BeachCast.TV: Bible Exploration, Apologetics and Church History with Dr. Chase A. Thompson:

Happy Monday, friends. I tried to come up with a better intro situation than that, but my creative brain failed me miserably. My apologies for such a vanilla greeting. You honestly deserve better than that, and I've let you down. It is important to note, however - that I haven't persecuted you by letting you down. Persecution is a different thing entirely, and a discussion about persecution is what today's podcast is about. As far as segues and intros go, I give that one a 3.5 out of 10.

Today's Bible readings include Leviticus 24, Ecclesiastes 7, Psalms 31, and 2nd Timothy 3. At some point soon, we are going to do a Big Bible Question from Leviticus - probably all about animal sacrifice, and why that is a thing anyway - but today is not that day. Instead, we are focused on a promise that Paul makes in 2nd Timothy 3 that is quite interesting, and not the kind of promise that you write down on your fridge or bathroom mirror to encourage yourself every morning.

12 In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

2nd Timothy 3:12

How many who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted? 100? 1/4? 1/3rd? 74%? NO - ALL

First, let's identify what persecution actually is: The biblical word used here is kind of interesting, and it means in its root forms to make somebody flee, or run away. Persecution used in a biblical context (biblical persecution) does not necessarily have to be physical only. You can most certainly persecute somebody with words or be persecuted with words, as Jesus notes in Matthew 5:11-13 (quoted below.) So persecution can have a physical impact or a verbal impact, and can probably include things like shunning, denying privilege or promotion, etc. Basically biblical persecution is making somebody suffer - in pretty much any significant way - because of their Christian beliefs. I hear Christians throw the word 'persecution' around pretty regularly. Some argue that they are victims of persecution, when it is likely that they are actually suffering for their own bull-headedness, or bad-temper, or misbehavior. Others say that what Christians experience in American and other wealthy nations is nothing at all like persecution. I think the truth of the matter is somewhere between those to polar opposite positions.

1. When you post or say something that is overtly political in nature (defending your favorite politician, saying how they are God's man, or God's choice, or more Godly than the other person, etc.) and you catch flack for such statements - this is not biblical persecution. It may be obnoxious, it may hurt you feelings, it may be uncalled for, but you aren't being persecuted in a biblical sense when you are making some sort of political stance. (Note: standing up for biblical truth is a different story entirely, but standing up for a political party or person is likely going to draw debate and disagreement, maybe even name-calling. This is unpleasant, perhaps unfair, but not biblical persecution)

   2. When you express your Christian faith and beliefs in an overly harsh, or angry, or defensive, or attacking way, and people clap-back on your attitude, then you are not being persecuted for your godliness, you are being rebuffed because of your attitude. Consider 1 Peter 2:19-20, "20 For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God." It is worth noting that attitude and tone matter immensely in the Bible. Sharing truth with a haughty and arrogant tone is not at all Godly, and when people call you out for it, it is likely the haughtiness they are reacting to, not your belief. In sum: If you are being a jerk - even a TRUTHFUL jerk, and you suffer for it - you aren't being persecuted...you're reaping what you sow. Speak the truth in LOVE.

   3. If somebody disagrees with you on a doctrinal position (baptism by immersion or by sprinkling, spiritual gifts continue, or have ceased, freewill vs. sovereignty, etc.) as long as it is just a disagreement - this does not constitute persecution. Now, if you are a group of Reformed people who believe in infant baptism and not believer's baptism, and take one who believes in that form of baptism and tie his hands and feet behind his back to a pole, and then drown him in a river for his beliefs, then, yes, absolutely that is persecution, and it is also cold-blooded murder. And it is what Zwingli and the Swiss Reformed did to the Anabaptist Felix Manz during the Protestant Reformation.

   4. When the Starbucks barista or greeter at Walmart says 'Happy Holidays' to you, instead of 'Merry Christmas,' this does not constitute persecution.

   5. Finally, and I think this might be controversial, but I think in MOST instances, the government not allowing church gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic is NOT persecution. Now - there are some areas where I think it is borderline. There is definitely a Constitutional question that needs to be raised and discussed - can the government even tell churches what to do in this case? But them trying does not seem to be persecution, when the same order applies to all gatherings of people, and not just some. I do question that some liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries count as 'essential businesses,' which they do in California. I would argue that the church is far more essential to mental and spiritual health than alcohol and marijuana. I disagree with the orders in those ways, I just don't believe they measure up to persecution.

   Bottom line - I think Christians should be prudent, wise and judicious about the use of the word 'persecution.' Not every bit of unpleasantness we endure is because of persecution.

1. Jesus says that you are BLESSED when people persecute you. Matthew 5:11-13, "11 "You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
2. Persecuted people, in particular, have great shelter and refuge in God. He is near the broken-hearted, so says Psalms 9:9-10 "The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted a refuge in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord."
3. If people are hostile to Jesus and His teachings, they will be hostile to us. If they are open to Jesus, they should be open to us. "Remember the word I spoke to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours." A pastor near us in Santa Cruz, Dan Kimball, wrote a very interesting book I read over a decade ago, "They Like Jesus, but not the Church." The premise of the book is that unchurched people really appreciated Jesus, but found a lot of hypocrisy and bad attitudes in the church. The fact is that Christians should track one to one with Jesus in terms of persecution.
4. Persecution, as bad as it is, has no power to separate us from Christ. "Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword" Romans 8:35
5. How are Christians called to respond to persecution? Surprisingly enough - with blessings and goodwill! Romans 12:14, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."

