righteousness

Alive Day 8 The Groaning

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:18-23
Romans 8:15-17
2 Corinthians 5:16-19
Genesis 3

Alive, Day 8

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly awaits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility–not willingly, but because of him who subjected it–in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. Not only that, but we who have the Spirit as the firstfruits–we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:18-23)

As we have been journeying together through Romans 8, we recently read “Adopted” covering verses 15-17, which told us of our adoption as children of God and our inheritance as co-heirs with Christ, both in suffering and glory. In turning our focus to verses 18-23, we unpack what is meant by “sufferings.”

Today’s passage speaks to our innermost groanings experienced on a daily basis as we journey through life in a fallen world. Not only do we groan, but the whole of creation groans right along with us, not one aspect of creation remains unaffected by the fall. All of creation groans for a better life and a more eternal inheritance, because our world was never meant to be broken this way.

This world, according to verse 20, has been “subjected to futility.” The Greek word for futility is “mataiotēs,” and literally means “what is devoid of truth and appropriateness, perverseness, depravity, frailty, want of vigour.” Reverend Matthew Henry, a great author of Bible commentaries, further explained, “There is a present vanity to which the creature, by reason of the sin of man, is made subject. When man sinned, the ground was cursed for man’s sake, and with it all the creatures (especially of this lower world, where our acquaintance lies) became subject to that curse, became mutable and mortal, under the bondage of corruption.”

Never before has the reality of this groaning seemed as clear and tangible for me personally. As I write, I am a mere three weeks into my husband’s first deployment, a separation I know is a direct result of the fall. Were it not for sin, disease, and trial in this life, military deployments would be unnecessary and my kids and I would not be separated from our favorite person for the next several months. We are only three weeks in, but we’ve already experienced our own fair share of groaning.

Because of the fall and our disobedience, we experience a brokenness all around us in this life, a suffering which often feels too much to bear. In those moments, it’s vital to understand such misery is not doled out at the whim of a cruel God, but is the direct result of our sin.
Our sin is a slap in the face of God’s righteousness and His loving care towards us, His creation.
Our sin is not a mere mistake, accident, or “no big deal” we can just explain away.
Rather, it is something we must own, for it keeps us impossibly far from God – were it not for Christ.

The good news in the midst of this hard, sad reality is that Christ has secured for us a sonship, an adoption into the family of God which provides us with a rich inheritance. Just as we have been made alive in the Spirit, so, too, do our bodies anticipate the coming inheritance of life on a new earth.

The most blessed and encouraging part of this inheritance?
It is so rich and grand that it renders the sufferings of the here-and-now
as nothing in comparison!
(Romans 8:23)

Which is saying a lot, considering just how painful our sufferings can be! Yet truly, our suffering is a mere blip on the backdrop of the whole of eternity, a painful blip, yes, but nothing compared to the unimaginable joy that will be ours! (Romans 8:18)

As long as these days of deployment feel, they are nothing compared to the unending years of eternity.

As challenging as solo parenting is for me in this season, it is nothing compared to the unending joy and peace I will enjoy for eternity.

As alone as I sometimes feel right now, it is nothing compared to the unending fellowship I will have with the God of the universe and all His people for eternity.

It is true that life in this fallen world is hard.
But it is also true that hardship doesn’t get the last word.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul reveals how God sets about making all things new in our hearts when we come to Him in salvation. And this restorative aspect of God’s character? It will see its final and ultimate manifestation on that glorious day when the world-breaking curse is itself broken. (Revelation 21:1-5)

So, take heart, dear friend, in the midst of whatever hardship these words find you.
We’ll be home – for all eternity! – before we know it if we lay claim to the gift of Life that Jesus holds out to each of us right now!

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Alive Day 5 Dead To Me

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:10-13
Colossians 2:4-14
Colossians 3:1-11
Romans 5:6-11

Alive, Day 5

“Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.

“So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:10-13)

After reading these verses, we might wonder what it means to be “dead to sin, but alive because of righteousness”. The Apostle Paul is charging us not to live according to the flesh anymore. If we do, this amounts to death for us; but, if by the Spirit, we put sin to death, we would live.

How can one be both dead and alive?

When it comes to questions in Scripture, other passages help us find the right answer. According to Romans 5:12,
“sin entered the world through one man,
and death through sin,
in this way death spread to all people,
because all sinned.”

As a result of our corruption by sin, our physical bodies are frail, mortal, and short-lived.
In our natural state, we are “owned” by Sin. We are “alive” to Sin and it’s torment, which makes us “dead” to Christ and the true life that flows from God.

Our bodies are limited by death:
“And just as it is appointed for people to die once” (Hebrews 9:27).
This means, if our physical bodies die on earth without having the spiritual Life of Jesus breathing inside of us, we will forever be separated from Life in God. We will have “died once”, and for the rest of eternity, we will perpetually experience the full, un-ending wrath of God with broken bodies and all of our consciousness intact.
We will never again have the opportunity to be “alive” in righteousness.

But the Spirit who lives in all who trust Jesus will bring to life our mortal bodies,
just as Christ was raised from the dead. (Romans 8:11)

Here is the good news of Jesus!
Christ came to “kill” Sin and Death forever,
offering us to “come alive” with the abundance only He gives!
In the Life of Jesus, we too can be “dead to sin” and made “alive in righteousness”. 

