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The Goodness of God in the Good Works of People

Your good works are God’s creation.

good works

Ephesians 2:8–10 is one of the most important statements in the Bible about the gospel of grace, but it also tells how important our good works are to God. Notice the emphasis on both:

“[8] By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8–10, ESV)

All three of these verses are the gospel, and we learn about God and ourselves from them. Verse 10 describes the person who is a new creation in Christ Jesus. That is good news. It describes the purpose of this new creation: believers are “created in Christ Jesus for good works.”

Good works are good news

Thank God that our good works matter to him. He does not save us by grace and then say: “Do whatever you want. Take life easy. Maximize your comfort. Focus on your next dose of entertainment and your next material purchase. Live selfishly. How you spend your days does not matter to me.”

That self-centered outlook describes the philosophy of many people in Western culture, and it leads to emptiness. Humans were not created for that.

Instead Scripture says you are “created in Christ Jesus for good works.” And this lifestyle of unselfish good works results from God’s “workmanship” (v. 10). It is what God creates in you by his grace. You do not design your life; God designs your life. You are his workmanship.

Good works are God’s workmanship

Think of the workmanship that went into your mobile phone. Many people feel their mobile is their most useful tool in daily life. Think of the workmanship that went into your favorite apps. The Android phone in my hand is one of the most dazzling pieces of technological workmanship in human history.

You are God’s workmanship, infinitely more amazing than a mobile phone. Indeed, you can do much more good for other people than their mobiles can. You are a glorious piece of work—divine work. And the divine masterpiece that you are is not an end in itself, but rather for the good of others and the glory of God.

Good works are important

God is a creator, a designer, an architect, an artist, a poet, a songwriter, a carpenter. God is an artist, and you are his painting, his sculpture. He is a songwriter, and you are his song. God is a carpenter, and you are his building. God is a product designer, and you are his design.

God’s creation is not just you, but what you do. Your good works are God’s creation, God’s design.

Your deeds matter. They are God’s works. He wants to make your life into a colorful tapestry of servanthood, sacrifice, ministry, loving acts, helping others, saving souls.

“Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful” (Titus 3:14).

“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28, NIV).

He did not create you to waste your time.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Have the greatest house filled with the coolest possessions so we can experience maximum comfort and entertainment. Selfish living brings lasting happiness.

God’s way: He wants to use each person for the high and lasting purpose of helping others. Our good works are his workmanship. Our greatest happiness comes from fulfilling our divine purpose by doing good for others with our resources.

Life principle: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Why God Requires Repentance

God’s call for repentance perfectly fits his nature.

What did the gospel preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus have in common? Matthew describes the initial message of each man:

John the Baptist — “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 3:1–2, ESV).

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

At the onset of a new era, the everlasting era of the glorious kingdom of God, each man preached the same one-word imperative: repent.

That was not a new idea. Repent was an important, frequently used word under the Old Mosaic Covenant. Yet here was that word again, on the lips of John the Baptist and Jesus, as the gospel preaching of the New Covenant begins. Repent.

It continued in the preaching of Paul, the apostle of grace, who said he testified “both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).

What does this tell us about God?

Repentance and truth

First, it reminds us that the forgiveness and mercy offered through Jesus does not compromise God’s concern for truth one iota.

The most searing display of repentance under the Old Covenant was that of King David after his adultery with Bathsheba and cold-hearted murder of loyal Uriah. In the throes of repentance, David wrote Psalm 51, the expression of repentance without equal in the history of literature, and it is painful to read. Verse 6 records one key concept recalled by David, “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being.”

Repentance is a central theme in the good news of Jesus because when God offers amazing grace he never strays a fraction of a degree from his perfect commitment to absolute truth. We cannot be saved apart from telling the truth about God and the truth about ourselves. Our heart must believe and our lips must confess that we have sinned against a holy God and against his holy laws.

We must acknowledge that we are in the wrong and he is in the right. We cannot undo the wrongs of our lives, but we can fully embrace the truth. Although we have been bad, the truth is good; and because the truth is good, repentance is good. In the embrace of repentance we actually become like God in his pursuit of truth.

