Single-Mindedness

The Book of Numbers, chapters 1 and 2 describe both the census that God commanded of Israel (““Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one” (Numbers 1:2, NIV))  and the arrangement of the camp (““The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family”” (Numbers 2:2, NIV)).

Of all the fighting men, over 20 years of age to be counted, Moses was not to count the Levites (“The ancestral tribe of the Levites, however, was not counted along with the others” (Numbers 1:47, NIV)).   The Levites were to be set in the middle of the camp, with the Tent of Meeting (“Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard” (Numbers 2:17, NIV).

The Levites descended from Jacob and Leah’s third son. The Levites are divided into three clans: Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites. Each clan had specific duties involving the care of the temple. No reason is given why the Levites are not counted in the census other than they are set apart from the fighting men, to do their temple work. "It was to the honour of the Levites, that to them was committed the care of the tabernacle and its treasures, in their camps and in their marches." [1]

There is a concentrated focus given to the Levites.  Their life had defined purpose.  Under the New Covenant, we who are in Christ are also priests in His Kingdom. [2]   We do not separate life into soldierly and priestly duties.  To the Christian all life is ministry; and all life is spiritual. [3]   In all that we do are primary task is to declare the praises of him who called you ((1 Peter 2:9, NIV)).  We do that as the Levites did by living in the Presence of Him who is our Savior and Lord.  It is defined by Peter as "offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." [4]

And what does that mean?  Hebrews 13:15–16 (NIV), helps us:

"¹⁵ Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. ¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." [Emphasis mine]





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1.  Henry, M., & Scott, T. (1997). Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Nu 1:47). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems.
2. “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4–5, NIV)
3. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2339). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
4. The New International Version. (2011). (1 Pe 2:5). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

 

 

 

 

 

The Book of Numbers

Fourth in the Books known as the Pentateuch stands the Book of Numbers.  The Book reveals the gradual fulfillment of the land promise God made to Abraham.  "The English title “Numbers” (Gk. Arithmoi) is borrowed from the name of the book in the Greek translation of the OT, the Septuagint. This title is based on the presence of census returns in chapters 1–4 and 26. The fifth word of the book in Hebrew, “in the wilderness” (Hb. bemidbar), constitutes its Hebrew title and perhaps gives a better summary of its contents." [1]

Numbers also is a biography of Moses as Israel wanders in the wilderness.  It reveals Moses' character and unique role as mediator. It also shows why Moses, himself, did not enter Canaan.

The key thought in this Book is this: “‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’” (Numbers 14:18, NIV)   "God chastens his disobedient people but reaffirms his intent to bring them into the Promised Land." [2]

The Gospel in Numbers: "Disobedience demands judgment, and everyone disobeys—except one. There is one person, the God-man Jesus Christ, who did not sin and yet paid the price for the disobedience and rebellion of all the rest of us schlubs." [3]   "Their trials greatly tended to distinguish the wicked and hypocrites from the faithful and true servants of God, who served him with a pure heart." [4]

 

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1. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 257). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
2. Williams, M. (2012). How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens: A Guide to Christ-Focused Reading of Scripture (p. 25). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
3. Ibid,  (p. 27).
4. Henry, M., & Scott, T. (1997). Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Nu 1:1). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems.

How Does the Christian Apply Leviticus 26?

"If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will . . .."[1]   There are great promises of temporal physical blessing for Israel when they obey. ““ ‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.” (Leviticus 26:9–10, NIV)

"But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands” (Leviticus 26:14, NIV)  there is nothing but trouble and struggle. “If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.” (Leviticus 26:18, NIV)

Do we as New Covenant disciples find within these promises and warnings hope for agricultural success and family prosperity?  No. All we can find in these passages is condemnation and disillusionment if we think we can keep the Law sufficiently to gain such reward.  Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law, keeping its every command. He also died to the Law, bearing the sins of all who would believe, and meeting the demand of the Law that the one who sins must die. We are law-breakers and always will be.  It is only "in Christ" that we can find hope.  Christ kept the Law to perfection and in Him is found all the abundance and joy.  

God has thus achieved salvation and blessing for His people, through the coming, life, death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

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1. The New International Version. (2011). (Le 26:3–4). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

George Mueller on Election

"Before this period I had been much opposed to the doctrines of election, particular redemption, and final persevering grace; so much so that, a few days after my arrival at Teignmouth I called election a devilish doctrine. I did not believe that I had brought myself to the Lord, for that was too manifestly false; but yet I held, that I might have resisted finally.