Let's tag in Dr. Thomas Schreiner - a pastor and seminary professor to help us better understand what exactly persecution is, and how Christians should deal with it:

Quite often I hear people say that Christians aren't being persecuted in the United States. What they mean is that we aren't suffering physically for our faith, in contrast to so many Christians in other parts of the world. I recognize, of course, that there is a significant difference between what is happening to Christians here and to Christians elsewhere who are sacrificing their lives or being tortured for their faith.

Still, it isn't right to say that Christians in the United States are free from persecution. We should be more precise: We are free from physical persecution.

Consider what 1 Peter says about the suffering of believers:

In this [salvation in Christ] you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith — more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire — may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6–7)

Later he writes:

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you. (1 Peter 4:1–4)

And he goes on to talk about suffering in 1 Peter 3:13–17 and 4:12–16, and we see from these texts that sometimes the suffering was quite intens

Peter doesn't use the word persecution to describe what the readers are experiencing, but they are clearly suffering for their faith, and that is another way of saying they are being persecuted. They are being slandered for being Christians, and they are also maligned for not indulging in the same lifestyle as unbelievers. Peter says they shouldn't be surprised at the fiery trials they face.

But here is the crucial point to see in all these passages: Peter says nothing about physical suffering when he describes the difficulties his readers were experiencing. They were criticized by people in the world; they may have experienced some persecution from governing authorities (1 Peter 2:13–17), and they were certainly out of step with society. But nothing is said about believers being put to death, or flogged, or stoned — in fact, Peter makes no mention of any kind of physical mistreatment.

We see something similar in the words of Jesus when he said to his disciples, "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!" (Luke 6:22).

Notice how Christians were maligned, criticized, and rejected for not following the societal ethos of their day. In the same way today, many are astonished that we have such a restrictive sexual ethic. Many contemporaries think we are detrimental to society, and many in the Roman world thought the same thing about Christians. They oppose us because we don't approve the sin that is celebrated in many quarters (as in Romans 1:32).

So what did the persecution look like? The maltreatment Peter talks about consists of verbal abuse and presumably included unjust discrimination in everyday life. Even though they weren't experiencing physical abuse, they were genuinely suffering....

When persecuted we are tempted to threaten and to seek revenge, but we are called to endure suffering as Christ did and to entrust final judgment to God (1 Peter 2:23). We are to love those who hate us and show them kindness and grace, the same kindness and grace our Savior lavished upon us.

As Christians in the United States, we also experience suffering since we are maligned for our faith. The persecution may be relatively light; we recognize that our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world face something much more severe than what we are experiencing. But all believers in Christ are persecuted in one way or another (2 Timothy 3:12). Verbal abuse and various forms of discrimination are still suffering according to 1 Peter.

None of us knows what the future holds for believers in the United States, but Peter exhorts us in his first letter to be ready for fiery trials, to follow the pattern of our Lord and Savior, and to live by a faith that knows with certainty that eternal glory comes after this moment of suffering.

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10)

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-will-be-persecuted-with-words

Happy Lord's Day, Brothers and Sisters! Today, I am livestream preaching out of 1st Thessalonians 5 for the church that am a pastor at, Valley Baptist Church in Salinas, California. I'd love for you to join us on the livestream at 11am Pacific time zone, or to just head on over to our Facebook page whenever, and check out the video. Throw out a comment to let me know you are there - just search for VBC Salinas on FB, and that will get you to us. Get to the site from our webpage - Bible Reading Podcast, home to well over 600 pages of transcript from the show -every episode has a blog entry there that you can read and look up what you might have missed. Today's Bible readings on this shorter than normal episode are: Leviticus 23, Psalms 30, Ecclesiastes 6 and 2nd Timothy 2. Our focus passage remains in Timothy, and we are talking about one of the most well known Bible passages/commands- "Flee youthful lusts!"

Many, many times (especially as a youth pastor) I have talked about this passage in ministry, almost always with the gist being that we are to stand against other temptations, but flee from sexual lust - especially when we are young.

For example, I've probably taught along these lines a quite a few times: "In Ephesians 6:10-12 you are commanded to make your stand against the devil. In James 4:7 you are given the promise that if you resist him, he will flee from you. Nevertheless in II Timothy 2:22 you are commanded to flee youthful lust. It is rather amazing that you are commanded to be strong, take your stand, and fight against fallen angels, while at the same time, you are commanded to flee with fear from youthful sexual desire. This demonstrates that the youthful lust of your flesh and the unbridled sensuality of your culture is more dangerous than a face to face battle with the devil."

But what If I told you that we might be actually missing what this very important verse is saying to us? The word here that we are supposed to flee from is ἐπιθυμία epithymía. Interestingly, it doesn't actually mean lust, not exactly - at least not the way we usually use the word 'lust' in society. For instance, see Luke 22:15

The word in Greek more appropriately means Over-desire, heavy desire. So - We are supposed to flee from ungodly over-desires. Which ones are Paul talking about in 2 Timothy? Let's read the passage and then come back and discuss.

