemes. It's a beautiful way that we can be part of what God is doing in our own hearts!

And our hearts - that's the focus on the end of Paul's prayer. He prays for their hearts to be directed - the word refers to all hindrances being removed - into two things: God's love and Christ's perseverance. Knowing God's love assures us that everything in His Word is for our GOOD. And while scholars debate whether the final phrase should read "Christ's perseverance" or "the perseverance of Christ" the point is clear: Jesus fully obeyed God, and by His empowerment we can do so as well. Continue to obey the clear commands of Scripture is only possible with His perseverance.

As we look at this passage and the previous one from a ministry perspective, one thing stands out clearly to me: The word of God must be central in our lives and worship. We must know it, read it, study it, meditate on it, memorize it, teach it, proclaim it, hear it read ... in every way, the strength of the church and individual believers depends on the place we give the word of God. If those we minister to lack assurance of its accuracy, inerrancy, and authority, some apologetic teaching might be in order, because the minimization of God's word has led to errors more numerous to count. Once we establish the Bible as the word of God, then we should proclaim it fully in every way we can. It will make every difference in the world!

Stand firm! (Ministry in Thessalonians, #27)

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our Gospel, so that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 1:13-18) 

One of the beautiful things about Scripture is that the Author doesn't leave us hopeless. He balances hard truths such as those in the previous verses with passages filled with encouragement and purpose.

In this passage, Paul highlights the "how" of the Thessalonians' salvation:
- The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit
- Belief in the truth
- through the proclamation of the Gospel

They were saved not by a mere set of facts, nor by any works of their own. Instead, God's men shared God's message, and the Thessalonians believed it. The Holy Spirit came into their hearts and began a transforming, sanctifying work. And that sanctifying work occurred as the believers held on to the word of God - the teachings passed on by the very apostles who brought the message to them. He charges them - and by extension, us - to stand firm - in contrast to those just mentioned in the previous verses who refused to love and believe the truth, delighted in wickedness, believed a lie, and were deceived by evil.

How do we stand firm? By holding to the teachings passed on by the apostles! Remember that Paul was writing this as one of the earliest books of the New Testament to be penned. The early church had the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), stories passed on by those who knew Jesus, and the few books that were written to this point. The "teachings passed on whether by word of mouth or by letter" incorporates all that was taught under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In John 17:20, Jesus extends His beautiful prayer beyond His immediate apostles to all those who would believe because of their words:

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message

In replacing Judas with Matthias in Acts 1, we learn that the criteria for apostleship was witnessing the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22). Here is the apostolic authority laid out in Scripture: Those who were direct witnesses of the resurrected Christ recorded what He taught them, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and those writings became the New Testament. They became the "teachings passed on". They became the truths we are commanded to hold on to (and they point back to the Old Testament, reaffirming its role as authoritative in the church as well).

So Paul is telling the church in Thessalonica: "God called you through our words, saved you through your belief in the truth and through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and now teaches you through our words - so hold on to them. He's given you encouragement and hope that is eternal - beyond your circumstances. So just do and say what is right."

That's where the hope comes in! God gave us encouragement and hope, so that we can be encouraged and strengthened for doing and speaking what is right. But that hope isn't just a good feeling. It's not positive thinking. It's firmly rooted and grounded in the word of God. It looks a lot like this:

"I'm facing the temptation to compromise at work right now, by inflating my numbers. But God's Word tells me that God hates dishonest weights and measures, and tells me to be honest in all things. He tells me that He establishes the work of my hands. So I am going to trust Him and do what is right."

"Our finances are really tight, so we don't have extra money right now for anything. But that single mom in our church doesn't have enough money to buy food. Scripture tells us to always be ready to meet immediate needs and that we should always be ready to do good especially within the church. He also promises to provide for our needs. So we are going to trust Him and open our hands to her, by having a meatless week and giving the difference to help her with her financial needs."

The examples are endless but the principle is the same -- when faced with a specific situation, we find something in God's Word that speaks to that situation, and we believe what God says and act or speak accordingly.