And further, I knew nothing about the choice of God's people, and did not believe that the child of God, when once made so, was safe for ever. In my fleshly mind I had repeatedly said, "If once I could prove that I am a child of God for ever, I might go back into the world for a year or two, and then return to the Lord, and at last be saved."

But now I was brought to examine these precious truths by the word of God. Being made willing to have no glory of my own in the conversion of sinners, but to consider myself merely as an instrument; and being made willing to receive what the Scriptures said; I went to the Lord, reading the New Testament from the beginning, with a particular reference to these truths. To my great astonishment I found that the passages which speak decidedly for election and persevering grace were about four times as many as those which speak apparently against these truths; and even those few, shortly after, when I had examined and understood them, served to confirm me in the above doctrines.

As to the effect which my belief in these doctrines had on me, I am constrained to state, for God's glory, that though I am still exceedingly weak, and by no means so dead to the lusts of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, as I might and as I ought to be, yet, by the grace of God, I have walked more closely with Him since that period.

My life has not been so variable, and I may say that I have lived much more for God than before. And for this have I been strengthened by the Lord, in a great measure, through the instrumentality of these truths. For in the time of temptation, I have been repeatedly led to say: "Should I thus sin? I should only bring misery into my soul for a time, and dishonour God; for, being a son of God for ever, I should have to be brought back again, though it might be in the way of severe chastisement."

Thus, I say, the electing love of God in Christ (when I have been able to realize it) has often been the means of producing holiness, instead of leading me into sin. It is only the notional apprehension of such truths, the want of having them in the heart, whilst they are in the head, which is dangerous."

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Pierson, Arthur T. George Muller of Bristol. Echo Library, 2009. ISBN 978-1406893755

Those Who Are Married Should Live Like They're Not! Part 4 (Final)

Paul makes the most puzzling statement in 1 Corinthians 7:29–31 (ESV),

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, ³⁰ and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, ³¹ and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. [Emphasis Mine]

We have worked to provide the context and the meaning of this passage in three previous Blogs (1, 2, and 3.)  I have written that the underlying ethic that Paul is teaching is that "we [are to] live as God’s people: already, but not yet; or to put it in the order of Paul’s poetic impression: Those that are here on earth, live as if they aren’t."  "Hypothetically, our devotion to Christ ought to be so intense and pure that our spouses question whether or not we indeed love them at all!   Practically speaking though this would never occur.  The truth is that if we indeed love Christ as we ought, our love for our spouses and family will increase and intensify in direct proportion."

Let's apply this then.  How do married and single people live with this ethic in mind?  But first why?

For the present form of this world is passing away.

“This ethic is based on the assurance that “the form of this world is passing away” (cf. 1 John 2:17, “the world is passing away”; 2 Pet. 3:10; 4 Ezra [2 Esdr.] 4:26). The present tense of the verb παράγει (paragei) suggests that the process of this passing away has already begun and is not something that awaits in the future.”^[1]  This view verifies and amplifies the opening phrase: “This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short”.

As relating to marriage “Christians must be mindful that marriage is a transient arrangement and not ultimate . . . The relationship with the Lord, by contrast, survives death. Moffatt (1938: 93) comments that this mandate “is a passionate, heroic reminder that the Christian life must never be identified with even the nearest and dearest of worldly experiences, however legitimate and appealing they may be.”^[2]

“Nothing in this physical world seen and experienced by our physical senses has any enduring character—including marriages, weepings, rejoicings, possessions, and business opportunities. The fabric of life is just that, a fabric, frayed and flimsy, and nothing eternal.”^[3]

Clearly the principle that Paul is alluding to is one he shared later with these Corinthians: “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18, ESV)

APPLICATION

How does one live this out in marriage?   What does it practically mean, therefore, to be married but to live as one isn’t?  How do we live out our marital commitments with an eternal perspective?   Here are some thoughts to consider:

a)      When we live life with eternity in view, little choices become very, very important.   The little words and the little deeds – all add up to eternal blessing.

b)      When we live life with eternity in view of someday standing before our Savior, we recognize that even the little unnoticed acts of Christian love and faithfulness will not go unnoticed.

c)       Living with eternity in mind will give us perseverance and joy that can help us in the most difficult situations.  Moses stayed faithful to God because “he was looking ahead to his reward” (Hebrews 11:26).” 

d)      Living with eternity in mind reminds us that your soul, the soul of your spouse (if you are married) and the soul of your children are far more important than any earthly pursuit.

e)      Living with eternity in mind tells us that "the sufferings of this life (albeit an unfulfilled passion to marry; albeit a unfulfilled marriage; albeit a great marriage in a wicked world; etc.) cannot be compared to the glory that is to be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18).

