Is God Real? The Bible Affirms the Standard Cosmological Model

By J.W. Wallace 11/29/2018

     The vast majority of scientists affirm the Standard Cosmological Model as an accurate and reliable description of the universe’s origin. After examining the evidence, cosmologists and physicists have largely embraced the fact our universe began to exist at a point in the distant past. The Second Law of Thermodynamics, the expansion of the universe, the presence of the Radiation Echo, and the problem of Infinite Regress serve as sufficient evidence supporting the Standard Model (there are also a number of supplementary evidences affirming this conclusion). In addition, the alternative explanations offered by cosmologists fail to account for the evidence we see in the universe. As a result, “…a clear majority of the cosmological community… accept it (the Standard Model) as a good account of how the universe works.” Is God real? The cosmological evidence certainly supports this reasonable inference.

     The authors of the Bible also affirm the Standard Cosmological Model. The Bible is replete with descriptions of a Universe that came into being from nothing at a fixed point in the distant past as the result of an uncaused, first cause. The nature and characteristics of this material universe are accurately described by the Biblical authors:

     The Universe Has a First, Uncaused Cause | Cosmologists and scientists, regardless of worldview, are searching for the first, uncaused cause of the universe. Alexander Valenkin, for example, describes this uncaused cause as an infinitely old primordial vacuum. Others have offered similarly eternal uncaused, first causes. The authors of the Bible also describe an uncaused, first cause of the universe:

Col 1:16–17 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.   ESV

2 Ti 1:9 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,   ESV

     The Universe Was Created from Nothing | The Standard Cosmological Model describes a universe that came into existence from nothing. All space, time and matter began with its creation. The Bible affirms this notion. The Hebrew word “bara’” is used seven times by a variety of authors describing God’s creation of the universe. It is typically translated as “create” and means “to bring into existence something new, something that did not exist before.” Unlike other ancient creation stories, the God of the Bible creates everything in the universe from nothing: (This is only half of the article)

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James "Jim" Warner Wallace (born June 16, 1961) is an American homicide detective and Christian apologist. Wallace is a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview and an Adjunct Professor of Apologetics at Biola University in La Mirada, California. He has authored several books, including Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and Forensic Faith, in which he applies principles of cold case homicide investigation to apologetic concerns such as the existence of God and the reliability of the Gospels.

• Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels

• God's Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe

• Alive: A Cold-Case Approach to the Resurrection

• Cold-Case Christianity for Kids: Investigate Jesus with a Real Detective

• Keeping Your Kids on God's Side: 40 Conversations to Help Them Build a Lasting Faith

• Forensic Faith: A Homicide Detective Makes the Case for a More Reasonable, Evidential Christian Faith

The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Translated by Henry Beveridge

     CHAPTER 13.

     THE UNITY OF THE DIVINE ESSENCE IN THREE PERSONS TAUGHT, IN SCRIPTURE, FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

     This chapter consists of two parts. The former delivers the orthodox doctrine concerning the Holy Trinity. This occupies from sec. 1-21, and may be divided into four heads; the first, treating of the meaning of Person, including both the term and the thing meant by it, sec. 2-6; the second, proving the deity of the Son, sec. 7-13; the third, the deity of the Holy Spirit, sec. 14 and 15; and the fourth, explaining what is to be held concerning the Holy Trinity. The second part of the chapter refutes certain heresies which have arisen, particularly in our age, in opposition to this orthodox doctrine. This occupies from sec. 21 to the end.

     Sections.

     1. Scripture, in teaching that the essence of God is immense and spiritual, refutes not only idolaters and the foolish wisdom of the world, but also the Manichees and Anthropomorphites. These latter briefly refuted.

     2. In this one essence are three persons, yet so that neither is there a triple God, nor is the simple essence of God divided. Meaning of the word Person in this discussion. Three hypostases in God, or the essence of God.

     3. Objection of those who, in this discussion, reject the use of the word Person. Answer 1. That it is not a foreign term, but is employed for the explanation of sacred mysteries.

     4. Answer continued, 2. The orthodox compelled to use the terms, Trinity, Subsistence, and Person. Examples from the case of the Arians and Sabellians.

     5. Answer continued, 3. The ancient Church, though differing somewhat in the explanation of these terms, agree in substance. Proofs from Hilary, Jerome, Augustine, in their use of the words Essence, Substance, Hypostasis. 4. Provided the orthodox meaning is retained, there should be no dispute about mere terms. But those who object to the terms usually favour the Arian and Sabellian heresy.

     6. After the definition of the term follows a definition and explanation of the thing meant by it. The distinction of Persons.

