In Luke 17:22-30 lightning is a metaphor for the Second Coming of Christ. Just as lightning is visible, quick, and unexpected, Jesus's Second Coming will be too. In Acts 1:11 the angels said Jesus would return from heaven the same way that He ascended to heaven: bodily and physically for all to see.

Table of contentsFirst, Like Lightning, the Second Coming of Christ Will Be VisiblePreterism Is the Belief That the Future Is in the PastPartial PreterismFull Preterism Is HereticalSecond, Like Lightning, the Second Coming of Christ Will Be QuickSuffering and Then GloryJesus's Second Coming Is Associated with Two Familiar Accounts of JudgmentFirst, the Days of NoahSecond, the Days of LotThird, Like Lightning, the Second Coming of Christ Will Be UnexpectedJesus’s First Coming Was for Salvation and His Second Coming is for JudgmentIf We Don't Want to Be Taken by SurpriseFootnotes

https://youtu.be/-nMUXR7tfLs

In Luke 17:22-30 lightning is a metaphor for the Second Coming of Christ. Acts 1:11 teaches Jesus will return from heaven like He ascended.

Contrast allows things to stand out. For example, when the moon is out during the day, we can’t see it very well, because it is close to the color of the sky. But we can see the moon very well at night, because its white and gray color stands out so sharply against the black night sky. Similarly, lightning stands out incredibly well against the night sky, because of its bright white color against the black background. Jesus chose lightning as a metaphor for His Second Coming:

Luke 17:22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.

Jesus was going to be gone from the disciples and they were going to long to see Him. But he said they would not be able to, because they would not be alive when He returned.

Maranatha was the common greeting among Christians in the early church. It is an Aramaic word that means “the Lord is coming” or “come, O Lord.” The desire the disciples would have to see Christ is the same desire we should have. Many New Testament verses encourage us as believers to have this desire. Here are a few:

1 Corinthians 1:7 As you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 1:10 Wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead.

Titus 2:13 Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ

Jude 20 Waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

There were going to be people claiming that Jesus had returned, and he did not want His disciples misled into thinking that He had returned in some secret or mysterious way that was concealed from the world. Because, the truth is, there will be no mistaking when Jesus has returned. There are three reasons it is very fitting to compare Jesus’s Second Coming with lightning.

First, Like Lightning, the Second Coming of Christ Will Be Visible

The disciples would not need to believe people who said, “Look, there!” or “Look, here!” because the Second Coming will be as visible as lightning that lights up the whole sky. In the Amplified Bible, Luke 17:24 reads, "For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, gives light to the other part of the sky, so [visible] will the Son of Man be in His day." There will be no mistaking when Jesus returns. It will be universally visible.

Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Despite everything Jesus had taught, there were two things the disciples did not understand that led to their question in Acts 1:6:

They didn’t understand that Jesus would leave them.

Jesus spiritually established His Kingdom in His First Coming, and He was going to physically establish His kingdom at His Second Coming. But the disciples thought He was going to physically establish His kingdom now.

But one thing the disciples were not confused about was that there would be a physical kingdom established on the earth:

This mirrored what Christ taught and what the Old Testament predicted. Otherwise, [Jesus] would have corrected them about such a crucial aspect of His teaching.

John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary, page 1432.

Jesus told the disciples they didn’t need to worry about the timing of His Second Coming. Instead, they needed to worry about remaining faithful until that time (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit would come upon them and empower them to be His witnesses worldwide. This is still the mission today as we preach the gospel and send missionaries all over the globe.

The cloud that received Jesus is the glory cloud, or Shekinah, that represented God’s presence receiving His Son into heaven. This is the cloud that went with the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 13:20–22). This is the same cloud God spoke to Moses from (Exodus 33). To make it simple, the words a cloud took [Jesus] out of their sight means God the Father.

More than likely, the two men in Acts 1:10 were angels. It seems like they had to show up, because the disciples would have stood here staring into heaven until Jesus returned. The angels clearly said Jesus would return from heaven the same way that He went to heaven (Acts 1:11). He ascended to heaven bodily and physically, so He is going to return from heaven bodily and physically for all to see.

Preterism Is the Belief That the Future Is in the Past

Preterism is based on the Latin preter, which means “past” It is the eschatological or prophetic view that the end times were fulfilled in 70 A.D. when Rome attacked Jerusalem. One important distinction is there are two groups.

Partial Preterism

Partial preterism is the belief that most of the book of Revelation and the Olivet Discourse, such as the Rapture, Tribulation, Antichrist, and mark of the beast, were already fulfilled. But they still look forward to the Second Coming of Christ to physically establish His kingdom on the earth.

R. C. Sproul, Kenneth L. Gentry, Gary DeMar, and Hank Hanegraaff (the Bible Answer Man) are well-known partial preterists.

The Orthodox Presbyterians (OPC) and the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) are partial preterists in terms of denominations.

Full Preterism Is Heretical

Full preterism is the belief that ALL future events, such as Jesus’s Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment, are in the past. In the case of the final judgment, they believe it is still is in the process of being fulfilled. Many full preterists believe that we are living in a form of the new heavens and new earth of Revelation 21 and 22.

Even though partial preterists and full preterists would seem to be close together eschatologically, because they are both preterists, there is actually a world of difference between the two. There is so much difference that partial preterists are within the realm of Orthodox Christianity, but because full preterists deny a future Second Coming of Christ and future resurrection of the dead, they are outside the realm of Orthodox Christianity. In other words, full preterists are heretics. I couldn’t find any recognizable, respected full preterists or full preterist denominations.

Second, Like Lightning, the Second Coming of Christ Will Be Quick

Revelation 1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John

The "things that must soon take place" refer to the events described in the following chapters. Preterists cling to these words and date the writing of the book of Revelation earlier than 70AD, so that they can say the events describe what occurred in 70 A.D. There is strong evidence to support the book of Revelation being written in the last decade of the first century around 95 AD, near the end of Emperor Domitian’s reign (81-96), and well after Rome attacked Jerusalem. In other words, Revelation couldn’t describe events in 70AD.

The word for "soon" is tachos, and it means, “quickness, speed.” It is related to our word tachometer:

Acts 12:7 An angel…struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly (tachos).” And the chains fell off his hands.

Acts 22:18 “Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly (tachos).”

There is another Greek word used to refer to something happening in the near future:

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for THE TIME IS NEAR.

The Greek word for "near" is engys.

Revelation 1:1 is not referring to WHEN Jesus will return (soon after John wrote this). It is referring to HOW Jesus will return (quickly). The NKJV has an asterisk that says soon can also be translated as “quickly” or “swiftly,” and the HCSB says what must QUICKLY take place.

Revelation 3:11 I am coming soon (tachos).

Manna and money share similarities. The Israelites were to each take “one omer” (Exodus 16:16), which is a tithe: “An omer is one-tenth of an ephah” (Exodus 16:36). Manna is fitting illustration of money in that it did many of the things for Israel that money does for us. Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn what manna and money have to do with each other.

Table of contentsWhat Is the Relationship Between Manna and Money?Manna and Money Provide and TestManna and Money Require Avoiding Greediness and WastefulnessLearning to SaveEnforced DifferentlyThe True and Greater Bread from HeavenFootnotes

As we come to the end of our wonderful journey, how can we tie together the many concepts we have discussed up this point, such as stewardship, giving, and saving? Paul might have done that for us when he talked about money in 2 Corinthians 8:15: “As it is written, ‘He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.’” This is a quote from Exodus 16:18 about the manna the Israelites collected each morning during their time in the wilderness.

What Is the Relationship Between Manna and Money?

What do manna and money have to do with each other? Quite a bit, actually! The Israelites were to each take “one omer” (Exodus 16:16), which is a tithe: “An omer is one-tenth of an ephah” (Exodus 16:36). The term translated “one-tenth” is the Hebrew word also translated “tithe.” Manna serves as a fascinating and fitting illustration of money in that it did many of the things for Israel that money does for us. And what Israel was and wasn’t supposed to do with manna resembles what we are and aren’t supposed to do with money.