We are given hope and eternal encouragement. But we won't find any of it apart from the Word of God. As Christians who want to stand firm, we must make Scripture central to our daily lives and to our churches. We must be sure that our belief in its accuracy and inerrancy is firmly grounded, then hold on to it (all of it) with all we have. It's the only way to stand firm.

Known by love

See their faces. Read their stories. Feel the pain of their loved ones. This is beyond senseless. It's an obvious act of hatred, but it's more than that. It's an attack from Satan. An attack inside the doors of the church by someone who, for an hour at least, tried to act like he belonged there. Amid all the necessary discussion about race, don't miss this profound truth: THEY TOOK HIM IN. This young white man walked into a church full of African-Americans, in a city in the deep South, and was welcomed. He wanted to sit by the pastor, and the pastor didn't turn him away. They weren't afraid of his differences. To the end, they modeled Jesus' intention that disciples are known by their love.

And then he killed 9 of them.

The devil may have laughed, but don't think for a minute that he won. He didn't. Jesus said, "On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18). The language is active, speaking of a church moving forward to attack hell itself. That means when we are fighting the right battles, we get close to the gates of hell, and the fires might singe us. But Jesus promises victory is certain.

This church's love was evident to the end. Love won the victory. It didn't die with them. The gates of hell did not prevail. That's the all-important religious aspect to this story, something we all should remember.

Loving the Truth (Ministry in Thessalonians, #26)

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you brothers not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report, or letter supposed to have come from us saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man who is doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself above everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming Himself to be God.

Don't  you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back so that he can be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming. 

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan, displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

I've decided that 2 Thessalonians puts to rest any idea of agnosticism. In Paul's theology, there is simply no room for the malaise of apathy. We either love the truth, or we refuse to do so. We either believe the truth or we delight in wickedness. 

Like many of you these words grate against my desire and even, in some ways, my experience. I want to believe that there was a time when I hadn't yet embraced truth, but I didn't really delight in wickedness. I wasn't really all that bad, right? 

Yet apart from the redemptive, transforming power of Christ, the human heart is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). And I know I was guilty of things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19), things like pride, deception, causing division. And those are just the things I'm willing to post publicly! 

Through the pen of Paul, the Holy Spirit doesn't allow me the easy way out that universalism offers. Instead, I am pressed to ask the hard question: How much do I love the truth? Because what this passage teaches is not easy, but it is simple: If anyone wants to believe a lie, God lets them. 

To Paul, salvation is more than praying a prayer or checking off doctrinal beliefs. It's a direction of the heart characterized by LOVING and BELIEVING the truth. The opposite of this is not merely believing a lie, being shrouded in a false belief system against your will. No, the opposite of this is REFUSING to love the truth and DELIGHTING in wickedness. 

Wickedness isn't necessarily blatant, dark evil. The word simply means injustice, unrighteousness, whatever is morally wrong as defined by God's law. Certainly we all fall short - that's what the word "sin" means - but Paul tells us that those who are condemned actually delight in wickedness. They take joy in it. Like the Israelites in the time of the Judges, they call what is evil, good. And by taking truth and refusing to love it, they essentially say that what is good, is evil. 

There is no question this is a hard word from Paul - and yet we must remember, looking at this from a ministry perspective, that he wrote this to ENCOURAGE the church. In the next section he will turn his attention toward encouraging them to hold on to the word of God. But first, he lays groundwork of how important it is for them to not take that word lightly. They are to LOVE it. And when they do, they can have assurance of their salvation.

I see something else encouraging tucked into these words. I see a hint that God looks at the heart of those who might not know the full truth, to see if they are loving the truth they do have. Do they love the truth of God revealed in nature? Do they love the truth they've picked up along the way? Are they prepared to love the full revelation of all God is for us in Christ when they are told of the Gospel message? For those individuals who reject wickedness and love truth, I see a hint of God's words to Ezekiel concerned the shepherds who were leading Israel astray with false teachings:

Ezekiel 34:10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

I've read plenty of miraculous stories of people seeing crosses, hearing words, having visions of Jesus, being told to go some place where a missionary had also been told to go, neither knowing who they would be meeting. We know Jesus said no one can come unless God's Spirit draws him. He draws with the truth. As people see and respond positively to the truth, He gives them more truth ... and more truth ... and more truth ... because they love it. Because they believe it. Because he wants no one to perish. 

