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The Crux of Each Book Just as every Bible passage has a main point, so does every biblical book, and it’s very important to find it. The crux tool—a hermeneutical tool—can help you do that. By using it well, you can discover the message or theme of any biblical book.   Understanding This Tool The idea of finding the main theme or big idea for an entire book of the Bible may seem intimidating because some of those books are very long. So I want to give you a few basic hints about how you can begin working to identify the crux of any book of the Bible by using this tool. This is a very important tool, and here is why: every author of the Bible was inspired by God’s Holy Spirit to write, and they wrote with a very clear purpose—a big idea. Unless we identify that big idea—that crux—for any particular book, we will become confused as we study the individual passages within that book. We need to have a good grasp of the overarching point in order to understand the points of the individual parts. The crux tool will help you do that—and will serve you well as you study smaller passages within any book. Here are the hints that you can use to help you as you seek to pinpoint the crux of a book: Purpose statement . You can look for a purpose statement. Some biblical authors make it very easy on us; they obviously and openly tell us why they are writing the book and what their main point will be. Beginning and ending. You can look at how a book begins and ends. Many times, a biblical author will start by giving you an idea of the main purpose or crux of his book, then will conclude with a restatement of that point. Again, this is a very helpful way to find the crux. It’s not very different from the way that many of us were taught to write essays in school—by giving an introduction that states the main point, writing the body of the essay, and then restating the main point in the conclusion. Some biblical authors do this more explicitly than others. Repetition . You can often discover words, phrases, and ideas that keep coming up throughout a book of the Bible. Many times, what the author keeps repeating is an important hint as to the overall crux of the book. Obviously, a key part of using these three hints is actually taking some time to read through books of the Bible—even multiple times—and ideally in one sitting. The best method by which to find your way to the crux of a book is to read it again and again, and to work hard to determine the book’s shape, trajectory, and major themes. You will get better at using this tool the more you read the Bible. Don’t cheat yourself out of the experience of actually reading an entire book of the Bible all the way through; there is no shortcut to good Bible study. Remember, this tool is a very important one for your tool belt because you cannot understand the various parts of a book unless you grasp the crux of the entire book.   Problems Avoided with This Tool Now think about some problems in Bible interpretation and application that can be avoided when we use the crux tool well. Seeing these problems will set us up to learn about the important benefits of this tool. What are some of the problems that can happen if we ignore the crux tool as we study biblical books? We might get lost in our reading and understanding .  Perhaps you have known the experience of getting lost in your reading or study of a particular book. If this has ever happened to you, you know that it is not fun; rather, it’s quite frustrating. It is not pleasant to be confused or to not understand what an author is doing or where he or she is going with a plot or a story. Understanding the crux of a biblical book will help you avoid getting lost as you read and study it. It will help you keep the main focus central in your mind so you can always look for the way the author is developing, expanding, or referring to that main point. We might fail to see the right application in our study .  Sometimes as we study a particular passage in the Bible, we begin to think that it is leading to a particular application for Christian actions, thoughts, or words. But we are not sure. How do we know if we are applying a Bible passage to our lives in the right way? One way we can check our application is to see if it lines up with the overall crux of the book. If it fits with the main point that the author is making, there is a good chance that it is a good application. But if it is completely off the crux of the book, we likely have understood some verses incorrectly. We might miss the main point of the entire book .  Finally, if we do not first work on finding the main point of a book by putting the crux tool to work, we may discover that we have worked through a book passage by passage and missed the book’s big idea. That would not be a good thing. Putting the crux tool to work first can help us get a big picture of the main point of the book. Then, as we work through it passage by passage, we can see the way each individual passage relates to the overall big idea that the author is trying to communicate.   Benefits Received with This Tool Now let’s think about some benefits that can come from using the crux tool well. Hearing the main “melody” of the book .  In musical pieces, there is almost always a main melody that is repeated throughout. There are pieces of harmony that are combined with this melody, but the melody serves as the main musical theme for the entire piece. Books of the Bible can be much like this. There are often many elements of harmony that combine with the main theme, and there are different variations of the big idea that the author is trying to get across. But ultimately there is one main melody that the book really centers on—its main message. The crux tool is ideal for helping Bible students find their way to that main melody so that they will keep their focus on the main point of the biblical author. ​​ Understanding the author’s intention.  The above point leads us to a second important benefit of the crux tool. When this tool is used well in a book of the Bible, the Bible student can actually see the main intention of the biblical author. He or she can begin to discern what the author is trying to do in different parts of the biblical book. This is the best way to “get inside the heads” of the writers of Scripture, to see their books from their perspective. Also, as we learned previously in connection with the context tool, finding the intention of the original author—and the perspective of the original audience—is key to making sure that we get our interpretation and application of Scripture right. Connecting individual passages .  Perhaps the greatest benefit of using the crux tool well is that, when the big idea of a book is located, it helps you connect the biblical passages in the book to one another because you can see how they are all relating to—or expanding on—the overall theme of the book. Passages in a biblical book change from being random stories, arguments, or poems to being important pieces in the overall point that the book is making for its audience. In other words, the crux tool can help bring a good, grounded perspective on every part of the book, which will help you in your study of each individual section. Every author of the Bible was inspired by God’s Holy Spirit to write, and they wrote with a very clear purpose—a big idea. This article is adapted from   ​​Understanding God’s Word: An Introduction to Interpreting the Bible   by Jon Nielson .

The prophet Isaiah prophesied during one of the most crucial times in the history of Judah and Israel—a time marked by political upheaval, spiritual decline, and growing threats from powerful neighboring empires. His ministry spanned the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah ( Isaiah 1:1 ). Many scholars believe that Isaiah’s call to the prophetic office occurred around 740 BC, the year King Uzziah died ( Isaiah 6:1 , 8 ).   During that time, both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah had experienced nearly a half-century of increasing prosperity and power. However, spiritually, things were in decline.   Israel, ruled by Jeroboam and a series of lesser kings, had fallen into pagan worship. Judah, under Uzziah, Jotham and Hezekiah, outwardly maintained orthodoxy but had gradually fallen into serious moral and spiritual decline ( Isaiah 3:8– 26 ):   Though there would later come one more revival under King Josiah (640–609 BC), Isaiah knew that Judah had violated the covenant recorded by Moses in Deuteronomy 30:11–20 to such an extent that judgment and captivity were inevitable even as it was for Israel.   Isaiah entered his ministry at about the time of the founding of Rome and the first Olympic games of the Greeks. While Europe’s nations were still emerging, powerful Asian empires—especially Assyria—were poised for conquest to the south and west. Isaiah recognized that conflict was imminent and Assyria took Samaria in 721 BC which resulted in the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel and its people being taken into captivity.   A Prophet with a Purpose   Isaiah’s ministry had at least a threefold purpose:   1. To declare God’s judgment  on the sins of Judah, Israel, and the surrounding nations. Isaiah used nearly every Hebrew word for sin to highlight the seriousness of their disobedience.   2. To call God’s people to repentance  in the hope of averting disaster. While this call went largely unheeded, Isaiah faithfully delivered it.   3. To offer hope and a future  to the faithful remnant of God’s people. Isaiah’s writings are filled with promises of restoration, redemption, and salvation, as well as the certainty of the coming Messiah.   Isaiah’s message was both a warning and an encouragement. While judgment was inevitable, he assured God’s people that His ultimate purposes would prevail.   A Prophet for the Ages   The book of Isaiah speaks as powerfully to today’s world as it did to his own. For this reason, Isaiah has been called both the “Messianic prophet” and the “evangelical prophet.” He prophesied events not only for his time but for all ages, including predicting the first and second comings of Christ.   His very name, “Isaiah,” means “Yahweh is Salvation,” reflecting the heart of his message. This salvation was to come from a Savior or Redeemer who provided a ransom and salvation by grace—not just for Israel, but for all nations. Isaiah’s prophesies carry through to when the Savior will rule over his kingdom of peace which is yet to come ( Isaiah 2:1– 5 ; 11:1– 9 ; 42:1– 4 ; 61:1– 11 ; 65:17– 25 ; 66:22–23 ).   Prophesies of the Coming Messiah   Isaiah and other prophets  of his time also prophesied events in the life of Jesus which happened seven hundred years later. —events that would take place 700 years later. After His resurrection, Jesus Himself explained to His disciples how the Scriptures—including Isaiah—pointed to Him ( Luke 24:27 ).   In fact, seventeen chapters in the book of Isaiah contain prophetic references to Christ describing Him as: The LORD The Branch of the LORD Immanuel (God with us) Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace The Cornerstone The King  and Shepherd The Servant of the LORD  and Chosen One The Lamb  and Redeemer   Isaiah 53 is the most striking prophecy of the Messiah’s atoning work. This chapter paints a clear picture of Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, explaining that “He was pierced for our transgressions” and that “by His wounds we are healed” ( Isaiah 53:5 ; Romans 4:25 ; 1 Peter 2:24 ).   Other New Testament writers who quote Isaiah include: Romans 15:21  ( Isaiah 52:15 ); John 12:38  ( Isaiah 53:1 ); Romans 10:16  ( Isaiah 53:1 ); Matthew 8:17  ( Isaiah 53:4  ); Acts 8:32–33  ( Isaiah 53:7-8 ); Luke 22:37  ( Isaiah 53:12 ).   The Holy Spirit at Work   Isaiah also emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit, mentioning Him twelve times in his book. The Spirit and his work are described in three general categories: 1. The Spirit was active at creation and in the preservation of nature ( Isaiah 40:13 ).   2. The Spirit’s outpouring upon Israel to give them success in their rehabilitation after the exodus ( Isaiah 44:1– 5 ; 63:1– 5 ), to protect them from their enemies ( Isaiah 59:19 ), and to preserve Israel’s covenant relationship with Yahweh ( Isaiah 59:21 ).   3. The Spirit’s anointing upon the Messiah to rule, heal, liberate, enlighten and bring justice to the nations ( Isaiah 11:1– 12 ; 42:1– 9 ) as the anointed one (Messiah) in both his comings ( Isaiah 61:1– 3 ; Luke 4:17– 21 ).   The Lord Jesus, whose earthly ministry was carried out in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit as Isaiah has prophesied, promised to pour out his Spirit upon the church to empower it for ministry in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.   Isaiah’s Legacy Isaiah’s life was marked by faithfulness in a difficult time. He highlighted the sordid sins of Israel and Judah, warned of the consequences of judgment if sin continued, and urged a return to holiness. Tradition holds that he was martyred during the reign of King Manasseh. Many believe that the clause “sawed in two” in Hebrews 11:37  is a reference to Isaiah’s death. Despite this, Isaiah’s message endures. His words challenge us to turn from sin, trust in God’s salvation, and look forward to the fulfillment of His promises. Above all, Isaiah points us to Jesus—the Messiah, the Savior, and the hope for all nations.   Drawn from content in the NIV New Spirit-Filled Life Bible .