Don't get me wrong - I believe we SHOULD flee lust - and every other sin and temptation, but that doesn't seem to be the context of what Paul is talking about here. Let me tag in pastor Ray Ortlund, who does a great job explaining this passage:

The "youthful passions" in this context are not sexual. Paul has in mind the passion for controversy, that feeling inside that relishes a fight and loves to be proved right and even prophetic. Instead, "The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, . . . patiently enduring evil" (2 Timothy 2:24). But there is something about us, especially in our youthful immaturity, that lusts to raise protests and set the world right and make sure everyone cares as passionately as I do, because I'm on the side of the right, I'm the defender of the downtrodden, I get it more than others do, etc.

In this world of blatant, horrible wrongs, it is not hard to get angry. It is hard not to get angry. But "the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." It just doesn't. Because it can't. No matter how right the cause is, the anger of man only makes things worse. Sometimes the youthful don't see how clever evil is, how easy it is for us to add to evil while intending good, how hard it is for us to be angry and not sin and complicate things further. Exposing and confronting wrongs — real wrongs with real victims — is good, but not simple. Not for us. What is simple is creating more victims by rushing to judgment with guns ablazing and a golden heart pursuing a noble cause.

Personally for me, as a pastor, I long to be the kind of man that sinners want to move toward, not away from. Inevitably, for every one of us, there will come a moment when we have sinned so stupidly that our future is in peril, or when we have been sinned against so destructively that we fall into despair. When that happens — not if it happens — to whom will we go? Not to the fault-finders and finger-pointers. Desperate people will go, if they have any courage left, to a pastor who is known for good news of great joy for all kinds of people. They will go to a man who is known for being kind to everyone, a man who understands sowing and harvesting shalom for other people. And if the pastors within the acquaintance of a person in serious trouble are not like that, if those pastors are known only for their trenchant criticisms — Oh, what a loss!

There is a continuum in pastoral ministry, with rebuke at one end, comfort at the other, and various strategies between. Wise pastors move along that continuum constantly, interacting with people as we understand their needs moment by moment. Personally, I default toward comfort. Unless a person is defiant against the Lord, the ministry of comfort is more consistent with the tone of the gospel — good news for bad people through the finished work of Christ on the cross and the endless power of the Holy Spirit.Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). They, and they only.

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/ray-ortlund/flee-youthful-passions/

One concluding thought - please don't take this as permission to indulge sexual lust in your mind - that is not at all what this episode is about. There are volumes of passages in the Bible that warn us away from indulging lust in the wrong way. This episode is merely focused on pointing us to why many modern Bible translations don't warn us to flee youthful lusts, but rather, as the CSB, "Flee youthful passions."

Happy Saturday, Brothers and Sisters! Today's Bible passages include Leviticus 22. Psalms 28 and 29, Ecclesiastes 4, and 2nd Timothy 1. Sharp-eared listeners probably noticed yesterday that we skipped over Ecclesiastes 4, and went straight for 5. Today, we rectify that mistake by reading chapter 4, and tomorrow we will go to Ecclesiastes chapter 6. I know that is confusing, and I feel like if Robert Murray M'Cheyne were alive today, he'd be quite disappointed in my performance.

Our focus passage is from 2nd Timothy 1, which contains all sorts of wonderful nuggets of Scripture. We could focus on vs 12, which is fantastic and was made into a song that I sang much in my youth:

But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

2nd Timothy 1:12

We could tie into our discussion yesterday on fear with verse 7

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

2 Timothy 1:7

We could talk about holding on to sound teaching and guarding it by the power of the Holy Spirit:

13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 1:13-14

Or, we could talk about how Paul imparted a spiritual gift to Timothy by the laying on of his hands:

6 Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands.

2 Timothy 1:6

But as great as all of those might be, we're actually going to focus on verses 9-10, which is one of those short passages in the Bible that are miles and miles deep. This is one of the briefest yet deepest and most theological summaries of the Gospel/Good News in the entire Bible:

9 He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10 This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

2 Timothy 1:9-10

Let's go read the whole chapter in total, even though we just read several chunks of it. It's quite helpful to read it all fully in context to understand what's going on.

So - here are some giant diamonds of truth from just verses 9-10. #1 God Has Saved us and CALLED. He didn't save us because of our good deeds, or our goodness, but by His intentional choice and grace. Salvation begins in the heart of God not the mind of man. When did God decide to extend grace to us - BEFORE TIME BEGAN. HOW did God decide to extend grace to us? In the person of Jesus! His plan, which Paul says was a mystery in past times, was made realized and obvious by the appearance, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. What did Jesus do?

#1 He ABOLISHED death. Interesting Greek word there - it means Jesus rendered death inoperable, ceased it, destroyed it, caused it to no longer function. How did He do this? By Himself overcoming death! Remember the promise of John 14:19 "Because I live, you too will live!" Yes, believers in Christ will still die if He doesn't return soon, but that death doesn't work anymore - it doesn't end things - it doesn't cease!