And how does He do that? Through His church. Through each and every believer and community of believers. 

Does this passage trouble you? Do you hate to think of anyone perishing? Rejoice, dear friend.  You share the heart of God, who doesn't want anyone to perish. He won't force the affections of the heart. He'll take every inkling that someone loves truth and nourish it with more. And He wants to use you in the process.

Don't let Paul's words confuse you. Let them energize you to find those He wants you to share with, so you can love the truth together.  

While you're waiting (Ministry in Thessalonians #25)

All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

- 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12

A theme throughout 1 & 2 Thessalonians is the second coming of Christ. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul teaches about the second coming and ends each chapter with an encouragement based on our hope in Christ's certain return. In 2 Thessalonians the emphasis shifts somewhat. Paul enhances the teaching on the second coming with details about what will happen and how not to be deceived by false claims of a secret return. However, he also addresses something very significant: What to do while you're waiting.

We all hate to wait. I personally rarely go anywhere that might result in a wait without a good magazine or book. Anyone who's walked with the Lord very long knows that the times He asks us to wait on an answer to prayer are much harder than hearing "no" when we longed for "yes". Our human brain tends to only focus well on one thing, and so when something is heavily on our mind, we can neglect other things that are equally true and important. Anyone who has nursed a loved one through an extended hospital stay knows the truth of that principle.

Paul doesn't shy away from the hard truth about the judgment associated with Christ's return. While it will be a happy "meeting in the air" for those in Christ (see 1 Thessalonians 4), it will be a time of punishment for those who don't know God or obey the gospel of Christ. This judgment is also associated with validation of the faith of those who had been persecuted throughout the centuries. God is just, even if that justice did not play out in their lifetimes.

Yet Paul doesn't just use this reminder of Christ's return and teaching on the coming judgment of their persecutors to turn the Thessalonians attention heavenward. Throughout the book of 2 Thessalonians we have every reason to believe that they didn't have any trouble at all focusing on the Second Coming. In fact, many scholars believe they focused on it a bit too much - being anxious about whether they had missed it (chapter 2) and not working in order to wait for His return (chapter 3). Paul's prayer for them here sets a tone for the book: Here's how to live while you're waiting on Christ's return. What can we learn from this prayer?

