December 28 / I, II, III John

I John 1-5;
II John 1:1-13;
III John 1:1-15

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

I John 2:1-2

Most of the above (i.e., from “If anyone does sin…” onward) should sound quite familiar to Anglicans, as it is quoted in the “Comfortable Words” following the “Absolution” in our liturgy. Probably less familiar is the first sentence, the part where John says he is writing these things to you so that you may not sin. It seems to me that while we love the part that is quoted in the liturgy, many (most?) of us largely disregard this first sentence. Oh, sure, we know that we are not supposed to sin, but we are nonetheless perfectly content to accept a certain level of underlying sin (i.e., daily, constant, continual, habitual sin). We resign ourselves to this “everyday” sin as our “normal human condition”, so normal that we don’t bother confessing it as sin, and so normal that we never really repent. And in the end we just cozy right up to sin and love the things of the world, contrary to I John 2:15-16.

But is that the life that John describes? If God is light, are we to hang out in the shadows? Do we imagine that the purpose of the Cross is to remove the penalty of sin so that we can continue sinning? Are we not to be dead to sin and alive to righteousness? (Romans 6:11; I Peter 2:24) Let’s not try to explain away I John 3:4-10, supposing that those verses apply only to overt or “big” sins like murder or robbery or sexual immorality. Those verses are just as applicable to all that “everyday” sin we so casually tolerate within ourselves.

It’s time to take sin seriously. It’s time to repent. It’s time to really believe in the Son of God and receive all that He has done for us, freeing us from our bondage to sin, not just its penalty. It’s time to abide in the resurrected Christ.

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

I John 5:11-13

It’s time to live this life now.

See also:

December 27 / Hebrews 11-13

Hebrews 11-13

Hebrews 11 is the great faith chapter of the Bible. Here we find the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1, the recognition that it is impossible to please God without faith (Heb. 11:6), and a great list of heroes of the faith (dubbed the “Hall of Faith” by some), who illustrate what it is to live by faith. Some of these heroes won great victories and experienced awesome deliverance by faith. Others suffered horribly, enduring loss and pain and anguish, also by faith. And so it goes, and with 2,000 years of additional history behind us, consider how much greater the list of saints is now (whether canonized or not) — all living by faith.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

So be encouraged. You are not alone. Stand firm in your faith — so long as your faith is in Jesus!

Remember, Jesus is better!

See also:

December 26 / Hebrews 7-10

Hebrews 7-10

Jesus is better!

Jesus is superior to anything or anyone else you might find in all of creation. Ordained by an oath from God Himself to a priesthood that is far superior to the Levitical priesthood, Christ offers Himself once for all, accomplishing what no one else could ever do. His own blood avails for our redemption where the blood of animals never could. With His Resurrection and Ascension, Jesus remains our Great High Priest forever, seated at the right hand of God.

Apart from Jesus, we have no hope. We are cut off from our holy and righteous God because of our sin against him. But Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself washes that sin away, letting us enter again into the presence of God Almighty. Jesus is the only Way, and Jesus is the entire Way. You can forget looking elsewhere.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:19-25

That Day is nearer now than when these words were written, so how about it? Who are you stirring up to love and good works? Who will you encourage today?

Jesus is better!

See also:

December 25 / Hebrews 1-6

Hebrews 1-6

Today we begin a very rapid run through an exceptionally rich stretch of Scripture, which brings together the Old and New Testaments like nothing else. The Book of Hebrews is deep, filled with ideas that are not altogether easy to grasp. It would be a mistake, though, to think that because it is a little difficult, that we can then skip it. No, just the opposite. Without Hebrews, I daresay that there would be gaping holes in Christian doctrine. But to help us out a little, here’s my exceptionally oversimplified summary: Jesus is better!

Jesus is better than angels. Jesus is better than Moses. Jesus is better than Abraham. Jesus is the ultimate Man. Jesus is the Son. Jesus is our ultimate High Priest. Jesus is our ultimate Sacrifice. Jesus mediates a better Covenant based on better promises. Jesus is the substance of which the entire earthly temple system is but a shadow.

