Three Exercises For the Soul

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Three Exercises For the Soul

Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
by Bob Burridge ©2011

We would all like to be healthy and physically fit. To do that we need to eat well, get regular and sufficient sleep, and keep our bodies exercised regularly.

We also want to be spiritually healthy. We would like to be confident, comforted and, calm in the Lord as we live each day.

To become spiritually healthy believers we also need to do certain things. We need to pray, to feed on God’s word, to worship, and to fellowship with believers in Christ who can encourage us and help us correct wrong attitudes and behaviors. There are some good spiritual exercises that help us grow strong.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 gives us three good spiritual exercises to do daily. However, like exercise videos you won’t benefit by just reading about them, or by doing them rarely. They must be used regularly.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (KJV), “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Spiritual Exercise #1: Rejoice evermore.

Joy comes into a believer’s heart by God’s grace. It is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). To begin with, make your salvation sure. Hope of a real enduring joy without Christ is an empty dream.

Rejoicing is also something God commands his children to do. This verse is an imperative, a command. It says literally, “Always be rejoicing.” The grammar shows that this is an ongoing thing to be doing. It is a regular daily exercise, not just something you do when all is going well.

The world’s rejoicing is based upon outward circumstances. Anyone can stir up joy when things go well. The reality is: things don’t always go well.

The believer’s rejoicing is based upon spiritual circumstances. We know that in all situations God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28). Don’t just rejoice when you get what you want. Trust that whatever comes is part of the greatest good. Rejoice in the assurances God gives you. Circumstances change and are not always pleasant, but his promises and faithfulness are changeless.

Even when the Thessalonians were going through persecutions, even when the Apostle Paul was arrested and beaten for his faith, he told us that he had good cause to rejoice.

God’s spiritual blessing that is found when you look to the reality behind what you see outwardly.

Spiritual Exercise #2: Pray without ceasing.

Being engaged in prayer is a continuing obligation. “praying without ceasing” doesn’t mean going around with closed eyes. It doesn’t mean that we are always consciously talking with God. That’s not the way those who are our examples in Scripture prayed.

It means that God should never be out of our thoughts. It means that we are constantly aware of him, and that we regularly turn our thoughts to him to call out to him in prayer. The healthy soul lives in continuing appreciation of God’s presence, assurances, and power.

    Be quick to turn to the Father …

  • to praise him for his wonders
  • to thank him for his blessings, and daily provisions
  • to ask his help for yourself and for others
  • to admit your moral failures and weaknesses
  • to express your trust in the Savior and his promises

Spiritual Exercise #3: In everything give thanks

Nothing is exempted from thankfulness. We need to learn to see all things as they relate to God’s plan. The healthy soul learns to thank God even when it doesn’t understand the good he’s doing.

The Thessalonian believers were being treated very cruelly by pagan neighbors and persecutors. Even in all this there was reason to thank God.

The Christian’s thanksgiving doesn’t come from what he understands is happening. It comes from his confidence in the Lord who loves him so.

Thank him continually, all the time, every day. Paul had suffered false arrest, beatings and a long jail term. He had been sent as a prisoner to Rome and held there for trial. While under arrest he wrote to the church in Philippi, saying;

Philippians 1:3-4, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy”

Notice that all three spiritual exercises are present in this comment by Paul: He was rejoicing, he was praying, and he was giving thanks to God.

Even in hard times, the believer who exercises himself in these things will be spiritually strong.

Paul ends this section by reminding us that these things are God’s will concerning us. It pleases God when we keep up with these three exercises. To be spiritually strong and to please God, we need to make regular use of these exercises.

We need to remember that our exercise must be done from our position “in Christ”. Before someone gets into a physical exercise program he should be sure he is physically able. People often check with their doctor to be sure that they can safely do what’s required in the program without danger. If someone is unfit or has a respiratory or cardiac problem some exercises might be harmful.

Before you can expect to benefit from these spiritual exercises, you need to be fit for them. You can not do them while depending upon yourself in pride and self-confidence. You need to draw your ability and strength from the promise of God as a person redeemed in Christ. Only those confidently trusting in God’s provision of grace are fit to engage in these exercises.

When you recommend these three exercises to others, don’t imply that they are able to become strong by them without Christ. The first advice you need to give them is to make sure they are trusting only in the atonement for sin accomplished by the Savior. As we and others rest in him, God’s three-part exercise program will make us stronger.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.)

Infallible Compassions

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Infallible Compassions

by Bob Burridge ©2011

People are notoriously unreliable at times. Sin causes them to go back on their promises and to break contracts and agreements. It makes the hopeful light of the seeming compassion we saw in their promises fade quickly into the shadows of self-centeredness.

In contrast to lapses in the assurances people so easily offer us, God’s promises and God’s compassions are always reliable. In Lamentations 3:22-23 it says,

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

God’s care for us and his promises come from his mercies. We deserve to be consumed, but his mercy provided the Savior. His mercies flow from his compassions which never fail. They are continual. They are there every morning.

Therefore those who are redeemed by grace can say to God, “Great is thy faithfulness”.

One of the best loved hymns is Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Verse one is based upon this passage in Lamentations. (The lyrics printed here are for study purposes only.)