• Christ's return should motivate us. Paul prays "with all this in mind". What is "all this"? The coming judgment upon Christ's return and the result of the day He comes: He will be glorified in His holy people, and marveled at among all those who have believed. He will be glorified in our lives, made holy by His grace, and we will be marveling at Him. At His beauty, at His perfection, at His power, at Him in every way. 
• The One who calls us is the One who counts us worthy of the call. Let's be honest. NONE of us are worthy of our calling. However, through prayer He causes us to become who He calls us to be. The beautiful thing about it is that the new heart He puts within us makes us want to cooperate with the lessons along the way. I call this my "Princess Diaries" analogy. Have you seen it? In the movie, Mia is a homely, awkward teenager who suddenly discovers that she is really a princess - her grandmother is the queen of Genovia (played perfectly by Julie Andrews). Grandma wants to give Mia the chance to decide whether to pursue her heritage as princess and future queen, or to reject the opportunity. Much of the movie consists of Mia's efforts to be transformed from a nerdy young woman into a princess. Sometimes the efforts are humorous, as when Mia trips and falters in her evening attire. Other times they are sad, as when she embarrasses herself at a dinner party by setting the ambassador's sleeve on fire. And occasionally they are dramatic - when Mia's classmates see her new hair for the first time, they are truly amazed at the transformation. Through it all, Grandma encourages Mia that the Princess Lessons are really all about helping her "become who you are" -- and she reminds her that even if she rejects the heritage of becoming Queen, "you cannot reject who you are". That's true of our calling. Romans 11:29 says "The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable." We are made worthy of the calling one painstaking lesson at a time. Like Mia, we sometimes have humorous results, other times sad and embarassing -- and occasionally dramatic. Always we can see the results more clearly from a long, reflective view than we can in the midst of the day-to-day struggles. And if we throw in the towel for a while, we can never reject who we are -- the Holy Spirit won't let us be happy until we take up the lessons once again.
• He fulfills our good purposes and faith-prompted actions by His power. This verse has been so liberating to me! Have you ever felt the paralysis of analysis when it comes to ministry? You sense a call to ministry, a call to look outside yourself in some way. But there are SO many things you could do ... so many things you should do ... so many things that need to be done ... where do you begin? One of the things I've learned over the years and through the Word of God is that we so often underestimate how thoroughly He has redeemed us. He has given us a NEW HEART. He has transformed us! But just as with Peter and Paul, He left our personalities and strengths and interests intact. Paul didn't quit being an intellectual the day he encountered Christ. Peter didn't stop being bold and daring. But they both walked out their ministry filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, with the very personalities and gifts God had put within them. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying we shouldn't pray and seek God for specific guidance, and I'm certainly not advocating an emotion-led life. But what I am saying is that when we sense His call, it's ok to consider what we really have a passion to do and examine it against the word of God. Do you love to cook, and get great joy out of making economical meals? Maybe God would use you in a soup kitchen! Has writing always been part of your life? Consider whether God wants you to encourage others with your words! The possibilities are endless. Rather than do nothing out of fearing a wrong move, see in this passage the freedom that when we move forward in our purposes and faith-filled actions, they are completed not in our strength but by God's power. When you start something that you just can't seem to help getting involved in, and it bears fruit, that's a fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians 1:11!!  Watch for the fruit of the Spirit in the things you are passionate to do - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. "Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:23). 
• The purpose is always God's glory. He is glorified in us by grace alone. Don't be confused by Paul's phrase "and you in Him." To be "glorified" means to be given an accurate weight or measure, to be shown truly for what a thing is. Through our actions God is revealed to the world as who He truly is. And through Him, we come to see who we truly are. Biblically, one reason for the delayed return of Christ is that all the world has not yet seen His glory through His people - they haven't heard the message preached and seen it lived out. The longed-for return can only be hastened in one way: As we move toward the fulfillment of the prophecy that every tribe, tongue, and nation will be represented around the throne (Rev. 7:9). 

Biblical waiting is never passive. He is always working in us, whether we are waiting on answered prayers or on the return of Christ. Meanwhile, He has a ministry for us to be involved in ... while we're waiting.

"Therefore ... we boast" (Ministry in Thessalonians, #24)

Paul, Silas, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 

Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 

- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 

As we turn the page to Second Thessalonians, we don't find a radically different church. Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians starts much as the first one did, and continues the attitude of thanksgiving for their faith and love. Not only did the enemy not steal their faith and make the efforts meaningless - he completely lost the battle as well as the war. The church became deeply rooted.

And Paul was like any proud parent -- he told others about his beloved child, in this case, an amazing young church.

As Christians, we know that "pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). We understand that we are not to boast in our own works (1 Corinthians 1:29) and that all boasting is to be in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). And yet, seemingly paradoxically we are told that we should "outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10) and we see examples throughout the epistles of Paul showing honor to a Christian or church, often as an example or encouragement for others.

So how do the two connect? What can we glean from Paul boasting about this church?

