New Day Church Sermons

The Empowering Ministry of the Spirit

When Christ ascended, he poured out the Holy Spirit on the church, ushering in a greater experience of God’s presence and power among his people.[1] The Spirit transforms hearts by the miracle of regeneration[2] and indwells all believers in abundant, new covenant measure.[3] The Spirit also desires to fill God’s people continually with increased power for Christian life and witness.[4] To be filled with the Spirit is to be more fully under his influence,[5] more aware of his presence,[6] and more effective in his service.[7] All Christians, therefore, must continually seek to be filled with the Spirit[8] by living and praying in such a way that invites the Spirit’s work among us, actively longing for God to accomplish his gracious purposes in us and through us. The filling of the Spirit brings to God’s people a deeper knowledge of Christ,[9] an increased desire for holiness,[10] a stronger commitment to unity and love, a greater fruitfulness in ministry, and a deeper gratitude for our salvation.[11]

The Gifts of the Spirit

Christ loves the church, his body, and provides for its health and growth through the Holy Spirit.[12] In addition to giving new life, the Spirit sovereignly bestows gifts on every believer.[13] Spiritual gifts are those abilities and expressions of God’s power given by his grace for the glory of Christ and the building up of the church.[14] The variety of these gifts—some permanent and some occasional, some more natural and some more remarkable—reflects[15] the diversity of the members of Christ’s body[16] and demonstrates our need for one another.[17] The gifts are not to be exercised with apprehension, pride, or disorder, but with faith, love, and order,[18] and always in submission to the authority of Scripture as the final revelation of God.[19] With the exception of those among the apostles who were commissioned as eyewitnesses of Christ and made recipients of normative revelation,[20] the full range of spiritual gifts remain at work in the church and are given for the good of the church and its witness to the world. We are therefore to earnestly desire and practice them until Christ returns.[21]

[1] Acts 2:17-18 Acts 2:33 Acts 10:45

The Gospel and the Application of Salvation by the Holy Spirit

The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ and all that he did in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension to accomplish salvation for humanity.[1] Therefore, the gospel is not a human action or achievement but rather an objective, historical, divine achievement[2] that remains true and unchanging regardless of human opinion or response. The gospel stands as the core message of the Bible, which in all its parts testifies to God’s saving acts culminating in the person and work of Christ.[3] This good news is the power of God for salvation for all who believe,[4] providing hope for the lost[5] and abiding comfort and strength for the believer.[6] There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.[7]

Effectual Calling, Regeneration, and Conversion

God commands the gospel to be proclaimed to all people everywhere,[8] but all people are spiritually dead and unable to respond to this saving news.[9] Therefore, God graciously and effectually calls to himself those he chose to save in Christ.[10] Through the proclamation of the gospel, the Holy Spirit regenerates the elect and brings them into a living union with Christ, bestowing new spiritual life,[11] opening their eyes to see God’s glory in Christ,[12] and enabling them to respond to the gospel in faith and repentance.[13] With a renewed heart and mind,[14] we receive Christ and rely fully on him for salvation, turning from our sinful, self-seeking way of life to love and follow Christ in joyful obedience.[15] Only those who respond to the gospel in this way will be saved,[16] yet even this response is a gift of God’s merciful grace, ensuring that he alone receives the glory for our salvation.[17]

Justification and Adoption

In their union with Christ, believers freely receive all the benefits of the gospel.[18] Those whom God effectually calls to himself, he justifies in Christ,[19] forgiving all of their sins[20] and declaring them righteous and acceptable in his sight.[21] This declaration is judicial, addressing not our nature but our status with regard to God’s law;[22] it is definitive, being neither gradually gained nor able to be lost;[23] and it is gracious, a free gift of God’s righteousness based on nothing worked in us or by us, but received freely by faith.[24] The sole ground of our justification is the righteousness of Christ, whose life of perfect obedience is imputed to us and whose substitutionary death on our behalf completely satisfies the demands of God’s justice toward our sins.[25] Those whom God justifies, he adopts into his family, granting them the full status, rights, and privileges of beloved sons.[26] As God’s children, we receive his name,[27] enjoy access into his presence,[28] experience his care and discipline,[29] and eagerly await the glorious inheritance he promises his own.[30]