However, God’s gift of life in the Spirit does not bring instant, automatic change in our everyday lives. The transformation of our once-sin-loving character to reflect the righteous character of God is a continuous life-long process. The Holy Spirit needs our cooperation, in the form of obedience to His leadership. While the Holy Spirit gives us life, we must also yield to Him as He transforms us to the likeness of Christ, day by day.

Therefore, we must continually remain dead to sin (also called the desires of the flesh) by following the Holy Spirit as He guides us into righteous living. We are not to subject ourselves to sin anymore, for “He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14)

Jesus freed us from the eternal and unpayable debt of our sin; how foolish then would we be to rip that certificate from the blood-stained wood of the cross and embrace it once again, by continuing to pursue sin?!
We may fall into temptation, but this habitual pattern of death no longer needs to control us.

For if we neglect the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and return to lives dominated by following our human, rebellious nature, we would die spiritually.

The Lord Jesus said anyone who does not remain in Him is like a branch cut off from the vine; it withers. That branch is good only for burning. (John 15:6)
“For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgement and the fury of fire about to consume the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26)

We harm ourselves if we abandon the work of the Spirit within us, knowingly and volitionally becoming slaves to sin once again.

We must put to death the desires of the flesh (meaning sin) through the Spirit, for — hear me, sisters — we cannot conquer sin on our own!
Instead, we should “walk by the Spirit and you
will certainly not carry out
the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

Walking by the Spirit means “to present your bodies as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1) In obeying the Spirit, we “take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of truth.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

We “put on the new self” by constantly reminding ourselves we have died to sin.
We must always weigh our thoughts against the Word, and allow them to be refined by Truth. When sin threatens to rule us again, we remind ourselves we are new in Jesus and the old Sin Master is gone! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Surely, by the Spirit, we will put to death our sinful desires, and live in the rich abundance of Jesus’ Life!

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Alive Day 2 Justice + Mercy = Freedom: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Justice + Mercy = Freedom!

The Questions

1) Why was there condemnation? (verse 1)

2) What could the law not do? (verse 3)

3) What does it mean to “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”? (verse 4)

Romans 8:1-4

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Original Intent

1) Why was there condemnation? (verse 1)
From Adam and Eve’s first sin there have been consequences for turning away from God’s standard of holiness. (Genesis 3) God established a sacrifice system that called for the spilling of innocent blood in order to forgive sin. This begins with the animal whose blood was shed to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:21) In Leviticus 6-7, God provides the guidance for sacrifice and forgiveness which Paul’s audience would have known well, as they regularly offered these sacrifices for their own sins. They knew condemnation existed because of sin and forgiveness only came through sacrifice. Freedom in forgiveness would always cost the death of an innocent one. However, it was understood that the blood of animals did not have the power to remove the sin that stood between the offender and God. (Hebrews 10:4) Rather, these sacrifices, and the need for them, point directly to the One who would come with the power to completely pay for sin’s penalty in full and remove the offense of our sin against a Holy God. This One to come was Jesus.

2) What could the law not do? (verse 3)
God provided Moses with the Law, also known as the 10 Commandments, in Exodus 20:1-17. The Jewish audience would have known this law well. Not only were they quite familiar with these 10 commandments, but they also would have known the other 613 laws found in the Pentateuch or Book of the Law, which are the first 5 books of the Bible. These laws made up the rhythms and boundaries of their everyday lives. It was impossible for any human to follow these laws perfectly and attain flawless righteousness, instead their purpose was to point out that perfection and forgiveness under the law was an insurmountable feat. Therefore, God had a plan which He began to reveal throughout the Old Testament about the fulfillment of the Law. One day, Jesus would come and perfectly fulfill the Law because He is God, the Only One who is blameless without sin. Jesus would accomplish for us what the Law could not.

3) What does it mean to “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”? (verse 4)
Every person ever born is born of the flesh. Even Jesus had an earthly mother. However, Jesus put on the likeness of flesh becoming like those He came to save. (Philippians 2:4-8) He did not give up His standing as God the Son to put on human flesh. He was tempted just as we are, but did not give in to that temptation and sin. (Matthew 4:1-11) He withstood it perfectly, allowing Him to eventually take humanity’s sins upon Himself at the cross and pave a way for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be deposited inside every person who truly repents (turns away) from sin and believes in Him through faith. (Acts 1:8; 2:1-4) Daily there is temptation to walk according to the desires of sinful flesh, but Jesus makes it possible through the Holy Spirit to walk in Him and turn away from fleshly lusts and sinful desires.

Everyday Application

1) Why was there condemnation? (verse 1)
Each one of us is a sinner. (Romans 3:23) In light of that sin, each of us deserves condemnation for our sins and Paul is clear that the condemnation we earn is death in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…”. While God has always required sacrifice for forgiveness, it wasn’t until Jesus that the sacrifice was permanent. Being fully God and fully human, yet was utterly without sin, Jesus was the Only One who qualified to pay for the debt of sin in full. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Only through Jesus is there no longer condemnation for any who believe in Him. (verse 1) Jesus walked on earth as the only perfect person to ever live. He then took the sins of humanity to the cross. (1 John 2:2) If we simply accept the gift of His sacrifice we are forgiven and free from condemnation’s shame. However, that does not mean there is no accusation. I appreciate what Matthew Henry says, “He does not say, “There is no accusation against them,’’ for this there is; but the accusation is thrown out, and the indictment quashed. He does not say, “There is nothing in them that deserves condemnation,’’ for this there is, and they see it, and own it, and mourn over it, and condemn themselves for it; but it shall not be their ruin”. We are still guilty of our sin, but we are no longer condemned through the blood of Jesus. There are often still consequences for our sinful actions in our relationships, but the final punishment of death has been eradicated for eternity. If we repent (turn away from sin), and seek God’s forgiveness, He will no longer hold us accountable to pay for our sin. (Acts 3:19)