Manna and Money Provide and Test

Exodus 16:4 records that “the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.’” God sent the manna to provide for the Israelites and test them, just like God uses money to provide for us and test us.

Manna and Money Require Avoiding Greediness and Wastefulness

The Israelites needed manna like we need money, but they had to avoid being greedy like we must avoid being greedy. The people accused God of “[bringing them] into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exodus 16:2). This helps us understand how difficult it was for the people of Israel to take only what they needed. Not surprisingly some didn’t listen and couldn’t eat all of what they collected. Verses 19-20 record what happened:

Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

They were supposed to avoid wasting the manna, like we’re supposed to avoid wasting money. If they kept too much for themselves, versus leaving it for others, there were problems. Similarly, if we keep too much money for ourselves, versus giving it to others, there are problems for us too. The manna began to decay and stink, and, figuratively speaking, money we shouldn’t have begins to decay and stink.

Learning to Save

Exodus 16:22-24 tells us what would happen when the Israelites handled the manna correctly:

On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it.

The manna taught the Israelites to save: They gathered twice as much on the sixth day so they wouldn’t have to gather any on the Sabbath. If they handled the manna the right way, striking the balance between saving and hoarding, they had what they needed and there were no problems (“it did not stink, and there were no worms in it”). Similarly, if we handle money the right way, striking the balance between saving and hoarding, we will have what we need and there won’t be any problems.

Enforced Differently

We see one important difference between manna and money as we contrast the Old and New Covenants:

Under the Old Covenant, equality was miraculously enforced in the wilderness. Everyone had the same amount (one omer) regardless of how much they gathered.

Under the New Covenant, people are cared for in the church not because it is enforced but because God burdens His people to give willingly, sacrificially, and generously.

The True and Greater Bread from Heaven

God told Israel to “gather a certain quota every day,” and Moses said, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat” (Exodus 16:4, 15). Every day God gave them bread, looking forward to when Jesus would teach us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Each day they trusted God to provide, and each day we trust God to provide.

But if we really want to appreciate the manna, we must look beyond the physical to the spiritual. Jesus said, “[The people of Israel] ate the manna in the wilderness, and they are dead…I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world” (John 6:49, 51).

The manna was wonderful, but all it did was give people more years of earthly life. In light of eternity, this is a drop in the bucket. Jesus is the true and greater bread from heaven. He provides eternal life and satisfies better than anything physical, be it food or wealth. David Platt said,

When we truly come to Christ, our thirst is quenched by the fountain of life and our hunger is filled with the bread of heaven. We discover that Jesus is the supreme source of satisfaction, and we want nothing apart from Him. We realize that He is better than all the pleasures, pursuits, and possessions of this world combined. As we trust in Christ, He transforms our tastes in such a way that we begin to love the things of God that we once hated, and we begin to hate the things of this world that we once loved.232

Footnotes

Psalm 37:21 says, "The wicked borrows but does not pay back." Do you want to know how to pay off debt? Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn the best strategies for paying off debt.

Table of contentsStrategies to Avoid a MortgageFirst, Consider a RentalSecond, Live ModestlyThird, Purchase a Starter HomeTwo Pieces of Advice if You Decide to Purchase a MortgageFirst, Understand "Qualifying"Second, Choose a 15-Year Versus a 30-Year MortgageThe Best Strategies for Paying Off DebtSacrifice to Pay Off DebtLive Below Your Income to Pay Off DebtBuy Used to Pay Off DebtStay Home to Pay Off DebtFirst, Build RelationshipsSecond, Avoid ConflictThird, Invest in Your HomeFirst, Avoid LavishnessSecond, Avoid Unnecessary ExpensesThird, Avoid “Going Big”Fourth, Avoid Expensive HobbiesEnjoy Cheap or FreeKeep the End in MindContinue GivingPut Extra Money Toward DebtWhat About When You're Out of Debt?Possibly Missing Out on God's BestFootnotes

When couples in the church I pastor give birth to a child, I try to bring them a meal, meet the baby, see if they need anything, and pray with them. When Robert and Katy Cunningham had their fifth son, I went to see not only them and their new baby, but also their new living situation. They (seven people, including five energetic young boys) had moved into a broken-down motorhome that was sitting on the property where Robert was building their house. They went to great lengths to observe Psalm 37:21.

When I returned home, I told my wife two things. First, I shared how proud I was of Robert and Katy for their commitment to being debt-free and all the sacrifice that was involved in sticking with that conviction. Second, I said, “We don’t have very much to complain about!”

Not long ago, Robert finished the construction. They were able to move out of the motorhome and into their new house debt-free.

Maybe you have said, “People can’t buy a home with cash.” I have heard this argument many times, and Robert and Katy’s testimony (as well as many others) reveals it is not true. I have watched young and old people alike, inside and outside my church, purchase homes without mortgages. Here are three points of advice to help you do the same.

Strategies to Avoid a Mortgage

The biggest debt most people have is a mortgage. Here are three strategies to possibly avoid one!

First, Consider a Rental

Many people argue that it’s better to buy a house because if you rent, you’re throwing money away. The idea is the money would be better off put toward the cost of your house. This appears to be true until you consider how much of a mortgage payment goes toward the interest versus the principal. The money going toward the interest isn’t going toward the price of the house any more than rent goes toward the price of the house. If you want your money to go toward the price of the house, save up the money and buy your house with cash.

Second, Live Modestly

We have friends who lived in a basement until they could buy their first home with cash. Some other friends lived in a two-bedroom rental with seven children. Did these situations involve sacrifice and living modestly? Definitely. But how good do you think these people feel now as they live in their homes with no debt?

Third, Purchase a Starter Home

When I talk about buying a home with cash, it might be more accurate to say homes. Who says you need to live in your dream home in your twenties or thirties? A better approach is to purchase a smaller starter home with cash and save up for your next home. Then sell your starter home, which is hopefully worth more than when you bought it, and use that money, along with the money you’ve saved up, to purchase your next home. As your family and income grow, so does your home.

Two Pieces of Advice if You Decide to Purchase a Mortgage

If, for whatever reason, you still decide to go ahead with a mortgage, let me offer you two points of advice.

First, Understand "Qualifying"

Real estate agents and loan officers want you to sign for the most amount of money. This has left people with much larger mortgages than they can afford simply because they were told they “qualified.” They were locked into high payments that paralyzed them for decades, leaving them unable to save, be generous, or prepare for emergencies. A much wiser approach is a smaller mortgage that can be paid off faster and easier.

Second, Choose a 15-Year Versus a 30-Year Mortgage

There are many benefits to a 15-year versus a 30-year mortgage:

lower interest rates

less interest over the life of the loan

quicker equity built into the property

less likelihood of being upside down if the housing market crashes

The only downside to a 15-year mortgage is larger monthly payments, but most people would be surprised to learn they’re not that much larger. For example:

The monthly payment on a 30-year, $300,000 mortgage with a 4 percent APR is $1,432, for a total repayment of $515,609 ($215,609 in interest).

The monthly payment on a 15-year, $300,000 mortgage with a 4 percent APR is $2,219, for a total repayment of $399,431 (interest $99,431).

The difference is $787 per month, but the interest is more than cut in half: $99,431 versus $215,609, which saves you $116,178.

The Best Strategies for Paying Off Debt

Psalm 37:21 says, "The wicked borrows but does not pay back." What if you are already in debt, whether from a mortgage, credit cards, school loans, automobile loans, or all the above? You need strategies that help eliminate the debt you have.

Sacrifice to Pay Off Debt

Remember, every cent counts. All the money we avoid spending puts us that much closer to being debt-free. This requires being frugal and intentional with purchases. We must often say no to things we want. The most popular and effective approaches to finances can’t prevent us from having to go without certain enjoyments. While formulas and budgeting techniques can be helpful, there’s no substitute for sacrifice.