But I am getting a bit ahead of myself…

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, Whom He appointed the Heir of all things, through Whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Hebrews 1:1-4

Like I said, Jesus is better!

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Hebrews 2:1

Yes, let’s pay attention. And when we have completed our sprint through the Bible next week, find some time to come back to this Book of Hebrews to study it much more deeply than we can in these few days we have here. You’ll meet Jesus all over again.

Merry Christmas!

See also:

December 24 / Jude; II Peter

Jude 1:1-25; II Peter 1-3

Both Jude and II Peter issue strong warnings against false teachers. My guess is that many of us are somewhat uncomfortable with the rather condemnatory language Jude and Peter use toward those who lead believers astray — these “rants” against the apostate. Yet such language is perfectly appropriate — necessary even — to communicate the seriousness of heresy and the dangers therein. Whatever discomfort we may have probably says a good deal about how much we have bought into all sorts of false teachings — and that we’d rather be “nice” than to call a spade a spade.

God is not mocked. He knows how to execute His judgments, and He will do so. It will not be pretty for those false teachers.

But the purpose of these books is not simply to condemn false teachers but to encourage believers (i.e., us, hopefully) to be on guard against false teaching, to stand firm in the Truth, to be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace. (II Peter 3:14b).

So take heed. Guard your hearts. Pursue the Truth. Ask yourself again: To whom do you listen?

See also:

December 23 / I Peter

I Peter 1-5

This first letter of Peter is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I highly recommend spending a good deal of time here, reading this book slowly and repeatedly, meditating on what the Lord has to say to us through Peter, finding hope, contemplating what God has done for us in and through Jesus, grasping hold of our inheritance, receiving encouragement in the midst of suffering, and looking forward to the full revelation of Christ and our salvation in Him. Yes, read this book again and again — and resolve to live accordingly. You will not regret it.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I Peter 1:3-5

Did you catch that? We have a living hope. We have an inheritance, one that cannot be destroyed or even tainted. It is kept in heaven for us, and we are being guarded by God’s power. And the fullness of our salvation is yet to be revealed to the world. Therefore, live in this Reality. All sorts of challenges and sufferings may come our way, but live in this Reality. Turn away from the world; turn away from your former sin; and live in this new Reality. Look to Jesus as your example in suffering, living in this Reality. Submit to authority and to one another in patient endurance, living in this Reality. Suffer for righteousness sake, if that should be God’s will, living in this Reality. Stand firm against the devil, living in this Reality.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, Who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

I Peter 5:8-10

See also:

December 22 / Titus; II Timothy

Titus 1-3;
II Timothy 1-4

Today we come to the end of Paul’s Epistles with two personal letters, one to Titus, and a second, final, letter to Timothy. Since the letter to Titus seems in many ways like a condensed version of I Timothy, I’m inclined to look more closely at II Timothy today in our sprint through the New Testament. These are the last words we have from Paul. He knows his time on this earth is drawing to a close (II Tim. 4:6), and he is writing to his dearest, most trusted coworker, his “son” in the faith, Timothy. (As for how Paul regards Timothy, see Philippians 2:19-24.) So here Paul is pouring out his heart with final words of wisdom. Maybe we should pay attention…

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

II Timothy 4:3-4

It should not be too difficult to see the truth of these verses in our world today, with social media amplifying echo chambers that repeatedly tell everyone what they want to hear. Madison Avenue, Hollywood, the mainstream news media, academia, and politicians all proclaim messages geared to appeal to their audience. And if the Truth preached in a real church makes you uncomfortable, it is easy to find a fake church that’s more cozy.

But while it may be easy to see the problem “out there”, how about “in here” with each of us individually? Do you have your fingers in your ears, refusing to hear (portions of) the Truth? Do you open your ears to those with an unbiblical world view? How much time do you spend studying God’s Word compared to watching the news or movies or TV shows or hanging out in your own social media echo chamber?