Repentance and righteousness

Second, the centrality of repentance in the message of the gospel tells us that the grace of God offered in Christ does not compromise God’s concern for righteousness and holiness.

In Jesus, God offers the forgiveness of sins, not a license for lawlessness or a pass on purity. The love-based commands of God still matter because they are right, because they reflect the unchanging heart of a righteous, holy God.

“The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11–14)

These verses describe true repentance and the connection of repentance to the grace of God.

Repentance and light

Third, the centrality of repentance in the gospel teaches us that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

A day is coming when God will shine the light on everything now in darkness.

Jesus warned, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops” (Luke 12:1–3).

The apostle Paul speaks of a coming day when “God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus” (Romans 2:16).

Hiding and ignoring our sins is an act of walking in darkness. Repentance is an act of coming into the light.

Therefore both John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom of God: Repent.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Fallen sinners prefer the cover of darkness.

God’s way: God saves sinners by bringing them into the light of his holy truth and giving them the grace of repentance. Praise to God for his light, truth, righteousness, and holiness! All praise to God that his gospel does not compromise these in the least! Eternal praise to God that his grace does not foster moral darkness, falsehood, or wickedness.

Life principle: Sinners embrace a holy God through repentance and faith. Through repentance we find life, joy, and peace in Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Religion versus Regeneration

The message of the gospel to a godless person is not that you need to be more religious, or more self-disciplined, but rather that you need to be born again from above.

born again

There is a stark difference between religion and regeneration, between self-improvement and being born again from above by the Holy Spirit.

Consider the man who realizes he has a problem. Perhaps he is addicted to alcohol or drugs. Or he has ruined his marriage and family through selfishness. Maybe he is sinking deeper and deeper into credit card debt. Or he has a lust and pornography habit or is feeling suicidal or depressed or afraid. Whatever—he realizes he must change.

He probably thinks he needs to be more disciplined or religious. He needs to reform his ways, break bad habits and start good ones. And he needs a new set of friends. He should listen to motivational speakers and read self-improvement books or maybe even go to church. He must turn the page and become a better person.

What he does not realize is, all these efforts at self-reformation are like bathing and dressing in clean suit and tie a muddy pig. Once he is cleaned up and turned loose, he will soon or later end up once again in the mud.

Instead, what he needs is a new nature. Someone needs to turn the pig into a prince.

Born again through the gospel

That is the message of the gospel. A sinner does not need religion; rather, he or she needs a new nature. She must literally become a new person.

Jesus told one religious leader, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

To be “born again” is to get a new nature.

It is important to understand that Jesus is not talking figuratively, as though “born again” is merely a metaphor for “change one’s thoughts” or “become a better person.” No, “born again” means literally that our human spirit has a new birth from the Holy Spirit. The third person of the divine Trinity comes to live inside of us. He unites with our human spirit, thereby transforming our desires, attitudes, thoughts, motivations. He transforms a pig into a prince.

Born again by the Holy Spirit

What the gospel teaches us about God is that the Holy Spirit is the giver of life and transformer of the human spirit. He regenerates the human spirit giving us a new nature. He gives believers in Jesus the desire to do things they did not want to do before, such as to love and obey God, to love and do what is right in God’s sight, to deny ourselves and serve others, and to renounce evil pleasures.

2 Corinthians 5:17 say, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Jesus said, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33). You are a tree, either a good tree or a bad tree, a tree with either a good nature or a bad nature.

You cannot change your fruit without first changing the nature of the tree. Jesus said, “Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:17–18).

When the Holy Spirit regenerates our human spirit, we become good trees and by nature produce good fruit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23).

Born again with new desires

What this means to the person who realizes he or she needs to change is, any sort of good and godly behavior that sounds impossible and undesirable now before you become a believer in Jesus becomes entirely possible after you become a Christian.

For example, at this moment the last thing you may want to do is go to church, hang around Christians, worship God, and hear the Bible taught. But after you become a Christian, this becomes your favorite thing to do.