Progressive revelation is a principal of hermeneutics (or, Bible interpretation) that shows how the Bible truths, covenants, commands, etc, progress over time from Genesis through Revelation. Remember Luke 24 - Jesus with Cleopas and his friend on the Emmaus road, and then Jesus with the disciples in the locked room? In that chapter, Jesus explained to the disciples all of the Scriptures that were written in the Old Testament concerning Himself. The appearance of Jesus brought the Old Testament messianic prophecies into much clearer understanding as He fulfilled each prophecy. New Testament believers knew more about the nature and character of God - and His commands - and the future because of the ministry of Jesus and the teachings of the apostles. This is especially true of life after death, and the eternal fate of those who have trusted in Jesus. There is definitely hope for an afterlife in the Old Testament, but because Jesus had not defeated death yet, it was a foggy and unclear hope. Maybe you remember two days ago when we read Ecclesiastes 3 - perhaps you noticed that Solomon's conception of the afterlife was not what you might have expected? The reason for this is, of course, that he was unfamiliar with what Jesus would do, and how Jesus would overcome death and provide eternal life in Him:

19 For the fate of the children of Adam and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. 20 All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. 21 Who knows if the spirits of the children of Adam go upward and the spirits of animals go downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?

Ecclesiastes 3:19-22

Solomon was one of the wisest in the Old Testament, but he had no idea what happened after death. Once Jesus came and ABOLISHED death, it became much clearer.

Not only that, but Jesus also brought a much clearer focus on what is meant by eternal life and immortality. For instance:

"Don't let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

John 14:1-3

So, in sum - Old Testament believers in God knew very little about what we call the afterlife. Yes, God revealed to them many things, but the coming of Jesus and His abolishing of death revealed FAR more, and shined light on eternal life, eternal hope, and the Heavenly Kingdom of God. Spurgeon has a great answer to the question of how Jesus abolished death, so let's close out with that:

Let us remember that death is AN ENEMY TO BE DESTROYED. Remember that our Lord Jesus Christ has already wrought a great victory upon death so that he has delivered us from lifelong bondage through its fear. He has not yet destroyed death, but he has gone very near to it, for we are told that he has "abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." This surely must come very near to having destroyed death altogether.

In the first place, our Lord has subdued death in the very worst sense by having delivered his people from spiritual death. "And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." Once you had no divine life whatever, but the death of original depravity remained upon you, and so you were dead to all divine and spiritual things; but now, beloved, the Spirit of God, even he that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, has raised you up into newness of life, and you have become new creatures in Christ Jesus. In this sense death has been subdued.

Our Lord in his lifetime also conquered death by restoring certain individuals to life. There were three memorable cases in which at his bidding the last enemy resigned his prey. Our Lord went into the ruler's house, and saw the little girl who had lately fallen asleep in death, around whom they wept and lamented: he heard their scornful laughter, when he said, "She is not dead but sleepeth," and he put them all out and said to her "Maid, arise!" Then was the spoiler spoiled, and the dungeon door set open. He stopped the funeral procession at the gates of Nain, whence they were carrying forth a young man, "the only son of his mother, and she was a widow," and he said "Young man, I say unto thee arise." When that young man sat up and our Lord delivered him to his mother, then again was the prey taken from the mighty. Chief of all when Lazarus had laid in the grave so long that his sister said "Lord, by this time he stinketh," when, in obedience to the word, "Lazarus come forth!" forth came the raised one with his graveclothes still about him, but yet really quickened, then was death seen to be subservient to the Son of man. "Loose him and let him go," said the conquering Christ, and death's bonds were removed, for the lawful captive was delivered. When at the Redeemer's resurrection many of the saints arose and came out of their graves into the holy city then was the crucified Lord proclaimed to be victorious over death and the grave. Still, brethren, these were but preliminary skirmishes and mere foreshadowings of the grand victory by which death was overthrown. The real triumph was achieved upon the cross,—

When Christ died he suffered the penalty of death on the behalf of all his people, and therefore no believer now dies by way of punishment for sin, since we cannot dream that a righteous God would twice exact the penalty for one offence. Death since Jesus died is not a penal infliction upon the children of God: as such he has abolished it, and it can never be enforced. Why die the saints then? Why, because their bodies must be changed ere they can enter heaven. "Flesh and blood" as they are "cannot inherit the kingdom of God." A divine change must take place upon the body before it will be fit for incorruption and glory; and death and the grave are, as it were, the refining pot and the furnace by means of which the body is made ready for its future bliss. Death, it is true thou art not yet destroyed, but our living Redeemer has so changed thee that thou art no longer death, but something other than thy name! Saints die not now, but they are dissolved and depart. Death is the loosing of the cable that the barque may freely sail to the fair havens. Death is the fiery chariot in which we ascend to God: it is the gentle voice of the Great King, who cometh into his banqueting hall, and saith "Friend, come up higher." Behold, on eagle's wings we mount, we fly, far from this land of mist and cloud, into the eternal serenity and brilliance of God's own house above. Yes, our Lord has abolished death. The sting of death is sin, and our great Substitute has taken that sting away by his great sacrifice. Stingless, death abides among the people of God, but it so little harms them that to them "it is not death to die."