2) What could the law not do? (verse 3)
Jesus told His disciples, “Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) As a matter of fact, Jesus summed the entire law up into 2 statements: Love God and love others (your neighbor). (Matthew 22:35-40) The reality is, you and I could never be perfect under the law. We are incapable of perfectly living out even 1 of the 10 commandments God gave to Moses. However, God knew we would fail when He gave the law; our sin didn’t catch Him by surprise. Hebrews 10:1 says, “Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year.” Therefore, He sent Jesus to do what the law could not. Jesus fulfilled the law for us, but His righteousness isn’t ours automatically. We must choose to accept His free gift of forgiveness and freedom from condemnation in order to claim it for ourselves.

3) What does it mean to “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”? (verse 4)
We are all born of the flesh and it is in our natural tendency to sin. Our default nature is to love sin. There is a reason we don’t need to teach small children to sin (hit, bite, get angry, retaliate, or scream for their way) but instead parents are to correct their sinful behavior. In our flesh, we are born sinners and are all in need of Jesus. (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22) Jesus came, died on the cross, and conquered death allowing for freedom from the flesh. However, just because we accept what Jesus did for us doesn’t mean we leave the flesh completely behind to never sin or be tempted again. On the contrary, it is a daily battle to die to self and walk in the “newness of life” provided through Christ. (Romans 6:4-8) When we choose to surrender our will, moment by moment, to the Spirit’s work in us, He will teach us to keep in step with Him as He conforms us into the image of Jesus. (Galatians 5:16) This transformation is not immediate but a daily choice where we look more like Jesus tomorrow than we do today and more like Jesus a year from now that we did last year. As the Spirit leads, and we choose to follow, we are actively being conformed to the likeness of Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Alive Day 1 Justice + Mercy = Freedom

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 7:22-8:4
1 John 1:5-2:2
Galatians 5:13-18
Hebrews 12:1-6

Alive, Day 1

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

“Son, do you love Jesus? Have you given Him your whole life?”
“Yes, Mama. You were there when I prayed to Him.”
“Do you see how you have been jumping quickly to make rude comments to your brothers? Do you see how fast you are to throw a punch and then say you were ‘just playing?’”
“Yeah, I do. It’s just…so hard to follow Jesus all the time.”

Yes.
Yes, it is.

“So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.” (Romans 7:25)

To surrender our lives once to the Savior of the world for the rescue of our souls is an incredible, necessary act. But to surrender to His Spirit at work within us on the daily, in every moment, is something else entirely.

Herein is the long, grueling, often painful process of sanctification by which our souls, once dead to God and alive to sin, are now being fashioned into the image for which we were always intended: Christ’s.

“… the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2)

But, oh, the habits of the flesh cling hard and fast to our rhythms of life. Always competing with our desire to follow Jesus is our desire to still love ourselves most and first and best.

“For in my inner self I delight in God’s law, but I see a different law in the parts of my body,  waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.” (Romans 7:22-23, emphasis mine)

What wretches we are!
And who will rescue us from this ceaseless war within ourselves? (Romans 7:24)

With tears, oh Christ. Only Christ!
Jesus, the only One worthy to sit at the right hand of our Father God. (Ephesians 1:20-21)
Jesus, willing to take our sin and shame upon Himself that we might never bear it again. (1 John 2:2)
Jesus, willing to break us free again and again and again from the ridiculous chains of sin we insist on slinging around ourselves. (Romans 5:21)
Oh Merciful Christ.

“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25)

This beautiful Christ, and the freedom He lavishly gives, are the subject of one of the most profoundly significant chapters in all of Scripture, Romans Chapter Eight.

And the benefactors of such magnificent love?
The wretched ones.
Us.

We who, having witnessed the atrocities of our own sinful rebellion, have now turned instead to look upon the blood stained, nail-pierced body of the resurrected Jesus. He who, having died the death we deserved, now offers us His life and righteousness. He willingly laid down His life that we might live anew with Him, both in eternity and right now, in the nitty-gritty of everyday choices. Here, we choose either to surrender to His Spirit or lustfully love ourselves.

This great unfolding of the vast love of Christ begins here in the dark places of our souls. For only in knowing, grasping, and insistently gazing upon the ugliness of our sin can we truly be taken aback by the sheer glory of the love of a magnificent God who chose to set His love upon us simply that we might be called His own forever.

Never could we dream of becoming good enough to qualify as “righteous” before the Holy One. No amount of law-keeping, good deeds, kind words, gut-wrenching sacrifices, or generous giving could ever amount to earning even a single drop of God’s mercy.

“All of us have become like something unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment…” (Isaiah 64:6)

Our law-keeping is meaningless for earning right standing before God.
So, what hope have we?
None, Sisters.
None.
We are utterly without hope.

Our sin demands the death penalty, for we are wholly unrighteous.
We cannot earn goodness, for we have already earned death.
“For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

And here, in the inky blackness of hell, eternally separated from a loving God, the Spirit of God whispers, “For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did.” (Romans 8:3)

Like brilliant, white light streaming into a once-darkened dungeon, “God Did” thrills our hearts with blissfully delicious, entirely immovable H O P E.