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father,
There is no shadow of turning with thee:
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
As thou hast been thou for ever wilt be.

The words were written by Thomas O. Chisholm. He was born on July 29th, 1866 in a log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky. After finishing grade school, instead of going to college, he became a school teacher in Franklin at the age of 16.

After teaching for a few years, at the age of 21 he was made associate editor of the town’s weekly newspaper, The Franklin Favorite. It wasn’t for another six years that Thomas became a true Christian.

He moved to Louisville to work as an editor and business manager of a religious publication. In time he was ordained to serve a brief Pastorate, but had to resign for health reasons. He eventually settled in Vineland, New Jersey selling insurance. He retired in 1953 to the Methodist Home for the Aged in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. He died there in 1960.

During his life he wrote over 1200 poems, many of which were widely published in periodicals like the Sunday School Times, the Moody Monthly, and the Alliance Weekly.

In 1941 Thomas wrote these words, “My income has never been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant-keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of his providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness.”

The music usually published with his lyrics was written by W. M. Runyan. He was a musician who worked with Moody Bible Institute, and Hope Publishing Company. He received some of Chisholm’s poems in 1923 and particularly was moved by the words of this hymn based on Lamentations 3:22. Runyan tells of how he prayed that God would direct him to write a fitting tune for such a profound and important message. The Hymn as we know it was completed within the same year.

Not only is God infallibly compassionate. His compassions also make us able to be compassionate too by our redemption in Christ. We ought to show this attribute of God as something that grows in our redeemed heart.

Be faithfully compassionate — It’s what God redeemed you to be.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.)

Brief Note for the Impatient

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Brief Note for the Impatient

Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
by Bob Burridge ©2011

Generally people are not very good at waiting for things. It’s a quality we all have to work on. It’s one we are impatient to see develop in those around us.

The events of a normal day bring uncomfortable reminders that patience is a skill we cling to with a loose grip. It might begin with waiting for the water to get hot in the shower, watching bread slowly turn into toast for breakfast, sitting stalled in traffic, or waiting on lights to turn green at intersections. People roll their eyes and shift their weight as if that will help the person ahead of them in the check out line find the right change or dig out the appropriate store discount card.

This is an obvious fact: God didn’t make his universe to provide things fast all the time. His promises were not intended to be fulfilled right away. Though the promise of redemption was made in Eden in the moments after our first parents sinned, it took all the millennia up to the death of our Savior to see it fulfilled. God wants us to learn patience. In his written word to us he provides important principles that can save a lot of agony in learning the lesson of waiting.

Psalm 27:14 is a good verse to memorize and to repeat to ourselves often.

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

The lesson is taught all through Scripture. The Greek word used most of the time for “patience” in the original text of the New Testament is makrothumei (μακροθυμει). It’s made up of two root words:

1. “makro-” (μακρο-) means something large. Macro-economics is when we study the larger things that effect on the economy in a society. Macro-evolution is the theory that all things evolve from lower life forms. In contrast, micro-evolution refers to the little changes in races and breeds within created forms. A “macro’ in computer programming refers to a group of commands that do some larger job.

2. “-thumei (-θυμει) is from the root word that means “passion, emotion,” and sometimes it’s used to describe the way emotions break out in a display of “anger”.

When these two words come together they mean the ability to keep passions under control for a long time.

This word for “patience” is the first attribute of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4 where it says, “Love is patient … ” This means, “Love puts up with things for a long time” (the King James Version uses the word, “longsuffering”). Love doesn’t give up. It endures annoyances, the selfishness of others, and long seasons of waiting.

Patience (longsuffering) is the 4th element in the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. It’s the 5th item in Colossians 3:12 of those things with which to clothe ourselves as the elect of God.

They key to learning patience it is to improve our understanding of God’s power, wisdom and goodness.
We’re not just told to wait. We’re told to wait on the Lord, on Jehovah.

Good Courage
Psalm 27:14 tells us that we are to wait on him with “good courage.” The word use is khazaq (חזק) . It relates to being strong, courageous, and resolute. Our confidence that God is in control and is able to do all he desires to do helps us see beyond the moments of waiting. We know that there is an infallible plan at work. Our moments of waiting are part of that plan.

God has the wisdom to know what is best. He lays out the best path to take to get to that which is best for us. This confidence is what Job lacked when he cried out to have God explain the sufferings he had to endure. It’s what Habakkuk was forgetting when he demanded an answer from God about why evil was being permitted to surround his people. God answered the impatient prophet with those well known words in Habakkuk 2:4, “… the just shall live by his faith.”

The knowledge of God’s power and faithfulness even in times of prolonged difficulty was what gave confidence to King David when he was pursued by Saul.

God is always good, which means that his plans are always aimed at the right goals. He has the power to fulfill his plan exactly when it should be fulfilled.

Psalm 135:6 Whatever the Lord pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Strength of Heart
The Psalm the assures us that the strength of heart we need in those times of anticipation comes from God our Creator, our Loving Redeemer. It is his promise.

Based upon our knowledge of God’s wisdom, power, and goodness we can learn to have the courage and the strength we need to wait patiently for God’s timing.