Further, Christ vanquished death and thoroughly overcame him when he rose. What a temptation one has to paint a picture of the resurrection, but I will not be led aside to attempt more than a few touches. When our great Champion awoke from his brief sleep of death and found himself in the withdrawing-room of the grave, he quietly proceeded to put off the garments of the tomb. How leisurely he proceeded! He folded up the napkin and placed it by itself, that those who lose their friends might wipe their eyes therewith; and then he took off the winding sheet and laid the graveclothes by themselves that they might be there when his saints come thither, so that the chamber might be well furnished, and the bed ready sheeted and prepared for their rest. The sepulchre is no longer an empty vault, a dreary charnel, but a chamber of rest, a dormitory furnished and prepared, hung with the arras which Christ himself has bequeathed. It is now no more a damp, dark, dreary prison: Jesus has changed all that.

The angel from heaven rolled away the stone from our Lord's sepulchre and let in the fresh air and light again upon our Lord, and he stepped out more than a conqueror. Death had fled. The grave had capitulated.

Well, brethren, as surely as Christ rose so did he guarantee as an absolute certainty the resurrection of all his saints into a glorious life for their bodies, the life of their souls never having paused even for a moment. In this he conquered death; and since that memorable victory, every day Christ is overcoming death, for he gives his Spirit to his saints, and having that Spirit within them they meet the last enemy without alarm: often they confront him with songs, perhaps more frequently they face him with calm countenance, and fall asleep with peace. I will not fear thee, death, why should I? Thou lookest like a dragon, but thy sting is gone. Thy teeth are broken, oh old lion, wherefore should I fear thee? I know thou art no more able to destroy me, but thou art sent as a messenger to conduct me to the golden gate wherein I shall enter and see my Saviour's unveiled face for ever.

C. H. Spurgeon, "Christ the Destroyer of Death," in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 22 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1876), 702–705.

Happy Friday! I'm getting started on the pod late tonight, so I must cut out a lot of the normal banter, and funny jokes you normally hear in this space. That was actually my funny joke for the day, as I know my other jokes aren't actually that funny. Our Bible readings today are Leviticus 21, Psalms 26 and 27, Ecclesiastes 4 and 1 Timothy 6. Our focus question comes from Psalms 27, and in this passage David discusses how he will not give into fear, because God is his stronghold. As we have talked about before, I suspect fear around the world is at its highest level in my lifetime, so our Big Bible question is all about how to NOT be afraid. Let me caution you upfront, so that I am not the spiritual equivalent of a used car salesman. I do believe that the Bible gives us multiple way to overcome fear, but because we are human, there is no permanent cure for fear in the sense that you take it once and poof! you are cured forever. In the same way that people need daily food to live on, Christians need daily bread from God to live on. Part of that provision is the Word of God to help us overcome sin, to resist temptation, and to walk in faith, rather than fear.

Here is my experience and testimony: I have not had a life that has been characterized by fearfulness, but I have had many extended times in my life where fear and anxiety have taken hold, and enveloped me in some sort of spiritual wrestling match where I was pinned to the mat far more often than I overcame. In those times of trial, fear, and anxiety, I have been humbled, and my courage has often trickled away like water out of a leaky bucket. My only hope in those times - the only antidote to fear and anxiety that I could find, was a constant and persistent clinging to the Word of God and prayer. Seeking God and immersing myself in His Word has always overcome fear in my life, but - to be very frank - it usually comes back, and one serving of God's Word and abiding in Him is not adequate medicine to eradicate the virus of fear from my soul. The reason for this is not a fault in the medicine of God's Word and Abiding through prayer, but the reason is a fault and weakness in my own soul + the Divine purpose and wisdom of our Creator. God did NOT create man and give him the ability to overcome every obstacle by his own power. God created man to be incapable of overcoming apart from ABIDING in His Creator, and the greater the battle that comes against us, the greater the abiding in God and His Word needs to be. So - I say this to you who are battling anxiety, depression, weariness, fear, sorrow, and hopelessness right now: In Christ, you face a winnable battle, and here is your promise to rest on:

9 Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up.

Galatians 6:9

Cling to the Cross. Believe the gospel and read it in the Word every day. Remind yourself frequently that Jesus died to pay the price for your sins, and that 'because He lives, you will live too.' Consume the Word. Pray constantly. Trust God. When your eyes stray from Him and fall on something that makes you fear, tear your eyes away from that and fix your eyes on Jesus. Looking to Him will enable you to overcome, even when you are weary and fainthearted, so says Hebrews 12:1-3.

So - in a spiritual war with fear, whether it is constant in your life, or only occasional, how do we overcome? Step one is making sure the 'anchor' of your life - your faith and trust - is in Jesus. I'm not merely being spiritual here. Ask yourself when you are afraid what you are hoping in. Maybe you're afraid of the coronavirus...what is your deepest hope? Is it that science will discover a cure? That politicians will make the right decisions? That you will be protected by your excessive prudence and hygiene practices? All of those things are good, but none of them are our anchor. Our anchor is Jesus. Step one in overcoming fear is looking to Jesus. Some have already been doing that, but even if you haven't already been doing that, then there is still time to hold fast to the anchor of Jesus.