     7. Proofs of the eternal Deity of the Son. The Son the lo'gos of the Eternal Father, and, therefore, the Son Eternal God. Objection. Reply.

     8. Objection, that the Lo'gos began to be when the creating God spoke. Answer confirmed by Scripture and argument.

     9. The Son called God and Jehovah. Other names of the Eternal Father applied to him in the Old Testament. He is, therefore, the Eternal God. Another objection refuted. Case of the Jews explained.

     10. The angel who appeared to the fathers under the Law asserts that he is Jehovah. That angel was the Lo'gos of the Eternal Father. The Son being that Lo'gos is Eternal God. Impiety of Servetus refuted. Why the Son appeared in the form of an angel.

     11. Passages from the New Testament in which the Son is acknowledged to be the Lord of Hosts, the Judge of the world, the God of glory, the Creator of the world, the Lord of angels, the King of the Church, the eternal Lo'gos, God blessed for ever, God manifest in the flesh, the equal of God, the true God and eternal life, the Lord and God of all believers. Therefore, the Eternal God.

     12. Christ the Creator, Preserver, Redeemer, and Searcher of hearts. Therefore, the Eternal God.

     13. Christ, by his own inherent power, wrought miracles, and bestowed the power of working them on others. Out of the Eternal God there is no salvation, no righteousness, no life. All these are in Christ. Christ, consequently, is the Eternal God. He in whom we believe and hope, to whom we pray, whom the Church acknowledges as the Saviour of the faithful, whom to know is life eternal, in whom the pious glory, and through whom eternal blessings are communicated, is the Eternal God. All these Christ is, and, therefore, he is God.

     14. The Divinity of the Spirit proved. I. He is the Creator and Preserver of the world. II. He sent the Prophets. III. He quickeneth all things. IV. He is everywhere present. V. He renews the saints, and fits them for eternal life. VI. All the offices of Deity belong to him.

     15. The Divinity of the Spirit continued. VII. He is called God. VIII. Blasphemy against him is not forgiven.

     16. What view to be taken of the Trinity. The form of Christian baptism proves that there are in one essence. The Arian and Macedonian heresies.

     17. Of the distinction of Persons. They are distinct, but not divided. This proved.

     18. Analogies taken from human affairs to be cautiously used. Due regard to be paid to those mentioned by Scripture.

     19. How the Three Persons not only do not destroy, but constitute the most perfect unity

     20. Conclusion of this part of the chapter, and summary of the true doctrine concerning the unity of Essence and the Three Persons.

     21. Refutation of Arian, Macedonian, and Anti Trinitarian heresies. Caution to be observed.

     22. The more modern Anti Trinitarians, and especially Servetus, refuted.

     23. Other Anti Trinitarians refuted. No good objection that Christ is called the Son of God, since he is also called God. Impious absurdities of some heretics.

     24. The name of God sometimes given to the Son absolutely as to the Father. Same as to other attributes. Objections refuted.

     25. Objections further refuted. Caution to be used.

     26. Previous refutations further explained.

     27. Reply to certain passages produced from Irenaeus. The meaning of Irenaeus.

     28. Reply to certain passages produced from Tertullian. The meaning of Tertullian.

     29. Anti Trinitarians refuted by ancient Christian writers; e.g., Justin, Hilary. Objections drawn from writings improperly attributed to Ignatius. Conclusion of the whole discussion concerning the Trinity.

     1. The doctrine of Scripture concerning the immensity and the spirituality of the essence of God, should have the effect not only of dissipating the wild dreams of the vulgar, but also of refuting the subtleties of a profane philosophy. One of the ancients thought he spake shrewdly when he said that everything we see and everything we do not see is God (Senec. Praef. lib. 1 Quaest. Nat.) In this way he fancied that the Divinity was transfused into every separate portion of the world. But although God, in order to keep us within the bounds of soberness, treats sparingly of his essence, still, by the two attributes which I have mentioned, he at once suppresses all gross imaginations, and checks the audacity of the human mind. His immensity surely ought to deter us from measuring him by our sense, while his spiritual nature forbids us to indulge in carnal or earthly speculation concerning him. With the same view he frequently represents heaven as his dwelling-place. It is true, indeed, that as he is incomprehensible, he fills the earth also, but knowing that our minds are heavy and grovel on the earth, he raises us above the worlds that he may shake off our sluggishness and inactivity. And here we have a refutation of the error of the Manichees, who, by adopting two first principles, made the devil almost the equal of God. This, assuredly, was both to destroy his unity and restrict his immensity. Their attempt to pervert certain passages of Scripture proved their shameful ignorance, as the very nature of the error did their monstrous infatuation. The Anthropomorphites also, who dreamed of a corporeal God, because mouth, ears, eyes, hands, and feet, are often ascribed to him in Scripture, are easily refuted. For who is so devoid of intellect as not to understand that God, in so speaking, lisps with us as nurses are wont to do with little children? Such modes of expression, therefore, do not so much express what kind of a being God is, as accommodate the knowledge of him to our feebleness. In doing so, he must, of course, stoop far below his proper height.