Sanctification, Perseverance, and Glorification

As the all-sufficient Savior, Christ also sanctifies his people, cleansing them from the impurity of sin and setting them apart for God and his service.[31] The renewing work of the Holy Spirit breaks their bondage to sin and Satan and raises them to new life, enabling believers to put sin to death and grow in likeness to Christ.[32] Sanctification is therefore both a definitive act of God[33] and a progressive work of the Spirit.[34] Believers must persevere in faith and obedience in order to be saved.[35] Yet this perseverance is also a gift of God in Christ, who preserves his own and keeps them safe forever.[36] The ultimate goal of sanctification is our full conformity to Christ’s image, which will finally come when believers are raised physically with Christ in glory, freed from sin and exulting in the presence of God forever.[37]

[1] Rom 3:23-26 1 Cor 15:3-5 Rev 1:5 Rev 5:5, 9-12

The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person[1] of the Trinity, who proceeds eternally from the Father[2] and the Son.[3] He is equal in deity, attributes, and nature with the Father and the Son,[4] and with them is to be worshipped and glorified. The Spirit manifests God’s active presence in the world, giving life in God’s creation[5] and new creation.[6] Existing forever with the Father and the Son, the Spirit is the agent of all blessing to God’s creatures and makes possible communion with him.

The Work of the Spirit Prior to Christ’s Coming

The eternal Spirit was present at the beginning of God’s creation,[7] carrying out the creative word of God[8] and giving life[9] to all things. In God’s work under the old covenant, the Spirit was present with God’s people[10] to consecrate, deliver, guide, and grant saving faith in the promises of God.[11] He empowered prophets to reveal God’s Word,[12]appointed elders to render judgment,[13] raised up judges to bring deliverance,[14] anointed priests and kings as his representatives, and inspired the record of old covenant revelation.[15] Through all the institutions and offices of the Old Testament, the Spirit’s work pointed to the ultimate revelation of God through his Son, Jesus Christ.[16]

The Work of the Spirit in Christ and the New Covenant

The Spirit’s work in the new covenant centers on Christ and the church. It is by the Spirit that Jesus Christ was conceived and born of a virgin,[17] anointed to fulfill his earthly ministry,[18] empowered to offer his life as a sacrifice,[19] and raised in resurrection power.[20] After Christ ascended to the Father’s right hand, the promised Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost and ushered in the new era of the Spirit’s fullness,[21] indwelling believers and empowering them for life and service.[22] The Spirit glorifies Christ and bears witness to him, convicting the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment.[23] He inspired the record of new covenant revelation[24] and makes it effective in people’s hearts through the gift of regeneration.[25] He illuminates God’s Word to his people,[26] assures them of God’s love,[27] comforts them with his presence,[28] intercedes on their behalf,[29] and sanctifies them in conformity to the image of Christ.[30] The Spirit is the bond of our union with Christ,[31] the seal of our salvation,[32] the firstfruits of our redemption,[33] and the guarantee of our inheritance.[34]

[1] Scripture teaches that would-be followers of Christ ought to be “[baptized] in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19), which implies the equal authority and dignity of the name of the Holy Spirit, which represents his person. Moreover, Scripture consistently attributes to the Spirit characteristics and activities that properly belong to a person, e.g., Isa 63:10 Matt 12:24 Luke 12:12 John 14:26 Acts 5:3-4, 9 Acts 7:59 Acts 13:2-4 Acts 20:28 Eph 4:30 2 Cor 3:17-18

The Saving Work of Jesus Christ

In the entirety of his life and death, Jesus Christ humbled himself[1] to serve as our mediator[2] in obedience to his Father’s saving purposes.[3] As the second Adam,[4] his sinless life[5] of wholehearted obedience to God’s law obtained the gift of perfect righteousness[6] and eternal life[7] for all of God’s elect.[8] In his substitutionary death on behalf of his people,[9] Christ offered himself by the Spirit[10] as a perfect sacrifice, which satisfied the demands of God’s law by paying the full penalty for their sins.[11] On the cross, Christ bore our sins,[12] took our punishment,[13] propitiated God’s wrath against us,[14] vindicated God’s righteousness,[15] and purchased our redemption[16] in order that we might be reconciled to God[17] and live with him in blessed fellowship forever.[18]

