Category Archives: f) Apologetics, & Interpretations

Observations and perspectives on interesting, controversial, confusing, or troubling concepts in the word of God.

Work as Unto the Lord

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. ^{Colossians 3:23}

We are to demonstrate an excellent work ethic! Whatever your lot in life, you are to work like you are working for God – because you are. Even if you have a bad boss, a rotten situation, or a time of tedious boredom, you should work hard to be the very best that you can be. God put you where you are for a reason, and you should strive to be an exemplary resource, even if, at that moment, hard work does not appear to be to your advantage. You should always look to improve your situation, but be a responsible steward of the work before you. We do this to have a mark of excellence so that the gospel can be seen and that our testimony is effective. How can a sloppy, lazy, irresponsible, apathetic, negative, gossipy, rebellious, or subversive presence in the workplace speak well of your faith? Do your best, and you will reap benefits while giving glory to God.

Generously Give Back to God

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Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.^{Proverbs 3:9-10}

A man says, “show me and I will believe” while God says, “believe and I will show you”. There is no better demonstration of this than in our tithes to God. We are told when we generously give out of love and gratitude, our gifts to God will be returned to us many times over. There is a wise saying, “You cannot out give God!” and I can attest that is true. The purpose of giving is to glorify God in the thanksgivings of those who received your gift. If you require financial blessing before you give, then you will consistently be disappointed, and so will God. God does not need your money; a generous tithe is truly a test of faith.

Your gift to him is to your credit so trust, give, relax, and see what happens. Whatever you give, it should be meaningful to you or I doubt it will be meaningful to God. If your gift causes you to flinch just a bit, then I think you are doing well!

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. ^{2 Corinthians 9:6}

Still, a Life of Trouble

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My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (various trials); Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work (effect), that ye may be perfect and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing. ^{James 1:2-4}

Life with Christ isn’t free of trouble. You’ll still face trials that often cause emotional or physical pain, misery, grief, or suffering. The difference is attitude, resolve, and response will be rooted in Christian principles and character.

God tests us with difficult times to build endurance and strengthen our faith. Testing fosters maturity and shapes us to be more like Christ. Trials humble us, deepen our reliance on God, and reveal the state of our faith. The true depth of an untested Christian’s conviction is often unknown, even to themselves. Untested faith may be no faith at all, but faith that has endured and blossomed in adversity is a very precious thing to possess.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. ^{Job 23:10}

James encourages us to face life’s trials with calm, confident competence, steady in the face of challenges. We can do this when we trust that God is in control and that he works everything together for our ultimate good. With him, we can successfully navigate trials and become a strong testimony to his perfect will. Conversely, a person without faith is often driven by emotions like anger, fear, or distrust. They tend to respond with self-serving, expedient solutions that prioritize their own interests.

We trust that our heavenly Father will lead and protect us, allowing us to face each day with joy and gratitude. Those who live without Christ are left to navigate life on their own. For them, enduring trials may help build character, but there is no benefit beyond the grave. For Christians, trials provide opportunities to serve God and demonstrate our peace through faith in Christ to the world.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. ^{John 16:33}

Fill Your Mind with Good Things

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Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ^{Philippians 4:8}

Do not fill your head with the garbage of the world! Access to everything has never been easier than today. With a click of the mouse or turn on the TV and you can enjoy wholesome entertainment and good things that can build you up. Or you can enjoy the filth of pornography, murder, perversion, and an endless array of depravity. Know that there are things that you cannot unsee.

Today’s entertainment and media venues provide a perfect platform for overtly sinful content. It also consistently delivers subtle, corrupt narratives and philosophies that poison the mind and deteriorate society. This is especially damaging to the impressionable minds of the young. The normalization and glorification of debauchery and depravity along with the vitriolic rejection of God are often clear objectives.

Be discerning in what you watch, read, and what you listen to. This stuff impacts what you think more than you know, and it will affect your walk with God. Dwell on good things and seek out quality people that build you up in the faith.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ^{Psalm 1:1-2}

Submit to Authority

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Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:^{1 Peter 2:13-15}

Be exemplary, be a good citizen, be a good employee, be a good servant. Be a testimony to the extraordinary character of a Christian. Submit to the authority of government unless its requirements conflict with the requirements of God. This becomes more troublesome as our country’s leadership grows more profane and divergent from the godly principles that made our country great.