     Christian Classics Ethereal Library / Public Domain

     Institutes of the Christian Religion

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

By Gerard Moultrie 1864

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly-minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav’nly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the pow’rs of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six-winged seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia, Alleluia,
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”

What about the ‘Lost’ Books of the Bible?

By Michael J. Kruger 3/25/2019

     In modern studies of the NT canon, there is a lot of discussion (maybe even obsession!) with so-called ‘lost’ books of the Bible. So, we have recent book titles like Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament, Forgotten Scriptures: The Selection and Rejection of Early Religious Writings, and The Lost Bible: Forgotten Scriptures Revealed.

     In fact, scholar Philip Jenkins even wrote a whole book documenting (and critiquing) the academic community’s fascination with this theme: Hidden Gospels: How the Search for Jesus Lost Its Way.

     So what do we with these other books of the New Testament? A few quick thoughts.

     First, most of these books weren’t really ‘lost.’ The early church fathers were very much aware of these other books. Indeed, they knew them well enough to recognize they were not authentic apostolic writings.

     So, no one hid or suppressed these books. On the contrary, early Christians were quite open about the problems with these books and overtly stated why they should be rejected as part of the biblical canon.

     Second, most of these ‘lost’ books weren’t really that popular. Unfortunately, many modern studies of canon give the impression that early Christians read these lost books in droves. It was only when later church authorities decided to clamp down, we are told, that the popularity of these books waned.

     But the historical evidence says otherwise. Yes, church fathers occasionally used apocryphal gospels. However, when we consider the frequency of citation of apocryphal gospels vs. the canonical ones, it’s not even close.

     As John Barton observes, “Citations of apocryphal gospels and of other books that were later excluded from the canon do not begin to compete with the frequency of citation of the basic core” (The Spirit and the Letter: Studies in the Biblical Canon.

     Clement of Alexandria is a good example of Barton’s point. Clement cites apocryphal gospels 16 times. That may seem like a lot until you compare it with how often he cites the canonical gospels: Matthew 757 times, Luke 402 times, John 331 times, and Mark 182 times.

     And this leads to a third point. Christians didn’t have to wait till some fourth century church council to tell them what books they should read. From what we can see, there was a “core” of NT books (about 22 out of 27) functioning as Scripture from the early to middle second century.

     Sure, there were some discussions about a few smaller books, but, for the most part, the canon was largely in place as early as the middle of the second century.

     This means that apocryphal books were not “kicked out” of the canon by later Christians. Instead, most were never really “in” to begin with.

What Judges Teaches the Church

By W. Robert Godfrey 6/01/2016

     It seems incredible that it could happen. Only a generation after Joshua, Israel no longer knew the Lord. How is such a development possible?

     This is a very important question, not just for the ancient Israelites, but for us. Churches, too, have seen sudden decline from one generation to another. How can we understand and prevent this kind of calamity?

     The book of Judges provides a very clear answer to our questions. Its answer does not say everything that might be said in general, but it does say specific, crucial things that we must ponder to understand both Israel’s situation and our vulnerability.

     To begin with, Judges shows us that Israel descended into calamity when it moved away from living by faith in the Word of God to living by sight in the wisdom and values of the world. As we see in Judges 2–3, Israel rapidly descended into gross sin and disobedience, serving the statues and altars of the Baals and intermarrying with those who did not worship the Lord. Idolatry and intermarriage are the great sins against which Joshua warned Israel again and again (Josh. 23:6–13). And with good reason, for these two great sins are interconnected. The one leads to and reinforces the other.

     This descent into idolatry and intermarriage did not just happen, however. These gross sins were the end results of various compromises that Israel had made earlier. Israel had served the Lord faithfully in the opening of the book of Judges, but that begins to change at Judges 1:19, where we read, “And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron.” It does not appear that the Israelites actually fought against the chariots of iron and were defeated; rather, it seems that they saw the chariots of iron and decided not to fight. That decision seems very reasonable and proper—to a people living by sight. Chariots of iron were the most powerful military weapon of that time.