Instead of being one strategy, think of this as the umbrella over all the strategies because each of them requires sacrifice. If we expect to eliminate debt, we must live in a way that others might consider extreme. Our society is so indulgent that if we live “normally,” we will never be debt-free.

Live Below Your Income to Pay Off Debt

The worst approach you can take with your money is spending it as though you make more than you do—living off $7,000 per month when you make $6,000. This will increase your debt month by month. The reasonable approach is spending at your income level—living off $6,000 when you make $6,000. But if you make $6,000 dollars per month, is the solution to live as though you make that amount? No. This will have you living paycheck to paycheck, spending all the money you make. You won’t increase your debt, but you also won’t eliminate any debt. The best approach is spending as though you make less than you do—living off $4,000 when you make $6,000. This will allow you to pay off almost $100,000 in four years (4 years x 12 months x $2,000 per month).

Buy Used to Pay Off Debt

As a ministry family, we’ve had lots of clothes and other items given to us. When all our bases weren’t covered, we were able to find what we needed at yard sales and thrift and consignment stores. When you need “new” stuff, you can spend a fraction of the price buying used.

Stay Home to Pay Off Debt

If you asked those who are closest to us, many people would say, “Scott and Katie never go anywhere!” Traveling is expensive. Eat, play, and laugh at home. You’ll save on gas, lodging, and put less wear and tear on your vehicles. There are three keys to success with this strategy.

First, Build Relationships

When your children feel connected to you and each other, they will be more interested in staying at home because this is where they can be with those who are closest to them.

Limit screen time: If “family time” involves a television or computer, kids are more likely to feel closer to the electronic device than their family members.

Look for ways to connect: Can Friday evenings become “game night” or “make your own pizza night”? We purposefully end each day in the living room with everyone relaxing, visiting, and mellowing out before evening prayer and bedtime.

Second, Avoid Conflict

It is especially important for parents to have a healthy marriage because they set the example and tone in the home. The love and peace, or contention and strife, between husband and wife trickles down to the children. Children want to be in a home filled with harmony, but they will want to move away from one filled with quarreling.

Third, Invest in Your Home

Doesn’t this conflict with our goal of saving money? Yes, but sometimes we need to spend money to save money. By staying home you’ll save money, and you’ll be more inclined to stay home if you have invested in it. Use some of the money you saved from not traveling and invest in your home to make it a place you and your family enjoy.

Four Things to Avoid to Pay Off Debt

First, Avoid Lavishness

Even when you invest in your home (or making any purchases, for that matter), you should avoid extravagance. You can be nice, tidy, spacious, comfy, and modest. When eliminating debt, settle for simplicity. If you purchase new furniture, make sure it’s because you need new furniture. Buying new furniture simply because you’re bored with your current set is a waste of money and reveals a discontent heart. We still have much of the same furniture from when we got married.

Proverbs 13:7 says, “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.” Some people appear wealthy through their expensive homes, vehicles, and vacations, but if they’re buried in debt, they “[make themselves] rich, yet have nothing.

In Matthew 12:29, Jesus said people were seeing Him "bind the strong man," referring to Satan. This showed Jesus is stronger than Satan, and able to deliver people from his kingdom. Learn how Satan obtained a kingdom (Hebrews 2:5-9).

Table of contentsThe Book of Hebrews Is About Jesus Being BetterJesus Became Better than the Angels?God Gave Man AuthorityMan Forfeited His Authority to Satan at the FallSatan Offered Jesus His AuthorityThe Antichrist Accepts Satan's OfferSatan Is not Ruling and Reigning in HellSatan is the Ruler Over this WorldHow the World's Kingdoms Look to Man Versus GodWe See Jesus Bind the Strong Man When His Kingdom Destroys the World's KingdomsThe Gospels Record the Kingdom of God "Crashing" into Satan’s KingdomJesus Our Kinsman RedeemerJesus Binds the Strong ManJesus Could Bind the Strong Man Because He Is StrongerJesus Binds the Strong Man to Deliver People into His Kingdom

https://youtu.be/vqnWvpobMc4

Jesus Will Bind the Strong Man (Hebrews 2:5-9 and Matthew 12:29)

The Bible could be thought of as The Tale of Two Kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. We see Jesus "bind the strong man" (Satan) throughout His earthly ministry when His Kingdom defeated Satan's kingdom.

An obvious question might be, how did Satan get a kingdom? It was not when he was kicked out of heaven with one third of the angels. If he received a kingdom at that time, it would seem like he was rewarded for his rebellion. Instead, another event took place that gave Satan a kingdom, and I think the clearest passage helping us understand it is found in Hebrews 2. Because we are jumping into Hebrews, let me briefly explain this wonderful book.

The Book of Hebrews Is About Jesus Being Better

If we put ourselves in the place of Jewish Christians, consider how difficult it was for them to let go of all they knew to embrace Christianity: all the temple worship, sacrifices, and holy days. Christianity wasn’t an improved Judaism. It replaced Judaism. Think of the parable of the new and old wineskins:

Luke 5:36 No one tears a piece from a new garment (referring to the New Covenant) and puts it on an old garment (referring to the Old Covenant). If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine (referring to the New Covenant) into old wineskins (referring to the Old Covenant – you don’t force the New Covenant into the Old Covenant). If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.

The Old and New Covenants can’t be combined or they’ll both be ruined. But this is exactly what Jewish Christians were trying to do!

Luke 5:38 New wine (referring to the New Covenant) must be put into fresh wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine (referring to the Old Covenant). desires new, for he says, ‘The old is [better].’”

This captures the situation with the Jews: they thought the Old Covenant was better because they drank the old wine of the Old Covenant. Hebrews is written to show them how much better Jesus is than everything in the Old Covenant. So, it’s not that the Old Covenant is bad, it’s just that Jesus is better. For example:

The Old Testament sacrifices were good, but Jesus’s sacrifice is better.

The Sabbath was good, but the rest found in Christ is better.

The Levitical priesthood was good, but the Melchizedekian priesthood, which Jesus is part of, is better.

Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant, and he was a good mediator, but Jesus is a better Mediator.

Jesus Became Better than the Angels?

In the first few verses of Hebrews 1 the author describes how much better Jesus is than the prophets. Then the author describes how much better Jesus is than the angels:

(NASB) Hebrews 1:4 having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

Saying Jesus became better than the angels makes it seem like He was not BETTER before, which is true:

Hebrews 2:7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,

Man was made lower than the angels, so when Jesus became a man, he became lower than the angels too. Interestingly, in Hebrews 1 Jesus is better than the angels, but in Hebrews 2 He is lower than the angels. This seems like the opposite of what we would expect from an author who is supposed to be showing how much better Jesus is. Isn’t it almost a liability to argue that Jesus would be a man lower than the angels? What kind of Messiah isn’t even better than the angels? The author didn’t introduce this liability. He knew this dilemma was already in his readers’ minds, so he brings it up to address it.

This is one of the most fascinating passages in the entire New Testament, because it reveals why Jesus became lower than the angels. By understanding this we will see how Satan obtained a kingdom of his own, and why Jesus had to bring the kingdom of God from heaven to earth.

God Gave Man Authority

Hebrews 2:5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.

This means authority in the coming age is not given to angels, but to man. Think back to the creation account, and God giving man authority:

Genesis 1:26 God said, “Let…man…have dominion OVER the fish of the sea and OVER the birds of the heavens and OVER the livestock and OVER all the earth and OVER every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”…28 God said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion OVER the fish of the sea and OVER the birds of the heavens and OVER every living thing that moves on the earth.”.”

You can’t miss the repetition of the word "over" describing man’s authority over all of creation.241

At this point we might wonder something like, “Who is man that God would give him so much authority? What is so special about man that God would put him over all creation?” The author of Hebrews anticipated his readers thinking this:

Hebrews 2:6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?