If God is good, why isn’t he intervening to bring peace and healing? People have wrestled with questions like this over the centuries.   While we won’t be able to untangle all the deep mysteries about God and evil in this short devotional, the ministry of the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk provides us some insights into the source of earthly suffering and the solution that God provides through his people.   Habakkuk was a prophet to the tiny nation of Judah during the closing moments of its survival. His home was surrounded by enemies, some less than a day’s walk away. His own nation had strayed from God, worshipping the idols of surrounding nations and sacrificing their children to them. The discovery of the Book of the Law during the reign of King Josiah caused great fear and mourning as the people of Judah realized the extent of their disobedience.   Habakkuk challenged God about the evil and violence he saw in his nation: “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.” – Habakkuk 1:2-4   The Hebrew word תָּפ֣וּג ( tapug  or “paralyzed”) used to describe what had happened to the law in Habakkuk 1:4 means to have grown cold or become numb. When the law is unable to do its work, injustice, wrongdoing, destruction, violence, strife, and conflict abound.   Jesus used similar words to describe the last days before his return. Love, which fulfills the law (Romans 13:18-10), would grow cold: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” – Matthew 24:12-13   How does love become numb? It happens gradually over time. Imagine you move to a new home and want to meet your neighbors. Maybe you take a home baked cake and knock on their door. They open it, scowl at you, and slam the door. How would you feel? Confused and rejected? Would you risk being hurt again? Or would you build a protective barrier around yourself and choose not to put yourself in that situation again? That protective barrier desensitizes a part of your heart. It becomes numb.   So, what’s the alternative? Even in the darkest circumstances, we can choose to continue showing love. The light shines brighter in the darkness.   Corrie Ten Boom and her family chose love during the dark days of the Second World War. They helped many Jewish people by hiding them behind a false wall in Corrie’s bedroom. Eventually Corrie’s family was betrayed and sent to a concentration camp in Germany. Even there, Corrie and her sister Bettie continued to love:   “Do you know what hurts so very much? It’s love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies, too. Or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.” – Corrie Ten Boom, The Hiding Place   Amid all the angry Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, a friend of mine was convicted when the Holy Spirit asked her, “What is your plan to love your enemy?” She pondered that question, and began praying for others like her who admitted they didn’t have such a plan.   While the evils of the Second World War and the violent conflicts in the world today might seem far removed from our peaceful homes, your “enemy” could be anyone that fills you with anger or fear.   Does anyone come to mind? What is your plan to love them? How can we keep our love from growing cold?   By Wendy Halloun, Creative Communications Officer MENA, Biblica.

The Gospel of John offers us vivid pictures of Jesus’ leadership and power. As the Word, Jesus is the creator and light of the world (John 1:1–5). He is the Son of God, sent from the Father (John 1:14–18), the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sin (John 1:29), God’s Chosen One (John 1:34), the King of Israel (John 1:49), and the Son of Man (John 1:51).   As creator, Jesus has power over all the universe and chooses to bring light into darkness. Being God’s Chosen One, He is empowered by the Holy Spirit, using that power to heal and uplift the oppressed. As King of Israel, He reigns alongside the Father in glory, yet He rejects the oppressive rule of the Roman emperor.   Instead, Jesus’ kingship is as the Lamb of God who willingly gives his life for others because of his great love for them. As Son of Man, Jesus is more than just the one sitting enthroned with God with all authority; he is a bridge between heaven and earth, and the one who will be raised up on a cross.   These characteristics of Jesus’ kingship and power redefine what all leaders should do: reject tyranny, violence, power for its own sake, and instead embrace love, sacrifice and care for those in the greatest need.   Let’s look deeper into Jesus’ model of servant leadership from the book of John. Jesus’ Profound Humility: John 13:1-30   As the time of his death approaches, Jesus is aware of Judas’s impending betrayal (John 13:1-2). Yet when Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, he includes Judas. Foot washing was an activity that servants did. Upon entry, guests would have their feet washed by a servant before they were served a meal. We hear why Jesus chooses to do this: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God” (verse 3). Jesus’ show of humility is his power over all things. Opting for humility underscores His power, not weakness. He actively surrenders his power to serve and purify his people.   After he washes their feet, Jesus eats with his disciples. He sits near his betrayer, Judas, giving him food to eat as a sign of who will betray him. Not only does Jesus serve his betrayer by washing his feet like a servant, but also by feeding him.   Jesus shows that true humility is not grounded in powerlessness, but in a demonstration of what true divine power is—serving those who do not deserve our grace. Jesus lays down his prestigious status in order to serve the person who he knows will betray him. This is Jesus’ shocking undoing of the expectations of his time and of ours. He does not execute vengeance on his betrayer; instead, he cares for him. He does not wield his power for selfish gain, but instead uses his power to love others. This picture of humility in power can transform how we serve each other if we embrace it. True Power and Authority: John 14:5-11   If we want to know what God’s power looks like and how the Father uses his authority, we look to Jesus. What do we see? Jesus uses his power in service to others: healing the sick, freeing those oppressed by demons and washing his disciples’ feet. When the disciples ask him to “show us the Father,” Jesus explains seeing Him is seeing the Father (John 14:8–9), emphasizing their unity.   This passage shows us that we misunderstand true power and authority if we believe it should be used to dominate others. God the Father and Jesus the Son are one in their actions to heal, free and serve. They show us what true power and authority look like— sacrificially serving others with humility. Every Christian leader should emulate this kind of Christlike leadership. Lead with Love and Sacrifice: John 21:1-19   In restoring His relationship with Peter, Jesus imparts a lesson on kingdom leadership (John 21:15–19). Peter has shown his impulsive and effervescent love for Jesus and his hesitancy to believe that Jesus must suffer; he has also denied his relationship with Jesus three times. Restoration requires time with Jesus, who charges Peter with leadership—feeding His sheep.   The exchange between Peter and Jesus is filled with tension and with love. Three times Jesus asks Peter whether he loves him; three times Jesus receives an affirmative answer, and three times Jesus responds by giving Peter a task of leadership. Using the metaphor of shepherding, Jesus’s final charge prophesies Peter’s death, symbolizing a love-filled, sacrificial death that glorifies God (verses 18–19).   The tension Peter feels during Jesus’s repeated questions about his love is essential for the kind of leader he will become. Today, we need this repeated reminder and the tension it creates. “Do you love me?” Jesus asks us. When we say “yes,” we must also be willing to take on whatever task he assigns us. John’s Gospel and letters frequently show us that Jesus believes that love involves action rather than only words. He calls each of us to care for his people as proof of our love for him.   Drawn from study notes in the NIV Upside Down Kingdom Bible.