The Efficacy of Christ’s Saving Work

God the Father was pleased to accept Christ’s sacrifice as a complete atonement for sin, raising him to new life[19] and vindicating his identity and work as the Messiah.[20] For those who place their faith in Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness requires no further sacrifice for sin,[21] nor is there any human achievement or merit to be added to Christ’s accomplishment.[22] The atoning work of Christ is wholly efficacious,[23] securing the full salvation of all the elect by purchasing the forgiveness of sins,[24] the gifts of faith and repentance,[25] eternal life,[26] and every other blessing that comes to God’s people.[27] As the sole and sufficient atonement for sin,[28] Christ’s saving work is to be proclaimed to all people without exception as the only means of reconciliation with God.[29] There is no other mediator between God and man than our Savior, Jesus Christ,[30] and he will receive with redeeming love all who come to him in faith.[31]

The Exaltation of Christ in His Saving Work

The exaltation of Christ in his resurrection, ascension, and reign reveals the full glory of his mediatorial work.[32] Raised by the power of God,[33] Christ triumphed over sin, death, and Satan,[34] and, as the firstfruits of the new creation,[35]gives eternal life to all who are united to him by faith.[36] Having ascended to the Father’s right hand,[37] Christ pours out the Spirit on his people[38] and intercedes on their behalf[39] as a Great High Priest,[40] constantly advocating their cause[41] and granting them access into God’s presence.[42] As the exalted Lord, Christ reigns with all authority as universal king[43] and head of his church,[44] governing the affairs of men and nations[45] and empowering his people to be victorious over sin and Satan.[46] The consummation of Christ’s saving work will occur when he returns to judge the world in righteousness,[47] deliver the kingdom to his Father,[48] and receive eternal worship as King of kings and Lord of lords.[49]

[1] Phil 2:6-8

The Saving Work of Jesus Christ

In the entirety of his life and death, Jesus Christ humbled himself[1] to serve as our mediator[2] in obedience to his Father’s saving purposes.[3] As the second Adam,[4] his sinless life[5] of wholehearted obedience to God’s law obtained the gift of perfect righteousness[6] and eternal life[7] for all of God’s elect.[8] In his substitutionary death on behalf of his people,[9] Christ offered himself by the Spirit[10] as a perfect sacrifice, which satisfied the demands of God’s law by paying the full penalty for their sins.[11] On the cross, Christ bore our sins,[12] took our punishment,[13] propitiated God’s wrath against us,[14] vindicated God’s righteousness,[15] and purchased our redemption[16] in order that we might be reconciled to God[17] and live with him in blessed fellowship forever.[18]

The Efficacy of Christ’s Saving Work

God the Father was pleased to accept Christ’s sacrifice as a complete atonement for sin, raising him to new life[19] and vindicating his identity and work as the Messiah.[20] For those who place their faith in Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness requires no further sacrifice for sin,[21] nor is there any human achievement or merit to be added to Christ’s accomplishment.[22] The atoning work of Christ is wholly efficacious,[23] securing the full salvation of all the elect by purchasing the forgiveness of sins,[24] the gifts of faith and repentance,[25] eternal life,[26] and every other blessing that comes to God’s people.[27] As the sole and sufficient atonement for sin,[28] Christ’s saving work is to be proclaimed to all people without exception as the only means of reconciliation with God.[29] There is no other mediator between God and man than our Savior, Jesus Christ,[30] and he will receive with redeeming love all who come to him in faith.[31]

The Exaltation of Christ in His Saving Work

The exaltation of Christ in his resurrection, ascension, and reign reveals the full glory of his mediatorial work.[32] Raised by the power of God,[33] Christ triumphed over sin, death, and Satan,[34] and, as the firstfruits of the new creation,[35]gives eternal life to all who are united to him by faith.[36] Having ascended to the Father’s right hand,[37] Christ pours out the Spirit on his people[38] and intercedes on their behalf[39] as a Great High Priest,[40] constantly advocating their cause[41] and granting them access into God’s presence.[42] As the exalted Lord, Christ reigns with all authority as universal king[43] and head of his church,[44] governing the affairs of men and nations[45] and empowering his people to be victorious over sin and Satan.[46] The consummation of Christ’s saving work will occur when he returns to judge the world in righteousness,[47] deliver the kingdom to his Father,[48] and receive eternal worship as King of kings and Lord of lords.[49]