With perfect Justice, God “condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us.” (Romans 8:4) He paid for sin with His perfection, forever slaying Death on our behalf, and now extends to us unshackled freedom if we surrender our sin-loving, self-focused selves.

His justice.
His mercy.
Our freedom.

And what will we do with this freedom?
Come alive, Sisters, we will come alive!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Fruitful Day 5 Peace For Life

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 13
1 Samuel 25:1-35
Daniel 6:10-24
Romans 12:9-21
Galatians 5:22-26

Fruitful, Day 5

The storms of life can rage without warning,
just as unforeseen storms swept across the Sea of Galilee in Jesus’ time. (Mark 4:35-41)

Even after 5 years, it is hard for my husband, Michael, and I to wrap our minds around the betrayal and heartbreak from our last pastorate.
Our children grew up there.
It was home.
Once we could finally breathe after the breaking, we struggled with all the decisions. Do we find a new church or retire early? Where would we live? How would we survive?

Thankfully, God had already prepared me spiritually, drawing me closer and closer to Him. I was spending much time in Bible-reading and prayer. Although everything seemed unsettled, I felt indescribable peace. God had a plan for us!

Reading a Psalm or two each day was comforting; David’s words expressed exactly how we were feeling. The Shepherd’s Psalm has been my favorite for many years. Though it never mentions peace, I experience a calm in my heart every time I read it. I remember the farm where I grew up, and wonder if David reflected on his own childhood in his father’s pastures as he penned the words.

What does peace mean to you?

Many might answer world peace, or an absence of conflict, but God’s peace isn’t about laying down our weapons. In fact, Jesus promised His message would cause tribulation and conflict, because the true source of the battle is spiritual. (Matthew 10:34) We live in a fallen world, one incapable of manufacturing its own peace.

“They have treated my people’s brokenness superficially,
claiming, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14)

Laying down weapons (peace on earth) will only come when Jesus establishes His Kingdom on Earth. (Revelation 21:3-4)

On the other hand, Isaiah said Jesus is the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) Through His propitiatory death on the cross, He made a way to peace between us and God. When we repent from our sins–turning away from following evil desires and toward following God–He will give us His Holy Spirit. Peace is one of the many gifts the Holy Spirit grows in a believer’s heart! This peace of God surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:7-9) God’s peace remains, EVEN when the world around us is stormy.

The Bible is filled with God-followers who found peace in relationship with Him, despite their circumstances. Daniel’s daily relationship with God gave him peace and faith that God would protect him from being consumed by lions. (Daniel 6) Consider Peter when he walked on the stormy water at Jesus’ invitation. (Matthew 14:22-33) As long as he remained focused on Jesus, Peter walked in peace in the midst of a literal storm. We can find this same supernatural peace by continually turning our minds and hearts to Jesus. (Isaiah 26:3)

Peace describes a way of living in a right relationship between man and God; peace should also pervade our relationships with other people. In his epistle to the Romans, Paul says, “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18) Working to live at peace with others is only possible when we invite the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we are moving by His direction, He teaches us to become the peacemakers Jesus speaks of in His Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5:9)

In fact, the Bible is filled with Spirit-empowered peacemakers! Abraham made peace with Lot (Genesis 13); rather than fighting over land, he allowed Lot to choose his portion. Abigail was an effective peacemaker when her husband, Nabal, refused to feed David’s army. Abigail gathered food and gifts and hurried to David to make peace. (1 Samuel 25)

Of course, Jesus is the Great Peacemaker. He explained, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) Through the work of His Spirit within us, we can remain at peace, no matter what the world throws at us.

Theologian, Stanley Horton, writes, “Real peace comes only from the Holy Spirit. It includes a quiet spirit, but it is more than that. It is the consciousness that we are in a right relationship with God, a sense of spiritual well-being. It includes the assurance that we can trust God to supply all our needs. (Philippians 4:19) Along with love and joy it becomes the help of the Spirit for the development of the rest of the fruit.” (Journeyonline.org)

How can we experience this fruit of the Spirit, peace?

  1. Accept Christ into our lives. (Ephesians 2:14-22)
  2. Know God and be under His Spirit’s control. (Job 22:21)
  3. Trust God with all our hearts. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
  4. Love the Word of God. (Psalm 119:165)
  5. Live in righteousness. (Isaiah 32:17-18)

Sisters, as we are transformed by His Spirit, may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

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If Day 15 End Of Evil

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 8:22-23
Genesis 3:15-19
Ephesians 2:4-5
Romans 6:17-18
Revelation 21:3-4

If, Day 15

It’s been a hard eighteen months, hasn’t it? A pandemic (and accompanying struggles), social unrest, tragic loss of life, a divisive election cycle, personal attacks and online debates, and the list continues. Right about now, I think we can all relate to Paul’s words in Romans 8:22-23,

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits– we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.”

Something within each of us longs for peace and a perfect world. We long for justice, righteousness, and love to prevail. Whatever our background, personal theology, faith, or lack thereof, this desire reveals the truth of the Bible when it cries that the broken world in which we live – fraught with so much sin and heartache – isn’t the way it was supposed to be. And – praise the Lord! – one day it won’t be like this any longer.

The first two chapters of the Bible are so beautiful. They present a perfect world just as God designed it to operate; a world without sin, heartache, trial, loss, suffering, or sadness of any kind. But by the third chapter, perfection is lost when sin enters the story, and all manner of brokenness quickly ensues. In fact, read one chapter beyond that, and murder takes place!