The biblical picture of love can differ wildly from how the world defines it. Be set aright and encouraged by these verses and commentary adapted from the ESV Study Bible.   1 Corinthians 13:4–8       Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.   The terms believes and hopes are sandwiched between bears and endures and, like them, probably refer to relationships between people rather than to faith and hope in God. Love believes the best of others and hopes the best for them.   Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. Interpreters differ over the time when Paul expects prophecies to pass away and tongues to cease (along with other gifts represented by these examples). The “cessationist” view is that miraculous gifts such as prophecy, healing, tongues, interpretation, and miracles were given to authenticate the apostles and their writings in the early years of the church, but those gifts “ceased” once the entire New Testament was written and the apostles died (c. A.D. 100). Others hold that Paul expected these gifts to continue until Christ returns, which will be the time when “the perfect” (1 Cor. 13:10) ways of speaking and knowing in the age to come replace the “in part” (1 Cor. 13:9) gifts of this age. Support for the second position is found in 1 Corinthians 13:12, which indicates that “then” (the time when these gifts will cease) is the time of Christ’s return.   Ephesians 5:25–27       Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.   Paul turns to the duty of husbands. He does not command the husband to submit to his wife but instead tells the husband that he must give himself up for her. Thus, husbands are to love their wives in a self-sacrificial manner, following the example of Christ, who “gave himself up for” the church in loving self-sacrifice. Clearly the biblical picture of a husband laying down his life for his wife is directly opposed to any kind of male tyranny or oppression. The husband is bound by love to ensure that his wife finds their marriage a source of rich fulfillment and joyful service to the Lord. Notably, Paul devotes three times more space to the husband’s duty (nine verses) than to the wife’s (three verses).   The focus in these verses is on Christ, for husbands do not “sanctify” their wives or “wash” them of their sins, though they are to do all in their power to promote their wives’ holiness. Sanctify here means to consecrate into the Lord’s service through cleansing. washing of water. This might be a reference to baptism, since it is common in the Bible to speak of invisible, spiritual things (in this case, spiritual cleansing) by pointing to an outward physical sign of them (see Rom. 6:3–4). There may also be a link here to Ezekiel 16:1–13, where the Lord washes infant Israel, raises her, and eventually elevates her to royalty and marries her, which would correspond to presenting the church to himself in splendor at his marriage supper (see also Ezek. 36:25; Rev. 19:7–9; 21:2, 9–11). The church’s utter holiness and moral perfection will be consummated in resurrection glory, but is derived from the consecrating sacrifice of Christ on the cross.   Ephesians 4:1–3       I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.   Paul explains his calling and ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. This was to assure his Gentile readers that their share in the inheritance is authentic because of its divine origin. Paul suffered imprisonment or confinement several times in the service of Christ (Eph 4:1; Acts 16:23; 24:23; Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 1:8; Philem. 1).   Paul was the apostle, teacher, and preacher to the Gentiles (1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11), so the sufferings he experienced during his ministry were on their behalf (2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23). Paul may not have known the recent Ephesian converts, especially in the outlying villages, though he had spent three years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31). This mystery is now revealed: Christ has come to unify Jew and Gentile in one body through the gospel, about which Paul had just written briefly (see the parallels with Eph. 1:9, 17). Christ revealed this mystery to Paul by revelation on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–7) and more fully at other times (cf. Acts 22:17–21; 2 Cor. 12:1–7; Gal. 1:12; 2:2).   Song of Solomon 8:6–7       Set me as a seal upon your heart,     as a seal upon your arm,     for love is strong as death,     jealousy is fierce as the grave.     Its flashes are flashes of fire,     the very flame of the LORD.     Many waters cannot quench love,     neither can floods drown it.     If a man offered for love     all the wealth of his house,     he would be utterly despised.   A seal could be a stamp or a cylinder (the latter being less common), and could be attached to a person by a band (and thereby hang from the neck or arm) or worn as a ring. It was pressed into clay to create an image or an inscription that assigned ownership of an object. Love, like death, is relentlessly persistent, always accomplishing its goal. Here jealousy (which parallels “love” in the preceding line) is a resolute devotion rather than a selfish ambition; only such devotion can rightly describe the relationship with God and with one’s spouse.   This is the only mention of the divine name in the entire Song of Solomon, but it is fitting in a book of covenant wisdom. This statement indicates that both love and a jealousy to protect marriage are given by God. The image of many waters that cannot quench love picks up the image of love as a fire in Song of Solomon 8:6; the floods that are unable to drown it (or “overwhelm”; cf. Isa. 43:2) are another image.   Proverbs 3:3–4       Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;     bind them around your neck;     write them on the tablet of your heart.     So you will find favor and good success     in the sight of God and man.   These terms are used together in the Lord’s self-declaration to Moses of his character in covenantal relationship (Ex. 34:6, “abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness”). In light of the appeals to trust (Prov. 3:5), fear (Prov. 3:7), and honor (Prov. 3:9) the Lord, the call here to bind them around your neck and write them on the tablet of your heart is best understood as encouragement to live faithfully to the covenant (see also Prov.14:22; Prov.16:6; Prov.20:28) by heeding faithful parental instruction (cf. Ps. 25:10).   1 John 4:16–21       So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.   Assurance of salvation, while never an arrogant presumption, can become a settled state of mind and heart. “By this” refers to the previous verse, where John speaks of believers abiding in God and God abiding in them.   Either eternal life or eternal punishment awaits all humanity (see John 3:36), and God’s love furnishes a sure hope for those who have trusted in him. as he is so also are we in this world. Just as the Son was and is present in the world in a loving fashion that in no way attracted divine displeasure, so are the Son’s followers. The love that Christ embodied and lived out among believers is their confidence in the day of judgment.   No fear in love does not rule out the presence and constructive effect of “the fear of the Lord” that is “the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7). Here John speaks of fear of final judgment (cf. 1 John 4:17). God’s perfect love for believers casts out the fear of wrath and eternal punishment.   Christian love is a gift from God, demonstrated supremely in the cross (see Rom. 5:8). God’s love always takes the initiative, and the love of Christians is a response to that love. Likewise, all morally good human actions are good not because they conform to some arbitrary human standard of good but because they are rooted in imitation of the morally perfect character of God and conform to God’s commands.   1 Peter 4:8       Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.   Enduring love for others testifies that a person is living in light of the future. True love covers a multitude of other people’s sins (Prov. 10:12). Where love abounds, offenses are frequently overlooked and quickly forgotten. Hospitality, much admired in both Greco-Roman and Jewish sources (cf. 1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8), was much needed in an era when inns could be dangerous and unpleasant.   Colossians 3:12–14       Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.   Paul calls the Colossians to a holy lifestyle, consistent with their new identity. Believers have been chosen by God and stand before him as his beloved holy ones. They are to live up to what they are in Christ.   Tolerance is a virtue within the Christian community, although Paul clearly does not want the Colossians to tolerate the false teaching. When wronged and betrayed, Christians are called to forgive others, even as they have been forgiven for their betrayal of Christ. See Matt. 6:12, 14–15; 18:21–22. Above all else, Christians are called on to love one another (see 1 Cor. 13). “Binds . . . together” may suggest that love unites all the virtues.   Romans 13:8       Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.   Romans 13:8–10 focuses on the Christian’s relationship to the Mosaic law. Owe no one anything links back to Romans 13:7, and thus the command does not prohibit all borrowing but means that one should always “pay what is owed,” fulfilling whatever repayment agreements have been made. The debt one never ceases paying is the call to love one another. Indeed, love fulfills what the Mosaic law demands.   Hebrews 10:24–25       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.   The third and final exhortation in Hebrews 10:22–25 calls for serious thinking about other Christians with a purpose to stir up (or “provoke”) them in their love and service (good works). Christian perseverance is thus also a community endeavor. Community encouragement toward perseverance requires being together. That some were neglecting this duty may have been among the motives for the author’s warnings throughout this book. Voicing exhortation with the goal of strengthening another’s faith (see Heb. 3:13; cf. Heb. 13:22).   All commentary sections adapted from the ESV Study Bible.