• It's ok to say positive things about others - and let them know it. Paul didn't seem to spend any energy worrying that if the church knew he was talking about them they would get, in my best Texas parlance, "the big head". Have you ever had a relationship where you felt unappreciated or constantly criticized, and yet others said "She always speaks so highly of you"? What is your thought? If you're like me, it's probably along the lines of, "Well I sure wish she'd tell me so." People need to know when they are getting it right, when they are being a blessing, when they are valued and appreciated. The more the relationship is one of authority (such as parent-child, teacher-student, pastor-congregation), the more important it is that the person in authority take the time to reinforce positive lessons with specific, verbal appreciation. This isn't just basic human nature; we see this in Paul's example throughout Scripture. We don't have to be scared to honor people who are living out Biblical truths in the real world. 
• Context matters. Paul shares that he boasts "among God's churches." He doesn't try to convince the world or the Roman government of this awesome church. He boasts to those who will understand the context and be encouraged by the example. This doesn't mean that it is wrong to speak of the good a church is doing when talking to a city council considering a restrictive sign ordinance, for example -- but it does mean that we have to realize the audience and that the boasting will be most effective when the context is grasped by fellow believers. 
• Biblical boasting is specific enough to take away encouragement and examples. Paul specifically boasts about their perseverance and faith in the midst of persecution. The likely result of this, on the part of the listeners, is a realization that they too could endure trials, in the same way the church at Thessalonica did. Decades after this book, Peter would write, encouraging believers to resist Satan and stand firm "because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (1 Peter 5:9).
• Biblical boasting doesn't take from God's glory, it elevates it. Paul would later write to Ephesians that God reveals His wisdom in the heavenly realm through the church. That's us, with all our faults. God is glorified in our weaknesses and frailties. He is also glorified in our progress. When read in context, we see Paul's constant connection back to God: 
• The church is "in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v 1)
• They receive grace and peace "from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v 2)
• Paul's prayers "thank God for you...because your faith is growing" (v 3)
• The boasting occurs "among God's churches" (v 4)
• As we will see in the next segment (v 5), their perseverance is "evidence that God's judgment is right."
• We are part of a larger story. "God's churches" that heard of Thessalonica were part of what God was doing as well. Thessalonica, a relatively new, small, early church, needed to know they also weren't alone. By sharing the stories, each of the churches make a connection that brought them into the bigger picture of what God was doing. 

When blood-bought, Spirit-filled, Word-bathed Christians are growing, others have much to learn and be encouraged by. Paul's example tells us that we don't have to be afraid to tell their stories - and we have much to learn from listening to others' stories as well. Most of us aren't church planters, going around with easy access from church to church to tell others' stories. So what are some ways we can connect to the bigger story?

• Read Christian biographies. There is something profoundly moving about reading stories of Christians gone before. I always feel like I'm extending the list of Hebrews 11. We have much to learn from people who lived in different times and places. While they certainly have their biases, as we do, and while we do not elevate their lifestyles to the commands to Scripture - we can be deeply impacted by seeing how the scarlet thread of faith extends through the centuries and across the miles. Not sure where to start? Check out Goodreads' list of Christian biographies and pick one that sounds good to you!
• Read missionary stories. Certainly missionary biographies are a great place to start, but sign up for missionary newsletters or read those your church provides. Find out what God is doing TODAY in places you've never heard of. 
• Learn about the persecuted church. Sign up for newsletters from www.opendoorsusa.org and start reading. You'll be blown away by the faithfulness and endurance of believers around the world.
• Learn about the churches in your city. Pray for other churches and pay attention to what God is doing in them. When you see a Vacation Bible School sign, pray for that church. When you meet a believer who attends another church, ask what God is doing there. See yourself not just as "a member of X church" but as "part of the church in (my city)".
• Don't be afraid to talk about what you see in others. Do some Biblical boasting, especially if you are in ministry! Share what God is doing in your group, and tell them about it. Even if you're not in ministry, talk about the amazing testimony of your worship leader, or the way God uses your pastor's words in your life. Then tell that person directly. Encouragement works both ways!
  

God is doing some amazing things throughout the world through the most unlikely vessels -- US. Let's bring Him glory by sharing those stories. He is worthy ... therefore, we boast.

"Brothers, Pray for Us" (Ministry in Thessalonians #23)

"Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." 

- 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28

It takes a lot of humility to ask for prayer, especially from someone younger in the Lord.