In Genesis 3:16-19, God lays out the initial consequences faced by men and women as a result of their sin (toil, increased pain in childbirth, etc.). But humankind’s spiritual condition as a result of the fall is far more grave. From the moment of the first sin, throughout all of history, humanity as a whole are “dead in our trespasses” (Ephesians 2:5) and “slaves of sin” (Romans 6:17). We are leading lives we were never meant to live, suffocating in a brokenness for which we were not designed, and so we groan.

In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis illustrated this truth well when he asserted, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”

We were made for another world, and another world is precisely what is offered to us! All human efforts throughout history to construct utopian societies, to return to the Garden, to reach perfection, tranquility, or peace on our own, have failed.
Imperfect humans simply cannot create perfection.

But God, in His grace and mercy, constructed a plan that has never, and will never, fail. His plan was one He promised way back in the Garden of Eden, when sin first entered the world! Revealing His great love for His people, even in the midst of their sin, He says in Genesis 3:15, “I will put hostility between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. [Jesus] will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The entire rest of the Bible unfolds God’s grand plan to restore the world to what He originally intended, an obliteration of sin and a restoration to righteousness in Christ, a destruction of heartache and pain and a return to peace in the Lord.

This plan looked like God sending His Son, Jesus, to be the sacrifice for our sins so we might take on His righteousness as our own and be granted eternal life in Him forever. What glorious news!

Romans 6:17-18 says, “But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.” This is the promised change we undergo when we “confess with [our] mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in [our] heart[s] that God raised him from the dead.” (Romans 10:9)

Just as the first two chapters of the Bible are beautiful in their perfection and peace, the final two chapters of the Bible are just as beautiful (if not more so!) as we see the promised perfection and peace we anticipate! May you embrace these words from Revelation 21:3-4, and may they bring you hope and peace!

“Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.”

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into If Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in If!

If Day 9 Easy Life: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Easy Life!

The Questions

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

Isaiah 1:11-19

11 “What are all your sacrifices to me?” asks the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who requires this from you— this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies—I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. 14 I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to me; I am tired of putting up with them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. 17 Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause. 18 “Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.

Original Intent

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

In the Old Testament, sacrifices were offered for the atonement of unintended sin; to show devotion to God; recognition for God’s goodness; thanksgiving and fellowship; cleansing from defilement, and to make restitution. There were five sacrifices: the burnt offering, grain offering, fellowship offering, sin offering, and guilt offering. The burnt, grain, and fellowship (sometimes called peace) offerings were voluntary, while the sin and guilt offerings were compulsory. God could not allow sin because of His holiness and therefore sin must be punished. The sacrifices were a means of maintaining worship and fellowship with Him so Israelites could enjoy relationship with Yahweh. On the other hand, there were intentional sins that had no sacrifice available. Intentional sins were pre-meditated sins such as adultery or murder or even lying. Check out Proverbs 6:16-19 for a list of these sins the Lord hates. Sacrifices could not atone for deliberate sins of arrogance that insisted on their way over God’s clear path of righteousness. This highlights the seriousness of sin against God! People who sinned intentionally were at the mercy of God. While there are a few instances in Scripture (Numbers 5:5-10, Leviticus 19:20-22) where a clear intentional sin could be covered by a guilt offering, these were rare exceptions. In general, the Law did not provide for forgiveness for premeditated, intentional sin. The only available option was God’s grace. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, God removed all sins, intentional or otherwise with a sacrifice. Take King David for example. After Nathan confronted David about his sin of adultery and murder, David lamented in Psalm 51:16-17, “You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” David’s sins were deliberate, and he knew offering a sacrifice would be futile. David knew God wanted a truly repentant heart. Even in all other sacrifices within the system God had set up for Israel, He most wanted their hearts of repentance and worship. He designed the system to provide a visual representation of the high price tag associated with sin, which is always death. (Romans 6:23)

 

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

God explicitly commanded His people to treat the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner justly. (Deuteronomy 24:17) God calls Himself “a father to the fatherless, and a defender of widows.” (Psalm 68:5) Widows and orphans were particularly vulnerable in ancient culture. Without the husband or father present, supporting themselves became difficult. Widows and their families became essentially homeless. Sometimes widows were even abused. (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible). Judah’s disobedience to God included neglect of the vulnerable and God, through the prophet Isaiah as His mouthpiece, implored them to once again heed God’s covenant law and do right by these members of society.

 

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

From the time God created mankind, He intended to have a relationship with him. When sin came into the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, this separated man from God. However, God immediately began work on restoring that relationship. (see Genesis 3:15)  The Lord set apart Israel to be His people (Leviticus 20:26), to be different. They were to be an example, by not engaging in the horrendous rituals and practices of the nations around them. They were to mirror God’s righteousness and holiness by living as an example of His heart and character in the world. Unfortunately, Israel sinned against the Lord repeatedly; they could not keep themselves righteous. However, God, because he loved Israel so much, sent prophets like Isaiah to speak to them in the hopes they would repent. Once they repented, He would forgive their sins and restore their relationship. Israel’s constant disobedience helps us see that, on our own strength, we absolutely cannot be holy like God. We need God to be holy for us and then offer His righteousness to us in exchange for our sin. This is why Jesus came, to do exactly this!