This is a quote from Psalm 8:4-6. The author says, "It has been testified somewhere," instead of quoting the chapter and verse, because the chapter divisions didn’t come until 1227 and the verses until 1551.

Man Forfeited His Authority to Satan at the Fall

Instead of getting an answer to the questions in verse 6 we get a description of the situation:

Hebrews 2:7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

We have been made lower than the angels, which we talked about earlier. We were put over everything, but that’s the case now, or "at present." When Adam and Eve submitted to the devil in the garden, they represented all mankind and gave Satan the authority that had been given to them. Whatever we submit ourselves to becomes our master and we become its slaves:

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

When Adam and Eve chose to obey Satan, they became his slaves and forfeited the authority God gave them.

2 Peter 2:19 Whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

Adam and Eve were overcome by Satan and enslaved by him.

John 8:34 Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

We became slaves to sin, and we gave up the authority given to us.

Satan Offered Jesus His Authority

In Satan’s second temptation in the wilderness, he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, because they belonged to him:

Luke 4:5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for IT HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO ME, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”

Satan said "it," referring to "all this authority," had been delivered to him, and it was delivered to him at the fall. Jesus didn’t dispute Satan’s claim to have this authority, because it’s true.

Satan wants to give his authority to someone who will worship and serve him: “I give it to whom I will” (Luke 4:6). Jesus rejected the offer, but Satan will find someone to give the authority to, and that’s the antichrist.

The Antichrist Accepts Satan's Offer

Revelation 13 is the antichrist chapter and look at the repetition of the words give, gave, or granted referring to Satan giving his authority to the antichrist:

Revelation 13:2 The dragon (referring to Satan) GAVE [the beast] (referring to the antichrist) his power, his throne, and great authority…4 So they worshiped the dragon who GAVE authority to the beast…5 [The beast] was GIVEN a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was GIVEN authority…7 It was GRANTED to [the beast] to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was GIVEN him…14 he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was GRANTED to do in the sight of the beast…15 [The beast] was GRANTED power to give breath to the image of the beast.

One of the reasons we see wicked people – such as Nero, Hitler, and Stalin – with authority is because Satan can give people authority.

1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now MANY ANTICHRISTS HAVE COME.

There have been many lowercase antichrists throughout history – such as Nero, Hitler, and Stalin – who accepted the authority Satan gave them,

Do you want to develop a biblical stewardship of money? I've got the book (and workbook) for you! Read or listen to the introduction to Your Finances God’s Way to learn about financial stewardship in the Bible.

Table of ContentsGoing Into Full-Time Ministry without Being Paid MuchSome Credibility and EncouragementLiving on a Single-Income with Modest SalariesWhen People Don’t Have a Biblical Stewardship of MoneyThe Devastating Nature of Financial Problems“Are You Going to Help Me Become Rich?”How Wealthy Are Americans?What About the Cost of Living in the United States?Biblical Stewardship of Money Requires WisdomWisdom’s Greater ValueThe Approach to a Biblical Stewardship of MoneyA Committed Heart Is Needed for Biblical Stewardship of MoneyThe Your Finances God’s Way WorkbookOur Relationship With Money Reflects Our Relationship With Christ

I was driving home feeling discouraged. I don’t think it would be too much to say this was one of the lowest points of my life. I had to tell my wife, Katie, who was pregnant with our first child, that I had just been laid off. With the loss of my job as an elementary school teacher also came the loss of our medical insurance.

About two years earlier, I learned of a teaching position available on a local naval base that would give me credit for my military service. This resulted in a considerable raise, but the one drawback was losing my secure, tenured position at the district where I taught. The Great Recession hit, and schools began cutting new teachers. So even though I’d been teaching for almost ten years, I was included in the terminations. I knew it would be challenging to find a position anywhere because every district faced the same financial crunch.

You might be thinking, So, a book about finances God’s way. Did you feel that God would somehow provide you with a job? I did! Years earlier, I became a Christian in my early twenties during my first year of teaching elementary school. Soon after, my passion for ministry increased. So you can probably imagine my excitement when a local church, Grace Baptist in Lemoore, California, sought a part-time youth pastor. I applied, they hired me, and my elementary school schedule—which granted me summers and holidays off—worked wonderfully with my church position.

Going Into Full-Time Ministry without Being Paid Much

After losing the teaching position on the naval base, I was still a part-time youth pastor, but the pay wasn’t enough to support my family. I told my senior pastor I would have to look for a teaching position elsewhere, which would likely mean no longer serving as their youth pastor. Grace Baptist’s leadership team stepped out in faith and hired me full-time. I knew this was a tremendous financial strain on the church, but I gratefully accepted the job because I felt called to ministry and trusted God to provide. Within a few months, as I transitioned to full-time youth pastor, my income dropped by nearly two-thirds. My medical insurance and retirement were gone as well. I had to support my growing family on a fraction of my earlier salary.

Believe it or not, we didn’t feel the financial pinch. We had already been living frugally, so we didn’t have to make any lifestyle changes. The significant difference was that we couldn’t put as much extra money toward our mortgage. This book is the genesis of how we, regardless of our financial situation, can use what God has provided even when we have less to spend because of commitments, payments, a crisis, or job change. I’ll give you Tip One right now: Live off less money than you make, and you’ll be prepared if you ever really must live off less money than you make! In the pages ahead, I’ll share more tips to put in your financial planning pocket. But first, I’d like to share why God’s way of finances matters so much to me and why I want it to count for you, too.

Some Credibility and Encouragement

There are many finance books already available, so why another one? What makes this one different? Is there any reason you should trust what I have to say?

Most importantly, I’m not asking you to trust me but God. This book is not a collection of my opinions about money, but God’s words revealed in Scripture. You’ll see in the following chapters that I do my best to unpack the Bible’s critical money-related verses. God is the One “who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18), and He “makes poor and makes rich” (1 Samuel 2:7). That means God knows what you should and shouldn’t do with your finances, and He has provided you with the needed instructions in His Word. I desire to present these instructions in a clear, engaging, and biblical manner.

I’ve taught extensively on money to the church I serve. The most common type of counseling I provide is for marriages, with many sessions focusing on finances. The time I’ve spent with people in counseling—couples and individuals—has made me familiar with the most common problems in marriage, many of which relate to finances. I have seen people struggle, and the time I’ve spent studying the Bible has equipped me to help them find solutions. I’ve been blessed to watch the truths of God’s Word resolve their problems, restore their relationships, and strengthen their financial situations. Your Finances God’s Way is the culmination of hundreds of hours of Bible study and counseling. I wrote this book because I am passionate about this area of Scripture and life.

As a pastor and counselor, I have witnessed the blessings of obeying God and the negative consequences of disobedience. I have experienced these blessings and consequences firsthand as a husband and father. As of 2025, our oldest child of eleven, Rhea Grace, is 17. Perhaps God will bless us with more. We have always been a single-income family. I was a schoolteacher when Katie and I married, and then I became a full-time youth pastor. In 2010, I moved from that role to become the senior pastor at Woodland Christian Church in Woodland, Washington.

Living on a Single-Income with Modest Salaries

We have never lived off anything more than modest salaries, but God still enabled us to pay off all our debt, including our mortgage. In some months, we put a few hundred dollars toward debt; in others, we allocated a few thousand. When Katie inherited $10,000, we didn’t think twice about putting it toward the mortgage, and every tax return went toward it—the year I worked part-time as a youth pastor and full-time as an elementary schoolteacher was the year we made the most money. More than half of each paycheck went toward the mortgage.

I share my story for three reasons. First, I want to give you confidence in the biblical principles presented in this book. Second, I don’t want you to wonder, Has Scott “walked the talk,” or is he a hypocrite? When discussing debt, I want you to know we have none. When I talk about paying off a mortgage, I want you to know that’s what we’ve done. Third, I don’t want you to think, That’s easy for you to say, Scott; you’ve probably made more than I make. Whether you make much money or a little, you’re in the prime of your career or just starting, or you already have a family or are looking to start one, these principles work because they’re rooted in God’s Word.