I love Tim Keller's message on Psalms 27, so I want to briefly tag him in here to talk about how the Lord is our stronghold, and we overcome fear by looking to Him:

Somebody may ask, "What part of David's life would this have been part of? When was this? When did this happen?" The answer is it could have been anytime because David is continually in trouble. If you read his life, he is always struggling. He is always wrestling. When he is a young man before he becomes king, what is he doing? He is out in the wilderness running for his life. He is on the lam.

As soon as he becomes king, when he is a young king, where do we see him? When he becomes king, his enemies come in, and they decide they're going to attack him before he gets established. The next thing you know, he has to flee the capital. He is out in the wilderness running for his life. Then he is an old man. It's different now. He is an old king. What do we see? We see his son Absalom doing a coup d'état. There is David, out in the wilderness running for his life. I mean, he is just like us. He is always in trouble. He is always struggling. It's so amazingly realistic...

It doesn't say, "He will keep me safe from the day of trouble." It doesn't say that. It says, "He will keep me safe in the day of trouble." It assumes there's trouble...

Here it says, "God will keep me safe so when my enemies are all around me, when the trouble is all around me, in the day of trouble … not from the day of trouble … in the midst of my enemies …" Even Psalm 23 says that. "He prepares a table before me …" Where? Not after he has made those stupid enemies run off. He has whacked them. They're on the run. No, it's in the presence of my enemies.

Have you ever thought about that? There is no promise in Psalm 23 that he will take those enemies and run them away. The promise is he will prepare a table for you in the presence of the enemies. He doesn't promise the absence of enemies. Even if you go to Romans 8, in Romans 8:28, it says, "… all things work together for good to them that love God …" You say, "Well, that means nothing really bad can happen to me." You see, Romans 8:29 , immediately after Romans 8:28, says, "For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son …" What that means is here's the promise. Nothing will come into your life but that which realizes the greatness and the nearness and the likeness of Jesus Christ in your life.

It doesn't say nothing will come into your life that's really bad. It says nothing will come into your life but that which will realize the greatness, the likeness, and the nearness of Jesus Christ. The reason why we shouldn't be surprised, we shouldn't say, "What?" is because there was a Person who lived on earth who was very, very great and who loved God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and who was very used by God, and God brought things that were really, really, really, really bad.

He never had any friends who understood him. He never got married and had children. He was beaten. He was tortured. He was destroyed. He was killed. He was rejected. Those are really, really bad things. That was the end of his life. Jesus says a servant is not above his master. Safety does not mean safety from trouble; it means safety in trouble. It means that this is the promise. In the midst of your trouble, all the important parts of you will be utterly safe.

All the greatest joys, all the important things, all the things you really care about, all of your highest interests, all of the things that are the most valuable to you will be absolutely safe. Nothing can be touched in any of the vicissitudes of life but those things which are secondary, those things which are not of the essence of your joy or who you are. That's the promise.

If that's the promise, what that means is it still comes back to the same thing. It means there is a condition you can be in so you can move out into the world, trusting God and being absolutely fearless. Absolutely fearless! Total courage. Not afraid of what happens. Not afraid of what's about to happen. Not afraid … "If an army comes and besieges me, I will not fear." See, that's the promise. The promise is you can live in that condition.

See, most of us think when you read that, "Ah! The promise, therefore, is if I trust God, I really won't have to suffer." That's not it. If I trust God, I will become a great heart. My heart will be strong. I will be afraid of nothing. My head will be exalted above my enemies who are surrounding me. That's what it promises.

Why does this work? I'll tell you why. God does not promise that you will not suffer, but he does promise one thing. There is only one thing he will never take from you. He will never take himself from you. He will never turn his back on you. He will never say, "Oops! You finally sinned one time too many. How many times have you done that? That's it! How many times have you promised me? That's that." No, he will never ever do it.

Do you know why he'll never do it? Do you know why you can be confident that whether you feel him today or you don't feel him, even though you're seeking him, that he will never cast you off, that he will receive you, that he will not turn his face from you? Because Jesus lost the one thing. Do you realize that? Jesus lost the one thing. Jesus wanted only one thing in his life, because he was a perfect Man of God. He only wanted one thing.

On the cross, even in the garden of Gethsemane, he turned, and he said, "I seek your face." What did he get? He got the back of God's hand. He is the only person who this has ever happened to, and it never will happen again. Somebody said, "I seek your face," and God gave him the back of his hand. Why? So when we seek his face, we'll never get the back of his hand, even though we fall down, even though we fail. That's the reason why you can say, "Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear." Because I know I have the one thing. I'll have the one thing. I'm getting the one thing that will never be taken from me. Because Jesus lost it, you got it. Let's pray.

Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013).

Let me assure you: Because of the mercy of our God, we will get through this coronavirus storm. I don't know when, and I don't know how, but the people of God will not all be sunk in this storm. When we do - let me encourage you to turn to the anchor of your soul and hold fast to Him BEFORE the next storm comes. There will be another storm, and another after that. Those who overcome those storms best will be those who already have the ship of their lives secured by the anchor of Jesus.