God’s Response to Us I first heard Handel’s Messiah performed live in college. My knowledge of the oratorio went as far as this: it’s artsy classical music for Christmas (so I thought), and it’s very long (so I might fall asleep during the concert!). As it turned out, I didn’t fall asleep, and immensely enjoyed the music. That was long ago. Now when I hear Messiah , I still enjoy it, but the “listening experience” is different. I hear much more in the music. Near the beginning, for example, I hear strings—don’t they sound like the refrain of “Joy to the World”? These strings, however, are quiet, being gently caressed by the bows, like a mother comforting her babe with caresses. And my body veritably vibrates with the very comfort that the tenor simultaneously announces: “Comfort ye my people.” I missed all that on my first rather ignorant hearing. But through various practices (e.g., further listening, reading on Handel’s life and music), my ears have been cultivated to hear better what was there all along. I am increasingly persuaded that “hearing back” from God in the life of prayer involves an analogous process. It involves a practiced prayer life that matures our perceptions to hear him aright. For it’s not as though God was ever truly silent. And it’s not that we are at too great a distance from the one in whom we live and move and have our being to hear his voice. On the contrary, as G. K. Chesterton suggests with characteristic paradoxy, it may be that “the laughter of the heavens is too loud for us to hear.” If such things are so, then What to dobut draw a little nearer to such ubiquity by being still? Silence “Be still and know that I am God” ( Ps. 46:10 ). Being still, or practicing silence, is my first suggestion in a course for retraining perceptions. My primary focus isn’t so much on literal silence (though it can’t hurt); it’s on quieting our voices and hearts enough to listen. Those who would truly hear any other, and certainly the ultimate Other, must relinquish control over what’s said. They must render themselves vulnerable to hearing something they didn’t already expect, something they might not want to hear. They must hold their tongue, quiet their hearts, be still, and practice silence. Silence, for the nations, may be an all too awkward reminder that their hopes are set on “speechless idols.” In stark contrast, the prophet says, “the LORD is in his holy temple.” What, then, to do first? “Hush before him!” ( Hab. 2:20 , my translation). To be sure, the practice of Christian silence is no mere negation. We need to hush our  murmurings, our many petitions, the voicing of our expectations placed upon God. Yet strangely, such silence is rife with a manner of expectation, for our God is no idol. Scripture “Hear, O my people, and I will speak” ( Ps. 50:7 ). It’s possible for us to “hear back” from God the way I first heard Messiah : ignorant about what we’re hearing, untaught concerning what to listen for, missing much without realizing it. At an extreme, we may miss God’s answers to prayer for paying attention to the wrong things. For example, if the chief answers we look for (and, preceding that, the only prayers we earnestly pray) come in the form of healing from terminal disease, we may miss God’s mighty and merciful presence in sustaining faith and empowering to die well. We might then be tempted to think of the abiding suffering and prospect of death as God’s cold shoulder. How would we know to listen for God’s loving and wise response to his children’s cries even in  (not around) suffering and dying? What could help us hear such minor key “music?” When it comes to Messiah , my learning more about the composer Handel has gone some way toward cultivating a better ear for his music. Surely, in like manner, learning more about the Composer of the true music of reality goes a good way toward helping us hear. By attending to God’s self-revelatory word, meditating on how he has acted in history, and pondering deeply his promises and what he says he’s committed to doing in our lives, we might develop a better ear. Set Times for Prayer “Give us this day our daily bread” ( Matt. 6:11 ). The request might be translated, “Give us our bread for this day ahead.” Jesus teaches us to pray not for a fortnight’s worth of groceries in our cupboards but simply for the present day’s needs. It’s reasonable to suppose that the Lord means for us to pray the prayer daily, even to pray it first thing  daily. Prayer at the beginning of the day is another perception-cultivating practice for the life of prayer. Through setting apart time at the day’s outset to pray the Lord’s Prayer, we name in truth any bread appearing in the day ahead as a gift to be received from the Giver, the better to disabuse us of a materially godless outlook. More significantly, we ready ourselves to receive our lunch when it comes as not simply any old gift but also a specific, palpable answer to our prayer . Then, as we set aside time at the day’s end for evening prayer, we’ll have ample opportunity to recognize that we have “heard back” from our good heavenly Father and to thank him for it. God would daily be discerned as answering our prayers and thus known as an attentive, ever-caring, responsive Father. How often do we miss it for not setting aside time daily to pray and pay attention?   Supplicating Regularly with Others “We recount your wondrous deeds” ( Ps. 75:1 ). God constantly answers our prayers, often in ways that are easy to “hear”—to see, to taste, to recognize and discern. To better hear them, to hear them more often, we do well to develop the regular habit of praying with and for the whole church. In my church, we gather every Lord’s Day for an evening prayer service. From week to week through the year, I join in praying for others’ good and growth in Christ, and I hear many thanksgivings recounting the varying ways God is answering these prayers in the lives of varying brothers and sisters around me. It might be easy for me praying in isolation, not discerning answers related to my personal needs, to feel as though I’ve not heard back from God in a long time. It’s harder to spiral down to this, or the seasons of silence are shorter, when I’m regularly gathering with others to pray. In evening prayer services, praying with and for others, I’m reassured that God isn’t utterly silent toward us, the family of God of which I am a part. And I’ve been particularly impressed at how some of the most regularly answered prayers are the simple, faith-filled prayers of children in our community. I’m consistently inspired to seek God with child-like faith and motivated to press on in prayer, knowing that God is assuredly not absent but present in our midst, able to be “heard” in response to our praying, constantly working for our good in Christ. Seeking to Hear God in Jesus’s Name “In that day you will ask in my name” ( John 16:26 ). Any good answer we hear back from God is assuredly something we receive only in and through Jesus. By way of reminder, it is good practice to—with consistency—pray explicitly in the name of Christ. But doing so also is part of cultivating joy-giving, hope-enlivening hearing of God. Too often our prayers are twinged with anxiety that the starting point in the labor of prayer is basically an absent and silent God. That is to say, the real starting point must be our praying  well enough to get God to show up and speak. Yet the word we most desperately need has already been spoken—the word which is Christ crucified, risen, ascended, and reigning for the good of all who believe, and most certainly returning. Praying in Christ’s name is praying that remembers and pays attention to and listens first and foremost to that word. Here is the beginning of truly hearing back from God, hearing the word that quiets our anxieties and gives us rest and joy. Here, in the Son’s name, we may even be emboldened to pray more fervently and expectantly: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” ( Rom. 8:32 ). Those who pray in Christ’s name truly hear back from God in their most pressing need and are strengthened in hope that they will continue to hear in days to come. God constantly answers our prayers, often in ways that are easy to “hear”—to see, to taste, to recognize and discern.   Daniel J. Brendsel is the author of   Answering Speech: The Life of Prayer as Response to God .