     Israel, however, was called to live by faith in the Word of God. The Word of God had come to her through Joshua, who said, “For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong” (Josh. 17:18). Later in the book of Judges, we are shown how God kept His promise because Deborah and Barak were able to defeat Jabin, a king of the Canaanites, even though he had nine hundred chariots of iron (Judg. 4:3). The Word of God reminds God’s people that God’s “delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love” (Ps. 147:10–11).

     We can see what went wrong — living by sight and not by faith — but that does not show us why things went wrong. For that, we must turn again to the words of Joshua:

     But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” (Josh. 24:19–20)

     Now wait a moment, you may be saying. If Israel was not able, how were they accountable? In what sense were they not able? What did Joshua mean when he said those words? He did not mean that the people were individually unregenerate and so were unable. He did not mean that they would not be perfect in keeping the law and so would be unable. He seems to have said that they would be leaderless—having neither Moses, nor Joshua, nor the elders who knew them—and so would not be led and guarded in faithfulness to the Word of God.

     Joshua was recognizing that God would not give them another Moses or Joshua. He would give them judges who would be for them saviors (Judg. 2:16). But these judges would be only regional and temporary leaders. The lesson that God was teaching Israel — and us—in a variety of ways in the book of Judges is that the people needed a good and faithful king. Israel’s problem was clear: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:6).

     Israel had to learn its need for a king and in turn to yearn for a king—not a king like the nations as they would have in Saul, but a man after God’s own heart, namely, David. Yet even David could not protect and lead God’s people ultimately. He sinned, his house was divided, and he died. Who, then, is the leader — perfect, faithful, and undying — for God’s people? Obviously, only Jesus is such a king.

     What is the antidote, then, for the church and its problems? What will preserve a saving knowledge of God from generation to generation? It is following King Jesus according to His Word. Where the church fails to do so, it will find itself, like Israel, unable to live by faith rather than sight. But where the church turns to Jesus and follows ministers who faithfully preach His Word, it will live before Him. The book of Judges is a mirror held up to the church that forces us to ask ourselves, “Is Jesus our king and do we live by faith in His Word?” If the answer is yes, the church from generation to generation will know the Lord.

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Our Hope amid Suffering

By Mez McConnell 6/01/2016

     I have buried too many children in my ministry. I have watched helpless parents weep in torment. I have seen hopelessness face-to-face. I have seen cancer leave its calling card on ravaged bodies. I have seen dementia claim the lives of tortured souls. I have felt the destructive force of mental and physical abuse. I have seen and experienced suffering. It is a pitiless force of nature, sweeping aside all in its inexorable path. We can’t escape its grasp. We can never run fast enough. We can never shut our eyes tight enough. We know, if we live long enough, that one day it will come knock at our door.

     Thankfully, the Bible is no stranger to these things. The Apostle Peter wrote a letter of encouragement thirty years after Christ’s death to the beleaguered Christians of Asia Minor. They were being abused by overbearing bosses (2:18), threatened by unbelieving spouses (3:1, 6), and ridiculed by skeptical neighbors and associates (4:14). On the horizon loomed the possibility of a much more violent form of persecution—a fiery ordeal (4:12–18). They were suffering, and they would suffer yet more. What were they to do?

     Peter’s response in 1 Peter 1:3 sounds glib to the modern ear. “Bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” How helpful is that to Jane battling cancer? Or what about John whose father was killed in an accident at work? Why should they, and we, be blessing God? What have we got to bless God for?

     According to Peter, we ought to bless God because of His great mercy to us in rescuing us through Jesus. He has given us new birth. We may not feel it, but our salvation is an act of God’s great mercy. We deserve death, yet He gives us life. We deserve punishment, yet He has achieved a great reward for us. We should bless God that our souls are safe in His hands. That is something that far outweighs all of our slight and momentary troubles. We have a God who has rescued us, even when we don’t feel rescued.

     But there’s more. Peter writes,

1 Pe 1:13 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.   ESV

     Some people fill in their lottery tickets, lie back on their sofa, and hope their numbers will finally come in. But such a hope is uncertain, and it is temporary even if it comes to pass. Our hope is so certain that it actually lives. Our joy and certain hope for the future are tied up in the fact that He rose again (1:20–21). Don’t forget, Peter was a guy whose whole life was crushed when Jesus was killed. All of Peter’s greatest hopes died with Jesus. But then he heard the news of the resurrection and went running to the tomb to see for himself. Despite Peter’s denial of Christ, our Lord came to Peter in the upper room and once again his hope rose with Him. Like Peter, we have a living hope that is:

     Eternal
     Can never be defiled
     Will never fade
     Kept in heaven for us

     Compare that to our earthly experiences. We live for an age and then we die. Not so our inheritance from God. It never decays. It is completely indestructible. That’s why the Lord encourages us in Matthew 6:19–20:

     Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

     Several years ago, a Scotsman won about six million British pounds from the lottery. Within ten years, it was gone, squandered on bad deals. As a result, he was left penniless. Our inheritance, on the other hand, can never be used up. It is an inexhaustible, eternal treasure trove. How so? Because what has been secured for us is stored in the safest and most secure place imaginable. It is impregnable. Even though we will only fully receive it on the last day, it is ready for us even now. It is finished, perfect, and unchangeable. And it is reserved for each of us who have been chosen according to His great foreknowledge and love.

     Whatever else we lose in this life, we cannot lose our salvation. It is cancer proof. It is abuse proof. It is even death proof. These are the truths we run to when life kicks us in the teeth. When a relationship is shattered, when the dreams of what we wanted to be in life have been eaten away and eroded by the sands of time; when our health fails, when we feel like nobody cares anymore, when all seems lost — the Christian still has reasons to hope. We hang fast to Jesus. Keep our eyes fixed on Him. We have a wonderful Savior. He will never let us down. He’s done all the hard work and one day we will cash in — even if for a little while we have troubles.

1 Pe 5:9–11 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.   ESV

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     Mez McConnell is senior pastor of Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, Scotland; founder of 20schemes; and author of Is Anybody Out There?

Citizens of Heaven

By Keith Mathison 6/01/2016

     You may have heard that there is an old Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting times.” While likely apocryphal, this “curse” does say something about human nature and desires. The kinds of things that make front-page news, the kinds of things that are “interesting,” are often quite unpleasant or downright horrible. Wars are “interesting.” Natural disasters are “interesting.” Ebola outbreaks are “interesting.” ISIS is “interesting.” Given the nature of that which is interesting, I think it is safe to say that most of us would prefer to live in boring times.

     The 2016 U.S. presidential election season has certainly been “interesting” as well. The anger of many American citizens has propelled nontraditional candidates to the forefront of the debates and discussions in both major parties. All of this is forcing Christians in America, once again, to think through some important questions. And these questions are relevant not only to Christians in America, but also to Christians in every nation. How are we as followers of the King of kings to relate to the kingdoms of this world? How do we respond if the nation in which we live is or becomes tyrannical and oppressive toward Christians?

     In order to answer such questions, one of the first things we must do is have a realistic grasp of our actual situation. We must understand, for example, that Christians in 2016 are not the first to live in “interesting times.” The invasion of Rome by barbarians was interesting. The Black Plague was interesting. World War I and World War II were interesting. Every generation has lived in “interesting times.”

     Furthermore, the people of God both before and after the incarnation have repeatedly suffered under tyrannical and oppressive governments. If we are at all familiar with Scripture, this should never come as a surprise. Jesus clearly informed His followers: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18–19). When the people of God faithfully follow Him, walking in holiness, the enemies of God will hate them.

     In the Old Testament, the people of God suffered in Egypt under Pharaoh. This should not have been a surprise because God had told Abraham that this was exactly what would happen: “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be a afflicted for four hundred years” (Gen. 15:13).

     Note the word “sojourners.” Several times throughout the Torah, Moses commands Israel to treat strangers justly because they too were once “sojourners” in the land of Egypt (Ex. 22:21; Lev. 19:34; Deut. 10:19). The same word is also used to describe Israel in her own land (Lev. 25:23; 1 Chron. 29:10–15). Even for Israel, that piece of land on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean was never her ultimate home. The faithful were always looking for a better country, a heavenly country (cf. Heb. 11:13–16).

     Faithful Israelites also suffered in the Babylonian exile. As a result of gross apostasy and idolatry, the ultimate covenant curse fell upon Israel (cf. Lev. 26:33; Deut. 28:64). We can learn much from faithful Israelites such as Daniel, who lived under the rule of the Babylonians. He and other God-fearing Jews submitted to the rulers with respect, and obeyed them as long as what was commanded of them did not require them to sin (Dan. 3; 6).

     When we turn to the New Testament, we see the same basic principles applied to the situation of Christians. Jesus and the first-century Christians lived under an idolatrous and oppressive Roman government. Its laws did not correspond fully with God’s laws. Worship of the emperor was expected. Corrupt and wicked men were found at every level of leadership. Because of this, many Jews at the time called for armed rebellion against Rome, but every attempt at insurrection led to brutal repression and massacres.