In the following chapters, I’ll talk more about how my family handles finances without causing us to feel like we are going without, and how a biblical stewardship of money brings freedom, not lack. For now, I’ll share that our financial situation reminds me of what Jesus did with the fish and loaves (Matthew 14:13-21) and what Elisha did with the widow’s oil (2 Kings 4:1-7). Not much was available in both accounts—a few fish, loaves, and vessels—but God stretched the resources dramatically. He can do the same with our money if we seek to honor Him. The opposite is also true: If we do not honor the Lord with our finances, He can keep considerable wealth from stretching very far. As God says, “Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:30).

When People Don’t Have a Biblical Stewardship of Money

I was at the gym years ago, and a man approached me about his financial problems. Although we hardly knew each other, he was experiencing so much anxiety that he felt compelled to talk to someone, and I happened to be the one. When he walked away, I could tell he was as stressed as when we started talking. Who knows how long he kept feeling that way, but I hope he sought help, because financial problems don’t go away on their own. That he would speak with someone he hardly knew reveals how heavily financial burdens can weigh on us.

Aside from health issues and rebellious children, few things cause as much anxiety as finances. When people lie awake at night agonizing over something, it’s often related to money: Why did I buy that? We should’ve started saving earlier. What are we going to do about this bill? Even secular research reveals the prevalence of financial worry. According to a study released by the American Psychological Association, almost three out of four Americans experience anxiety from finances part of the time, and nearly one out of four Americans experience extreme financial anxiety. In a poll conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, more than half of the people who experienced a great deal of stress in the last month identified financial problems as a factor. If statistics are any indication, you’re probably in the first category and maybe even in the second.

The Devastating Nature of Financial Problems

Financial problems are devastating because they negatively affect other areas of our lives, such as our marriages, friends, jobs, and churches. Sixty-one percent of couples admit that financial discussions turn into arguments. Money problems are the number one cause of divorce in America. When people are in danger of losing their jobs, homes, cars, savings,

In Luke 17:20-21 Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is in your midst." Jesus said this because He was on the earth and people could see Him, hear Him, and touch Him. He had the kingdom with Him. To be near Jesus was to be near the kingdom.

Table of contentsThe Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven Are the SameJesus's Purpose During His Earthly MinistryThe Changing Message of the Unchanging GospelThey Preached the Kingdom of God in the GospelsThey Preached the Coming Messiah in the Old TestamentThey Preached Christ Crucified in the ChurchJesus Spiritually Established the Kingdom of God at His First ComingWhy Look and Pray for the Kingdom of God When It Already Came?Jesus Will Physically Establish the Kingdom of God at His Second ComingNobody Is Born into the Kingdom of GodFootnotes

https://youtu.be/W5PC5vvR-g8

In Luke 17:20-21 Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is in your midst" because He was on the earth and to be near Him was to be near the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God is one of the most important topics in Scripture. This is the Kingdom Jesus rules over. Every Kingdom has a king, and this is the Kingdom where Jesus is King:

2 Peter 1:11 There will be richly provided for you an entrance into THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

Jesus brought His Kingdom Him in His first coming when He came from heaven to earth. Every believer is part of this Kingdom, because it’s the Kingdom for people who have Jesus as their King.

Matthew 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

John the Baptist paved the way for the Messiah. He said the kingdom of God is "at hand" because He knew Jesus was bringing the kingdom of God with Him.

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven Are the Same

Kingdom of Heaven is the same as the Kingdom of God. The title Kingdom of Heaven only occurs in Matthew’s Gospel because it’s the Jewish Gospel and the Jews were sensitive to the word “God” being used. To avoid offending his Jewish readers, Matthew says Kingdom of Heaven.244

John told people what to do to prepare for the kingdom: repent. We enter the Kingdom by repentance and faith in King Jesus. That was and still is how to enter the kingdom.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The ESV and NKJV read "at hand," but they have footnotes that they could also read "has come near," which is how it reads in the NIV. "Has come near" is preferrable for two reasons:

It is past tense: the kingdom HAS COME, which it had, because Jesus brought it with Him.

The Kingdom was NEAR is also fitting because Jesus was on the earth and people could see Him, hear Him, and even touch Him. He had the kingdom with Him. To be near Jesus was to be near the kingdom.

Jesus's Purpose During His Earthly Ministry

The phrase Kingdom of God occurs 54 times in the gospels, and 32 of those times are in Luke. Luke is THEE Gospel that gives the most attention to the Kingdom of God. Luke 4:43 is the first time the phrase Kingdom of God occurs, and it’s very fitting:

Luke 4:42 the people sought [Jesus] and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

People were trying to keep Jesus from leaving, but He told them he had to go so he could preach the kingdom. He went so far as to say this was his purpose. We see Him fulfill this purpose throughout His earthly ministry. A few examples:

Luke 8:1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and BRINGING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. And the twelve were with him,

Jesus goes through the cities and villages preaching the kingdom of God, and then He commissions the twelve to do the same:

Luke 9:1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he SENT THEM OUT TO PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD and to heal.

The word proclaim contains kingdom imagery, because it describes a herald coming and making an announcement for the King. The Twelve Apostles would:

announce that the King – or Messiah – had arrived

tell people about the acts – the miracles and teachings – of the King

escribe the King’s Kingdom

tell people what the kingdom was like

tell people how to enter the Kingdom

Jesus, the King, attracted huge crowds, and He preached the kingdom to them:

Luke 9:11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.

Jesus sent out the seventy and told them:

Luke 10:9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’

Jesus told the seventy if people rejected the Kingdom, they should move on but first let them know, “The kingdom of God was brought to you, but you blew it.”

There are many other verses, but you get the idea that the Kingdom of God was being preached during Jesus’s earthly ministry.

The Changing Message of the Unchanging Gospel

For now, compare Luke 9:2 and 6:

Luke 9:2 and he SENT THEM OUT TO PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM OF GOD and to heal.

Luke 9:6 And they departed and went through the villages, PREACHING THE GOSPEL and healing everywhere.

Luke 9:2 says they proclaimed the kingdom of God and Luke 9:6 says they preached the gospel because these are the same.

They Preached the Kingdom of God in the Gospels

We say Jesus died for our sins when preaching the gospel. If we heard a gospel presentation that didn’t mention Jesus’s death, we would probably say it’s not a gospel presentation. The nagging question is, “How did they preach the gospel before Jesus died?” This can even lead to terrible conclusions like, “Maybe there was no gospel before Jesus died.” But Luke 9:6 says they preached the gospel even though Jesus hadn’t died yet.

The solution is that the revelation people had throughout history has been different at different times; therefore, the presentation – or preaching – of the Gospel has been different at different times. BUT the Gospel itself – or the way man is saved – has always been the same: by grace through faith.

In Luke 9:6 it might look odd to say they preached the gospel because there is no mention of Jesus’ death, burial, or resurrection, but it hadn’t happened yet so thy couldn’t preach it. Instead, they preached what they could at the time, which was: God become a Man in the Person of Jesus Christ, came from heaven to earth, and brought His kingdom with Him. This was the primary message in the Gospels.

Jesus began much of his teaching with, "The kingdom of God is like…" We might think it would make more sense if He said, “Salvation is like…” or “The gospel is like…” but becoming part of the Kingdom of God was being saved or believing the gospel.

They Preached the Coming Messiah in the Old Testament

Now I know the next question you’re asking…

“Okay, then what did they preach in the Old Testament before the Messiah came with the kingdom of God?”

Great question!

They preached that the Messiah would come. And this brings us to the next part of lesson one…

In the Old Testament people were saved by believing God would send a Messiah, like we are saved by believing God did send the Messiah. People looked forward in faith to the Messiah coming, like we look backward in faith believing the Messiah has come.