[1] Phil 2:6-8

The Person of Jesus Christ

In the fullness of time God the Father sent his eternal Son,[1] the second person of the Trinity,[2] into the world as Jesus the Christ.[3] He was conceived by the Holy Spirit[4] and born of the virgin Mary,[5] taking on himself a fully human nature with all its attributes and frailties, yet without sin.[6] In this union, two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in the one person of the divine Son without confusion, mixture, or change. Our Redeemer acted in and through both his human and divine natures,[7] in ways appropriate to each, with both natures being preserved and neither diminished by the other. Yet both his human and divine natures are united and find expression in the one person of the eternal Son.[8] Thus our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son incarnate, is fully God and fully man, able to be our all-sufficient savior and the only mediator between God and man.[9]

Earthly Life and Ministry

As God’s incarnate Son, our Lord Jesus Christ inaugurated the kingdom of God,[10] fulfilling God’s saving purposes[11]and all Old Testament prophecies about the One to come:[12] he is the Seed of the woman,[13] the Seed of Abraham,[14]the Prophet like Moses,[15] the Priest after the order of Melchizedek,[16] the Son of David,[17] the Suffering Servant,[18] and God’s appointed Messiah.[19] As such he was anointed by the Holy Spirit[20] and lived a sinless life[21] in complete obedience to his Father.[22] Jesus entered into full human existence, enduring the common infirmities, temptations, and sufferings of mankind. He perfectly revealed the character of God,[23] taught with divine authority and utter truthfulness,[24] extended God’s love and compassion,[25] and demonstrated his lordship through the working of miracles[26] and the exercise of divine prerogatives.[27]

Death, Resurrection, and Reign

Having fully obeyed his Father in life, our Savior was also obedient unto death.[28] He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, dying a substitutionary death for the sins of his people.[29] He was buried and arose bodily from the dead on the third day,[30] vindicating his identity and saving work as God’s Messiah[31] and guaranteeing the defeat of death, our future resurrection, and the glorification of our physical bodies.[32] Forty days later Jesus ascended bodily to heaven,[33] where he is now enthroned at the right hand of God,[34] reigning over all things,[35] and interceding for his people as their Great High Priest.[36] One day he will return to judge all people and angels,[37] putting all his enemies under his feet and dwelling with his people forever.[38]

[1] John 3:16 Gal 4:4

Man's Sin and Its Effects

God originally created man innocent and righteous, without stain or corruption.[1] In this state, Adam and Eve enjoyed a fullness of life in communion with God, delighting in him and his righteous will yet capable of transgressing.[2] Despite these privileges, they were led astray by Satan[3] and willfully sinned against their Creator by doing what he had forbidden.[4] In their rebellion they doubted his character, rejected his authority, and disobeyed his word.[5] Man’s trespass of God’s command[6] brought enmity with God[7] and the curse of death.[8] Because God had established Adam as the representative head of the human race,[9] his sin was imputed to all his descendants, bringing guilt, condemnation, and death to humanity.[10] Therefore, we are all by nature corrupt[11] and inclined to evil from conception.[12]

The Effects of Sin

From the inherited corruption of humanity[13] arise all the sins that we commit.[14] All people are now by nature enemies of God,[15] living under the power of Satan,[16] subject to the curse of the law,[17] and deserving of eternal punishment.[18] Moreover, the whole nature of man has been corrupted by the fall, and no part of man is untainted by sin.[19] Although fallen people remain in the image of God[20] and manifest the virtues of common grace, they are incapable of pleasing God,[21] meriting his favor,[22] or freeing themselves from their bondage to sin.[23] Their hearts are hardened,[24] their understanding is darkened,[25] their consciences are corrupted,[26] their spiritual sight is blinded,[27]and their deeds are evil.[28] Therefore, all people are dead in sin and without hope apart from salvation in Jesus Christ.[29]

The curse of the fall corrupted not only mankind but the entire created order, subjecting the world to futility, decay, and death.[30] Both the cursed creation and moral evil produce calamity, suffering, hostility, and injustice in the world.[31] The groaning of the created order reminds us of our fallenness and causes us to long for the redemption of all things under Christ.[32]

[1] Gen 1:27, 31 Eccles 7:29

Creation, Providence, and Man (Part Three: Man as Male and Female)