At this moment, partying or clubbing with some wild friends may sound like a great way to spend a Friday night. After you become a Christian, that sounds like a journey into darkness.

How could this be? It is because you have a new nature.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: People without the Holy Spirit cannot live in a way pleasing to God. By nature they follow the flesh. (See Romans 8:5–8)

God’s way: The Lord gives every believer in Jesus the Holy Spirit and through him a new nature.

Life principle: “If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:13–14).

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

Every created thing eventually loses its sparkle, but not so the Creator. In him we find the unsearchable riches of Christ.

unsearchable riches of Christ

When I was in my twenties, I enjoyed playing chess and even read a few books on it. I had a friend or two who played and found an occasional computer opponent. But after a few years, my interest waned. Since then I have played a game of chess once a decade.

I could name other interests and pastimes that have come and gone, fascinating for a while, but eventually predictable and even tiresome.

Every created thing eventually loses its sparkle, but not so the one who created all things. The apostle Paul said that the gospel reveals “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8, ESV).

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ

In Christ are riches—things that make one rich. The first thing that may come to mind when we think of riches is money and material possessions. Certainly, Christ has an unlimited supply of those and can create more at any time, but there are many other things that make one rich that are far more important than material wealth.

What makes one truly rich are things like knowledge, wisdom, truth, beauty, glory, love, affection, joy, happiness, peace, contentment, goodness, kindness, power, strength, faithfulness, reliability, creativity, protection, safety, provision, supply, comfort, consolation. Christ has all these and more. He is infinitely rich in them.

Unsearchable

“The unsearchable riches of Christ,” wrote Paul. Because the Son of God is God, he is infinite in his virtues, which means his riches are “unsearchable.” You can never touch bottom. You are not just swimming in the deep end of the pool; you are swimming in a pool that has no bottom.

For example, Paul prayed, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17–19).

Paul says you can never completely search out the love of Christ. His love is always broader, longer, higher, and deeper than you can know or experience.

Riches of knowledge

The same goes for knowledge. Do you enjoy learning? Scripture says, in Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). There is infinitely more knowledge and wisdom in Christ than in the Library of Congress with its 16 million books and 120 million other items, or on all the websites of the internet.

Do you enjoy beauty? Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

The visual beauty and majesty of Christ will satisfy your eyes forever. He himself created the visual beauties of this world as a foretaste of the far greater glory that we will see in him and enjoy for eternity untiringly. If all you did for the rest of eternity was look at Jesus in glory, you would say that was more than enough to give you eternal bliss, that you need nothing more.

Riches of power

Do you enjoy being around power and authority? Paul wrote of the infinite power displayed in Christ when God “raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:19–23).

Christ has the riches of absolute power. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” he said (Matthew 28:18).

Riches of peace

How about a peaceful kingdom? Isaiah prophesied of Christ, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:6–7).

Riches in the gospel

God revealed all this and more in the gospel. Riches upon riches of mercy, healing, salvation, hope, and assurance. He is more than rich enough to make your soul prosperous. He is wealthy enough to make your heart flourish.

According to the gospel, Christ is nothing less than the Father’s “beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church.

“He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:13–22).

This is the gospel of Christ. These are the riches unsearchable.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Fallen souls resist acknowledging the full riches in Jesus Christ and do not treasure him to the degree they should, if at all. Instead, fallen souls try to find ultimate satisfaction in what God has created.

God’s way: Redeemed souls find ultimate satisfaction in Christ, the creator.

Life principle: The wealthiest people in the world are those who have learned to treasure Jesus Christ above all creation.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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The Favor of God the Father toward His Divine Son

Because of the favor of God the Father toward his divine Son, he has decreed that all history and everything in the universe revolve around him.

favor of God the Father

The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and that salvation is all-encompassing. God is on a mission not just to save you and others, but to save his creation, to save the universe from bondage to evil and decay.

History is not random and pointless. The history of mankind and all created things is heading purposefully toward a consummation. God predestined it before anything existed. He wrote the plot, and the entire gospel story is unfolding with an epic climax in view, followed by “happily ever after.”