In the little things where you have to wait, you need to remember that if you have to wait God has ordained it to be. Your duty is to use the waiting time well. In the large things where waiting can be very hard and trying, you have the same promise. God knows what he’s doing and nothing can hinder him in it.

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.)

The Valuable Bible – 2 Timothy 3:16

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The Valuable Bible – 2 Timothy 3:16

Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
by Bob Burridge ©2011

2 Timothy 3:16

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness

This is one of the Bible verses people commonly memorize and quote. It’s simple, straight forward, easy to learn, and not hard to understand. Yet it summarizes one of the great and most basic truths of the Christian Faith. It tells how the Bible came to be, and how useful it is.

It begins with a profound fact: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God”

The original Greek word for “Scripture” is graphae (γραφη). In the verse just before this (3:15) Paul is talking about the same writings, but there he calls them “The Sacred Writings”, ta hiera grammata (τα ιερα γραμματα).

He doesn’t mean just any writings. He used expressions common in his day to refer to the books of the Old Testament. These were the writings that were known by Timothy growing up as a Jewish child. These terms were consistently used by the Rabbis then to refer to the whole Canon of the Hebrew Scriptures. Those words were used the same way we use the word “Bible” today.

The Bible didn’t come from some church council or a group of editors. It was given to us from God himself by the act called “inspiration“.

The word “inspiration” translates the Greek word theopneustos (θεοπνευστος) which literally means “God-Breathed”. More exactly the word means “to expire” or “to breathe out” since the sounds of speech are made by the expiration of air through the larynx. In English the word “expire” also describes something that is outdated. An expiration date tells when something has gone past its effective date like an expired driver’s license. Since God’s word never becomes ineffective with time, “expiration” would not have been a helpful translation. The amazing fact is that Scripture originated as if it was breathed out of the mouth of God himself. It is his word spoken to us who read it.

Some who refuse to accept everything in the Bible as being true have tried to change this verse to make it say something different. They translate it as, “Every scripture which is God inspired …” as if there are some parts of the Bible that are human words and are not “God-inspired”. Technically the difference in translation depends on how you understand the adjective. It may be taken as a predicate adjective or an attributive adjective. Both are grammatically possible. But it doesn’t change the meaning of the verse either way it’s translated. It’s always the context that shows how an adjective is to be understood. Clearly Paul was using well established terms referred to the books of the Old Testament. These are the books Timothy had studied from his youth, and that are profitable for all the things the Apostle lists here. It’s not consistent to assume that Paul was saying that some Scripture was not inspired and profitable. The debate over the two grammatical possibilities is overrated at best.

Since the Bible is God’s own word to us, it is fully authoritative and reliable. Scripture is said to be, “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”

The Bible is “profitable” [ophelimos (ωφελιμος)]. Literally this means that God’s word is helpful and gives an advantage. Then it lists the things that follow from this important fact:

The Bible teaches [didaskaliean (διδασκαλιεαν)] us what is right and true. We call teachings about what we believe “doctrine”. What the Bible teaches is absolutely true and reliable always. What the Bible doesn’t address is just theory. What contradicts the Bible is absolutely false and misleading.

The Bible “exposes” and condemns [elegmon (ελεγμον)] false beliefs and bad behaviors. The idea here is to give evidence that shows what is true and good so that by contrast it reveals what is not true and good.

The Bible “corrects” [epanorthosin (επανορθωσιν)] deviations from God’s path. It makes the crooked path straight again.

The Bible tells the “way of righteousness” [paideian taen en diaiosunae (παιδειαν την εν δικαιοσυνη)]. That’s how we know what pleases God. It points out what ways are good for us to follow. If we don’t learn the right ways, we are bound to go in the wrong ones.

This verse is God’s own word about his word. It’s very unwise, even dangerous, to neglect this good advice. God’s people must be a people of the Book. It is our connection with God’s truth that tethers us to the immovable rock. How sad when Christians neglect such an important tool and gift.

For more information about the inspiration of the Bible see Unit One of our Syllabus.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.)

In Perfect Peace

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In Perfect Peace

by Bob Burridge ©2011

Peace is a powerful word. We understand it to mean that which is left when things that disturb us are taken away. Depending upon what disturbances we have in mind, peace can mean different things.

Commonly speaking, peace might be those times when we can relax with nothing demanding our attention. It’s when there are no unwanted noises, no interruptions, no nagging issues on our minds that disturb us. It’s when we can read or work on something without annoying phone solicitors asking us to take what they prefer to call a survey. It’s when you settle back to watch a movie and your neighbor doesn’t decide to make that his time to mow the lawn.

Peace can be those treasured moments when we’re free from conflicts. It’s when there’s no yelling in the home. It’s when nations aren’t waging war with one another.

On another level, it’s that rest of the soul when our worries and anxieties are gone, or at least forgotten for the moment. It can be the security we feel when we aren’t being personally threatened by things around us, or by fears that come from deep inside.

God our Creator promises a very special kind of peace which he grants to the person who rests confidently in his all powerful love, redemption, and care.