19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner,

Hebrews 6:19-20

See! There are two vessels yonder, and a storm is coming on. I see a great hurrying and scurrying on the deck of one. What are they at? They have a great anchor, and they are throwing it out. The storm is coming, and they want to get a good hold, for fear lest they should be driven on the shore.

But on the deck of the other vessel, I see no bustle at all. There is the watch pacing up and down as leisurely as possible. Why are they not in a panic? "Ahoy there! Ahoy! What makes you so calm and assured? Have you got out your anchor? See you! Your comrades in the other vessel, how busy they are!" "Oh!" says the watch, "but we had our anchor out a long while ago, before the storm came on, and therefore we have no need to trouble now, and hurry to throw it out. Now, you who are full of doubts, and fears, and troubles, you know the way to be safe is to throw out the anchor of faith, but it would be better still if you had the anchor of faith out already, so that you could trust in God, and not be afraid at all.

C. H. Spurgeon, "Fearing and Trusting—Trusting and Not Fearing," in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 59 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1913), 333.

Hello everybody and happy Thursday to you. Today brings us to a controversial topic among modern Christians that is not very controversial in terms of the Bible - at least from a grammatical place. You'll notice that the question we are covering is phrased in two different ways: CAN Christians drink wine, and SHOULD Christians drink wine. There is a reason for this, because each of the questions has a slightly different answer from the Bible. Today's Bible passages are Leviticus 20, Psalms 25, Ecclesiastes 3 and 1 Timothy 5. The reason the topic of wine is coming up today is from our focus passage in 1st Timothy 5, where Paul gives this word of advice to Timothy:

23 Don't continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

1 Timothy 5:23

This is an interesting passage, and it brings up a large amount of questions. First - is this a command to us, or to Timothy or BOTH? And that is an excellent question to consider from the Word of God. At the beginning of this chapter, Paul writes to Timothy, "Don't rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters with all purity." Is that a command to Timothy, or to Christians, or both? I think almost all Bible teachers would say both for 1 Timothy 5:1-2. We generally consider commands in the Word spoken authoritatively to individuals or churches (for instance, a command of Jesus to Peter, a letter from Paul to the Ephesians, a letter from Peter, etc) to apply to all of us. However, there are some cases where commands in the Scripture do not apply to ALL who read them. For instance, I don't believe 1st Timothy 4:12 is very applicable to senior saints, "Don't let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. " Likewise, 1 Peter 3:7 is a powerful and important passage, but it is not binding or applicable to my 8 year old daughter. "Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered." Ultimately, I don't believe that our focus passage is a COMMAND for ALL that they MUST drink wine. That's our first issue to discuss. Our second is a little more complex.

What does the Greek word for wine (οἶνος oînos) actually mean? Does this word refer to intoxicating wine, or new/unfermented wine. There are three basic views on this subject. I'm not going to go very deep into them, but they are worth recounting at a basic level.

View #1 - Oinos is usually or often unfermented/sweet wine. In other words, the wine that Paul is telling Timothy to drink and the wine that Jesus made at the Wedding in Cana were what we would call grape juice - perhaps with a trace of alcohol, but not nearly enough to become intoxicated. This view has been held by many people throughout church history, and you can find some very long arguments on the internet that seem to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is the correct view, until you actually research some of the other views. I recall that Donald C. Stamps, the author of the study notes in one of my first ever study Bibles, bought for me by my wife when we were dating, was very much in favor of this view. I loved Mr. Stamps and his notes, and I recall that he argued vociferously and uncompromisingly that oinos always meant unfermented wine, and that Jesus would NEVER ever make wine that could make somebody intoxicated. This view is generally called the two-wine view, and it asserts that when the Bible says something positive about wine (such as this passage, The Last Supper, the wedding at Cana, etc) that unfermented grape juice is in view. But when the Bible says something negative about wine - fermented wine is being discussed.

View #2 Oinos can indeed contain alcohol, but not in the same proportion as current wines, and certainly nowhere near as much of an ABV as stronger drinks of modern times like vodka, whisky, scotch, etc. Currently our modern wine is usually around 12-14 percent ABV, but can be as low as around 5 percent, and get a little higher. Though there is no way to be certain, I've read some research that seems to indicate that first century and Old Testament wine would be of a lower ABV than modern wine. If this is the case - and it is hard to be definitive if it is - then Paul's advice to Timothy would be about a very weak wine compared to what is called wine today. Charles Spurgeon - and many others - were strong proponents of this view:

YOU know the narrative. Jesus was at a wedding feast, and when the wine ran short, he provided for it right bountifully. I do not think that I should do any good if I were to enter upon the discussion as to what sort of wine our Lord Jesus made on this occasion. It was wine, and I am quite sure it was very good wine, for he would produce nothing but the best. Was it wine such as men understand by that word now? It was wine; but there are very few people in this country who ever see, much less drink, any of that beverage. That which goes under the name of wine is not true wine, but a fiery, brandied concoction of which I feel sure that Jesus would not have tasted a drop. The fire-waters and blazing spirits of modern wine manufacturers are very different articles from the juice of the grape, mildly exhilarating, which was the usual wine of more sober centuries. As to the wine such as is commonly used in the East, a person must drink inordinately before he would become intoxicated with it. It would be possible, for there were cases in which men were intoxicated with wine; but, as a rule, intoxication was a rare vice in the Saviour's times and in the preceding ages. Had our great Exemplar lived under our present circumstances, surrounded by a sea of deadly drink, which is ruining tens of thousands, I know how he would have acted. I am sure he would not have contributed by word or deed to the rivers of poisonous beverages in which bodies and souls are now being destroyed wholesale

C. H. Spurgeon, "The Waterpots at Cana," in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 26 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1880), 493.