In other words, as I have asked before and will likely ask again, to whom do you listen? Or, perhaps more pointedly, by whom are you being discipled? I ask this question again and again, because it is essential that we examine ourselves to become aware of the lies we believe — and to take corrective action as necessary. And yes, I am asking you, not just everyone else.

See also:

December 21 / I Timothy

I Timothy 1-6

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

I Timothy 4:7-8

“Godliness” runs throughout this letter from Paul to his protégé, Timothy. The word itself occurs nine times here. (I Timothy 2:10, 3:16, 4:7,8, 5:4, 6:3,5,6,11) (It shows up only six other times in the New Testament.) Aside from the explicit use of the word, the idea of godliness pervades the letter, as in the qualifications for the offices of bishop and deacon. In essence, godliness is the “proof in the pudding” for sound doctrine. Godliness results from adherence to the Truth of the Gospel. Ungodliness results from straying away from that Gospel into false teachings, error, and greed.

So stick to the Gospel and pursue godliness.

See also:

December 20 / Ephesians 4:17-6:24

Ephesians 4:17-6:24

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

We do ourselves — and everyone else — a tremendous disservice when we forget who the real enemy is or when we ignore or downplay spiritual forces of evil. Satan and his minions are happy for us to divert our attention away from them, especially when we go so far as to think they don’t exist at all or when we envision a clownish devil in red tights. That does not mean that we need to become obsessed with demonology or blame the devil for every little mishap. That is likewise unhealthy and unrealistic. But we need to be clear-eyed about the fact that the physical realm is not all there is; otherwise, we are prone to waste tremendous energy and resources using the wrong weapons in fighting the wrong battles against mistaken foes. So recognize the true enemy and fight accordingly.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Ephesians 6:10-11

See also:

December 19 / Ephesians 1:1-4:16

Ephesians 1:1-4:16

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Ephesians 1:3-10

Of course, I could continue highlighting such references to Christ for many more verses. (In fact, the very next verse, Eph. 1:11, starts with, “In Him…“) We need to pay attention to these references. We need to recognize the Truth here. Paul is not just spouting lofty language about some guy who did a few nice things and taught some interesting lessons. He is talking about God Incarnate. He is talking about the Risen Christ. He is talking about our Lord and Savior. He is talking about the One on Whom we are utterly dependent.

Yet if you listen to some preachers, even bishops in some so-called “Christian” denominations, you’d think that Jesus were superfluous — a nice example, perhaps, but certainly not essential. God could not possibly be so narrow-minded as to think that Jesus would matter that much! Jesus might be a way to God, but He’s not the only way. Yada, yada, yada… Hmmm… Think again!

But heretical bishops aside, what about us? Who is Jesus to us? Are any of us still spinning our wheels, trying to live the “Christian” life without Christ? Do we live as though Christ is a nice bonus, but optional? Although we may recite the Creeds, when it gets down to it, do we think of Christ’s Resurrection as ancient history, with little relevance to our daily lives?

As we read through Ephesians, let’s look closely at what Paul says. Let’s recognize Who Jesus really is. Let’s put our faith in Christ. Let’s find our place — and life — in Him.

See also:

One more thing…

…speaking the truth in love…

Ephesians 4:15a

I’m sure most of us are somewhat familiar with this phrase, having heard it quoted rather often, or perhaps quoting it ourselves. We’re probably much less familiar with the rest of the verse or the surrounding verses. People use this phrase to justify criticizing others, something along these lines: I don’t like that you just painted your house purple, and I’m sure the rest of the neighborhood doesn’t like it either, so I’m going to tell you that you have horrible taste, but I’ll do it “gently”, because, you know, we should “speak the truth in love”. Please stop abusing the Scriptures. Please put this phrase back in context and be very wary the next time you hear it spoken without that context.