The best marriage in the world is only a spark compared to glory in knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8, ESV)

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^[1] Garland, D. E. (2003). 1 Corinthians (p. 331). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

^[2] Garland, D. E. (2003). 1 Corinthians (p. 329). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

^[3] Garland, D. E. (2003). 1 Corinthians (pp. 331–332). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Those Who Are Married Should Live Like They're Not! Part 3

The passage that I am expounding is 1 Corinthians 7:29–31 (ESV),

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, ³⁰ and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, ³¹ and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

This is the third installment in this series.  The first Blog identified the issue.  The second Blog was intended to paint a picture of the context.   So based upon the days we live in; and based upon the fact that we have an accurate assessment of those days and how they will end, Paul calls married couples (and singles, by the way) to live a certain way.  He starts with this bridge: "from now on."

. . . From now on . . .

With that precondition in place then Paul establishes a principle of living that one might argue did not previously exist, but certainly does now.  It is here he writes five problematic statements.

let those who have wives live as though they had none, ³⁰ and

those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and

those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and

those who buy as though they had no goods, ³¹ and

those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.

Aside from the obvious and seemingly contradictory recommendations regarding marriage in the opening stanza, it is important to consider all these five statements as a whole.  They are clearly unique and identifiable in structure. “The verses are replete with rhetorical devices. In the Greek of vv. 29b–30a, each clause begins and ends with the same word (the rhetorician’s symplectic—“having,” “mourning,” “rejoicing”). From v. 29b onward, each clause contains an antithesis (“having” and “not having,” “mourning” and “not mourning” etc.). There is a heaping up of the conjunction (“and … and … and,” etc.); use of paranomasis (deal and no dealings in v. 31 belong to the same word-stem, but are assigned separate meanings), and rhythm (e.g., dactylic tetrameter in vv. 29b and 30a). ^[1]

Fee is correct when he observes: “Taken literally, the five “as if not” clauses become absurdities, not to mention contradictory to what Paul clearly said earlier about marriage (vv. 2–6) and what he will elsewhere say about sorrowing and rejoicing (Rom. 12:15). But they are not to be taken literally; this is rhetoric, pure and simple.”^[2]  R.L. Pratt agrees.  He writes of Paul: “his poetry followed the patterns of parallelism found in Old Testament poetry. Because this material is poetic, it is not surprising to find that the apostle spoke in hyperbole.”^[3]

Observing the poetic message using two opposite ways of thinking we need to consider what Paul is teaching through this medium.  In my paraphrase it appears as if Paul is saying, now that you know that we are in the beginning of the end and we know that these days are difficult, married couples should now live differently.

      ·         We live in the world but not of the world.

      ·         We live attached to the world but detached.

      ·         We live in bondage to this fleshly existence, yet live free.

      ·         We live connected to temporal things, but not in bondage to them.

“Those who buy are to do so “as if not” in terms of possessing anything. The eschatological person “has nothing, yet possesses all things” (2 Cor. 6:10; cf. 1 Cor. 3:22).”^[4] The theology of the New Testament is that we live as residents of this earth, but citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).   We live as people who “. . . seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1, ESV).  Because of our union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, we “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2, ESV).    We live as God’s people: already, but not yet; or to put it in the order of Paul’s poetic impression: Those that are here on earth, live as if they aren’t.   Or as Fee states so well: “those who follow (as disciples of) the risen Christ are marked by eternity; therefore, they are not under the dominating power of the circumstances or conditions that dictate the existence of others.”^[5]

The Biblical mindset describes the dialectic between love for Christ and love for even spouses and family that it only can be described as “the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9, ESV).  This immeasurable distance between human affection and the call to “. . . love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’” (Mark 12:30, ESV), described by our Lord in love/hate language.