In the beginning, the triune God freely created out of nothing the universe and everything in it by the word of his power, all for his own pleasure and the display of his glory.[1] God declared the entirety of his creation to be very good,[2] and even in its fallen state it tells of his greatness[3] and is to be delighted in[4] and stewarded for his glory.[5] As supreme Creator, God is separate from and transcendent over all he has made.[6] As sovereign Lord, he is present with his creation to sustain all things,[7] govern all creatures, and direct all circumstances in accord with his holy and loving will.[8] In everything God supremely acts for his glory[9] and for the good of his people in Christ,[10] granting us great comfort and unshakable hope in God’s love, wisdom, and faithfulness to us in this life and in eternity.[11]

Man’s Creation in God’s Image

God created man, male and female,[12] in his own image[13] as the crown of creation and the object of his special care.[14] God directly created Adam from the dust of the earth,[15] and Eve from Adam’s side,[16] as the parents of the entire human race.[17] They were created to know and glorify their Maker by trusting in his goodness and obeying his word.[18] God gave them dominion over all creation, to fill, subdue, and steward the earth as his representatives.[19] All human beings are likewise made in the image of God.[20] Despite the effects of the fall on sinful humanity,[21] all people remain God’s image bearers, capable of fellowship with him and possessing intrinsic dignity and value at every stage of life from conception to death.[22] Redemption in Christ progressively restores fallen men and women to their true humanity as they are conformed to the image of Christ.[23]

Man as Male and Female

Men and women are both made in the image of God and are equal before him in dignity and worth.[24] Gender, designated by God through our biological sex, is therefore neither incidental to our identity nor fluid in its definition, but is essential to our identity as male and female. Although the fall distorts and damages God’s design for gender and its expression,[25] these remain part of the beauty of God’s created order. Men and women reflect and represent God in distinct and complementary ways, and these differences are to be honored and celebrated in all dimensions of life. To deny or seek to remove these differences is to distort a fundamental way in which we glorify God as male and female.

Marriage, Sexuality, and Singleness

Biblical manhood and womanhood enrich human flourishing in all its dimensions. God instituted marriage as the union of one man and one woman who complement each other in a one-flesh union[26] that ultimately serves as a type of the union between Christ and his church.[27] This remains the only normative pattern of sexual relations for humanity. Husbands are to exercise headship sacrificially and with humility,[28] and wives are to serve as helpers to their husbands, willingly supporting and submitting to their leadership.[29] Together these complementary roles bring joy and blessing to each other and display the beauty of God’s purposes to the world. Single men and women are no less able to enjoy and honor God and no less important to his purposes. They also are to give expression to God’s image in distinct and complementary ways, flourishing as his image bearers and bringing him glory in their singleness.[30]

[1] Gen 1 Ps 19:1 Ps 33:6 John 1:3 Col 1:15-17 Heb 11:3 Rev 4:11

Creation, Providence, and Man (Part Two: Man's Creation in God's Image)

In the beginning, the triune God freely created out of nothing the universe and everything in it by the word of his power, all for his own pleasure and the display of his glory.[1] God declared the entirety of his creation to be very good,[2] and even in its fallen state it tells of his greatness[3] and is to be delighted in[4] and stewarded for his glory.[5] As supreme Creator, God is separate from and transcendent over all he has made.[6] As sovereign Lord, he is present with his creation to sustain all things,[7] govern all creatures, and direct all circumstances in accord with his holy and loving will.[8] In everything God supremely acts for his glory[9] and for the good of his people in Christ,[10] granting us great comfort and unshakable hope in God’s love, wisdom, and faithfulness to us in this life and in eternity.[11]

Man’s Creation in God’s Image

God created man, male and female,[12] in his own image[13] as the crown of creation and the object of his special care.[14] God directly created Adam from the dust of the earth,[15] and Eve from Adam’s side,[16] as the parents of the entire human race.[17] They were created to know and glorify their Maker by trusting in his goodness and obeying his word.[18] God gave them dominion over all creation, to fill, subdue, and steward the earth as his representatives.[19] All human beings are likewise made in the image of God.[20] Despite the effects of the fall on sinful humanity,[21] all people remain God’s image bearers, capable of fellowship with him and possessing intrinsic dignity and value at every stage of life from conception to death.[22] Redemption in Christ progressively restores fallen men and women to their true humanity as they are conformed to the image of Christ.[23]

Man as Male and Female

Men and women are both made in the image of God and are equal before him in dignity and worth.[24] Gender, designated by God through our biological sex, is therefore neither incidental to our identity nor fluid in its definition, but is essential to our identity as male and female. Although the fall distorts and damages God’s design for gender and its expression,[25] these remain part of the beauty of God’s created order. Men and women reflect and represent God in distinct and complementary ways, and these differences are to be honored and celebrated in all dimensions of life. To deny or seek to remove these differences is to distort a fundamental way in which we glorify God as male and female.