Let me give you two verses that support this…

Galatians 3:8 God…PREACHED THE GOSPEL…to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”

This shows the gospel preached in the Old Testament. We are told it was preached to Abraham. This is the prophecy that the Messiah would be one of Abraham’s descendants. That’s how "all the nations [would] be blessed in, or through, Abraham. Abraham believed this prophecy that the Messiah would come, and was saved:

Genesis 15:6 [Abraham] believed the Lord, and [the Lord] counted it to [Abraham] as righteousness.

This is justification: Abraham believed and was justified, or declared righteous, by his faith.

(NKJV) Hebrews 4:2 The gospel was preached to us as well as to [the Israelites in the wilderness].

The gospel was preached to the Israelites in the wilderness just like it was preached to us, church age believers. We aren’t told what exactly this Gospel presentation looked like, but there was some way for the Israelites to look forward in faith to Jesus so they could be saved. I think they saw Christ – or looked forward to Him in faith – through the amazing types and shadows of Christ they were exposed to in the wilderness:

They saw Christ through the Bronze Serpent: John 3:14 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”

They saw Christ through the manna: John 6:32-33 “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, My Father gives you the true bread from heaven (referring to Himself). For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

1 Corinthians 10:4 says Jesus was the rock in the wilderness that provided Israel with water, so they definitely saw Christ through the Rock.

When Israel saw these types and shadows, they were seeing Christ, albeit in a veiled – or shadowy – way.

They Preached Christ Crucified in the Church

This is why there is such a dramatic change between the preaching in the Gospels and Acts. Preaching the Kingdom of God is the theme of the Gospels, so when the Book of Acts begins, we would expect to continue reading about the Kingdom of God being preached. But instead,

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Paul hypothetically discussed "for if Christ is not raised." Read, listen, or watch to learn what it means for believers if Christ was not raised, and what it means for unbelievers that Christ was raised.

Table of contentsWe All Have DoubtsWhat Makes People Heretics?What It Means for BelieversFor If Christ Is Not Raised a Believer’s Preaching is WorthlessFor If Christ Is Not Raised New Testament Authors Are LiarsFor If Christ Is Not Raised a Believer’s Faith Is WorthlessFor If Christ Is Not Raised a Believer’s Sins Are UnforgivenFor If Christ Is Not Raised the Dead Cease ExistingFor If Christ Is Not Raised a Believer Should Be PitiedWhat It Means for UnbelieversBecause Christ Was Raised an Unbeliever’s Works Are WorthlessBecause Christ Was Raised New Testament Authors Are WatchmenBecause Christ Was Raised an Unbeliever’s Sins Are UnforgivenBecause Christ Was Raised the Dead Live Eternally in Hell or HeavenBecause Christ Was Raised an Unbeliever Should Be Most Pitied

https://youtu.be/r3v2SV_Bm1c

"For if Christ is not raised" is a hypothetical situation in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Learn what it means for believers and unbelievers.

We All Have Doubts

Having doubts is common. Sometimes we have doubts about insignificant things like our orders at restaurants or the clothes we put on. Other times we have doubts about more significant things: "Should I have taken this job, moved here, made this purchase, or married this person?" You should not have this last doubt, because as soon as you’re married your spouse became the right person.

The Corinthians were having doubts about, of all things, the resurrection!

1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

Paul makes a logical point: “If you believe Christ was raised from the dead, you should believe Christians, or those in Christ, will be raised from the dead as well.”

Why Gentiles and Jews Doubted Christ's Resurrection

Gentiles doubted the resurrection, because of their pagan philosophies and religions. When Paul was at Athens he preached about the resurrection, and Acts 17:32 says, "When they heard [Paul preach the] resurrection of the dead, SOME MOCKED." They mocked because they thought everything physical was bad, and couldn’t believe God would raise physical bodies from the dead. John MacArthur said the idea was “repulsive and disgusting” to them.

The Jews struggled with resurrection because of the Sadducees., who didn’t believe in anything supernatural. Acts 4:1-2 says, "As [Peter and John] were speaking to the people…the Sadducees [were] greatly annoyed because [Peter and John] were…proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead." The Sadducees were prominent Jewish religious leaders, more than likely they influenced the Jews not to believe in the resurrection.

What Makes People Heretics?

If they doubted Christ’s resurrection, they wouldn’t be believers, because there are certain non-negotiables in the Christian life, and Christ’s resurrection is one of them. People who deny Christ’s resurrection are heretics. The Corinthians had many problems, as the previous 14 chapters reveal, but they weren’t heretics.

One fourth of professing Christians don't believe in the resurrectionfrom, which means one fourth of professing Christians are heretics. Unfortunately, most of the articles said, “one fourth OF CHRISTIANS don’t believe in the resurrection.” This language is terrible, because it implies people can be Christians AND NOT believe in the resurrection. So, it’s worth noticing I said “one fourth of PROFESSING Christians” deny the resurrection. This one fourth must not be familiar with these verses, because Paul explains the terrible problems associated with doubting the resurrection. He plays a game with the Corinthians: “Let’s pretend Christ was not raised.”

What It Means for Believers

For If Christ Is Not Raised a Believer’s Preaching is Worthless

1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 

Paul is working backward. If there’s no resurrection, then Jesus hasn’t been raised from the dead. If Christians can’t be resurrected, then Christ couldn’t have been raised.

The Greek word for vain is kenos, which means “empty.” It’s related to the word for "emptied Himself" in Philippians 2:7, where we get the doctrine of the kenosis, that at the Incarnation Christ emptied Himself.

We’ll talk more about our faith being vain after verse 17, when Paul says the same thing. If Christ wasn’t raised, then preaching vain or empty. Every Gospel presentation, sermon, Sunday school teaching, Bible study, funeral message promising people their loved ones were in heaven and they would see them again, were vain. They were empty without the resurrection. And it’s not just preaching that's in vain...

For If Christ Is Not Raised New Testament Authors Are Liars

1 Corinthians 15:15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 

I preach Christ’s resurrection, but if Christ wasn’t resurrected, I’m not a liar. I’m deceived, and I’m deceiving others. The New Testament authors are the liars because they claimed to be eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ, when He wasn’t resurrected:

1 Corinthians 15:4 that he (this is Jesus) was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas (or Peter), then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep (they died). 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me...11 Whether then it was I or they (referring to the witnesses of Christ’s resurrection he just mentioned), so we preach and so you believed.

Paul listed several people who said they saw Christ after His resurrection. But if Christ wasn’t resurrected, they were lying. They would also be some of the worst deceivers who ever lived. Think of the thousands of martyrs who went to their deaths and the countless others who sacrificed so much living for Christ, because they believed with these men.

Regarding the twelve apostles lying, Charles Colson said:

I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.

If you’re deceiving people, when you’re about to be tortured or killed, that’s when you throw up your hands and admit you were lying.

For If Christ Is Not Raised a Believer’s Faith Is Worthless

1 Corinthians 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17a And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile...

Verse 16 sounds familiar because Paul said the same thing back in verse 13. He repeated it because it’s that important to consider what they’re saying: if people aren’t resurrected, then Christ couldn’t have been resurrected. Verse 17 also sounds familiar because Paul said this back in verse 14. He wants us to understand how worthless our faith is without Christ’s resurrection.

Years ago, a woman was cutting my hair and I saw a Chinese symbol on her arm. I asked her what it meant, and she said, “Faith.” I was immediately curious because I thought she might be a Christian. When I said, “Faith in what?” it seemed to catch her off guard. It took her a moment to come up with an answer, but finally she said, “Just faith. Believing. Faith in yourself.”

Her answer captures a common belief that simply having faith is good. The problem with this thinking is faith is only as good as the object we put our faith in.

The Importance of the Object of Our Faith

For example, when you drive, you demonstrate significant faith. You get into a vehicle that contains gallons of flammable gasoline. You start the vehicle and have faith that it won’t blow up even though parts of it became very hot and had sparks. If you aren’t driving, you have faith in the driver that he or she will get you safely to the destination. You also have faith in other drivers on the road. You head toward traffic in the opposing lane and believe that they won’t drift over even a few feet and crash into you head on.