At the center of the plot is a person, and it is not some entertainer, sports star, or politician. There is a hero in this story, a champion. The story revolves around him and is for his glory. In the end, he will get everything that can be gotten: songs of praise, accolades, thanks, adoration, loyalty, riches, power.

That person, of course, is Jesus Christ, the Lord, the unique Son of God the Father. Before time began, with infinite favor, the Father determined that his divine Son would be at the center of everything, at the head of everything, at the pinnacle of everything. In the end, Jesus will be the only Savior of all that is saved and the final judge of all that is condemned.

If you do not understand God the Father’s favor toward God the Son, then you do not understand God.

Here are eleven signs of the unique favor of God the Father for Jesus.

11 signs of the favor of God the Father for his divine Son

1. The Father created all things through his Son.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made…. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1–3, 14, ESV).

2. The Father announced his unique favor for his Son at his baptism and transfiguration.

“When Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16–17).

“Behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him’” (Matthew 17:5).

3. The Father chose the Son as the only redeemer for lost humanity through his blood shed on the cross.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

The Father “saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9–10).

4. The Father gave glory to the Son before the foundation of the world.

Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24).

5. The Father raised the Son from the grave and vindicated him.

The Father “raised [Jesus] from the dead and gave him glory” (1 Peter 1:21).

6. The Father gave the church to his Son for the Son’s glory.

“[The Father] put all things under [the Son’s] feet and gave him as head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22).

Jesus prayed concerning his disciples, “All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them” (John 17:10).

7. The Father gave the Son authority over all creation.

After his resurrection, “Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).

8. The Father exalted the Son in the ascension.

“[The Father] raised [Jesus] from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:20–23).

9. The Father will unite all things in the Son.

The Father made “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 [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth” (Ephesians 1:9–10).

10. The Father gives all judgment to the Son.

“The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son…. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:22, 27).

11. The Father determined before the foundation of the world that every knee will bow to the Son to acknowledge him as Lord.

“God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11).

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Lost souls want to ignore Jesus. They want to diminish his importance, to dethrone him. Lost souls dishonor Jesus by treating him as unnecessary, ignoring his sacrifice for them, rejecting his teaching, and disobeying his command to submit to him as Lord.

Misguided Christians, too, may dishonor Jesus by seeing him as merely one option in finding one’s way to God, that there are other ways to God and one religion is as good as another. While they have chosen to believe in Jesus, they do not want to exclude other people of other religions, and so they dishonor Jesus by believing faith in him is unnecessary.

God’s way: The Father uniquely loves, favors, and glorifies his Son and requires mankind to do the same. The Father’s plans for human history center on Jesus. Jesus is the only Savior for sinners. He is preeminent. He is Lord. Those who reject Jesus as Lord offend and reject God the Father.

Life principle: The Father wants us to honor, worship, love, and communicate with the Son. This glorifies and pleases the Father for this was the Father’s intent. There is no competition between the Father and the Son.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Why Jesus Is the Only Way to God

There is a good reason why the Bible says Jesus is the only way to God.

only way to God

The resurrection of Jesus is one of Christianity’s bedrock truths, but also one of its most offensive beliefs, to those who reject it.

The apostle Peter, not long after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, emphatically proclaimed this bedrock truth to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious leaders. They had arrested Peter and the apostle John after they healed a crippled man and then preached to a gathered crowd about Jesus’ resurrection. Peter boldly told the Sanhedrin:

“Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10–12, ESV).

The only way to God

“There is salvation in no one else,” said Peter. This is what the resurrection implies. When God raised Jesus from the dead, he made him the cornerstone, said Peter. Because he is the cornerstone, there is salvation in no one else.

The Jewish leaders wanted to build with a different stone. They rejected Jesus. The majority of people in the world today want to build with a different stone. They reject Jesus. But when God raised him from the dead, he in effect said, I have chosen the cornerstone for my building, and it is the stone you have rejected. My cornerstone is my Son Jesus. The heavens and the earth are mine, and all its people are mine, and I am giving just one name under heaven by which you can be saved from your sins and have a relationship with me. That name is Jesus. If you want to know me and have eternal life, you must believe in him.