     What about Jesus? How did He instruct His followers in regard to their relationship to the Roman civil magistrates? Did he call for insurrection? For tax revolt? No, when the Pharisees and Herodians attempted to trap Him, asking, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” He confounded them by saying, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:15–23). Paul instructs believers in exactly the same way, saying, “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Rom. 13:7).

     Paul and the other New Testament authors provide us with several basic principles that help us answer that question and that help us understand our relationship as believers to earthly civil magistrates. First, we are clearly told who we are. As believers in Christ, we are citizens of heaven. As Paul puts it: “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Peter uses the language we encountered in the Old Testament and calls us “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:13). Jesus Christ is our King. We are, first and foremost, citizens of His kingdom. Our relationship to the lands in which we were born, then, is somewhat comparable to that of an ambassador who lives in a foreign land. We may have a love for the land in which we temporarily reside, but there is always a homesickness. We long to see our true King.

     Second, Scripture clearly tells us who the earthly civil magistrates are. According to Paul, they are God’s servants (Rom. 13:4). They are “ministers of God” (v. 6). Their authority has been given to them by our sovereign God, so we must understand that they have been “instituted by God” (v. 1). From the most benevolent kings to the most wicked emperors, from the wisest of senators to the most foolish of presidents, all of them have been placed in their positions of authority by our sovereign God.

     This means, third, that as Christians we are to submit to these earthly authorities. Paul writes, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1, cf. v. 5). We are to “be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution” (1 Peter 2:13). Furthermore, because we know that God has placed us under these authorities, we are to be subject to them, not in a begrudging way, but in a way that demonstrates respect (Rom. 13:7; 1 Peter 2:18). Peter told the Christians to whom he wrote, for example, to “Honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17).

     Fourth, Christians are repeatedly instructed to do what is good (Rom. 13:3; 1 Peter 2:15; 3:8–17). Peter writes, “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable” (1 Peter 2:12). Of course, doing good means that if the civil magistrate commands us to sin, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:27–32).

     What does all of this mean for Christians today? Recognizing who we are and where our true citizenship rests should help us view the various nations in which we now live from a truly biblical perspective. Resting in the sovereignty of God means that we do not allow ourselves to be swayed by the politics of anxiety and fear. We do not give in to hysteria because we know our Lord reigns even when the nations rage (Ps. 2). Because our citizenship is in heaven, our hopes do not ride on earthly election results. We do not hope in candidates with “Messiah complexes.” We already have a Messiah. We work for truth, and we vote for candidates who we believe will make an effort to support truth, but our world does not end if the candidates for whom we vote do not win the day. Our Father in heaven is sovereign and wise and is in control. Our ultimate hope is not in any election. Our hope is in our Father in heaven.

     Furthermore, understanding the biblical teaching means that we do not let an appropriate love of our homeland (patriotism) devolve into idolatry. We do not say, “My country right or wrong,” because sin is sin no matter who commits it. However, we also do not let disappointment with the faults and follies of our nation lead us to despair or cynicism. We do not drop out and cease to speak the truth when a Supreme Court ruling does not go our way. But we also do not call evil good or good evil in order to win the love of the world. Our goal must not be to get the world to love us but to proclaim the gospel in order that God might call more of His enemies out of the darkness of the world (Rom. 5:8–10).

     Knowing that earthly authorities are ministers of God also means that Christians do not engage in disrespectful mockery and dishonoring of those whom God has placed in positions of authority. Our sovereign God placed George W. Bush over the United States for eight years, and He more recently placed Barack Obama over the United States. In both cases, He did so for His own good and wise reasons.

     Ultimately, if we understand what Scripture teaches on these subjects, we know that our God is sovereign, and we trust Him fully. We are to live, therefore, with a hope that rests in our sovereign King Jesus. To Him be all glory and honor.

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Per Amazon, Keith A. Mathison (MA, Reformed Theological Seminary; PhD, Whitefield Theological Seminary) is dean of the Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and an associate editor of Tabletalk magazine at Ligonier Ministries. He is editor of When Shall These Things Be: A Reformed Response to Hyper-Preterism and associate editor of The Reformation Study Bible. He lives in Lake Mary, Florida, with his wife and children.