Although Paul was a church planter and missionary, and never lost sight of his responsibility before the Lord for those he served, his conclusion here is a beautiful example of humility. He sees the Thessalonians as brothers, and asks for their prayers.

If you are in ministry, hear in this the challenge to ask for prayer from others. Who is praying for you as you preach, teach, evangelize, minister a cup of cold water in His name? Build a prayer team and keep them informed with how to pray for you!


This example of humility is a dual reminder: In any ministry situation we should always have prayer support from others -- and we should always remember to pray for those who minister to us. Our pastors, elders, deacons, teachers - all desperately need our prayers. In Paul's request I hear their words: "Pray for us." You can bet that any leader worth his or her salt is praying for you. Let's be sure to pray for them as well!

"Brothers, pray for us." Prayer connects us across the miles, builds deep relationships, and has eternal results. Let's not miss out on that!

The Hard Simplicity of Sanctification (Ministry in Thessalonians #22)

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24

It's easy to see Paul's pastoral heart throughout his writings. 1 Thessalonians is filled with declarations of love, desire to see them, and reminders of their time together. Now, as Paul and his team wrap up this letter to a much-loved church, they leave parting words that are not difficult to understand. Paul's letters consistently move from doctrinal theology to practical theology, and this earliest one is no different.

Paul packs a lot of information into a few short verses. Like most pastors, he sees the time drawing to an end and wants to make sure every Spirit-breathed word makes it onto the page before the messenger takes the scroll on its journey to the recipients. His parental heart comes through as well; who among us hasn't had a parent shouting out last-minute reminders as we drive off to a new experience without their daily presence? Rather than see these sentences as a list of commands, we should view them as a reflection of love: The love of a parent, the love of a pastor, and most of all, the love of the God who inspired them onto the page.

Let's be honest: We don't need Greek word studies or even comparisons to other scriptures to understand how Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians - and us - to live. It's straightforward and simple. But oh, don't for a minute think I'm saying it is easy. I am absolutely certain that we don't get beyond the first verse before we are filled with questions about how to "warn the idle" and conviction about times when we've been "the idle"! We can spend a lifetime learning to live out "always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." It's simple - but not easy!

I'm convinced that this hard simplicity of sanctification is why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to wrap up this section with a solid doctrinal reminder of how we walk out our practical theology. In a few words, he fills us with hope that the previous verses can be lived out in our lives -- not by our power, but by His alone:

• "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through." What a perfectly beautiful reminder that our sanctification comes from God, not from our own efforts. Don't be thrown off by the word "sanctify". It simply means "separate", specifically to be separated from ungodly things to be dedicated to God Himself. It also means "to purify" and is used in the New Testament to refer to being purified by the blood of Christ and cleansed from within. It is an internal work with external effects. It's just a big word for being "in the world, but not of the world". And praise God, He reminds us that it is a work of God Himself. The God of Peace. The One with whom we have peace because of the blood of Jesus. 
• "May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Sanctification affects us through and through. It's not something that we can keep to ourselves. Although our faith must be very personal, it isn't private. When God's sanctifying work is in us we will be different in every aspect of our being. Have you ever felt convicted to apologize to someone who had no idea that you had wronged her - but you knew, because the internal attitude was off and God wouldn't let you rest until you confessed? That's an example of the way sanctification works. As we learn to walk closely with God as He works in us, we will sense times when something is affecting our spirit, soul, or body in ways that keep us from being blameless. The quicker we act to separate ourselves from that, the sooner we find a deepening of our intimacy with God as He walks with us through the hard simplicity of sanctification. 
• "The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it." This unequivocal statement keeps our focus on God's faithfulness. Have you ever had an experience where you felt you kept reliving the same mistake? Did you get to the point of recognizing that God was going to let you keep going around that mountain until you got it right? Then you have experienced the persistent, stubborn faithfulness of God. When we are His children, He is far too faithful to us to allow us to persist in something that damages our spirit, soul, and body rather than keeps it blameless. It may take a while for us to get the message, but He will keep after us, because as this verse tells us "He WILL do it". We get the joy of deciding to cooperate with Him in that work, and to decrease the consequences of ignoring His voice by responding quickly. When I was a child I was pretty stubborn. (Some would argue I haven't outgrown it, but that's a topic for another day.) Many things that my mom tried to teach me I resisted. On more than one occasion I recall her saying to me, "You can be stubborn, but I can be more stubborn than you." She knew what every parent knows: At some point she would win, because she was the mom. She saw the bigger picture and there was only so much I could do without her. She was stubbornly faithful to not let me go outside and play until the chores were done, or I brushed my teeth, or whatever thing I was rebelling against that day. And in the end, all the important lessons she taught me took. She did it. She loved me enough that her faithfulness exceeded my slowness to respond. And our God is the same way. I just want to cooperate and be used by Him, rather than keep repeating the same lessons. 