Everyday Application

1) Even though God had instituted sacrifices and festivals, why was He now tired of them? (verses 11-14)

The sacrifices and festivals in the Old Testament were God’s design for His chosen people, despite their sinful ways, to approach Him in worship and maintain the covenant relationship. However, the people missed the heart of God and His desire for relationship with them, which led them to performing sacrifices as mere ceremonies completed out of duty rather than from a heart broken over sin. This is why God said, “I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. (…) Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to Me.” (verses 11-13) It is not much different today. Many people attend church out of duty, but few practice true heart surrender to the Holy Spirit in everyday life. God wants our worship to be pure, true, and from our hearts. I remember having a conversation with a close relative who told me their church had a special collection to purchase a television for their pastor. The way my relative spoke about this pastor gave the impression they actually worship him more than God. While there is nothing wrong with parishioners showing appreciation to their pastors, they must be careful not to idolize and worship them. Our loyalty lies with Jesus, not man. Jesus told us we must remain in Him because we cannot do anything without Him. (John 15:4-5) He desires our whole hearts. In similar verbiage to what Isaiah recorded in verses 11-13, Jesus cleared the temple of Jews who appeared to be worshipping God, but their hearts were actually far from God. “He (Jesus) went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling, and He said, “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!”” (Luke 19:46-47)

 

2) Why does the prophet Isaiah call Israel to pursue justice and look after the vulnerable in society? (verse 17)

True religion is about caring for the poor and helpless and living a godly life. (James 1:27) I am currently caring for my ageing mother who has dementia, as well as an autistic brother. My mother depends on me and trusts me to do what is right for her and my brother. There is no way I can take advantage of their disabilities for my gain. If I do so, I will be sinning against God, who is their Defender. (Psalm 68:5) There are times I must put my life on hold for them, but it is not about me. John 15:13-14 states, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you”. I am doing what the Lord commanded me to do by showing love to Him, my mother, and my brother, in doing what is necessary for them despite the challenges and inconveniences to me. All who claim to follow Christ have an obligation to pursue justice and care for the vulnerable around us because this is God’s heart.

 

3) After all of Israel’s iniquities, why would God still want to settle things with them? (verse 18)

The Bible tells us, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16) This divine love is why God wants reconciliation between us, who are sinful, and Himself, who is holy. He wants to restore the relationship broken by sin so we can be with Him in eternity and connected to Him through His Spirit in this life. Jesus became sin for us in taking on our punishment (death and separation from God) so that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Let us love Jesus and commit to having a true relationship with Him. It is only through Jesus we can live a purposeful life. It may not always be an easy life, but one well worth it in the end.

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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The GT Weekend! ~ If Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) What if Jesus was not God? What if He was just a prophet or a good teacher, but not God in flesh? Or even if He wasn’t fully God, but something lesser? Considering these questions can either drive us away from the Lord or drive us straight into the arms of a loving, trustworthy, and faithful God. We saw in Monday’s Journey Study some solid reasons to believe Jesus was, and is, exactly the fully divine God He claimed to be. He defeated sin by living a perfect life. He defeated death by raising Himself from the dead. Because of these things, and more, He is worthy of our worship. We serve a powerful God. The great King of Glory does not fear our questions. There is no question too big for Him. Will you commit to bringing your questions to the Lord? Will you be honest with Him about your doubts? Will you faithfully search the Scriptures and consult wise, mature believers as you seek out your answers? What questions do you have? Where have you been looking for answers? Write down one or two questions about God along with the name of someone you know whom you could ask to help you find the answers. Pray over your question and ask the Lord to give you courage to step out in faith and search for truth!

2) Like making cake without flour, trimming the grass without a mower, or, perhaps most apt, drinking water from an empty glass, so is absolutely anything we attempt in the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. We, as finite, prone-to-sin human beings, are utterly incapable of accomplishing the holy, righteous work of becoming like Jesus on our own power. We cannot forgive more freely, love more deeply, give more wholeheartedly, or treat others with more lavish kindness without the power of the Holy Living God taking up residence within our beings. Going further, even if we have genuinely surrendered our lives to Christ and He has faithfully given us the Holy Spirit inside of us, we can still adamantly choose to reject His power at work in us. Classic author Andrew Murray writes of every day being a battle of wills between our fleshly desires and the work of God. We can either choose to surrender moment by moment to His work, or we can stubbornly insist on our own abilities to accomplish His righteousness. Determine today to live in a constant state of surrender by practicing the simple hand motion of raising one or two palms upward. When you face a challenge of your will versus God’s way today, choose total surrender to the Spirit by rotating your palm upward and breathing a prayer of surrender!

3) Rejoice with me as we think about our great God! His character is so far above our comprehension of holiness. He is unable to sin because of His great power and might. He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. He is unchanging, unshakable, steadfast, and He gives us direct access to Him. Even when we fall short, He is faithful because He cannot violate His own nature. Write a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty God! Spend time contemplating what His sinless nature means for your relationship with Him and your obedience to Him. You may begin to feel discouraged by the weight of your own sin and your own shortcomings as you worship. Feel that weight, but don’t stay there! When we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we receive freedom from our sins. Repent and move forward in the strength of the Lord only He can provide. You don’t need to make yourself better to come to Him. Simply focus on His greatness, and He will work a mighty change in you!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 1:15-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created by Him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
He is before all things,
and by Him all things hold together.
He is also the head of the body, the church;
He is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that He might come to have
first place in everything.