Walking in Faith

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. . . and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. ^{1 Thessalonians 1:9-10}

Convicted by the word of God and saved from the wrath to come, we serve in faith as we wait for our redeemer. This compels us to pursue the following during our brief time here on Earth:

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A Witness to the World

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Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. ^{Luke 10:2}

The Bible repeatedly tells us that our purpose here on earth is to glorify God. What does it mean to “glorify God”? To glorify means to give weight, importance, relevance, and priority, the opposite of trivializing and dismissing. We glorify God by worship, praise, and obedience; but the most consequential way to glorify God is to impress upon the world the incomprehensible magnificence of his love toward us and the critically important message of salvation by faith in his son Jesus Christ. Working to make God the most important thing in the lives of others is to dramatically glorify God. We do this by being a witness to the world of his perfect will

Salt and Light

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Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ^{Matthew 5:13-16}

We are the salt and light to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. These metaphors depict the impact and influence of Christians on an increasingly ignorant and immoral world.

As salt, the effect of the Christian character is as a preservative to slow societal decay. This silent testimony, evident by how we live, is a bulwark against the corruption and evil thriving in our increasingly godless society. We are an agency for the delay of God’s inevitable judgment. ^{Read Genesis 18:23-33} Watch what happens when the church is removed from the world.

As light, we are the visible communication of the content of the gospel. We are to be an overt and blatant influence by boldly presenting the light of hope and salvation in the word of God. But we must be salt first, living a life that demonstrates Christian character, before we can be light. Otherwise, our story is not believable. Light is good only when seen. If the gospel is kept to yourself or shared only among the saved, then the lost will stay lost. Jesus tells us to teach all nations, ^{Read Matthew 28:19-20} so let your light shine to the world, be an effective witness and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew warns us that failure to be salt and light is possible, if not probable. If sin controls our lives because we do not live in the spirit, then we will not be salt or light. Submit to God, resist Satan, live a holy life, and you will be the salt and light of the earth.

Effective Evangelism

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And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. ^{Matthew 4:19}

Evangelism is to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, with the hope that the Holy Spirit will compel our audience to repent and trust in him. Our evangelistic work is made credible by a holy life (when we are salt) or discredited when we are no different than those who pursue the shiny things of the world. Executing effective evangelism is not difficult, as God carries the load; however, man can complicate the effort with unwise philosophies, techniques, or programs. The instinct of some is to confront the lost and hit them over the head with a heavy bible while telling them that failure to repent means an eternity in the fire of hell. The gospel of Jesus delivered with condescension and pious judgment seldom yields the desired result.

What follows are the elements that produce effective evangelism. These concepts are derived from scripture, experience, and the excellent example of bold and effective evangelism set by my brother-in-law, Jim. A towering Christian, he has done great good for the kingdom of God and is a man to imitate.

The Power for Salvation is in the Word of God.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. ^{Romans 1:16-17}

To those with a hard heart, wise in the world but dead to the spirit, the word of God is nonsense. ^{1st Corinthians 1:18} But to those who are drawn, receptive, and contrite, the word holds the divine power to do what man cannot do for himself. That is to be accredited with righteousness in the eyes of God and be saved from his condemnation and wrath, by trust and faith in his son Jesus Christ. Therefore, use the word when proclaiming the gospel of Christ, because in the scriptures lives the power of God.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ^{Hebrews 4:12}

To do this, you should obviously know what is in the Bible. Yet another reason, perhaps the best reason, to live in the Word. A godly character, combined with a command of the Scriptures, will produce an effective and formidable evangelist. How blessed is he who gives God an excellent resource to reach the lost!

The message is simple. I love the “Romans Road to Salvation” from Paul’s masterpiece of the Christian faith which presents the salient points of the gospel:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God – Romans 3:23. Not even one person on earth is righteous; we all need a savior.

For the wages of sin is death; – Romans 6:23. We are all headed to judgment, condemnation, and an eternity in the agony of hell.