In Isaiah 26:3 we have God’s promise to those who trust in his promises and provisions:

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

This verse is part of a song, a poetic section about God’s promise to protect Jerusalem, particularly the citizens of that holy city which at that time represented the church of God.

The expression “perfect peace” is actually one word repeated twice in the original Hebrew text. It says that God will keep the person in “peace, peace” shalom shalom (שלום שלום). In Hebrew repeating a word in that way intensifies it, almost as if it was saying, “peaceful peace”.

Not everyone is promised this perfect peace. It comes to those whose minds are focused on God. This is how our minds were designed to work.

That which fills our minds shapes our attitudes, values, and thoughts. Fill the mind with bad things, and all that it does will be molded to the shape of what is bad. Fill the redeemed mind with good things, and its work will be conforming to what pleases God.

In Philippians 4:8 Paul says:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

When the mind is restored to fellowship with it’s Creator through Christ the Redeemer, it’s a work of grace. By it a person is enabled to trust all that God has said. By steadfastly keeping God-honoring things at the center of his thoughts he experiences this perfect peace.

Those who steadfastly focus on the wonders of the Living God reveal his grace at work on their hearts. It demonstrates that they trust in him. His promises and power have taken over the center of their awareness. They know that no enemy can turn the Creator’s eternal plans around. Nothing is too hard for God, and he does all things well.

This filling of the mind with God-centered thoughts is no mere psychological exercise. It’s not a power that lies in our positive thinking. What the Bible speaks of here is not the result of the person’s own efforts. It is God himself who keeps that person in perfect peace. By the infallibly successful work of grace the turmoil of the soul is settled into a secure assurance that circumstances and conditions are part of a larger purpose, a good purpose.

Through hard times as well as in times of blessing, there is peace for those who trust God. These are the thoughts behind the 23rd Psalm’s verse 4,
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

God may at times bless us with peaceful circumstances and surroundings. But even in the times when sin’s deformations make our enemies oppress us, even then there is that peace that surpasses the world’s comprehension. This is the promise of God to those he rescues from the bondage of darkness, and sets them free to walk in the light. When we focus on that assurance and the power and grace behind it we grow in our realization of the peace our Creator provides for his children.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.)

Words of Love

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Words of Love

Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
by Bob Burridge ©2011

In John 21 Jesus and Peter had an interesting conversation. Two different words in the original text are translated by the one English word “love”. To understand the main point of this important passage it is helpful to look at the setting in which the conversation took place, and to find out how the original words were used in that place in history.

The setting was the shore of a lake after the resurrection of Jesus. He appeared to his disciples after a disappointing night of fishing on the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus told them to lower their nets on the other side of the boat they miraculously caught more fish than they could haul in.

After a breakfast Jesus had prepared for them, Peter was asked a series of questions. The conversation is recorded in our Bibles in John 21:15-17.

1. Jesus asked, “… do you love (agapan, αγαπαν) me more than these?”
Peter replied, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (philein, φιλειν) you.”

2. Jesus asked, “… do you love (agapan, αγαπαν) me?”
Peter replied, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (philein, φιλειν) you.”

3. Jesus asked, “… do you love (philein, φιλειν) me?”
Peter replied, “Lord; You know all things; you know that I love (philein, φιλειν) you.”

The events at the time of the death of Jesus left Peter with an awareness of his own weaknesses. At the Passover supper Jesus predicted that his disciples will all be offended by him. The word translated “offended” is the word from which we get our English word, “scandalized”. Peter objected and said that he would never fall away (Matthew 26:33). Jesus then told Peter that before that night was over he would deny him three times. Peter pridefully contradicted the Lord and said, “I will not deny you”. Of course we know that he did. Proverbs 16:18 reminds us that, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.”

That background is important because Jesus started off by asking Peter if his love was greater than the others. The Apostle seemed to believe he was stronger than the rest on that night when Jesus was arrested.

The fact that two different words for ‘love” appear in the original text has caused some to focus upon the synonyms without a good understanding of what they meant at that time. This has caused a misunderstanding of the main point Jesus was making.

Clearly John had some distinction in mind when he translated the Aramaic conversation into Greek under the oversight of the Holy Spirit.

First it needs to be pointed out that these words are not as far apart as some well meaning interpreters have said.

The New Testament often uses these two primary Greek words for love to refer to the same thing. The following chart is helpful to see the similarity of these synonyms.

Both are used to express philein, φιλειν agapan, αγαπαν
God the Father’s love for God the Son John 5:20 John 3:35
God’s love for his people John 16:27, 1 John 4:19 Galatians 2:20
The disciples love for God John 16:27 Mat. 22:37, Romans 8:28
Our love for one another Titus 3:15 Matthew 22:39
Both are used of misdirected love Matthew 6:5, 10:37 2 Timothy 4:10, 1 John 2:15



It is clear that these two words were used to refer to the same kind of love, but they also have some subtle differences. They were not used in a completely interchangeable way in common speech at that time.

The word philein (φιλειν) describes the tender concern and care we have in our close personal ties. It’s a very personal and heart felt compassion. The Greek word for “kiss” (philaema, φιλημα) is derived from this word. This is the warmer and more intimate word for what is in a person’s heart. For example it was used in the Bible to describe the love between parents and their children (Matthew 10:37). It was used by John in his Gospel to describe God the Father’s love for us and our love for Jesus (John 16:27).