The New Testament Authors Reaffirm All of the Ten Commandments (except the Sabbath Commandment) The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20:1–17  (and restated in Deut. 5:6–21 ). Although Jesus talks about the Sabbath commandment in the Gospels, the New Testament authors never quote or affirm the Sabbath commandment as something applicable to new covenant Christians. But they quote or allude to the other commandments quite often. 1. The First Commandment You shall have no other gods before me. ( Ex. 20:3 ) The idea that God must have first allegiance in our lives is implied by the greatest commandment: “ You shall love the Lord your God  with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” ( Matt. 22:37 ; see also Jesus’s reply to Satan in Matt. 4:10 ). This commandment is also affirmed when Paul points out how people sinned when they “worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” ( Rom. 1:25 ) and when the New Testament writers frequently condemn idolatry (see 1Cor. 5:10–11; 6:9; 10:7, 14; Gal. 5:20 ; Eph. 5:5 ; Col. 3:5 ; 1 Thess. 1:9 ; 1 John 5:21 ; Rev. 9:20; 16:2; 20:4; 21:8; 22:15 ; see also Acts 12:23 ). 2. The Second Commandment You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. ( Ex. 20:4–6 ) This command against carved images made as idols was affirmed when Paul was in Athens and “his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols ” ( Acts 17:16 )—here, not idols of the heart but physical carved images. This command is also affirmed when Paul says that Gentiles “exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images  resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” ( Rom. 1:23 ). In addition, many of the passages cited under point (1) above could fit in this category as well, since in most cases people were worshiping physical objects that represented deities.   3. The Third Commandment You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. ( Ex. 20:7 ) Paul affirms the evil of dishonoring God’s name when he says of the Jews who do not believe in Christ, “the name of God is blasphemed  among the Gentiles because of you” ( Rom. 2:24 ). Such blasphemy that dishonors the name of God is also identified as a sin in 1 Timothy 1:13, 20 ; James 2:7 ; 2 Peter 2:12 ; Jude 10 ; Revelation 13:1, 5, 6; 16:9, 11, 21; 17:3 ; compare the prohibition against “corrupting talk” in Ephesians 4:29 . 4. The Fourth Commandment Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work , but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. ( Ex. 20:8–11 ) The command to rest on the Sabbath day is never repeated as an obligation for Christians after the beginning of the new covenant at the time of Christ’s death. However, there is another part to the commandment. This commandment also requires that God’s people work: “Six days shall you labor, and do all your work” ( Ex. 20:9 ). There are New Testament commands that reflect this requirement, such as Ephesians 4:28 : Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands , so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Similar commands for Christians to engage in productive work are found in 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 and 2 Thessalonians 3:6–12 . (However, there is nothing particularly innovative about a command to work, since God commanded Adam and Eve to “subdue” the earth [ Gen. 1:28 ], and he put Adam in the garden “to work it and keep it” [ Gen. 2:15 ].) 5. The Fifth Commandment Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ( Ex. 20:12 ) Paul quotes this commandment explicitly in Ephesians: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” ( Eph. 6:1–3 ) Other passages in the New Testament also affirm the validity of a moral requirement to honor one’s father and mother (see Rom. 1:30 ; 1 Tim. 1:9 ; 2 Tim. 3:2 ; see also Jesus’s teaching in Matt. 15:4; 19:18 ). 6. The Sixth Commandment You shall not murder. ( Ex. 20:13 ) “Murder” is listed many times among catalogs of various sins in the New Testament (see Rom. 1:29; 13:9 ; 1 Tim. 1:9 ; James 2:11; 4:2 ; 1 John 3:12, 15 ; Rev. 9:21; 16:6; 18:24; 21:8; 22:15 ; see also Jesus’s teaching in Matt. 5:21–26; 15:19; 19:18 ). 7. The Seventh Commandment You shall not commit adultery. ( Ex. 20:14 ) Paul quotes “You shall not commit adultery” among the commandments that are summed up in the love command in Romans 13:9 . James also quotes this commandment directly ( James 2:11 ). But if we understand this commandment to forbid not only adultery in the narrow sense but sexual immorality in a broader sense, then many other passages in the New Testament reflect this moral standard and prohibit immoral sexual conduct (see Rom. 1:26–27; 2:22 ; 1 Cor. 5:1–5; 6:9, 13–20; 7:2; 10:8; Gal. 5:19 ; Col. 3:5 ; 1 Thess. 4:3 ; 1 Tim. 1:10 ; Heb. 12:16; 13:4 ; James 2:11 ; 2 Pet. 2:14 ; Jude 7 ; Rev. 2:20–22; 9:21; 14:8; 17:1–5; 18:3; 19:2; 21:8, 22:15 ; see also Jesus’s teaching in Matt. 5:27–28; 15:19; 19:9, 18 ). 8. The Eighth Commandment You shall not steal. ( Ex. 20:15 ) Paul quotes this commandment directly in Romans 13:9 , his summary of moral requirements that are fulfilled in the command to love one’s neighbor. He also echoes this command when he says, “Let the thief no longer steal” ( Eph. 4:28 ). But several other verses also prohibit theft of various kinds (see Rom. 2:22 ; 1 Cor. 5:11; 6:10 ; Heb. 10:34 ; Titus 2:10 ; James 5:4 ; Rev. 9:21 ; see also Jesus’s teaching in Matt. 15:19; 19:18 ). 9. The Ninth Commandment You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. ( Ex. 20:16 ) Although this commandment is not quoted explicitly in the New Testament, if we understand it to be a general prohibition against speaking falsehood, then there are several passages that affirm this moral standard, beginning with the judgment on Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5:1–11 . And Paul says to the Ephesians, “Having put away falsehood , let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor” ( Eph. 4:25 ). Commands against speaking falsely, especially about other people, are found in Romans 1:30 ; Ephesians 5:3–4 ; Colossians 3:8–9 ; 1 Timothy 1:10; 5:13 ; James 4:11 ; 1 John 1:6; 2:4, 21, 27; 2 John 7 ; Revelation 21:8; 22:15 ; see also Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 5:37; 15:19; 19:18 . 10. The Tenth Commandment You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s. ( Ex. 20:17 ) Paul quotes the command “You shall not covet” as something that is summed up in the commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” ( Rom. 13:9 ). He also quotes this command in Romans 7:7  as teaching him what it was to covet, thereby awakening more sin and being used by sin to produce in him “all kinds of covetousness” ( Rom. 7:8 ). The sin of coveting is also mentioned elsewhere (see Rom. 1:29 ; Col. 3:5 ; 1 Tim. 6:5–10, 17–18 ; Heb. 13:5 ; James 4:2 ; 2 Pet. 2:14 ; see also Jesus’s teaching in Luke 12:15 ). Not all of these passages use the word covet, but all contain the idea that it is sinful to have our hearts set on greater riches than God has entrusted to us. What shall we conclude from these numerous New Testament affirmations of nine out of ten of the moral standards found in the Ten Commandments (plus the work aspect of the Sabbath command)? It would not be correct to conclude that the New Testament authors thought these commandments were binding for Christians because they were part of the Mosaic covenant. That line of thinking would contradict the other passages that so clearly teach that the Mosaic covenant has been terminated and that the new covenant is now in effect (see discussion above). It is better to conclude that the New Testament authors, guided by the teachings of Jesus and by the further leading of the Holy Spirit after Jesus’s ascension into heaven, understood that God, in his wisdom, placed within the Ten Commandments some broad principles that would not only teach the people of Israel what kind of conduct is pleasing or displeasing to him, but would also be useful for teaching others outside of Israel , and throughout all history, about such conduct. In short, the Ten Commandments radiate God’s wisdom for all of human history. Bruce Waltke points out that, even within the original context of Exodus, “The Ten Commandments are the most important teachings of the old covenant for several reasons,” including the fact that they are given first at the establishment of the covenant; they alone are given directly by God rather than through Moses; they alone are deposited in the ark of the covenant; they are not restricted to geography or history; they are referred to as “the covenant” ( Deut. 4:13; 9:9, 11 ); and they are addressed personally to each individual within the whole Jewish nation using second-person singular verbs. Waltke says: The Ten Commandments are not bound by time and space. Thus, the Ten Commandments cannot be relativized to culture. They apply to all people of all nationalities and all time periods. They express God’s fundamental moral stance. In one remarkable paragraph, Waltke explains how the Ten Commandments are grounded in the order that God established at creation: The creation narratives undergird the Ten Commandments, which epitomize the ethics of Israel’s faith and mold the judicial system of Judeo-Christian nations. The narrative affirms the priority of the one true God, demanded by the first commandment. It also affirms that he exists apart from and is sovereign over all creation; thus, to reimage him in the form of an idol or as the goddess Sophia, as prohibited by the second commandment, is a detestable distortion of his glorious person. This sublime God will not tolerate the attaching of his glorious name to anything false; this truth supports the third commandment. The stipulation of the Sabbath in the fourth commandment is predicated on the day of rest in the climax of creation. Murder is prohibited because humans are made in the image of God, which gives them dignity. The ban on adultery is based on the moral order established by God, who gave Adam only one wife. The Creator gave the arable soil to all humanity to provide them with food and wealth ( Gen. 1:29 ). To steal from the community what rightly belongs to all or to steal from an individual what that person has lawfully earned as his or her wage from working the creation must not be tolerated. One must also protect the reputation of every human being, for all are made in God’s image. We could add that, in addition to the creation narratives, the subsequent chapters in Genesis show the moral wrong involved in several of these sins, such as murder ( Gen. 4:8–10; 9:5–6 ), adultery ( Gen. 12:17; 34:2; 39:9 ), and stealing ( Gen. 31:9 ). Therefore, prior to the Mosaic covenant , many of the moral standards found in the Ten Commandments found earlier expression in the historical narratives of Genesis. It is also significant to notice what is not affirmed by the New Testament authors as a moral standard for Christian conduct in the new covenant. We find no affirmation of circumcision, the sacrifices of the Mosaic Law, the Sabbath commandment (interestingly), the Jewish holidays and festivals, the food laws, the laws related to purity of clothing, and the laws regulating farming practices. We find no hint of a desire for the civil government to establish laws regarding religious activities, and no encouragement for Christians to form a separate nation or any separate political entities. It is best to conclude that the New Testament authors reaffirmed the moral standards found in nine of the Ten Commandments, not because they thought that some parts of the Mosaic covenant remained in force, but because they saw in these commandments clear statements of conduct that is pleasing to God for all people, for all of life. This article is adapted from   Christian Ethics: Living a Life That Is Pleasing to God   by Wayne Grudem.