The only vaccine

I am writing this in late May, 2020, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. We do not yet have a vaccine, but I assume that within a year there will be.

At that time, suppose ten pharmaceutical companies, from ten different countries, claim to have an effective vaccine, but in fact only one company’s vaccine works. The other companies are making false claims. Would it be arrogant and bigoted for that one company to say so? If they proved their vaccine’s effectiveness by testing and could show why the other vaccines would not work, they would be doing everyone in the world a favor if they revealed what they knew to be true.

In fact, it would be criminal to say, “Use any vaccine you want; any vaccine will keep you healthy,” when they knew that was false. It would be nice. It would sound humble. They would avoid controversy. But it would be false, and hundreds of thousands of people would die unnecessarily. The honest and loving thing to do would be to say what they knew to be true.

Empirical proof

This is the position of Christianity. But the analogy falls short in one respect. In the world of vaccines, empirical studies can prove beyond reasonable dispute which vaccines actually work. On the other hand, in the world of religion and philosophy, we cannot prove beliefs empirically. In the realm of the ultimate questions in life, we make our way only by faith. Is there a God? If so, which religion is true, or are all valid? Where did everything come from? Is there such a thing as objective morality? Does life have purpose and meaning? What happens after we die? Is history going anywhere?

When I claim to know the answer to any of these ultimate questions, I can marshal excellent, reasonable, persuasive arguments, but I cannot prove anything.

As a result, many people claim it is arrogant and bigoted to say one religion is true and all others are false.

The persuasive difference

Christians disagree, and the fundamental reason is the resurrection of Jesus. The Bible says that days after Jesus’ crucifixion, God raised him from the grave in an immortal human body unlike any human has known. Over a period of 40 days, Jesus appeared on multiple occasions to more than 500 of his gathered disciples and gave them convincing proofs of his resurrection (for the credibility of this testimony, read the book by journalist and former atheist Lee Strobel, The Case for Christ).

How Jesus stands alone

The resurrection puts Jesus in another category all his own. So did the thousands of miracles he performed, according to the Bible, including raising the dead, walking on water, feeding thousands from a few loaves of bread, calming storms with a command, healing innumerable sick people and exorcising demons from the tormented—all witnessed by his twelve disciples.

Jesus’ teaching also set him apart. So did the claims he made about himself:

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:38).

“Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).

“I am the Son of God” (John 10:36).

Jesus’ predictions

Especially important was Jesus’ claim to his own exclusive position as the Savior of the world and the only mediator between sinners and God:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Moreover, he predicted his own crucifixion and resurrection:

“As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day’” (Matthew 20:17–19).

Only way to resurrection and only way to God

Jesus understood the implications of his coming resurrection:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25–26).

For all these reasons and many more, Christians are left with no other option than to proclaim what they believe is true about the most important matters in life. The fact that no one can empirically prove their answers to the great questions of life does not mean we should ignore them or not talk about them with others. To do that would be immoral because it would be negligent and unloving. Adherents to other religions and philosophies are similarly free to say what they believe and, of course, to believe others are wrong. That is freedom of religion and free speech. And all people should do so with respect and goodwill.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: People say, there are many paths to God. As long as you believe in God and don’t hurt anyone, he accepts you.

God’s way: “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

Life principle: Trust in the resurrected Jesus alone as your Savior and mediator with God.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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June 2020 Newsletter

In the Spruce Forest at Morton Arboretum, a tree struck by lightning
Self, June 2020, untouched by lightning

During the corona-virus pandemic, God has protected my health and the health of everyone in my family and church. I thank him for this mercy.

Church happenings: During the lockdown, for two months now we have had a prayer meeting every weeknight on Zoom, which has been a great joy and will be my enduring memory of this time.

Preaching: Over the last several months, I gave a series of ten sermons on Psalm 91.