Jesus said, ““If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26, ESV).  One would surmise that Paul, following the hyperbolic example of his Master is saying a similar thing.  

Hypothetically, our devotion to Christ ought to be so intense and pure that our spouses question whether or not we indeed love them at all!   Practically speaking though this would never occur.  The truth is that if we indeed love Christ as we ought, our love for our spouses and family will increase and intensify in direct proportion.  “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31–33, ESV)

In the final Blog in this series, I want to try to apply this.

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^[1] Harrisville, R. A. (1987). I Corinthians (p. 123). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.

vv. verse (verses)

^[2] Fee, G. D. (2014). The First Epistle to the Corinthians. (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.) (Revised Edition., p. 375). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

^[3] Pratt, R. L., Jr. (2000). I & II Corinthians (Vol. 7, p. 121). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

cf. confer, compare

^[4] Fee, G. D. (2014). The First Epistle to the Corinthians. (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.) (Revised Edition., pp. 376–377). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

^[5] Fee, G. D. (2014). The First Epistle to the Corinthians. (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.) (Revised Edition., pp. 375–376). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Those Who Are Married Should Live Like They're Not! Part 2

Students of the Bible know that to understand a phrase like “…From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,” (1 Corinthians 7:29, ESV), you must understand it within the context that it is stated.   I introduced the situation previously in a Blog.  Today we need to look at the statements of Paul that precede the provocative one. 

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers: . . .

Paul has just stated that there is (or there will be) a “present crisis” (v26a) and he gives the judgment that it is “good” (v26b) for a person to remain single because those who marry “will face many troubles in this life” (v28b).  This obviously needs clarification.  

. . . the appointed time has grown very short . . .

The Greek text is “ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος” or literally “the season straightened” [is].  The biblical notion of “straightened” may be at play here.  For example we read: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6, ESV).  Faith in God clarifies the future.  Perhaps we can affirm that this idea is in Paul’s mind.   He may be saying, “The time ahead has been clarified.”

The ESV interprets the phrase in relation to the shortness of time.  Likewise so the NIV interprets the phrase in the same way (“… that the time is short”^[1]).  There is debate as to whether the issue is regarding the brevity of time, in a quantitative sense, or whether Paul’s concern is qualitative.   David Garland writes, “Paul is not concerned about the duration of time but the character of the time. He is talking not about how little time is left but about how Christ’s death and resurrection have changed how Christians should look at the time that is left.”^[2]  [Emphasis mine]  Although less clear, Gordon Fee agrees: “This does not so much mean that the final consummation is imminent (although in a sense that is always true for God’s people) as that the future, which was set in motion by the event of Christ and the Spirit, has been “shortened” so that it is now in plain view.”^[3] [Emphasis mine]

One of the characteristics of “these last days” is that although we do not know “the day or the hour” of Christ’s return, the prophetic insight into these days, has in a sense “shortened them”.   We do have a sense of their fulfillment.  Along with affirming a definite timeline, we are also given insight into the nature of these “days”.  For example Paul wrote, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15–16, ESV).  Also we are aware of the reality that:

“… in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5, ESV).

Therefore, when Paul is considering the times that the Corinthians are living in he can easily see that for couples entering into matrimony and child-rearing the cultural context is not appealing. Notice these phrases:

a.       "Because of the present crisis . . .;"^[4]

b.      "But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this;"^[5]

c.       "What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short;"^[6]

d.      " I would like you to be free from concern;"^[7] and

e.      " I am saying this for your own good."^[8]

So to clarify his position on the value of singleness, the Apostle points out the somewhat disturbing nature of the days to which the Church is and must go through.  It’s as if he says, “You know what your witnessing; you know what’s ahead; but you know how it ends.” 

With that in mind, married couples are to live a certain way – live as if they are not married.  We'll continue to dig further in the next installment.