Fail Army is a collection of videos of an army of people failing. They climb something but end up falling, drive something but end up crashing, or carry something but they end up dropping it. These people had misplaced faith in their ability to do certain things.

It doesn’t matter how much faith you have, if you put that faith in the wrong thing, you fail. If we put our faith in Christ, but He was not raised, our faith is misplaced. It is worthless. Christ didn’t do what we thought He did. We put our faith in the most significant event that’s ever happened, but it never happened.

For If Christ Is Not Raised a Believer’s Sins Are Unforgiven

1 Corinthians 15:17b and you are still in your sins. 

Jesus’s death made Him like everyone else, but His resurrection set Him apart. Maybe you are saying, “But what about other people who were raised from the dead, such as Lazarus? Weren’t they like Jesus?” There’s a difference between being raised from the dead and resurrected. Lazarus, and others, were raised from the dead,

The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 is about faithful stewardship. Read or listen to this material from Your Finances God’s Way to learn what the parable of the talents teaches us about managing money.

Table of ContentsEncouraged By the Parable of the TalentsGod Judges Christians’ Stewardships Versus Their SinsFirst, God Gives What We Can HandleSecond, God Judges Our Proportion Versus Our PortionThird, God Does Not Compare Us with OthersThe First Danger of Comparing: DiscouragementThe Second Danger of Comparing: PrideThe Same Reward for Going to Battle and Guarding the SuppliesAre You the 400, 200, First Servant, or Second Servant?Footnotes

Everything belongs to God. Deuteronomy 10:14 says, “Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it.” God said, “Every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine” (Psalm 50:10-11). Psalm 89:11 says, “The heavens are Yours; the earth also is Yours; the world and all its fullness, You have founded them.” First Corinthians 10:26 quotes Psalm 24:1: “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

Of course, God’s possessions include all the wealth throughout history. This means your money isn’t your money! It’s God’s money. In Haggai 2:8, God said, “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.” David wanted to build a house (or temple) for God. When he was told he couldn’t, he did everything he could to help his son Solomon make this happen, only stopping short of doing the building himself. David collected the materials, including the silver and gold. After the people gave even more than was needed, David prayed in 1 Chronicles 29:14, 16:

Who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your hand we have given You…O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own.

David understood they were giving back to God what He had given them. John 3:27 says, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” Our entire perspective of money changes when we understand that all wealth belongs to God. We come to view our finances correctly as one big stewardship.

If we understand money is a stewardship, we will be wiser with the money God has given us. We will be less likely to waste it because we understand it is God’s money versus our own. We will even find it easier to be generous and give it away because we know it is God’s money versus our own.

Encouraged By the Parable of the Talents

The apostle Paul said, “It is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). If you’ve ever put someone in charge of something that belongs to you, you know the one thing you value more than anything else is faithfulness. The parable of the talents gives us the encouragement we need to be faithful.

A talent was the largest denomination of money in the Greco-Roman world, estimated to be worth as much as 6,000 denarii. Because a denarius was one day’s wage, this was approximately 20 years’ work. Although the talents in the parable can represent any stewardships in our lives— time, marriage, children, abilities, possessions, positions in life—because Jesus chose a unit of money, the parable of the talents particularly applies to the stewardship of finances.

John MacArthur said parable of the talents “illustrates the tragedy of wasted opportunity.”250 Second only to time, there aren’t many things we waste more than money. This parable should inspire us to act otherwise and be faithful stewards:

The kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, “Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.” His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” He also who had received two talents came and said, “Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.” His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:14-23).

The “man” or “lord” in the parable of the talents is Jesus, and the trip “to a far country” is His return to heaven. So far, “a long time” has been 2,000 years. The master expects the servants to carry on the work he started; therefore, he gives them talents. The servants are professing believers. I must say “professing” because the third servant is unsaved. The words “delivered his goods to them” reveal this pictures a stewardship—God entrusts us with His goods that He expects us to use for His service.

When the master returned from his journey, he wanted to know what the servants did with the talents he had given them. The first man said, “Lord, you delivered to me,” showing that he understood the talents were entrusted to him rather than earned by him.

God Judges Christians’ Stewardships Versus Their Sins

The master returns and judges the servants, introducing one of the more common questions I receive as a pastor: Will Christians be judged? Yes and no. No, our sins are not judged because they were paid for at the cross. If you’re in Christ, you will never stand before the Great White Throne, which is the terrifying judgment at which unbelievers will learn they will pay for their sins by spending eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). But even though we won’t find ourselves before the Great White Throne, we will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account of our stewardship:

“Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God ” (Romans 14:10).

“We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Paul uses the word “we” to show he’s talking about himself and other believers. The “evil” we have done is mentioned because even though we won’t be punished for our sins, they can result in loss of rewards: “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved” (1 Corinthians 3:15). To put it simply, at the end of our lives, our sins will not be judged, but our stewardships will. If we’ve been faithful, we will be rewarded. Keeping this in mind encourages us to be faithful stewards of our finances.

Returning to the parable of the talents, we might expect God to give each person the same amount because He distributes the talents. Instead, one received five, another two, and the third only one. Likewise, each of us receives a different amount of money. This might seem unfair, but there are three ways God creates equity.

First, God Gives What We Can Handle

The first way God creates equity is evident in the words “according to his ability.” The Lord “[knows] all people and [needs] no one to bear witness about man [to Him]” (John 2:24-25). He knows how much to give each person. God does not overestimate or underestimate our abilities:

The man with much ability was given five talents.

The man with average ability was given two talents.

The man with minimal ability was given one talent.

If the man with minimal ability had been given five talents, he would’ve been overwhelmed by the responsibility. Conversely, if the man with much ability had been given only one talent, his potential would’ve been wasted. Instead, God gives everyone exactly what he or she should have because He knows what we can (and can’t) handle.

This is both encouraging and challenging. It’s encouraging that God does not give us more wealth than we can faithfully steward. It is challenging because if we are unfaithful, we can’t make the excuse that we would have done better if we had received a different amount.

If nobody receives more than they can handle, this begs some questions: Why do people use the wealth God has given them in ungodly ways? Why do people act like the third servant and squander what God has given them? When people are poor stewards, does that mean God was unwise in the amounts He gave them? Not at all. We are free moral agents who choose to be faithful or unfaithful. This is the main point of the parable of the talents. When we are bad stewards, it does not reflect God’s wisdom in distribution. Instead, it is a reflection of our unfaithfulness. When we squander what the Lord has entrusted, the blame rests squarely on us. The third servant demonstrated this when he tried to blame God for his results and was rebuked.

Second, God Judges Our Proportion Versus Our Portion

The second way God is equitable is shown in the second servant’s reward. He heard the exact words as the first servant: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:23; cf. 25:21).

James 1:4 says, "Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Read or listen to this chapter from Enduring Trials God's Way to learn how to let trials make you better versus bitter.

Table of contentsWe Must Choose to "Let" Patience Have Its Perfect WorkLet Patience Have Its Perfect Work to Avoid Becoming BitterBitterness Is the Temptation During TrialsDavid Was Made Better by TrialsDavid Trusted God's SovereigntyAsa Became Bitter by TrialsDiscussion Questions

I would love to be able to say, “Trials always produce patience, and patience makes you perfect and complete, lacking nothing,” but sometimes it would be more accurate to say, “Trials produce bitterness.” God wants to use trials for our good, but it's tempting to become bitter. When people are suffering, there is greater potential for them to question, criticize—or worst of all—turn from God.

Perhaps you can think of people experiencing a trial and they said something like, “How could God let this happen to me? I do not deserve it! I wish I could give Him a piece of my mind!” If we're honest, we can probably think of times trials did not produce patience or maturity in us. Instead of making us better, they made us bitter.