My favorite posts of the last five months:

Listen: Do you ever feel as though you are waiting for God to do something, and he is taking a long, long time? I invite you to listen to my reading of one chapter from a book I have written but not yet published. The chapter is titled Tested by Waiting. I welcome your feedback (in the comments below or send me an email).

Scriptures I have memorized and recently meditated on: Psalm 91:1–16. Matthew 17:19–20. Matthew 21:20–22. Mark 11:20–25. Luke 17:5–6

Reading: The Atonement, by Leon Morris. Systematic Theology, by John Frame. Leviticus, by Gordon Wenham.

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To Whom Every Knee Will Bow

What does the resurrection of Jesus tell us about God?

Jesus is Lord

Jesus has the position and title of Lord. Let’s think about the significance of that.

A position and a title

We begin with a comparison. I have a position and title within an organization: pastor of Lake Shore Church in Chicago. With this title and position, the church gives me responsibilities and authority. I must preach the Bible in weekly meetings, organize and plan, minister to individuals, and so on.

My position gives me the ability to make decisions within certain limits.

I cannot hold the position of pastor unless I know certain things, most importantly, the Bible and how to have a relationship with God.

Moreover I must have the power and ability to do certain things, most importantly, to talk.

My position and title matter to the people in this organization, and it affects them in important ways. How I carry out my role affects their faith and their understanding of God. It affects the health of their souls.

I obtained this position in 1995. The church was without a pastor, and the presbyter in charge of overseeing the church asked me to preach on Sundays until they found a replacement. One thing led to another, and eventually the people in the church and the presbyter decided to make me the pastor.

For people inside our church, my position and title are important.

But for people outside our church, my position and title usually mean nothing. They don’t care who the pastor of Lake Shore Church is. If I stopped being our church’s pastor, they wouldn’t know it, and if they did they wouldn’t care who filled the position after me. As far as they are concerned, the pastor of Lake Shore Church has no more effect on their lives than the mayor of a small town in Siberia.

Jesus is Lord

My position and title tell us important things about why the position and title of Jesus—the Lord—matters.

First, according to the Bible Jesus is not merely a Lord, that is, one of many, but rather the Lord, the one Lord.

And he is not merely lord, that is, lowercase lord, merely a human lord, but rather he is the uppercase Lord, the divine Lord, the deity: God.

This title and position give Jesus authority over certain things. According to the Bible, Jesus is not merely Lord of Christians and churches, but of nonbelievers, in fact Lord of every person high or low who has ever lived. He is Lord not just of people, but of nations. He is Lord not only of every nation, but of all the earth, and every planet and star and galaxy.

Jesus is Lord of every single thing, every thing on earth, every dog and every cat, every tree and every flea, every river and every sea, every ocean, every notion. He is Lord of every molecule, atom, and element. He is Lord of every raindrop and snowflake, Lord of every cloud and puff of wind, Lord of every sunbeam. His Lordship affects and directs literally everything.

Jesus is Lord and acts like it

The title and position Jesus has as Lord gives him authority to do certain things with what is under his rule.

Because he is Lord, Jesus assigns the boundaries, territories, and domains of people, companies, and nations.

Because Jesus is Lord, he has authority to save, to heal, to deliver from evil and sin, to rescue from peril and harm.

Since Jesus is Lord, he has authority to create and destroy.

Because he is Lord, he decrees what is lawful and unlawful, what is right and what is wrong.

Because he is Lord, he can require obedience. Jesus holds every person and people accountable for whether they follow these laws. He judges. He vindicates. Jesus condemns. He justifies. He punishes. And he rewards.

He is Lord. His title and position is an inescapable reality for all people everywhere.

And how did he get this title and position and power?

Jesus is Lord because of the resurrection

The Son of God, who created all things, has been Lord from all eternity. He has never not been Lord.