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^[1] The New International Version. (2011). (1 Co 7:29). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

^[2] Garland, D. E. (2003). 1 Corinthians (pp. 328–329). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

^[3] Fee, G. D. (2014). The First Epistle to the Corinthians. (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.) (Revised Edition., p. 374). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

^[4] The New International Version. (2011). (1 Co 7:26). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

^[5] The New International Version. (2011). (1 Co 7:28). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

^[6] The New International Version. (2011). (1 Co 7:29). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

^[7] The New International Version. (2011). (1 Co 7:32). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

^[8] The New International Version. (2011). (1 Co 7:35). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Those Who Are Married Should Live Like They're Not! Part 1

In 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Paul writes that married couples should live as if they are not married.  The following work includes the study and conclusions that I have come to regarding this stunning instruction by the Apostle.  For now let me bring you up to speed:

It is readily obvious that Paul is replying to a letter, written to him from the Corinthian Church (“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman”” (1 Corinthians 7:1, ESV).  Singleness and celibacy are exalted as godliness; therefore these Christians are asking important questions:

• Is sexual intimacy sinful? Paul replies, “… each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:2b, ESV)
• Is marriage wrong and should I divorce my spouse? “To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:10–11, ESV)
• Is a marriage to an unbeliever wrong?  Should the believer divorce? “To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.” (1 Corinthians 7:12, ESV)
• If one is single, should they marry?  “If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.” (1 Corinthians 7:36, ESV) 

Paul affirms the sanctity of marriage, the permanence of marriage and the value of singleness.  Nowhere does Paul communicate any denigration of marriage.  Indeed the unifying biblical principle is “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Hebrews 13:4, ESV)

Paul does, however, communicate the advantages of singleness; not by command, but through caring advice. “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:35, ESV).  Paul’s bottom line is that marriage is good and singleness is good.  It all depends upon your “gift”. “Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.” (1 Corinthians 7:6–7, ESV)

So within the context of his discussion regarding the unmarried (7:25-40) Paul clarifies his position which leans towards the advice to remain single by stating the following:

²⁹ This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, ³⁰ and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, ³¹ and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

The problem is this: What does Paul mean when he writes that as of now, those who have wives should live as if they didn’t?    Has Paul forgotten all that he has stated elsewhere?  Is he suggesting that celibacy is more appropriate?  Is he proposing married-singles?  One could hardly think so.

Stick with me and in the next blog we will start unpacking this treasure.

The Glory of Christ Our High Priest

Exodus 39:14 (NIV)

¹⁴ There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

"The priests’ garments were rich and splendid. The church in its infancy was thus taught by shadows of good things to come; but the substance is Christ, and the grace of the gospel. Christ is our great High Priest. When he undertook the work of our redemption, he put on the clothes of service, he arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, girded himself with resolution to go through the undertaking, took charge of all God’s spiritual Israel, laid them near his heart, engraved them on the palms of his hands, and presented them to his Father. And he crowned himself with holiness to the Lord, consecrating his whole undertaking to the honour of his Father’s holiness. True believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints, Re 19:8." ^[1]

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^[1] Henry, M., & Scott, T. (1997). Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Ex 39:1). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems.

My Spouse Doesn’t Enjoy Sex - Article by Tony Reinke

“Sex can be quite fun. So why do married couples have so little of it?”

That was a question asked recently in a New York Times Op-Ed by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, a former quantitative analyst at Google.

Based on the results of his recent study of online search trends, Stephens-Davidowitz disclosed, “On Google, the top complaint about a marriage is not having sex.” And the top search is as likely to come from a wife as from a husband.

“Searches for ‘sexless marriage’ are three and a half times more common than ‘unhappy marriage’ and eight times more common than ‘loveless marriage,’” he added. “There are sixteen times more complaints about a spouse not wanting sex than about a married partner not being willing to talk.”

For more, click HERE.

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Tony Reinke is a staff writer for Desiring God and the author of three books: Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books (2011), Newton on the Christian Life: To Live Is Christ (2015), and The Joy Project: A True Story of Inescapable Happiness (2015). He hosts the popular Ask Pastor John podcast, and lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and their three children. He also blogs a ttonyreinke.com.

I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FAITH TO BE AN ARMINIAN.