God’s Specific Promise The book of Matthew provides us with one of the most familiar accounts in the Bible of the birth and infancy of Jesus: Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:       ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;       for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” ( Matt. 2:1–6 ) Don’t let the familiarity of this account cause you to rush over its hope-giving glory. When Herod went to Old Testament scholars to inquire where the promised Messiah was to be born, they had no problem answering. They immediately quoted Micah 5:2 . Now, pause and think about this for a moment. It’s not just that the Messiah’s birth was promised in a general, nonspecific way. The promise of God, made through the prophet Micah many generations before, was specific—down to the exact town in which he would be born. The King of kings wouldn’t have a regal birth in a royal palace in Jerusalem, with an adoring court at his cradle. No, the hope of the world would be born in the town of Bethlehem to a mother and father who were far from the royalty of that day. Every detail of Jesus’s birth was part of God’s plan before the foundations of the earth were set in place. So the promises and prophecies of his birth were detailed and specific. God is not like a fortune teller, delivering a safe, generic prediction. No, these promises were made by the Lord of heaven and earth, who rules everything, everywhere, all of the time. You see, the promises of God are only as good as the extent of his sovereignty, because he can guarantee the delivery of his promises only in situations over which he has rule. Because he rules everything, everywhere, all of the time, however, his promises are specific and rock-solid. The specificity of God’s promise about where the Messiah would be born is a picture of how infinitely confident God is in his own ability to do whatever he has said he will do, wherever he said he will do it, and whenever he knows the time is right. You can bank on and build your life upon the promises of God. He has the power, willingness, and authority to do everything he has promised to do. It is so good to know today that you can absolutely trust that he will do what he has said he will do. This article is adapted from   Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life   by Paul David Tripp.

Given the importance of kingdom in the message of Jesus, let’s briefly review this concept. A kingdom is a society of people with a structure in which there is one person, a king or queen, to whom all of the citizens offer loyalty, service, and respect. The sovereign’s part of this relationship is to provide care, protection, and service for the good of the people. It has always been understood that the welfare of a leader rests upon the welfare of the people. The kingdom of God is exactly like that. It is a society of persons where there is love, service, and respect for the king; and there is care, protection, and service for those who live in the kingdom. When we speak of the kingdom of God, we are speaking of a kingdom which works more like a family or a well-functioning neighborhood, where people really do love one another and care for each other. This kingdom is the range of God’s effective will—or simply God acting in this world—where what he wants done is done. Jesus’ teaching showed us that the kingdom of God is not a thing of times and places; it is a thing of the heart. It is a life that is lived in vital connection with God himself. Unlike the kingdom of God, human government functions on principles of force, deception, brutality, and the power of death. All human governments have the power of death, but what they lack is the power of life. This is what the kingdom of God has: the power of life. Human governments can kill. God’s government gives life. This life is based upon the new birth that is an entry into the kingdom of God. We are invited to bring our lives into the eternal life of God in his everlasting kingdom, being mindful that eternity is already in progress; it is not something that will start later. The only biblical definition of eternal life is this: “Now this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). To “know You” is an interactive relationship in which everything we bring into that relationship becomes eternal. When we live in the kingdom of God by the Spirit of God, our lives are constantly overflowing with goodness and mercy. We do not make this happen. It is a gift, and we receive it. It is not “eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17), which is not humanly possible. The best advice about how to go to heaven is to go now by living your life with God. That is what Jesus was saying when he preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). The kingdom of God constantly renews us; it comes to us where we are. It is always “near,” present with us. When the Bible speaks of heaven, it means God acting in this world—right here, right now. This is real life. That is why Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Adapted from The Scandal of the Kingdom  by Dallas Willard.

The prophet Habakkuk lived at a time and in a world with many similarities to our own. There were frightening international tensions, the decline of one superpower and the rise of another, attendant anxiety and fear among smaller nations that tended to get trampled in the conflicts, and the confusion of political alignments and alliances. And, at the same time, the fracturing of moral and religious bonds and traditions were plaguing Judah’s own society with social dissolution and degradation. It was a bad time. It was a baffling time. It was a world that was hard to understand. What did Habakkuk have to say about this situation? More importantly, what did God have to say about it? Habakkuk’s Unsettling World “Confusing” is a mild word for the state of the world during Habakkuk’s life. It was a time filled with international, political, religious, and moral chaos and rampant unchecked evil. Internationally. For several decades, the whole world of the ancient Near East had been in turmoil, with one empire collapsing and another rising to take its place. All of this was generating great fear and uncertainty, especially among the smaller nations who, like Judah, had got caught up in the rivalry of the great powers of Egypt and Mesopotamia. Habakkuk turns to God in the midst of that world—a world he could not understand—with those fears and questions tormenting his mind. Nationally. Although King Josiah had made valiant efforts to bring about reformation in Judah, the country was still suffering the long-term legacy of the evil reign of King Manasseh (reigned 687–640 BC). During that long reign, the people had slid into increasing idolatry and evil practices of all kinds. Even though Josiah had achieved some major reforms and purged the nation of the outward trappings of other gods, he was soon followed by his son Jehoiakim, who tragically reversed Josiah’s policies and behaved in arrogant, ostentatious, and oppressive ways. It was probably during the reign of Jehoiakim when Habakkuk asked his questions. Socially and economically. There was increasing poverty, social inequality, sexual dysfunction, arrogant exploitation by the “elite,” dispossession, and all the suffering that went with loss of land and security (cf. Jeremiah 7  and 22 ). The country of Judah was descending into a spiral of increasing degradation and wickedness, while the perpetrators of these ills were boldly getting away with it. That was the trigger for Habakkuk’s opening complaint to God. Religiously. There was a mixture of syncretistic worship of other gods (Jeremiah 2) and concurrently a paradoxically dangerous complacency in the assurance that Yahweh, the God of Israel, would always defend his city. God’s people thought they would be safe as long as they carried on their worship in the Lord’s temple, for God would never allow his own temple to be destroyed. How wrong they were (Jeremiah 7)! Politically. Because the international scene was so turbulent, the political alignment of Judah oscillated back and forth. There was apparently constant conflict between the anti-Babylonian and pro-Babylonian parties in Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah suffered badly at the hands of the former party for going around saying that God had raised up Nebuchadnezzar (as God had told Habakkuk) and that the best thing to do for the moment was to submit to that king. This was subversive speech and it made Jeremiah very unpopular, to say the least. In fact, Jeremiah narrowly escaped lynching and murder more than once. Other prophets were not so fortunate—check out Uriah ( Jeremiah 26:20–23 ). Speaking truth to power was dangerous! Habakkuk Sought God in His Confusion What are the things that God ought to be doing something about, but isn’t – Habakkuk has a list! Why do you make me look at injustice?   Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?Destruction and violence are before me;   there is strife, and conflict abounds. (1:3) Habakkuk reels off six different words for social evils of all sorts—injustice, wrongdoing, destruction, violence, strife, conflict. These are the social outworkings of sin. The kind of things that embed themselves in the structures and practices of fallen human societies. The word “violence” ( hamas ) is a key word in this book. It occurs six times, including in the list in Habakkuk 1:3. In 1:2, it is a kind of yell—a cry for help. How long, Lord, must I call for help,but you do not listen?Or cry out to you, “Violence!”but you do not save? ( Habakkuk 1:2) It’s like the shout of somebody witnessing a brutal attack on some innocent victim nearby and shouting out, hoping that others, or the police, will come to intervene. Habakkuk’s Dilemma The God Habakkuk knows and worships and trusts is Yahweh. Yahweh is the just and compassionate God who characteristically listens and saves. Yahweh is the God who hears the cry of the victims of violence and saves them. All the old stories of Israel’s history illustrate this truth. Many psalms celebrate it. Right now, God does not seem to be listening nor saving. These are the two things that God has done in the past, that God can do at any time, that God should do . . . but is not doing now. God is neither listening to Habakkuk nor saving the victims of violence. Here, then, is the challenge of verse 2. It seems there is a contradiction between what Habakkuk knows and believes about God from the stories, the Scriptures, and the worship songs of his people on the one hand and the present reality that surrounds him on the other. There is a clash between what he believes