• 1     Postmillennialism: An Eschatology of Hope
• 2     The Shape of Sola Scriptura
• 3     Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper
• 4     From Age to Age: The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology
• 5     Dispensationalism: Rightly Dividing the People of God?
• 6     A Reformed Approach to Science and Scripture
• 7     Not a Chance: God, Science, and the Revolt against Reason
• 8     When Shall These Things Be?: A Reformed Response to Hyper-Preterism

God is the God of all comfort?? (2 Corinthians 1:3)

     “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (ESV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

     The idea of “comfort” implies at least two parties: one who gives the comfort and one who receives it. It also implies a need—one that Scripture speaks of exclusively for humans. Animals have no capacity to receive spiritual comfort. The holy angels have no need for comfort. Satan and his demons are eternally beyond it (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:9, 12; 20:10). Only humans—higher than the animals, lower than the angels, and composed of body, soul, and spirit — were created with the capacity to receive and give comfort, and we live in a world where we need it.

Matthew 25:41 (ESV) 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 12:9 (ESV) 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 12:12 (ESV) 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Revelation 20:10 (ESV) 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

     Bound in time like animals, yet with a sense of our own eternity like angels (Ecclesiastes 3:11), we humans suffer distress in a unique “three-dimensional” way — past, present and future. We remember previous distresses and are filled with grief or regrets (Genesis 37:35; Matthew 26:75). We face each day’s troubles and worry (Matthew 6:25–32). We reflect on these things and dread what may come next (verse 34). And beyond these worldly matters is that most distressing sensation of all, the guilt for having deeply, inexcusably offended our good and righteous Creator and Judge (James 2:10–11; Revelation 6:16).

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV) 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Genesis 37:35 (ESV) 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

Matthew 26:75 (ESV) 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Matthew 6:25–32 (ESV) 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

James 2:10–11 (ESV) 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

Revelation 6:16 (ESV) 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,

     Believers in Christ have a comfort from God that includes a true freedom from guilt. For Christians, our righteous Judge is also our loving Savior (John 3:16–17) —a sharp contrast with the terrifying assortment of distant, cruel, or unappeasable deities of the ancient world into which Paul brought the good news of free, complete and irrevocable forgiveness, reconciliation, and adoption (Romans 3:23–25; 2 Corinthians 5:11–21; 1 John 3:1–2).

John 3:16–17 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Romans 3:23–25 (ESV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

2 Corinthians 5:11–21 (ESV) 11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 John 3:1–2 (ESV) See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

     In 2 Corinthians 1:3, God is called the “Father of compassion” and the “God of all comfort.” In His mercy and love, God is eager to provide comfort to His children in any and all circumstances. Whatever the trial we face, our Heavenly Father knows the situation and offers comfort as needed. The fact that He is the God of all comfort teaches that all comfort ultimately comes from Him. He is our source of peace and happiness and blessing.

2 Corinthians 1:3 (ESV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

     The comfort we Christians receive flows through us to others “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Like grace, comfort is an active, powerful gift to be not merely received but actively shared with others, supernaturally multiplied to advance God’s kingdom (Matthew 25:14–30). And so the Bible commends those who are simply with people in trouble, such as those who are sick or in prison, whether or not we can change their circumstances (Matthew 25:36–40). In bringing comfort to those in trouble, we glorify God by giving a glimpse of how He comforts those who are in distress.

2 Corinthians 1:4 (ESV) 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Matthew 25:14–30 (ESV) 14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:36–40 (ESV) 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

     All three Persons of the Trinity participate in comforting us just by being with us. That is enough. The Father is always with us, as He was with Moses (Exodus 3:12) and the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 31:6–8). So, too, are the Son (Matthew 28:20; John 14:18) and the Spirit (John 14:16–17). Hence, Paul confidently ends his letter to the Corinthians with the beautiful blessing: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Exodus 3:12 (ESV) 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Deuteronomy 31:6–8 (ESV) 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Matthew 28:20 (ESV) 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 14:18 (ESV) 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:16–17 (ESV) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV) 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

     The Spirit—the Parakletos, rendered “Comforter,” “Counselor,” or “Helper” in different translations—is how Jesus keeps His promise to always be with us as the God of all comfort. One meaning of the Greek root word para is “close beside.” All three Persons of the Trinity live with and in believers (John 14:17, 22) —very close indeed! As a result, no past, present, or future distress can separate us from God and His love for us in Christ (Romans 8:35). We are not only comforted in our troubles, but we are “more than conquerors” in them (verses 30–39). When we turn our worries into prayers, “the God of peace will be with [us]” (Philippians 4:6–9).

John 14:17 (ESV) 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:22 (ESV) 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”

Romans 8:35 (ESV) 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

     In the end, when we finally leave the temporary troubles of this life and enter the permanent joy of the next, our Heavenly Father will forever comfort each one of us, wiping away every tear (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:4), welcoming us into a world where comfort is no longer needed because there is “no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). We will enjoy the God of all comfort forever.