The word agapan (αγαπαν) is the more common word for “love” in the Bible. It is used many more times than philein. It’s the word used in the Bible for commands to be loving. The focus is upon the outward behaviors that our love produces. It’s the word used when we are told to love our neighbors, to love God with all our hearts, to love our wives, and to love our enemies. The Bible also uses this word when we are told not to love the world.

The Bible never uses philein (φιλειν) for a command to love. Commands are always agapan (αγαπαν). An action or behavior can be commanded, a feeling or inner devotion cannot be.

It confuses the point when some have imagined that Jesus was asking if Peter loved him with a higher love (agapan, αγαπαν), and Peter kept lowering the standard to use a word for a lesser love (philein, φιλειν). That’s not what the words mean. Nor is it consistent with the character of Jesus to keep lowering the standard to accommodate Peter’s lesser love.

So often we hear well meaning but poorly instructed Pastors and teachers speak of “agape love” as if it is a far superior kind of love than “phileo love”. Aside from the fact that they usually use a noun form in one case and a verb form in another, their understanding of the Greek language spoken at the time of Christ is sadly lacking. The Bible itself does not support that kind of distinction.

Jesus used the more general and common word for love when he first asked Peter “do you love me?” Peter probably felt the sting of the question since he had boasted that though the others might fall away, he would not. His failure that night exposed his underestimation of his own imperfections and corruption. So his answer was to point deeper to the tender and devoted love he felt for his Master. Peter used the word that meant that inner compassion.

Jesus again asked Peter if he loved him, but this time he didn’t make the comparison. He didn’t add, “more than these.” Peter again persisted in pointing to that inner devotion he believed was in his heart for his Lord. He seemed to think this answered the question. However, instead of responding about this general and inclusive type of love, he kept assuming that the devoted love in his heart would satisfy the Lord that he would be obedient. That was the same assumption he made at the Last Supper when he could not imagine that he would turn away from the Lord, but he did.

Finally Jesus revised his question using the same word Peter was using. He asked Peter if he really had the inner-affection he was claiming. Without that, the love of obedient devotion and action would be unstable. Peter was grieved at this third question. Perhaps he did not grasp the totality of what Jesus was asking. Likely Peter was deeply convicted about his past assurances and failures, so he persisted in his affirmation of tender affection.

After each question and answer, Jesus commanded Peter to do something. He told him to feed his people. The command was worded in a slightly different way each time.

After the first question in verse 15 Jesus said, “Feed my lambs” (βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου).
After the second question in verse 16 Jesus said, “shepherd my sheep” (ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου).
Finally, after the third question in verse 17 Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” (βόσκε τὰ πρόβατά μου).

This is the focus, the reason for the questions: the obedience to which Peter was being called.

Feeding the sheep is the prime task of shepherding. When Paul wrote to Timothy about the work of the Elders he repeatedly emphasized the work of teaching God’s word. This is how God’s sheep are fed. It’s how heretics were to be silenced. It’s how hurting sheep would find comfort. It’s how sin in the church would be handled. We are all lambs in the sense of being dependent children of God. We are all sheep in that we are members of his flock.

Love is the foundation of all godly obedience and service. That is why the Bible says,

John 14:21, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

John 15:14 “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”

1 John 5:2-3, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

So love isn’t just a feeling. It is a disposition that compels us to real moral obedience. In each of these verses just quoted the word used is agapan (αγαπαν). This is a love that evidences itself as legitimate because it acts in ways that honor God. It is what can be commanded of us. It does what we claim is in our hearts. It shows that it is really what we think it is. Peter needed to be reminded that his devoted love and affection for his Lord should motivate him to action. He must feed the sheep, the people redeemed by grace.

This is a good question to ask ourselves. We say we love God, but does our love for him authenticate itself in our actions toward our neighbors, toward our spouses, our children, our enemies? Does our presumed “love” do the hard things God calls us to do? Do we love God sincerely so that we seriously abandon the things that we know are wrong in our lives? Do we love so much that we set aside time every day to search God’s word? to pray? to encourage other believers? to worship faithfully and to engage in all the elements of worship with all our heart?

Note: The Greek words, agapan (αγαπαν) and philein (φιλειν) are used here in their root verbal infinitive form. The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.

Love in the Bible

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Love in the Bible

by Bob Burridge ©2011

We hear the word “love” used in so many ways. It can be used in a casual way when we speak of how much we love pizza or a good movie. It is used of that special devotion and care that unites a man and woman in marriage. It can be used profoundly when we express our devotion to our God as Creator and Redeemer.

It’s popular to talk about God’s love and our love for one another without a good definition of what it means. To some God’s love means that he could not hold us accountable for our sins, or that he would not uphold justice in the eternal punishment of those of us who remain unredeemed by the work of our Savior. Some believe that loving your neighbor means being easy on law breakers, but shows a disregard for their victims.

1 Corinthians 13 contains familiar words, but it teaches a profoundly different kind of love than what the world understands.