Paul never promised the Thessalonians a rose garden. He told them from the beginning this wouldn't be easy, and they experienced persecution early on. Now, listing a number of simple but difficult aspects of this different life they were called to live, he still doesn't mince words. It's obviously not going to be easy. But he is leaving them in the hands of the One whose work would transform their lives. 

Those who work hard among you (Ministry in Thessalonians, #21)

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord, and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 

- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

After an extensive discourse on the hope that believers have in the return of Christ and our eventual reunion with Him and other believers, Paul turns to a more earth-bound topic: The healthy functioning of His body, the church.

Don't think for a minute that these practical instructions are of lesser significance than the future promises we have just read. Since Jesus established it, the church has been God's appointed means for spreading the good news of salvation through Jesus, teaching and bringing others into the family so that one day, people will worship around the throne from "every tribe and tongue and nation and people group" (Revelation 7:9). He wants to multiply exponentially the number of people who will "live together with Him" (verse 10) and that requires a healthy, growing, global church.

No one believer, or one body of believers, or even one massive people movement of believers, can ever fully reflect the character of Jesus to the world or live out the Great Commandments in all the ways God loves. No single body can fulfill the Great Commission. It takes all of us - yet as real as the overall body of Christ is, the fact remains that it is revealed to the world in local bodies of believers. God didn't stay on an abstract plane, but came down to earth in the form of a baby who grew to be a man who revealed God's true nature to us. In that same sense, the "body of Christ" is incarnated in hundreds of thousands of local bodies - the local church. And for each local church to fulfill its God-given purpose in God's global plan, each person has a part to play. As Paul turns to address some of these aspects of healthy church life, let us recall that this is one of the earliest books of the Bible, written to one of the first churches Paul planted. Without the full counsel of the word of God to inform their faith and practice, this church was very dependent on Paul's guidance. What did he consider significant enough to write down and send to them?

Respect. Your. Leaders.

A close examination of verses 12-14 makes it clear that Paul is talking about two different groups: "brothers" and another group described in three ways:

• They work hard among you
• They are over you in the Lord
• They admonish you

These aren't people from outside the church (like Paul & his team) but people who are integrally involved in the daily life of the church. Putting together all the puzzle pieces, and comparing to other Scriptures, we can deduce that this three-fold description can only be referring to church leaders. These verses give insight both into how church leaders should do their job, and how church members - referred to here as "brothers" - can fulfill Paul's request to respect leaders.

1. Leaders work hard. Strong's dictionary defines the Greek word translated as "work hard" with this descriptive explanation: "1. to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief)  2. to labour with wearisome effort, to toil a.of bodily labour". Simply put: Ministry is hard. Sometimes it's hard mentally, sometimes it's hard spiritually ... and sometimes it is physically demanding.

If you are in any kind of ministry, please don't get confused by the common but misguided notion that attempts to assure you that anything done for God will give energy. Yes, it is true that works empowered by the Holy Spirit and fueled by faith do feel different than works done in the flesh. We can feel spiritually renewed in the midst of ministry. But we can also know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are walking in our calling and still get really, really tired. 