But at a point in history he became the man Jesus, and at a point in history his Lordship took on new meaning within the counsels of the triune God. The apostle Peter describes that point in history:

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it…. [King David] foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

“This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:22–24, 31–36, ESV)

The unavoidable Lordship of Jesus

This is the third implication of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (see previous two articles: one, two). He is Lord. This is the gospel. He does not have a meaningless title or an irrelevant position. Someday every person will come face-to-face with him, to their utter sorrow or everlasting joy depending on whether they have honored or ignored his lordship.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Humans want to think: I am lord. I control my life. I do what I want. Or they call some other god Lord, or treat the world as Lord, or some other person or money or sex or some other thing in this world as Lord.

God’s way: Jesus is Lord. He is not the mayor of a small town in Siberia. He is not one option among many legitimate options for who is in charge. Every knee will ultimately bow to Jesus.

“God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11, ESV)

After his resurrection Jesus told his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV)

Life principle: Scripture says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9–10 ESV)

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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God’s Everlasting Commitment to Humanity

The Son of God will be human forever. Therefore God has made an everlasting commitment to humanity.

God's everlasting commitment to humanity

The story of Jesus and his resurrection has one element that has sunk in for few people.

People who know the rudiments of the gospel know that the second person of the Trinity—the eternal Son of God—at a point in history became a man. He did not stop being God but was fully God and man. He died to save us, then rose from the dead, and forty days later ascended to the right hand of God. But the rest of the story has not registered for most people.

The rest is, the Son of God is still a resurrected man and will be a resurrected man forever. That means the second person of the Trinity will be a human forever, a God-man forever. Humanity has become part of God forever. In a sense, in the resurrected Son of God, the Trinity has taken in humanity.

That did not begin at the resurrection of Jesus, but rather in the incarnation, when the Son became a man in Mary’s womb. But the resurrection and the ascension “sealed the deal” because the Son of God did not leave behind his humanity when he died on the cross. He rose from the grave in the body that had died and that had now been glorified with immortality. Although he was immortal, he was still the God-man—still one-hundred percent God and one hundred percent man, glorified man.

God’s everlasting commitment to humanity

What does that mean for you and the rest of those who believe in Jesus? It means God is committed to mankind forever. He is not turning back. Jesus will never leave his resurrection body and forsake his humanity—or forsake the rest of redeemed humanity.

That implies something enormously significant about God: he wanted to become a man. That is how he planned the story before time began, so it was his idea, not an afterthought, not plan B. God wanted to create mankind (that is, men and women). He wanted to create mankind in his image—so much like him that he could become a man himself without shedding his divinity. And he wanted the second person of the Trinity to become a God-man permanently.

And what that means is, God is permanently committed to humanity.

Nine ways God has made an everlasting commitment to humanity

All this is part of the Lord’s wider commitment to humanity displayed in these decisive actions:

  1. God made humanity in his image, an honor he gave to no other living thing in creation. He thus made mankind the pinnacle of his creation. (Genesis 1:26–28)
  2. When humanity fell into sin and death, God immediately promised to redeem us. (Genesis 3:15)
  3. God made an eternal covenant with Abraham to bless him and all the nations of the earth through him, making an eternal, covenant people for himself. (Genesis 12:1–3)
  4. In the incarnation of God in the womb of Mary, the second person of the Trinity became the God-man. (John 1:1–18)
  5. On the cross the God-man atoned for human sin and reconciled believing mankind to God forever, fulfilling God’s promise in Genesis 3:15.
  6. Jesus rose from the grave as the firstfruits of the new humanity, the beginning of the new creation. (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23)
  7. Jesus ascended to the right hand of God as ruler and only savior of the new humanity. (Acts 5:31; Ephesians 1:20–23)
  8. At the Second Coming of Jesus to earth, he will raise the dead and bestow immortal, resurrection bodies like his own to all his faithful believers. (1 John 3:2)
  9. After the Final Judgment, God will create new heavens and a new earth in which to live with his people forevermore. (Revelation 21)

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Humans like the notion of mankind being gods, but they belittle the idea of God becoming a man.

God’s way: Jesus, the unique Son of God, the second person of the divine and holy Trinity, will be human forever. God has irrevocably committed himself to humanity for eternity.