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus was asked what was the foremost of all the commandments. His answer, quoting the Law of Moses in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, was this …

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

If Jesus said that love is a summary of all the law and prophets, then we need to know what it means to love, what love looks like when it is present, and how to develop love in our lives.

Some years ago I was challenged to piece together the main elements of love in the Bible. To summarize what I found, I put together this definition of love as it appears in God’s word:

“Love is a disposition implanted into needful human hearts by the prevailing grace of God whereby we are enabled joyfully to obey the revealed desires of our Creator; both toward the Lord himself, and toward others.”

As fallen creatures, the disposition of legitimate love is missing from our souls. It needs to be implanted in us by a work of God’s grace. As fallen people we are separated from God’s fellowship by our guilt. In this alienated condition love is replaced by selfish attitudes and behaviors. Until we’re changed by the work of Christ, we do things that offend God, harm ourselves, and take advantage of others.

Even passing civil laws can’t keep us from doing unloving things. Laws don’t stop law breakers. Crimes continue even though there are statutes against them. Laws can’t make us love, or stop us from being unloving. We need them to restrict lawlessness, punish crimes, and to protect victims, But laws haven’t ended racial bigotry, theft, lying, pornography or other vices. Laws and national policies don’t stop bad people from doing horrible things. It’s our fallen nature, alienated from God, that makes us do unloving things.

Biblical love begins when spiritual life is implanted in regeneration. The Bible says, “we love because He first loved us.” If God hadn’t first sent his Son to redeem us, love, as God reveals it, would be completely unknown in our world. The only thing that can change the way people behave is by a change of heart that impels them to do right rather than to do wrong.

Galatians 5:22 says that love is a fruit produced in believers by the Holy Spirit. In fact, love is the first item in the list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Only when the fallen creature is restored by grace through faith in Jesus Christ can anyone begin to realize love as the Creator intended it to be. Unless a person in born again, regenerated by grace, he can’t produce the fruit of the Spirit. What he calls love is a tragic imitation.

Even after the Spirit implants love into our redeemed hearts we need to nurture it the way God tells us so that the fruit grows. The same grace that implants love enables us to grow in our obedience to God’s word. This means that the redeemed have to know what God tells us is right. They need to act trusting in his promises as their only hope of success.

The Bible tells us that the disposition of love produces obedience. Obeying what God’s desires toward himself, and toward others involves a lot.

In one word, love summarizes the way the Bible says believers should live. We need to know how to be loving at home, at school, at work, at play, in worship, socially, while shopping, and when we’re fixing things … in every situation. It needs to become a part of what we are and what we do all the time.

The Bible directly defines love as doing what God has commanded:

John 14:21 Jesus said, “He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves Me”
John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”
John 15:14 “You are My friends, if you do what I command you”

So love isn’t just a feeling. It’s a disposition that compels us to real moral obedience.

1 John 5:2-3, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.”

God’s word tells us specific things to work on to encourage love to grow in us. It defines what we do when we love God and our neighbors.

In the next section of this chapter, in verses 4-8, Paul mentions 16 qualities of love:

“Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; Love does not brag, and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; It does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things Love never fails.”

People who are loving in these ways are bearing Love’s fruit. They show that it has been implanted in their hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit.

In God’s covenant promise he tells us that when redeemed people obey, he will bless them richly with inward satisfaction and joy. The general form of his covenant promises is this: “Do and be blessed.”

It is this effect of love, the feeling, that the world craves but can only imitate. They want the feeling without first having a changed heart. So they expect that the feeling comes first, then the obedience. When they feel love, they decide to act lovingly toward a particular person.

But that’s backwards and self-centered. It confuses love with our normal sexual urges, with the emotion involved in romance, with the benefits a person gets from being with certain people. It’s no wonder then, that when the benefits fade away, and when challenges come, the feelings a person thought was love also disappear.

This kind of love only lasts as long as the person gets what he wants. When challenges come along, or when the companionship is disrupted, there’s no inner cause producing kindness and patience so it ends.

This is just an imitation of the love lost in the fall of Adam. It’s the artificial substitute that can be experienced in broken fellowship with God. Until that sin barrier is removed by trusting in Christ, a person is isolated from the source of real love, he’s separated from God.

So fallen man tries to replace the real thing by conjuring up feelings. He runs from church to church, from job to job, from marriage to marriage, community to community, club to club — looking for love, but finding only disappointment.

Outside of what God provides for his redeemed children, love is only an illusion, it’s not real. But this kind of love isn’t just artificial, it is a cruel costume for selfish evil.

Love isn’t just an added benefit believers in Christ hope to find in their lives. Jesus said in John 15:17, “This I command you, that you love one another”

It is a necessary obedience that either shows that a person is redeemed by grace, or the lack of it makes us doubt that our faith in Christ’s work is sincere. It is an essential evidence of regeneration Jesus spoke of in John 13:35 when he said, “by this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. He commands husbands to love their wives. He commands us all to love one another.

If love is implanted by the work of the Holy Spirit, it’s fruit can grow in us. This is good news! It means that for those who trust in Christ, they can grow in love.

The excuses used by the world fade into meaninglessness. You can’t say, “I just can’t love that person”. — Yes, you can. But you need to love them in the way the word love is used in the Bible.