But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23. Christ paid the price for our sin on the cross, and those who believe and trust in him will be saved from the condemnation and wrath to come. The sacrifice of his son for those who are naturally his adversaries testifies to God’s great love for us. But know that to “believe and trust” requires repentance (a change of direction) from the sin of your current life and complete devotion to Christ as Lord for the rest of your time here on earth.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. – Romans 10:9-10. To “believe in thine heart” is the key. If so, then pray to God in confession, give your life to Christ, and your sins will be forgiven and you will be declared righteous in his eyes (this is justification).

The message is that simple. The truth of the gospel is further distilled to its essence in the best-known verse in the bible:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ^{John 3:16}

I think it is essential that John 3:16 also be understood in the context of the last verse of the chapter. You should know that the choices you make have consequences.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. ^{John 3:36}

Use scripture to convey the message. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that brings salvation, so make the case and then leave it to God. The instinct to apply pressure is not beneficial and most often drives people away. My feeling is that scriptures applied in the brotherly love of a relationship are most effective, but pray for opportunity and follow the prodding of the Holy Spirit.

Deliver the Message of Salvation like a Christian.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. ^{1st Peter 3:15}

Be alert and ready to seize the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. When the door is opened (and may it be), convey that message, holding fast to the elements of Christian character. This verse in Peter is in response to those who persecute. To answer “the reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” is to respond with gentleness and respect. If we are to engage those who are hostile with kindness, we should certainly do the same for those with whom we are at peace. When presenting the message, strive to embody and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit! ^{Galatians 5:22} Avoid the attitudes that repel – judgment, condescension, threat, pious superiority, disingenuous, flippant, etc. Be aware that if you offend them, you will likely lose their trust. 1st Corinthians 9:19-23 Do not strive to demonstrate your zeal for the faith; do nothing to serve a religious ego. Your objective is to say, “come and see”, not “stay away!” So, deliver the message in sincere love and hope, and let God do with it what he will.

Living in a Pagan Culture

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As our profane society rejects God and races to become increasingly secular and depraved, how should we as Christians live and interact with godless people? Paul tells the answer to his fellow disciple, Titus, in these verses:

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. ^{Titus 3:1-8}

Living as a minority among the lost, we are told to remember our duty. That is to be a witness of God’s love and his perfect will, showing that God can save them from their sin by demonstrating a saved life. We do this by embodying characteristics of Christ in our conduct:

Obedience to rulers and institutions – to be a good citizen.

Be ready to do good! – to serve and love our neighbors, especially the lost.

To speak no evil – to not curse them or wish on them God’s wrath or to slander them.

To not brawl (fight) with them – no contention, to not retaliate or to seek vengeance.

To be gentle and kind – we must remember that these are the people that we are to love and to reach for Christ.

We are told to do this in humility as we remember that we too are sinners. It is only by the grace of God that our sin is forgiven, and we are to feel compassion for these lost souls, not dispensing hurtful criticisms of imagined superiority. In the verses, Paul gives us the characteristics of the depravity of man, in which we were once willing participants, and are so clearly evident in our world today. The absence of these in our lives set us apart from the world:

Foolish – ignorant of the truth in God’s word and instead pursuing the error of the world.

Disobedient – following their own desires, contrary to the laws of God.

Deceived – believing the lies of Satan, that it is preferable to live without God and that sin is accomplished without penalty.

Serving diverse lust and pleasures – slaves to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Pursing their own comfort and pleasure, living their best lives now, looking forward to an eternity in hell.

Living in malice and envy – malice is the desire to do evil, an ill will towards others. Envy is the discontent and resentment of coveting other’s possessions, qualities or luck. Not a good way to live!

Hateful and hating one another – no love for their fellow man. Distrust, self-serving, and happy to hurt for gain.

We are told to remember our salvation. We who believe were made righteous by the grace of God through his son Jesus. We are now heirs and citizens of the kingdom of God (no longer of the world, but now aliens here for a while) with the hope of eternal life. We should be grateful and strive to bring those who are lost to Christ so they can be saved too.

We are told to remember our mission. Our purpose here on earth is to reach lost people with the gospel. We should know it is futile to strive to change the culture, norms, values, and behaviors of the lost by logic, persuasion, or force; only Christ can change them. We are to reject the sin of our society, but we cannot become enemies of the very people we are to win for him. We are to “affirm constantly” the truth of the gospel, while demonstrating a saved, transformed life. Doing these things will be “good and profitable unto men,” meaning to save their souls from hell and instead to eternal joy.