Encounter the Truth

The church at Crete faces challenges on every side. Crete is a toxic culture, and there is false teaching threatening the church. This is why a godly eldership is needed to protect the church from error. And this is why Paul is so concerned that the believers will live out their faith in integrity. The culture will call them to compromise at every turn. How very contemporary all of this sounds!

The church is not complete until godly elders have been put in place. These elders must not only know the truth and defend it from error; they must live out the truth with integrity.

The church is not complete until godly elders have been put in place. These elders must not only know the truth and defend it from error; they must live out the truth with integrity.

Paul writes this letter with the explicit concern that believers at Crete will have a deep knowledge of the truth that “accords with godliness.” He does not want believers just to have "head knowledge"—but to live out the truth in godliness. Doctrine that does not result in godly living is not the real deal.

Paul writes this letter with the explicit concern that believers at Crete will have a deep knowledge of the truth that “accords with godliness.” He does not want believers just to have "head knowledge"—but to live out the truth in godliness. Doctrine that does not result in godly living is not the real deal.

Abraham seeks to be faithful in finding a wife for Isaac from among his family (and not the surrounding nations) and in staying in the land of promise. God honours this in providing Rebekah for Isaac. Thus the family line is secured, and Abraham dies enjoying the blessing of God on every side. Despite all the ups and downs of his faith and failure, God has blessed him and his family, just as he promised.

Abraham seeks to be faithful in finding a wife for Isaac from among his family (and not the surrounding nations) and in staying in the land of promise. God honours this in providing Rebekah for Isaac. Thus the family line is secured, and Abraham dies enjoying the blessing of God on every side. Despite all the ups and downs of his faith and failure, God has blessed him and his family, just as he promised.

Abraham’s decision to buy a parcel of land in the promised land to bury Sarah affirms his trust in the Lord’s promise that this land will be his and his children’s. Yet, the fact that Sarah dies there as a sojourner and the fact that so much of the covenant promise has yet to be fulfilled acts as a stark reminder that God’s people are sojourners on this earth, awaiting the fulfilment of all God’s promises in the land yet to come. Do we live in this world as sojourners, trusting in the promises of a homeland above?

Abraham’s decision to buy a parcel of land in the promised land to bury Sarah affirms his trust in the Lord’s promise that this land will be his and his children’s. Yet, the fact that Sarah dies there as a sojourner and the fact that so much of the covenant promise has yet to be fulfilled acts as a stark reminder that God’s people are sojourners on this earth, awaiting the fulfilment of all God’s promises in the land yet to come. Do we live in this world as sojourners, trusting in the promises of a homeland above?

In a very great test of faith, Abraham is called to give up Isaac and trust God’s power to restore him. God does so by providing a sacrifice in his place. Here on the mount we are given a picture of what God will do to keep and fulfil his covenant—he will give his own Son to be the sacrifice and the substitution.