Maybe you can’t accept some of their rude and sinful ways. Love doesn’t mean you have to approve of every imperfection you see in others. No one is perfect. But you can treat them in a way that honors God. You can understand the sin that holds them captive. You can discover the peace that God gives you when you obey him in how you treat others.

First the disposition of love needs to be implanted by grace through Christ. Then it needs to be prayerfully and diligently nurtured into obedience by the means God has given us, and enables in us. It can not be just an outward obedience. It needs to be one that comes from a changed heart. When we treat others so that they are helped to benefit from God’s promises, we also receive the blessing of inner joy that only a true and active love can bring.

There’s a moral crisis in our world today. It does not come from the music industry, or from the drug peddlers, or from pornographers. Those businesses wouldn’t be profitable if there was a change in the consumer’s hearts.

The real crisis underlying the moral crisis is a deficit of the real biblical kind of love. Without a love for God and a true love that does what pleases God toward our neighbors, there are no laws or political solutions that can stop the disease of immorality.

We have a gospel that can implant love and obedience into fallen souls. We who say we’re born again in Christ can stop that crisis at our own doors. If our love for God is genuine, we will be impelled to do something about it. If we don’t care, then we should first of all make our own salvation sure. We need to diligently work on nurturing the love Christ puts into us.

Note: The Bible quotations in this syllabus are from the New American Standard Bible (1988 edition) unless otherwise noted.

Answering With the Right Attitude

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Answering With the Right Attitude

Reasoning With Unbelievers (Part 4)
Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
by Bob Burridge ©2011

On Thursday night, January 27th, from 9 to 10 pm Eastern, our webchat time will focus on the topic, “Practical Reasoning with Unbelievers”.

[Continued from the previous blog entry, “Difficult Passages in the Bible”]

Just being accurate and correct are not our only obligations as representatives of the Gospel of Christ. As those changed by his work of grace, our attitude should demonstrate respect for the struggle the unbeliever faces.

1 Peter 3:14-15. “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”

The fruit of the Spirit must be seen in us, or we are a living contradiction to the message we bring. The list of what should be seen in us is found in Galatians 5:22-23. It includes: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:16) “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Shining light on truth includes it’s production of good works in our own lives. A truth that does not transform is not the whole truth. Keep the focus on trying to clarify what God has said, not on showing that you are smarter or better educated. It’s the Hoy Spirit that changes the heart, not your flawless logic and command of the facts.

Many great scholars debated with Jesus and heard his lessons. Some were changed by what he said. Others plotted to discredit him and finally to have him killed. We certainly don’t fault Jesus with a poor presentation. You will not be able to satisfy the objections of every lost heart either. When you engage the unbeliever your prayer is that God will use the power of his word to bring life where there is blindness and spiritual death.

Those who continue to disbelieve merely confirm that their condemnation is just. They prove by their obstinance one of the basic facts they usually dispute: that aside from the work of grace no one will understand the truth of God’s word, and no one will want to admit to the True God as revealed in Scripture.

Romans 3:10-12, “as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one’; ‘There is none who understands’, ‘There is none who seeks for God’; ‘All have turned aside, together they have become useless’; ‘There is none who does good, There is not even one.’ “

When we show humble submission to the word of God and to the God revealed in Scripture, we do a better work of bearing testimony to the truth, than if we could merely out-argue the smartest of men.

Difficult Passages in the Bible

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Difficult Passages in the Bible

Reasoning With Unbelievers (Part 3)
Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
by Bob Burridge ©2011

On Thursday night, January 27th, from 9 to 10 pm Eastern, our webchat time will focus on the topic, “Practical Reasoning with Unbelievers”.

[Continued from the previous blog entry, “Objections from Unbelievers”]

There are two classes of questions about legitimate issues of understanding what the Bible is really saying:
1. statements in the Bible which seem internally inconsistent
There are doctrinal matters that don’t fit man’s preconceived notions. Many see tensions between grace and justice, between wrath and mercy, between forbidding murder and the demand for capitol punishment, between the importance of obeying the law and the fact that law cannot save, etc. These things are in no way contradictory if understood as the Bible presents them, but they sound conflicting if forced into the world’s understanding of them.

Time should be taken to carefully learn about and explain these unique teachings of biblical Christianity. There are many good Theological reference tools to help define the terms so commonly misunderstood.

Many hear about alleged conflicts of historical facts. People sometimes point out where one gospel account describes a part of the life of Christ differently than does another. Similarly there are times when one historical account gives details that are not the same as those given in another Biblical account.

These are not really conflicts. In some cases a similar but not the same event is being described. In other cases the differences are because the same event can be described in different ways from different observers. Each one is fully accurate in telling what was seen or remembered. It may take some study to find out what is actually said in the original language, what the expressions meant at the time, and how the statements might be harmonized. There is much written on such matters and most good reformed commentaries deal with them in great detail.

Some of these matters involve the use of different calendars in biblical times, different use of language in the various nations where events took place, different points of view of the observers of events, and different purposes in recording the events.