Life principle: In the resurrection of Jesus, we see our future beyond our resurrection. Jesus became like us so we would become like him, ruling forever on earth with him in a resurrection body. Knowing God’s commitment to and love for humanity, we should honor and love our fellow humans and respect ourselves. And we should reciprocate God’s commitment to us by committing ourselves wholeheartedly to him.

Next week we will look at the third implication about God from the resurrection of Jesus. Last week we saw the first implication: The Vindication of the Son of God.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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The Vindication of the Son of God

The vindication of the Son of God is of ultimate importance to God the Father. For God to require that you believe in the resurrection of Jesus is to require that you affirm his vindication. When you believe in his resurrection, you affirm his vindication.

vindication of the Son of God

What does the bodily resurrection of Jesus teach us about God? Last week I wrote that his resurrection is a Linchpin of the Gospel. Given that God has designed gospel reality this way, and that he has required belief in this full, gospel reality, what does this imply about God?

God has vindicated his Son

From the hours between his capture in the Garden of Gethsemane to his final breath, Jesus suffered utter shame, humiliation, and rejection. He was arrested and bound before his friends, roughed up, falsely accused and condemned in a kangaroo court by the Jewish Sanhedrin, chained to a post and whipped with a brutal scourge, repudiated by a mob of his own people yelling in public for his crucifixion, condemned by Pilate the official governor of the land, spit on, mocked, and beaten by Roman soldiers, stripped and nailed to a cross in public, laughed at by passers-by and religious leaders who made mouths and wagged their heads at him, reviled by the crucified criminals on his left and right, and worst of all even forsaken by God for a time (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Mark 15:34]).

What people thought

All this meant one thing for those who believed that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people: Jesus was a bad person. God had rejected him. He was not who he and his followers claimed, not the Son of God, not the King of Israel, not the Savior of sinners.

“We esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4, ESV). In other words, people thought God himself had given Jesus what he had coming. It was his own fault.

What God was actually doing

Ultimately it was indeed God who sent his innocent Son to the Cross and ordained that he suffer such shame—but as a substitute for us, not for any fault of his own. As Isaiah 53 also says, “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

The vindication of the Son of God

Nevertheless, be sure of this: God had no intention of leaving him in that disgrace. God’s eternal plan was for his righteous, innocent Son to be completely vindicated. And the first glorious step in that vindication was the resurrection.

As Isaiah 53 also says, after his suffering for our sakes, “He shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

When God raised Jesus from the dead in an eternally strong, undying, immortal body, he vindicated him before Satan and his demons, before the evil spiritual principalities of this world, before Pilate and the Roman army, before the Jewish religious leaders, before all mankind of every generation, before heaven and the angels and earth.

The resurrection proclaimed, “This is God’s Son! Everything he said and taught is true! You cannot defeat him! Neither death nor the grave can hold him! Nothing you can do can dethrone him! All authority in heaven and earth has been given to him! For he is God’s beloved, unique Son!”

The vindication of the Son of God is of ultimate importance to God the Father. For God to require that you believe in the resurrection of Jesus is to require that you affirm his vindication—by none other than God himself, for no one else could raise him from the grave in an immortal body.

Our way and God’s way

Our way: Fallen sinners do not comprehend the zeal of God the Father for the glory of his Son Jesus (see Ephesians 1:9–10; 19–23; Colossians 1:15–20). For sinners, Jesus is a stumbling block (Matthew 11:6; 1 Peter 2:7–8); his cross and death were unnecessary; his resurrection is a laughable myth.

God’s way: The Father has fully vindicated his Son by raising him from the dead in an immortal body. The resurrection has proven the sinless innocence of Jesus. This vindication is so important to God that he requires sinners to believe in it if they want to be saved.

Scripture says, “‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.’” (Romans 10:8–10)

For this reason, the earliest confession known in the church—the Apostles Creed—included confessing the resurrection of Jesus.

Life principle: When you believe in the resurrection of Jesus, you affirm his vindication.

Next week we will look at the second of four implications of the resurrection of Jesus.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)