(Disclaimer J  The long sentences reflecting poor grammar are intentional)

I haven’t read the book, but the title intrigues me.  Norman Geisler and Frank Turek have co-authored a book entitled, “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.”  I was musing about things while driving from Point A to Point B, recently and thought, ‘I don’t have enough faith to be an Arminian.”  Now there is a whole technical, historical definition to that label, Arminian.  In the circles where I roll, though, to be an 'Arminian' is applied to people who believe some or all of the following:

• God chose a people to be saved because in His omniscience He realized that they chose Him;
• That free, free  will is the irrevocable, divine right of humanity;
• That God died for every single human being and they must freely, based on their free will, accept His salvation as it is offered to them in their state of ungodliness;
• That God passionately entreats all to be saved and you have the choice, with the ability to accept or refuse that invitation; and
• That God’s promises give assurance to all who come to Him, but there can always be the chance that at some time ‘the once-believer’ chooses to be a ‘now-unbeliever’.

That’s the basic belief of the average Christian in the average evangelical church.  You may not agree with all those tenets, but in essence that’s how the cookie crumbles. I don’t intend to be uncomplimentary, but if one is objective and really examines this belief structure, we see that the defining characteristic of the average Christian belief structure is that we humans are in the driver’s seat.  In fact great angst is caused if you try to switch seats.  So now here’s the problem that I have:

I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FAITH TO BE AN ARMINIAN.

Let me explain.  Firstly, I do not have enough faith to believe that the masses of humanity[i], dead in trespass and sin[ii], living disobedient to God, serving the desires of their flesh[iii], in bondage to Satan[iv], unable to obey[v] and not ever seeking God in the first place[vi], lying desiccated and dead in the valley of dry bones[vii] have enough fortitude to see, hear and obey the Gospel, apart from a prerequisite work of Divine resuscitation[viii].

Secondly, I do not have enough faith to believe that the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, took on human flesh having lived an absolutely unblemished life[ix], was crucified at the hands of wicked men according to the predetermined will of the inestimable God-Head[x], spilled his infinitely precious, omnipotent blood on Calvary’s Cross[xi], completely satisfying the demands of Divine justice for every single human being, once-and-for-all paying the eternal sacrifice for their sin[xii] – and for countless millions this sacrifice is absolutely futile, thus Christ died for the sins of many who will replicate that suffering in eternal torment.   I don’t have enough faith to believe that.

Thirdly, I do not have enough faith to believe that this great salvation received by faith in Christ[xiii] and His unbelievable work on behalf of men and women, ungodly and weak[xiv], that they are, rests upon the fickle, always sin-impacted, imperfect volition of sinners saved by grace[xv]. I do not have enough faith to believe that the saving merits and work of Christ[xvi] bring them most of the way and then hope that they can muster the spiritual energy and commitment to achieve eternal life.

Fourthly, I do not have enough faith to believe that I will, on my own, wake up every morning trusting fervently in the matchless grace of a wonderful, merciful Savior.

I do not have enough faith to be an Arminian.   I DO HAVE ENOUGH FAITH to believe that salvation is by the sovereign, electing grace of God;[xvii]  that by the appointment of the Father[xviii], Christ voluntarily suffered a vicarious,[xix]  expiatory and propitiatory death[xx]; that justification is by faith alone[xxi] in the all sufficient sacrifice and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ[xxii] and that those whom God has effectually called[xxiii] shall be divinely preserved[xxiv] and finally perfected in the image of the Lord[xxv].

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[i] “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23, NIV)

[ii] “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,” (Ephesians 2:1, NIV)

[iii] “in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.” (Ephesians 2:2–3, NIV)

[iv] “and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:26, NIV)

[v] “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (Romans 8:7, NIV)

[vi] “there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.” (Romans 3:11, NIV)

[vii] “Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” (Ezekiel 37:4–5, NIV)

[viii] “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4–5, NIV)

[ix] “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15, NIV)

[x] “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:23, NIV)

[xi] “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18–19, NIV)

[xii] “Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.” (Hebrews 7:27–28, NIV)

[xiii] “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,” (Romans 3:22, NIV)

[xiv] “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6, NIV)

[xv] “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.” (Romans 7:15–16, NIV)

[xvi] “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6, NIV)

[xvii]“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love” (Ephesians 1:4, NIV); also Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Acts 13:48; John 10:26-30)

[xviii] “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 2:23–24, NIV)

[xix] ““I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”” (John 10:14–18, NIV)

[xx]“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—” (Romans 3:25, NIV);  (also Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2)

[xxi] “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1, NIV)

[xxii] “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9–10, NIV)

[xxiii] “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” (John 6:37, NIV)

[xxiv] “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28, NIV)

[xxv] “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:29–39, NIV)