We Must Choose to "Let" Patience Have Its Perfect Work

The wording of James 1:3-4 is odd. If we never read the verses before we would probably expect them to say, “…the testing of your faith produces patience, which makes you perfect…” Instead, there are instructive words: “let patience have its perfect work.” The Greek word for let is echō, and it's a verb because James is commanding us to do something. We must “let” trials “work.” Echō means, “To have, hold, own, possess, lay hold of.” Here are two places it's used:

Matthew 3:13–14—“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need (echō) to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’”

Acts 2:44–45—“Now all who believed were together, and had (echō) all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had (echō) need.”

Of the 712 times echō occurs in the New Testament, 613 times it is translated as “have,” because it is not simply about accepting trials in our lives. We must take ownership of them. Instead of resisting trials, we must embrace them. This is how we “let” God use them for our benefit. The alternative is to fight against trials, which hinders the “perfect work” they can accomplish.

Before doctors administer a shot, they say, “Relax. Try to remain as calm as possible. This will hurt, but it will be worse if you resist.” The doctor is telling you to accept what is about to happen because failing to do so will only make an already painful situation even worse. It is the same with trials. We cannot avoid them. They hurt, and we make them worse when we resist. Instead, we must accept them, trusting God wants to use them for our good and His glory. This is how we "count it all joy" and “let” trials make us better.

Let Patience Have Its Perfect Work to Avoid Becoming Bitter

Trials and temptations are not the same. Trials are tests from God, and He uses them for our benefit. Temptations, on the other hand, come from our flesh:

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

James 1:13-14

As much as God uses trials to bring out the best in us, Satan uses temptations to bring out the worst in us:

Every person in the world will encounter various trials throughout life. Satan seeks to defeat you by tempting you to trust your own wisdom, to live according to your self-centered feelings, and to gratify the desires of your flesh. In contrast, God’s will is for you to be an overwhelming conqueror in all of these tests for His honor and glory.

Broger, James. Self-Confrontation Manual, Lesson 8, p. 3, Used by Permission of the Biblical Counseling Foundation.

Although trials and temptations are different for each person, bitterness is one common temptation everyone faces. There are many sins in Scripture, but there is no root of lying, stealing, or adultery. Why does Hebrews 12:15 discuss a “root of bitterness?” Roots grow and become difficult to remove, which is also the case with bitterness. Roots can be destructive, ruining sidewalks and the foundations of buildings. Similarly, bitterness can be destructive, ruining relationships in families, workplaces, and churches. When people experience trials, especially particularly difficult ones such as a disease or the loss of a child, they might feel betrayed by God. Bitterness can come on quickly, “springing up” as the author of Hebrews warned.

Bitterness Is the Temptation During Trials

Revelation 3:10 calls the Tribulation “the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Everyone falls into one of two categories when the trials test them. One group gets better: “Seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven” (Revelation 11:13b). Another group gets bitter:

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun...men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God...they did not repent and give Him glory. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl [and there was] darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent. Great hail from heaven fell upon men…Men blasphemed God because of the...hail.

Revelation 16:8–11, 21

Both groups experience the same trials, but they produce two different responses. One group is drawn to God. They “let” trials have their perfect work, and it makes them better. The other group blasphemes God. They reject the trials, and it makes them bitter.

A Christian friend’s home burned down. His wife and children were okay, but most of their possessions and memories were lost. He and his family have served the Lord faithfully for years. Some people in his situation would criticize God, wondering why He let something like this happen to them: “We do not deserve this! What about everything we have done for You!” The first time I spoke to my friend after the fire I told him how sorry I was, and his response was, “Scott, it is just stuff.” Not a hint of bitterness. This is the response we need.

David Was Made Better by Trials

One of the lowest points in David’s life occurred when his son, Absalom, stole the throne from him:

Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

2 Samuel 15:13–14

This had to be excruciating news for David to receive. It was one thing for Absalom to steal the throne, but it was another thing entirely to learn that the Israelites rejected him to embrace his evil son. As a result, David was forced to flee the capital. When things seemed like they could not get worse, Shimei showed up:

Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”

2 Samuel 16:5–8

Since Shimei was related to Saul, he hated David for being king instead of one of Saul’s sons. Either he did not know God rejected Saul or he ignored that fact. He also blamed David for Saul’s death and the deaths of those in Saul’s family, even though David spared Saul’s life on multiple occasions and prevented his men from harming him. David’s kindness was shown again when his nephew, Abishai, sought to murder Shimei:

[Abishai said,] “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”[David replied], “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.”

2 Samuel 16:9–12

David Trusted God's Sovereignty

Twice David attributed Shimei’s actions to God. There is no indication that God told Shimei to curse David, but it still serves as a powerful example of David’s confidence in God’s sovereignty. David determined to accept this trial as though it was from God, and there is not a hint of bitterness.

David showed further restraint toward Shimei despite his continued mistreatment: “And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there” (2 Samuel 16:13–14). How much patience did it take to walk along while Shimei behaved this way?

Your Marriage God's Way Workbook is the couple's Bible study husbands and wives can do together for Christ-centered relationships. Read or listen to the introduction to see why this workbook stands out among husband-and-wife Bible studies.

Table of ContentsBeing not Only Hearers, but DoersUsing this Couple's Bible StudyTake Your Time and Pray!Expect Tension with This Couple's Bible StudyFocus on the Way Your Spouse FeelsCrucify Your Flesh When Doing this Couple's Bible StudyApologize the Right WayThe Negative Consequences of Failing to Apologize WellForgive the Right WayFootnotes

Let me commend you for prioritizing your marriage! You went beyond simply reading Your Marriage God’s Way to also purchasing this accompanying workbook. Second to our relationship with Christ, our relationship with our spouse is the most important relationship in our life. We should invest in it so that we can have Christ-centered relationships. That’s what this workbook is—an investment of time and energy (spiritual, mental, and emotional), for your joy and God’s glory.

Being not Only Hearers, but Doers

In Your Marriage God’s Way, I wrote:

The importance of going beyond hearing (or reading) to obeying is a regular theme in Scripture. Jesus said, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it…If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (Luke 8:21; John 13:17). We do not learn God’s Word simply for the sake of knowing it. We learn it so that we can apply it.

James 1:22 urges us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” This verse reveals a common mistake people make. They learn God’s Word and believe they have done enough and fall short of applying it to their lives. Husbands and wives do this when they believe they have a marriage built on Christ simply because they know what the Bible teaches, read Christian marriage books, and attend Christian marriage conferences. But none of their learning will have any effect if they are not obeying Scripture’s instructions. As believers, our responsibility goes much further than simply obtaining information. We must obey what we have learned (pages 241-242).

You are doing your part to be not just a hearer (or reader), but a doer (or obey-er) of the Word. What better way to apply what you have read than to go through a workbook with your spouse? I am confident your investment will pay great dividends for you and your spouse. Why am I so certain? Two reasons: First, the instruction in Your Marriage God’s Way is drawn from the Bible. As the Author of marriage, God knows exactly what husbands and wives need to have healthy, joyful Christ-centered relationships as He intended.

The second reason is less spiritual and more practical. Before becoming a pastor, I was an elementary school teacher. That’s when I learned how people learn. When I started preaching—telling people to open their Bibles versus telling students to open their math books—it was another form (albeit infinitely more important) of teaching. Whether I’m delivering a sermon, speaking at a conference, or guest preaching, I do my best to provide those in attendance with message handouts that have lessons and blanks to fill in.

Why do I do this? Because as you’ve probably already heard, people retain more information when they take notes versus only listen.283 But did you know their retention is even better when the notes are handwritten versus typed?284

Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve written much by hand. We’ve moved away from letters to emails and many of us rely on our computers all day. But you can be encouraged in knowing the answers you write in this workbook will have a much better chance of staying with you because you wrote them down. Plus, this will help you remember the content from the book as you cement the material in your heart and mind, especially as you put things into practice.