Prayer Journal
Who is this King of Glory? Who is this God who would condescend to walk the Earth as a man, perfect and righteous? You are our God, the blessed Three-in-One, wholly loving, almighty, immovable, and the perfect lover of our souls. You have not left us on our own in our questions and our weakness, but You have rescued us by Your great hand! Forgive me, oh merciful God, for my doubts, my weakness, and my desire to have my own way. I have often resisted Your will and questioned your goodness. Thank You for your great mercy and grace. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to work in my heart and guide me in obedience. Thank You for comforting me with truth as I search out your goodness. I ask for Your help as I surrender my will to Yours. Use my questions and my doubts to draw my heart toward You rather than toward the darkness. I believe in You, oh Lord, help my unbelief.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Ready Day 14 Gathered Together: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Gathered Together!

The Questions

1) What event was the author, Paul, addressing in verse 1?

2) Why did the believers need to be encouraged? (verses 2-5)

3) What restrains “the man of lawlessness” and his evil work? (verses 6-12)

4) How is the believer’s behavior contrasted with those who do not accept God’s love and truth? (verses 13-17)

2 Thessalonians 2

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him: We ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be easily upset or troubled, either by a prophecy or by a message or by a letter supposedly from us, alleging that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s temple, proclaiming that he himself is God.

5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell you about this? 6 And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with every kind of miracle, both signs and wonders serving the lie, 10 and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.

13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.

Original Intent

1) What event was the author, Paul, addressing in verse 1?
After years of persecuting Christians, a radically changed Paul launched many churches across the ancient world. As one of the most prominent leaders of the early church, his letters encouraged believers to maintain their faith and fix their hope on Jesus’ return. Amid the hardships they faced as Christians, the belief in “the coming of the Lord.” (verse 1) was an important foundation of the church. Church leaders like James, Peter, and John all affirmed the return of the Lord Jesus. (James 5:7-8, 2 Peter 3:10-12, 1 John 2:28) Bible scholars tell us the event is referenced over 1,500 times in the Old Testament. Jesus Himself referred to His return over 20 times. (5 Facts about Christ’s Return) The New Testament focuses primarily on Jesus’ first coming as a baby, but it also contains many references to an occasion in which He will come again to gather all believers to Himself and bring everything to its appropriate end. 1 & 2 Thessalonians are letters written by the apostle Paul to the Christian believers in the city of Thessalonica. (bibleplaces.com) Though Paul’s initial visit was cut short by a riot, this didn’t deter him from covering weighty matters concerning Jesus as Messiah. (Acts 17:1-10) Paul’s first letter to Thessalonica addressed questions about the resurrection and return of Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) It makes sense that questions concerning Jesus’ return were often on their minds. It now seems they were being told His return had already happened, and Paul responds in verse 1 to their specific concerns.

2) Why did the believers need to be encouraged? (verses 2-5)
After Paul commended the believers in 2 Thessalonians 1:4-12 for their faith and love, he explained again about the coming of the Lord Jesus. It seems they had heard disturbing news through erroneous prophecy that the return of Christ had already happened. Paul reminds and encourages them by instructing them that two things must occur first: 1) the apostasy, and 2) the revelation of the man of lawlessness. The English word “apostasy” is a transliteration (What Is Transliteration?) of the Greek word apostasia, which signifies a great rebellion against God. This will be led by the “man of lawlessness”, an evil world ruler to come. Bible scholars believe Paul gleaned his understanding of future events from the Old Testament prophet Daniel. Several times in this passage, he refers to “the man of lawlessness” who will rise to power. (verses 3-9) In Daniel 7-9, the prophet dreams and speaks of one who is a boastful king who will “oppress the holy ones … [and] intend to change religious festivals and laws.” (Daniel 7:25) This evil ruler will introduce a false peace to the world and will oppose God. He will even claim himself to be God. (verse 4) Paul assures them in verse 3 that all this was yet to come; they had not missed it!

3) What restrains “the man of lawlessness” and his evil work? (verses 6-12)
In Matthew 24:3-12, Jesus mentions His return and warns His disciples to be aware of rumors regarding His future coming “and of the end of the age.” Even though some Jews had come to understand Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah (Matthew 3:11-12, Matthew 21:9), the “day of the Lord” was shadowy and confusing to many who believed in Him. (Bible Project) Paul is reminding them of truth they already know so they wouldn’t despair. (verses 5-6) Despite the current signs that were potentially signaling the last days, Paul encouraged them to remember his teaching about the timing and details of what would occur. He wrote to them that the “mystery” rebellion against God would continue. “It is not open sin and wickedness, but dissembled piety, specious errors, wickedness under a form of godliness cunningly managed, that is here meant.” (studylight.org) Since the Thessalonians already had knowledge about who was restraining the evil one, he does not specify in these verses who it is. Bible scholars have differing views regarding the identity of the “one now restraining.” (verse 7) There is biblical evidence, however, that the Holy Spirit of God works to restrain evil through His presence in the lives of Christ followers (John 14:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Titus 3:4-7) The Spirit of God works in the lives of Christians in order to exhibit His righteousness to the world through us. In doing so, He holds humanity back from the swelling tide of complete and utter lawlessness. Though we should not be dogmatic about specifically “who” the restrainer is, Paul is clear that at some future time human depravity will no longer be restrained. When that happens, the lawless leader will be revealed for who he truly is.