If you are not in church leadership, please remember this aspect of ministry. Respect your leaders by being aware of their fatigue and the burdens of ministry. Realize that your pastor, or his wife, or elders, or nursery coordinator, are carrying loads that you don't have to carry. Sometimes they may seem to be distracted when you're talking to them simply because they haven't slept in two nights. Maybe your pastor fumbled over a few words in the sermon because he was up all night preparing it. Demonstrate the respect that Paul asks of us by extending the same grace you want after a hard day's work and little sleep. If your pastor has a scheduled day off, respect his time and pray for his rest. In fact, keep your pastor, his family, and all your church leaders at the top of your prayer list every day. You can be sure that part of the "hard work" they do is praying for you, so respect them by returning the favor.

2. Leaders have spiritual authority. I know that word grates at the nerves of a lot of us, especially those of us in more egalitarian cultures. Please know that I am well aware of the abuses of authority that many of us have seen, both outside and sadly, inside, the church. However, hear this well: abusive authority is not spiritual authority. Consider the range of meanings wrapped up in the word translated "over you": "to set over; to superintend; to preside over; to be a protector or guardian; to give aid; to care for or give attention to." Spiritual authority boils down to this: Someone has to be responsible. Part of being responsible is protecting, guarding, helping, paying attention to details.

If you are in church leadership, first of all thank you for taking on this responsibility. See in this Scripture the Biblical authority God has given you over the church extends far beyond giving a message or arranging the Sunday service. Good leaders are the shepherds who guard the sheep; John 10 tells us that a good shepherd won't let any interlopers into the sheep pen. Pray for discernment, to be sensitive to every detail that God wants you to pay attention to for the care and protection of the people God has given you.

If you are a church member, you may read this verse and envy your leaders for their "higher calling." Scripture never makes the distinction that it's higher; only that it carries a heavier weight. Consider  Hebrews 13:17: "Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you." This verse gives very specific instructions on how we can respect our leaders in this area: Have confidence in them, and submit to their authority. If you chafe at the word "submit", remember the description of what spiritual authority means: They protect us, they care for us, they help us and pay attention to things on our behalf. When you submit to your church leaders' authority, you are not checking your brain at the door. You are simply allowing them to fulfill their God-given role of protecting you, caring for you, helping you, paying attention to things.

3. Leaders speak hard truths. "Admonish" is a word related to teaching and simply means warning or exhorting. When Scripture speaks of exhorting it is always in the context of the word of God, so this is essentially another way of saying that leaders tell us hard truths from the Bible. They highlight things we might want to skip over. They remind us of truths that we have forgotten. If they are walking in the spiritual authority God gave them as we just noted, they will be paying attention to things we might miss - so they will occasionally giving us Biblical warnings that we might otherwise miss. Of course, as Christ's under-shepherds (1 Peter 5:1-4) they will speak in love and with compassion. But they will speak it.

Leaders, always remember that God doesn't simply give you permission to speak hard truths - He assumes that you will do so. He will always be with you and empower you in anything He calls you to share.

Members, the next time you sense a difficult word coming from your pastor or another leader, pray for him and ask God to help you receive the message. Good leaders are prescient and will always be ahead of the people, so consider that he might be seeing something you just cannot yet see. Study the Scriptures he references and ask God to help you apply them to your own life. 

Paul wraps up this by telling the brothers not only to respect their leaders, but to hold them in high regard in love because of what they do. In a culture based on honor and shame, Paul is telling these church brothers to hold their leaders in a place of honor - not because the leaders demand it or expect it, but because they work hard. We are to do this in love - it's not a burden to show honor to someone who is protecting and caring for you and not seeking honor for themselves.

Finally, Paul wraps up this section by telling the believers to live in peace with each other. Leaders with non-leaders. All the brothers and sisters of the body with each other. Nothing shows respect and honor like peace!

In these two verses, Paul lays the groundwork for a healthy church: Leaders who watch out for the body, and members who let them do so. When the foundation is solid, then the church is able to fulfill God's purpose - reaching out beyond itself to a world that needs to know the love of God and the message of salvation through Christ.