and what he sees. And God has been silent and inactive for so long. How much longer do Habakkuk (and others) have to cry out before God hears and saves them? God’s Response The answer that God gives to Habakkuk’s opening question is rather anticlimactic, it would seem. In essence, God says, “Wait for it. Be patient . . .” – For the revelation awaits an appointed time;   it speaks of the end    and will not prove false.Though it linger, wait for it;   it will certainly come    and will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3) What God is about to reveal may take a long time before it all takes place, but “it will certainly come.” God’s sovereign purpose in history will be accomplished. That’s because God does not tell lies, and his word will always accomplish what God sends it to do ( Isaiah 55:10–11 ). Taking the Long View Habakkuk rehearses in vivid poetry some of the great episodes of the story of his own people Israel—those mighty saving acts of God in their past. We should draw hope from not only knowing the story so far (from the Bible), but also from knowing where the story leads and how it ends. Like Habakkuk, we need the courage of discernment—to know and trust that God remains sovereign in the world of history and nature. We need to listen to the news with this perspective in mind. “Look at the nations and watch . . .” ( 1:5 ). Watch out for God at work. Discern the mustard seeds of the kingdom of God. Join Joseph in recognizing—sometimes with the hindsight which then strengthens our confidence in the unknown future—that even things that are intrinsically evil (and were intended by their perpetrators to be so) can be the means by which the overruling sovereign God can bring about that which is good ( Genesis 50:20 ). We may not know how or when, but the Judge of all the earth will ultimately do what is right—either within history in his acts of judgment and redemption or ultimately in the great rectification of the final judgment. God will deal with all wrongs and put all things right before he makes all things new in the new creation. Trust me, says God. Go on living by faith—faith in the sovereign justice of God as well as in the sovereign grace of God. Are we allowing the big picture, whole-Bible story to strengthen our faith and generate our joy, even in the midst of a threatening world around us? Habakkuk’s Direct, Honest Prayer Habakkuk stands among the many in the Bible, including many in the book of Psalms, who cry out to God in lament and protest at the evil they see all around them. But do we? Or do we just complain and protest to one another? We can and should pray for our rulers to come to repentance and salvation and to do justice. And we can follow the example of the psalmists who appealed to God against wickedness in high places on behalf of those who suffer the consequences. Looking Forward with Hope, Joy, and Strength Habakkuk’s mission was to expose and oppose all the idolatry that produces injustice, violence, and suffering and to call people to repentance. At the end of the book, we find Habakkuk still shaking with fear, because God has shown him what lies ahead in the immediate future. However, we also find Habakkuk strengthened in faith. He is determined to be among the righteous who will put their trust in God and go on living by faith ( 2:4 )—no matter what. In these famous closing words, Habakkuk makes three amazingly strong resolutions: I will wait. . . . I will rejoice. . . . I will run. He plans to get on with his mission, with energy and determination, in the strength of his Sovereign Lord: Though the fig tree does not bud   and there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop fails   and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen   and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD,   I will be joyful in God my Savior.The Sovereign Lord is my strength;   he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,    he enables me to tread on the heights.) (Habakkuk 3:17-19) May we live in the example of Habakkuk with the obedience of faith, knowing the Sovereign Lord is the source of our hope, joy and strength. Content adapted from Hearing the Message of Habakkuk  by Christopher J. H. Wright .

What Is Known “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” ( Mark 13:24–27 ) “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.” ( Mark 13:32–33 ) What is known about “that day” can be summarized under five headings. First, Jesus’s second coming will be obvious.  When Christ returns, all “the powers in the heavens will be shaken” ( Mark 13:25 ): the sun (“The sun will be darkened”) and the moon (“The moon will not give its light”) will turn off, followed by the stars’ “falling from heaven” ( Mark 13:25 ). These are all obvious indications that something important is afoot. So too is the new and spectacular light show that will fill the universal dark void: “And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds” ( Mark 13:26 ). The darkness is set in contrast to the heavenly “sign” of the Son of Man ( Matt. 24:30 ). We are told that Jesus will descend from heaven (“coming in clouds”) and that this coming will be “with great power and glory” ( Mark 13:26 ). Mark states, “And then they will see” ( Mark 13:26 ); Matthew tells us that the “they” are “all the tribes of the earth” ( Matt. 24:30 ), everyone from every nation who is alive on that day. But how will everyone alive then, from different parts of the globe, see Jesus at the same time? Perhaps our Lord is speaking metaphorically. If so, the point still stands. His return will be obvious. No one will miss it. But if he is speaking literally, then the scene is more remarkable. Think about it. How will everyone see him in the dark—without the light of the sun, moon, or stars? The answer is that the “light of the world” ( John 8:12 ) needs no lesser lights to line his way (cf. Rev. 22:5 ). Second, Jesus’s second coming will be awesome.  Notice that Jesus uses his favorite title for himself in relation to his second coming. It is the “Son of Man” ( Mark 13:26 ) who will be riding upon the clouds. This title is linked to Daniel 7:13–14  and relates to Jesus’s divinely bestowed authority. In that chapter the Ancient of Days grants the Son of Man a glorious and everlasting kingdom. That is awesome. Jesus will return as the Son of Man, the one who has been granted all authority over all creation ( Mark 2:10, 28 ; cf. Matt. 28:18 ). Other details also highlight the awesomeness of Christ’s return. In fact, nearly every phrase of Mark 13:24–27  is brimming with this theme. When Jesus says, in verse 24, “But in those days . . . the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,” he is not talking about a double eclipse; when he mentions in verse 25 “the stars . . . falling from heaven,” he is not talking about a divine firework show that starts with a few shooting stars. Rather he is talking about all the great lights created on day four of creation turning off for good. They will turn off because, as I said, a new and spectacular light show fills the universal dark void: “The Son of Man coming in the clouds” ( Mark 13:26 ). Whatever that awesome cosmic upheaval will look like, it will make Haley’s Comet look like two Boy Scouts rubbing sticks together to make a spark. The second coming will be awesome. Third, Jesus’s second coming will bring relief to the righteous; it will be a day of vindication for God’s people.  The image of God’s messengers’ (“the angels”) gathering God’s people (“his elect”) from the whole earth (“from the ends of the earth”) and throughout the highest heavens (“to the ends of heaven,” Mark 13:27 ) is an image not only of God’s power but of his grace. For those who have persevered through persecution (see Mark 13:9–13 ) final vindication will come with the coming Son. My first sermon as a pastor was on September 16, 2001, five days after 9/11. My preselected passage was Revelation 19:11–21 . I preached a sermon on Jesus’s coming as savior and judge, and I began the sermon like this: Vengeance has its place in the Christian faith. And it holds not an insignificant, unnecessary, or minor role in our salvation. It is as foundational and as crucial as the biblical concepts of grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness because at its center stands our Lord Jesus Christ. When most of us think of Jesus we rarely picture him, as the book of Revelation does, as a holy king, righteous judge, and victorious warrior. In our minds, we have little trouble imagining him as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, as a child teaching in the temple, as a man miraculously walking on water, and as a dying savior. But we struggle to envision Jesus as a mighty conquering king—muscular, fierce, relentless, and vengeful. One reason we may have this difficulty is due either to our ignorance or to our misunderstandings concerning Christ and his second coming. On the one hand, we may simply be uninformed of the details of Christ’s return; on the other hand, we may be able to recite some of the facts of the second coming, yet fail to comprehend its ultimate objective. The objective of Jesus’s second coming is salvation. Jesus comes to save his people, and he does so in part by judging those who are not his people. Salvation and judgment are linked. We need to know that Jesus’s second coming will bring relief to the righteous, and we need to praise God for that. Fourth, Jesus’s second coming is certain, as he makes clear in Mark 13:30–31 :  “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” In the immediate context (see Mark 13:5–23 ) Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple emphatically (“Truly, I say to you,” Mark 13:30 ), and sure enough the temple is toppled. Of course, what Jesus says in verses 30–31 we can apply to every word Jesus said. A number of times in the last five years I have given a talk titled “Why I Am a Christian.” I give four reasons. I talk about Jesus’s irresistible call on my life, the alluring paradox of Jesus’s claims and character, and how Jesus has dealt with and will deal with the three universal problems humans face: sin, death, and injustice. I also talk about the power of his words. Nearly two thousand years ago Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” ( Mark 13:31 ). What does history make of this bold statement? Is it true or false? It is true. It is historically verifiable. Let us say there are forty million local churches around the world where over two billion Christians gather each Sunday. In most of those churches, even the unorthodox ones, the words of Jesus are being read and taught. Christians, and some non-Christians, each Sunday morning seek afresh to understand and apply what Jesus said. Can we say this of the words of Socrates, Cicero, Julius Caesar, or Winston Churchill? No! This is not true of any philosopher or politician, and it certainly is not true of celebrities. People are not gathering together each week to try to understand and apply what John Lennon sang or said. Back to the point. If Jesus’s words are more permanent than the ground below or the sky above (“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away,” Mark 13:31 ), and if Jesus has a proven track record on a massive prediction in world history—the destruction of the temple (“This generation,” that of his apostles, “will not pass away until all these things take place,” Mark 13:30 )—then we can trust that what he says about his return, and the events surrounding it, will likewise occur. That certainty takes us to the fifth fact. We know the second coming will be (1) obvious, (2) awesome, (3) a day of vindication for God’s people, and (4) certain. The fifth fact follows: (5) since the temple has been destroyed, we must know that Jesus’s return is imminent.  