4) How is the believer’s behavior contrasted with those who do not accept God’s love and truth? (verses 13-17)
Jesus said He would come again to gather the saints (those called and set apart for the Lord’s work) to Himself. He first came as a humble baby to rescue humanity from their death through His own death, consequently transferring those who believe in Him from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:13-14) Paul was glad he could always give thanks for his Thessalonians friends, and in his letter, he expresses his thankful heart. (2 Thessalonians 1:3) The basis for his joy was their salvation in God and obedience to Him. Paul’s boast about them was based completely on God’s power in them. He wrote to them regarding his firm conviction about the manner in which God accomplishes salvation through a person’s faith, and how they demonstrated that faith with their obedience. (2 Thessalonians 1:4-12) He contrasted that obedience with those “who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8) In verse 12, Paul writes that those who delight in unrighteousness will be judged and condemned. BUT thankfully, this is not the case for these believers in Thessalonica. (verses 13-14) They were growing in righteousness (right living before God) and had obviously heeded his previous letter’s challenge to them to live uprightly. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7)

Everyday Application

1) What event was the author, Paul, addressing in verse 1?
You wouldn’t need to search long to realize there are a myriad of beliefs about Christ’s return. Though there is an abundance of teaching about this in Scripture, there is no simple outline or timeline to clarify exactly what will happen or when. Many people throughout church history have confused the teaching of the apostles that Christ could come at any moment with the unbiblical idea that He would come at any moment. While the return of Christ should be taught as a certainty, the details surrounding His coming back should not be. It would be right of us to say that Christ will come “soon”. What we should mean by that is we believe Christ will come “surely.” Unfortunately, too many people today equate “soon” with a microwave mentality. Jesus’ imminent return is not the same as His immediate return. Jesus explained in Matthew 24 and Matthew 25 that we are unable to precisely predict the time of His return. Apparently, we do not need to know the timing or He would have told us! We are admonished, however, to continually anticipate His return and be ready in a way that demonstrates we believe He is coming to gather to Himself those who have been made righteous through Jesus. (Luke 12:36-40) Because the specific time of Christ’s return is unknowable, believers are urged to be prepared by keeping our lives unstained by the world’s evil. Sisters, we do this not by removing ourselves from culture, but by immersing ourselves in God’s word and praying for His Spirit to teach and empower us to daily live for Him.

2) Why did the believers need to be encouraged? (verses 2-5)
Paul’s letter is filled with information regarding Christ’s coming again to earth. The problem is that, as curious humans, we will not find all our questions answered as specifically as we probably wish. Those with inquiring minds want more details, don’t we?! I especially would like to know just who is going to make all the trouble for everyone before Jesus comes back. Is he alive right now? Where does he live? These questions have possibly come to your mind, too. Thankfully, we have Paul’s encouragement to “not be easily upset or troubled” by these thoughts. In fact, the Bible speaks often about the unshakeable hope we have as believers, even as we live in this unsettled world. This is not a “hope so” kind of belief, but it is a confident assurance based upon the strong foundation of the Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ! Paul encouraged the believers to stand firm amid the false messages they heard because of their sure hope. This is a good word for us as well! My friend, we do not need to fret when we hear rumors and conspiracy theories about the end of the world. When Jesus returns “we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonian 4:17-18)

3) What restrains “the man of lawlessness” and his evil work? (verses 6-12)
Some would call current times the “Church Age”. Since the Church was born, it has existed on earth as God’s revelation and expression of Himself. Before Pentecost, God had not indwelled humans permanently and eternally. Scripture records the Holy Spirit of God working before Jesus came to earth, but His presence with people was temporary. (Psalm 51:10-12) The Church Age is marked by the Holy Spirit’s permanent indwelling of God’s people. The Spirit’s presence is evident as God’s people gather to pray, preach, sing, and serve. That the Church exists and thrives worldwide is a powerful picture of God’s nearness. I sometimes forget the Church is one of the most significant means of restraining evil on earth. I’m not talking about people going to a church building, but people indwelled by the Holy Spirit, which happens when they surrender themselves wholly to God. Their presence continues to be part of what keeps society from total chaos and unbridled lawlessness. It’s the Holy Spirit, through His people, who is hindering unrighteousness and rebellion from spiraling out of control. Sisters, reflect on this amazing truth with me. As the Holy Spirit controls our lives, it’s our prayers, our service, our joy, and our love that God uses to keep Satan from causing complete anarchy. Although the world is ultimately helpless against Satan’s schemes and power, God, in His providence, uses the Church to restrain him. We might better understand the text if the identity of the restrainer wasn’t vague, but it is. Whether or not we’re ever sure of the restrainer’s identity, the necessary point is seeing God’s sovereign control in the return of Christ, as it is He who orchestrates the signs and time of His return. Oh friend, may our trust in His good and perfect plan sustain us as we wait with certain hope for our Lord’s return!

4) How is the believer’s behavior contrasted with those who do not accept God’s love and truth? (verses 13-17)
As a Christ-follower, I believe Jesus plainly spoke of His return. Scripture records several instances of Jesus telling of His imminent return, which is sooner than later and will happen quickly. We may not know exactly when Jesus will return, but what we do know gives us insight into how we should live until He does. The people of Jesus await His coming with eager anticipation. It is this hope that binds us together in unity and expectation. As we gather to worship, we sing and prayerfully declare our joy and hope. In doing this, we are actively encouraging one another to “hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since He who promised is faithful. And [we] consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as we see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25) Oh, please hold fast, dear Sister! Let’s remind ourselves of truth about Jesus. I urge you to make a personal habit of gathering often with others who hold this same hope. Jesus gave His followers who were with Him on earth, and those who would come after them, this instruction and encouragement, “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:32-33) It is because of this truth Paul reminded his friends to live differently than those living without hope. Praise God, we live for the glory of Christ! “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.” (verses 16-17)

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1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

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Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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