Marriage, Sexuality, and Singleness

Biblical manhood and womanhood enrich human flourishing in all its dimensions. God instituted marriage as the union of one man and one woman who complement each other in a one-flesh union[26] that ultimately serves as a type of the union between Christ and his church.[27] This remains the only normative pattern of sexual relations for humanity. Husbands are to exercise headship sacrificially and with humility,[28] and wives are to serve as helpers to their husbands, willingly supporting and submitting to their leadership.[29] Together these complementary roles bring joy and blessing to each other and display the beauty of God’s purposes to the world. Single men and women are no less able to enjoy and honor God and no less important to his purposes. They also are to give expression to God’s image in distinct and complementary ways, flourishing as his image bearers and bringing him glory in their singleness.[30]

[1] Gen 1 Ps 19:1 Ps 33:6 John 1:3 Col 1:15-17 Heb 11:3 Rev 4:11

Creation, Providence, and Man (Part One: Providence)

In the beginning, the triune God freely created out of nothing the universe and everything in it by the word of his power, all for his own pleasure and the display of his glory.[1] God declared the entirety of his creation to be very good,[2] and even in its fallen state it tells of his greatness[3] and is to be delighted in[4] and stewarded for his glory.[5] As supreme Creator, God is separate from and transcendent over all he has made.[6] As sovereign Lord, he is present with his creation to sustain all things,[7] govern all creatures, and direct all circumstances in accord with his holy and loving will.[8] In everything God supremely acts for his glory[9] and for the good of his people in Christ,[10] granting us great comfort and unshakable hope in God’s love, wisdom, and faithfulness to us in this life and in eternity.[11]

Man’s Creation in God’s Image

God created man, male and female,[12] in his own image[13] as the crown of creation and the object of his special care.[14] God directly created Adam from the dust of the earth,[15] and Eve from Adam’s side,[16] as the parents of the entire human race.[17] They were created to know and glorify their Maker by trusting in his goodness and obeying his word.[18] God gave them dominion over all creation, to fill, subdue, and steward the earth as his representatives.[19] All human beings are likewise made in the image of God.[20] Despite the effects of the fall on sinful humanity,[21] all people remain God’s image bearers, capable of fellowship with him and possessing intrinsic dignity and value at every stage of life from conception to death.[22] Redemption in Christ progressively restores fallen men and women to their true humanity as they are conformed to the image of Christ.[23]

Man as Male and Female

Men and women are both made in the image of God and are equal before him in dignity and worth.[24] Gender, designated by God through our biological sex, is therefore neither incidental to our identity nor fluid in its definition, but is essential to our identity as male and female. Although the fall distorts and damages God’s design for gender and its expression,[25] these remain part of the beauty of God’s created order. Men and women reflect and represent God in distinct and complementary ways, and these differences are to be honored and celebrated in all dimensions of life. To deny or seek to remove these differences is to distort a fundamental way in which we glorify God as male and female.

Marriage, Sexuality, and Singleness

Biblical manhood and womanhood enrich human flourishing in all its dimensions. God instituted marriage as the union of one man and one woman who complement each other in a one-flesh union[26] that ultimately serves as a type of the union between Christ and his church.[27] This remains the only normative pattern of sexual relations for humanity. Husbands are to exercise headship sacrificially and with humility,[28] and wives are to serve as helpers to their husbands, willingly supporting and submitting to their leadership.[29] Together these complementary roles bring joy and blessing to each other and display the beauty of God’s purposes to the world. Single men and women are no less able to enjoy and honor God and no less important to his purposes. They also are to give expression to God’s image in distinct and complementary ways, flourishing as his image bearers and bringing him glory in their singleness.[30]

[1] Gen 1 Ps 19:1 Ps 33:6 John 1:3 Col 1:15-17 Heb 11:3 Rev 4:11