This is what our Lord says with his parabolic teaching in Mark 13:28–29 : “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” Here either Jesus is talking indirectly about his second coming, saying in effect, “As soon as the temple falls, know that there is a possibility, at any time, for my return.” Or, more likely, in these verses Jesus returns to speaking directly about the destruction of the temple and what his earliest followers should do. As soon as they hear the rumble of the Roman troops as they shake the foundation of the holy city (a sign as obvious as a fig tree in spring spouting leaves), they need to do everything Jesus has taught in verses 5–23. So here is how I understand verse 29: “When you see these things taking place [the desolation and destruction of the temple], know that he [or “it,” i.e., “that tribulation”] is near, at the very gates.” Whatever the case, what Jesus is doing throughout the Olivet Discourse is what scholars call “prophetic foreshortening.” What that means is that Jesus, like the prophets, speaks of two events—one in the near future and another in the distant future—as though they will happen close to each other. For example, Isaiah speaks of the destruction of Babylon in the same breath as he does the final day of the Lord, as though there were one day of divine judgment (“the day of the Lord”) when we know there will be two. The analogy often used to explain this teaching technique or unique genre is that of a mountain range. If we looked at a mountain range from a distance, it might appear that two peaks were close to each other when in fact they were miles apart. Likewise, Jesus speaks of two mountaintops—the destruction of the temple and his return—as though they were close together when, in reality, they are thousands of years apart. What to Do in Light of Such Knowledge In light of those five facts, especially the last one, what are we to do? Jesus tells his disciples and us in Mark 13:33–36 . He begins with two similar exhortations: “Be on guard” and “Keep awake” ( Mark 13:33 ). He then says why, reiterating the point of Mark 13:32 : “For you do not know when the time will come” ( Mark 13:33 ). Next, he illustrates, “It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake” ( Mark 13:34 ). That story then morphs into an admonition, one we have heard before: “Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep” ( Mark 13:35–36 ). This admonition is universal, given to both Jesus’s first followers and all since: “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake” ( Mark 13:37 ). Here then is the logic to Jesus’s call to vigilance: if no one knows the time of Christ’s return (“Concerning that day or that hour, no one knows,” Mark 13:32 ; “You do not know when the time will come,” Mark 13:33 ), then the hour-by-hour application should be readiness (“Be on guard,” Mark 13:33 ) and wakefulness (“Keep awake,” Mark 13:33 ; “Stay awake,” Mark 13:34, 35, 37 ). The objective of Jesus’s second coming is salvation. This article is adapted from   Expository Reflections on the Gospels, Volume 3: Mark   by Douglas Sean O’Donnell.

Sola Fide No Christian denies that justification is by faith. That is an obvious biblical teaching. The controversy is about whether justification is by faith alone ( sola fide ). In Roman Catholic theology, justification is a process begun at baptism, after which we are obliged to cooperate with grace in hopes of receiving a favorable verdict from God at the end of our lives. “The Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone contradicts Scripture,” writes Peter Kreeft, a winsome and articulate spokesman for Catholic theology. Nevertheless, argues Kreeft, Protestant theology reminds us “that none of us can deserve heaven” and that if God were to ask us why he should let us into heaven, “our answer should not begin with the word ‘I’ but with the word ‘Christ.’ ” Don’t overlook the word begin in that sentence, because works do eventually enter into the equation. Later Kreeft writes, “To the world’s most practical question, ‘What must I do to be saved?’, God has given us clear answer: Repent, believe, and live in charity.” That’s what Kreeft means when he says that justification is not by faith alone. By contrast, the Bible stresses that we are justified by faith apart from works of the law ( Rom. 3:28 ). “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight” ( Rom. 3:20 ). “We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ” ( Gal. 2:16 ). “It is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith’ ” ( Gal. 3:11 ). In short, the righteousness by which we are acquitted comes through faith in Christ, not through the law on account of our own righteousness ( Phil. 3:9 ). It is important to note that faith is not itself virtuous. Faith is not the basis or the ground by which we are justified, as if the righteous act of believing outweighs all our unrighteous deeds. Faith has value because of the object to which it connects us. Think of skating on a frozen pond. Faith is the means by which we get out on the ice, but it is not the reason we do not sink. We are kept out of the dangerous water below by the object of our faith. It is the thickness of the ice that saves us. To put it in Aristotelian terms, faith is the instrumental cause of our justification. “We compare faith to a kind of vessel,” Calvin writes, “for unless we come empty and with the mouth of our souls open to seek Christ’s grace, we are not capable of receiving Christ.” Faith is the outstretched empty hand ready to receive Christ and all his benefits. The act of believing, in itself, does not save. Faith “is only the instrument by which we embrace Christ our righteousness” (BC Art. 22). Finally, we should be clear that although we are justified by faith alone, the faith that justifies is never alone. Good works do not contribute to the root of our justification, but they must be found as fruit of our justification. As Turretin observes, “it is one thing for works to be connected with faith in the person of the justified; another, however, in the matter of justification.” In other words, sinners are not justified by works, but works will always be evident in the lives of justified sinners. The book of James seems to repudiate the Protestant doctrine of sola fide . How does Romans 3:28  (“For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law”) square with James 2:24  (“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”)? This seems like a plain contradiction. Paul thinks we are justified by faith alone; James thinks we are justified by faith and works. No wonder Luther once called James a “right strawy epistle.” Rightly understood, however, there is no contradiction between Paul and James. Here are five reasons why. James and Paul are addressing different concerns. The foolish person in James 2:20  is not the apostle Paul. James was likely written before Paul’s letters to the Romans or Galatians. They are dealing with different issues. Paul is asking the question, “How are we right with God?” James is asking, “What does genuine faith look like?” For Paul the issue is: “How do Gentiles get into the church?” For James the issue is: “Why are people not caring for their brothers and sisters in the church?” James’s argument presupposes the importance of faith. The necessity of faith is presumed in verse 17 and in verse 20, and again in the example of Abraham in verses 22 and 24. James does not want faith to be supplanted  by works or even supplemented  by works. He wants faith to be demonstrated  by works. The equation in James is not “faith plus works equals justification.” The equation is “faith minus works does not  equal justification.” Think of salvation as F(aith)=J(ustification)+W(orks). Paul says, “Don’t you dare put ‘W’ on the left side of the equation.” James says, “Don’t you dare leave out ‘W’ on the right side of the equation.” Paul and James use “works” in two different ways. Paul is talking about works of the law, especially Jewish rites like circumcision, holy days, and food observance. Those were the typical ways, for a Jewish audience, that one would be tempted to place their confidence in something other than Christ. James is talking about the works of faith, acts of charity operative in the body of Christ without preferential treatment. Paul and James use the word justify  in two different ways. Paul is dealing with people who trust in the works of the law for their standing with God. James is dealing with people who think that mere intellectual assent is real Christianity ( James 2:19 ). Paul is talking about a forensic declaration of righteousness. James is talking about practical evidence that faith is real (2:16, 18). Paul teaches the same point James teaches. Paul speaks of the obedience of faith ( Rom. 1:5 ) and of faith working through love ( Gal. 5:6 ). Paul understands that dead faith is no faith at all ( 1 Cor. 6:9–11 ; Gal. 5:16–26 ). James is talking about the kind of “belief ” that even demons have ( James 2:19 ). Neither Paul nor James believes that such empty, untrusting belief constitutes justifying faith. In the end, there is no conflict between Paul and James. It is right to say we are justified by faith alone apart from works of the law, provided we understand, as James reminds us, that the faith that justifies will always work itself out in love. Good works do not contribute to the root of our justification, but they must be found as fruit of our justification.   This article is adapted from   Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology   by Kevin DeYoung.