View #3 is pretty simple. Oinos/wine in the New Testament is practically the same as wine today. Jesus made something similar to the kind of wine you can buy in the store today, and Paul told Timothy to drink something similar to the kind of wine that is sold today.

I believe view number #1 is held by many sober-minded and Godly people who have seen the ills and harms of alcohol, and they want to protect as many people as possible from it. Unfortunately, I don't believe that view holds up to historical scrutiny very well, and it just falls apart under grammatical/contextual scrutiny. For one, Ephesians 5:18, "And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit." The word there for wine is our word oinos, which is the same word for wine in 1 Timothy 3:8, where Paul writes, "Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money." Clearly both of these passages are discussing fermented wine - which can lead to drunkenness - and they are using the word oinos. Titus 2:3 also suggests that older women should not drink too much wine, using the same word. Thus I believe it is very difficult to make the case that oinos always refers to unfermented wine. Indeed, since the Greek New Testament frequently discusses 'new' wine, and clearly has a Greek phrase for the same, I believe it is far more likely that most, if not all, uses of the term oinos in the Bible refer to wine that could potentially intoxicate somebody.

In my mind, such grammatical and contextual reading makes option #1 highly unlikely. Which brings us to the second or third option. Is wine in the Bible much the same as modern wine, or does Bible wine have less alcohol than modern wine? I've researched this question a bit, and the answer is quite hard to come by. It does seem that there are several historical references to wine being diluted by water - either to purify the water, or make the wine last longer, or be less potent, or all three. Regardless, it is difficult to be definitive. My best guess, given the evidence, is that New Testament wine contained less alcohol than most modern wines. It does not appear that first century Jews, Romans or Greeks would have had access to distilled beverages, so it is highly unlikely that the writers of the Greek New Testament even knew of stronger and more intoxicating beverages than wine.

So - where does that leave us? Can Christians drink wine? I believe the answer is, quite simply: the Bible does not forbid it in most cases. In case you can't tell from the inflection, the key part of that sentence is the last part - "in most cases." The most important and critical thing to remember about drinking anything is the oft-repeated prohibition in both the Old and New Testaments about getting drunk:

And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:

Ephesians 5:8

For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and grogginess will clothe them in rags.

Proverbs 23:21

"Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly

Luke 21:34

48 But if that wicked servant says in his heart, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and starts to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 that servant's master will come on a day he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know.

Matt 24:48-50

Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.

Romans 13:13

But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.

1 Corinthians 5:11

And, most soberingly:

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

9 Don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God's kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God's kingdom.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Understand - I did not quote every negative thing in the Bible about getting drunk. There is a lot in there. It is not funny or anything to toy around with from a Bible view. Christians may NOT drink wine to get drunk, and may not drink wine to drunkenness. How drunkenness is defined, we don't know, but quite clearly a change in feeling, thinking and behavior is involved. I don't think it is wise to endeavor to walk up to the line of sin, and get as close as possible without going over. One other caveat about drinking: Christians may not do it if it causes other people to stumble. This does not mean that it literally makes them fall over, but that it might be a temptation to them, or it might make them upset, or it might make them angry, or whatever. You might think, "well, that is their problem - I have liberty!" Spoken like a true westerner, I'd say. But that's not what the Bible teaches. If my liberty hurts somebody else or makes them stumble - then I am disallowed from engaging in my liberty. Why not - to impinge on my freedom? Not at all, but rather to protect the conscience and walk of my brother or sister:

13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. 20 Do not tear down God's work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats. 21 It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. 22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.

Romans 14:13-23

Romans 14 is one of the most practical, underrated and important biblical passages there is. If we all paid more attention to Romans 14, there would be so much more peace and unity in the world and especially in the church! I believe that most Christians have the liberty to drink wine, according to the Bible. They MUST not get drunk - whether in private, or in public. No exceptions. They also must not cause another to stumble because of what is eaten or drank. If eating meat causes a vegetarian to stumble, says Paul, then do NOT eat meat around them. (you can do so at home, or when they are not around.) If drinking wine causes somebody to stumble, then do not do it around them. (You can do so at home, or when they are not around.)

Now - to our final question: Should Christians drink wine? And here's the thing: I don't believe I am allowed to answer that question based on Romans 14:22, "Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God." And in fact, I hope just talking about this issue today doesn't transgress that passage. The bottom line is this - whatever your view on wine - avoid getting drunk and avoid causing other people to stumble. Are you a teetotaler? Great! Don't cause a Christian non-teetotaler to stumble, and don't condemn him with your view. Are you a non-teetotaler? Great! Don't cause a Christian teetotaler (or non-drinker) to stumble, or beat him over the head with your view - and don't drink around him out of respect and love for him/her and their views! Peace and unity are far more important than our beverage of choice.