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Read The Psalms In "1" Year

Psalm 136

136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the LORD of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;

Living Hope

By Ben Dunson 7/01/2016

     In the time of Noah, God “saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Humanity has a heart problem. The heart is the center of human longing. It is the center of human existence. And it is, according to Jesus, “out of the heart” that “come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matt. 15:19). Nothing good can come from the hidden depths of our rotting, wicked hearts. As Paul says in Romans 8:6, “the mind” set “on the flesh is death.” Humanity in its lostness and depravity participates in a living death, a life lived teetering on the precipice of eternal death and damnation. This is a life that cannot even be called life, even though blood is coursing through one’s veins and one’s heart is still beating.

     The desperate disease of the sin-infected human heart requires radical surgery. What sinners need, in fact, is a transplant. A new heart is the only solution. The Apostle Peter begins his first letter with a glorious picture of the way in which God has met sinful humanity in its most fundamental need: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). Peter packs an enormous amount of theology and doxology into this verse. God is to be praised because He has given believers the heart transplant they so desperately needed, although He was under no compulsion to do anything good for rebellious sinners. He works in their hearts solely because of His “great mercy.” While we were once dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1), God has caused us to be reborn spiritually. Help from God is not enough; our old selves must die and undergo a spiritual resurrection. Only then will our hearts be truly alive.

     The new life, the “living hope,” that we have entered into is said by Peter to have come to us “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3). This is true in two ways. First, believers are said in the New Testament to have died with Christ and to have been raised up to newness of life with Him (Rom. 6:3–4). This means that the very power that was at work to raise Jesus from the dead is at work in the heart of the believer, and it has been since the very moment of the believer’s miraculous rebirth. This is the foundation for all spiritual growth in the Christian life. Second, in His death, Jesus entered into the new creation as the “firstfruits” of all believers (1 Cor. 15:23). In the Old Testament, the festival of the firstfruits occurred when the crops first started to yield produce. At that time, the Israelites would gather a small amount of this initial fruit to offer to God in anticipation of the full harvest to come later. In the same way, Jesus Christ as raised from the dead is the first-fruits of believers: because He has already entered into the new creation, we know for certain that we will also join Him there, and that in a very important sense, we are already living in the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). There is an unbreakable connection between what is already true of Jesus and what is true of us now and at His return. This should give great confidence to God’s people, who have the Holy Spirit living within them as the guarantee of their future, full possession of the riches of heaven (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14).

     The new life of the resurrected Jesus flows into the hearts of believers, so “living hope” is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. The nightmare of living death, with eternal death looming over the horizon, is but a distant, fading memory. A living hope is a hope that gives life, a hope that blooms and blossoms within our hearts. Hope, for the believer, is certain knowledge of the destiny that awaits us after death. It is not the weak substitute for hope that we hear all around us: “I hope it doesn’t rain today.” “I hope I get a promotion at work.” It is hope founded on the “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4). The riches of full and final salvation in heaven are secure for all of God’s children. We haven’t yet received the fullness of this inheritance, but even now “by God’s power” we “are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1:5). Christian “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Hope is living because it gives life to weary sinners in the midst of their struggles.

     Because of this unshakable confidence in the salvation God has worked for us in Christ and will continue to work for us until the last day, the Christian life should be characterized by rejoicing, even in the midst of intense difficulties and trials (1 Peter 1:5–7). How can our hearts not overflow with joy and thankfulness to our great God? And with joy in our hearts, we must prepare our “minds for action” and be “sober-minded.” That is to say, we must think rightly about who we are in Christ and as a consequence “set [our] hope fully on the grace that will be brought” to us when Jesus returns. Our hope is secure: no matter what tragedies and hardships we face in this life,  Jesus will come back to rescue us in the end.

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Fox's Book Of Martyrs

By John Foxe 1563

God's Punishment upon Some of the Persecutors of His People in Mary's Reign

The Continual Burnt Offering (Hebrews 12:22)

By H.A. Ironside - 1941

December 4

The gates of heaven are opened wide,
At His name all the angels bow;
The Son of Man who was crucified
Is the King of Glory now.
We love to look up and behold Him there,
The Lamb for His chosen slain;
And soon shall His saints all His glories share,
With their Head and their Lord shall reign.
And now we draw near to the throne of grace,
For His blood and the Priest are there;
And we joyfully seek God’s holy face,
With our censer of praise and prayer.
The burning mount and the mystic veil,
With our terrors and guilt, are gone;
Our conscience has peace that can never fail,
‘Tis the Lamb on high on the throne.
--- J. G. Deck