Among the works that deal with specific historical issues the following books are very helpful:
Allen A. MacRae “Biblical Archaeology”, Jack Finegan “Light from the Ancient Past”

2. Biblical statements that seem to be inconsistent with human observation or theory
First of all, human ideas come in two different parts: There are observed measurements of things, and there are the interpretations of the things observed.

The unbeliever will argue that he can see things neutrally and without prejudice therefore his observations are objective and absolutely reliable. The Bible doesn’t agree with that assumption. It says that even our observations are effected when we are lost in sin. The primary information that pours forth from creation declaring God’s Glory is distorted. Man suppresses it and replaces it with alternate ideas injected from his own corrupted heart.

Romans 1:20-23, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.”

The “God-declaring information” is stripped away leaving a false observation. The fallen mind interprets this distorted information to support its own theories of reality.

The unbeliever is suppressing the truth God is making known to him both in what he sees of nature (Rom 1:20), and in what he senses in his own conscience (Rom 2:15). Therefore, our duty is more of “reminding him”, “confronting him” with what he, on one level, knows to be true. Considering that the fault is within the observer rather than in the things he observes, God holds him to be without excuse. The problem is that his sin nature so seamlessly distorts what he observes and knows inwardly,that he is self-deceived quite effectively.

Given this distortion of the facts of God’s universe, there will be false arguments that confuse people. There are always facts from science, history, and archeology which can be abused to seem to conflict with the biblical record. However, the history of attacks on the Bible is filled with errors which later were corrected and the facts found to fit in with what the Scriptures said. It was the critics understanding of the facts that turned out to be wrong. Archaeological finds have often balanced upon subjective interpretations. Individual findings are often isolated from the bigger picture which may be very incomplete. To conclude that the Bible is inaccurate presumes that sufficient contradictory information is available and that no other interpretation of the findings is possible. This has never been the case.

Observations of natural science have never contradicted direct statements of the Bible when rightly understood. The problem occurs when human theories are assumed as fact. Arguments from philosophy and from psychology are purely theoretical and present no raw facts in and of themselves.

When answering the objections of unbelievers keep two points in mind:
1. The facts themselves are distorted by the unregenerate mind (Rom 1:20-23)
2. The objections made are based upon assumptions and interpretations

We should do our best to help the unbeliever get information about the questions they raise. We should not work under the assumption that by answering them they will be convinced to believe. People observed the great miracles in the Bible and not only rejected what they saw, they set out to silence those performing the miracles.

Our goal is that by answering the objections calmly, carefully, and with respect of the other person’s legitimate struggle, the real meaning of Scripture will be advanced, and, if the Spirit gives life to their hearts, the liberating truth will replace their distorted preconceptions. The key is to get the person into the word itself by which the Holy Spirit changes the heart.

Psalm 19:7-8, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

>> To be continued in our next blog: Answering With the Right Attitude

Objections from Unbelievers

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Objections from Unbelievers

Reasoning With Unbelievers (Part 2)
Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies
by Bob Burridge ©2011

On Thursday night, January 27th, from 9 to 10 pm Eastern, our webchat time will focus on the topic, “Practical Reasoning with Unbelievers”.

[Continued from the previous blog entry, “Evasive Arguments from Unbelievers”]

When unbelievers present evasive arguments against biblical truth, we need to be prepared both to understand the question, and to give a fair and reasoned answer. We have a responsibility to prepare ourselves to explain the faith God has put into our hearts.

1 Peter 3:14-15. “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”

This does not mean that we need to be experts in all the fields of science, psychology, and religion
that the world calls upon to make its objections. It means that we should always be ready to clarify and explain the grace that has made us confident in our salvation.

There are two basic classes of objections:
1. objections that are really excuses to reject the truth
The unconverted heart will not submit to the truth of God’s witness in nature or in his word. He will deny the truth in every way imaginable and will continue to invent new theories, and to improve upon old ones, to avoid his accountability to an offended Creator.

The inability of a fallen person to accept what God says is only overcome by the Holy Spirit. Our duty is to present the gospel by word and example, and to pray.

Remember that all who are converted to Christ begin as unbelievers. The work of the Spirit by means of the inspired word is the way God changes hearts. Once the heart is change by regenerating grace, it will not continue to look for excuses for rejecting the gospel. Even when brought to Christ a person should not expect to find easy answers to every question that comes to mind. There are some issues that are not easily resolved. This leads to the second class of objections.

2. objections that raise legitimate issues in trying to understand God’s truth
God’s word includes many more things than a single person can comprehend. Some of the ideas in it are very profound and take much study to appreciate. When a person is being introduced to the Bible, or approaches it with pre-conceived ideas, the complexity of it may confuse him and make him see conflicts that are not really there.

No one can be expert enough to answer all imaginable problems in all fields of study. God doesn’t call us to that. This is why the Lord provides his church with many gifted scholars. It is why we demand that pastors should well trained in the study of God’s word. Each question asked should be treated with respect and a good effort should be made to find answers.

But the job of the average Christian is to focus on the central issue of the gospel, and the clear demands of God’s law which convicts of sin. Understanding the more complex details is never the reason a person believes in Christ.

>> To be continued in our next blog: Difficult Passages in the Bible