Everything the New Testament Says about How Christians Should Treat Enemies

On By Tyler BoydIn Uncategorized

Here’s a list of everything the New Testament says about how Christians should treat and view their enemies. This list does not include how God commanded his people in the Old Testament to treat their enemies, nor does it include what the New Testament says about how governments and nations treat their enemies. But as far as I am aware, this is a complete list of everything the New Testament says about how Christians are to treat their enemies. Christians are to…

Love Them

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you… love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he his kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Luke 6:27, 35

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:44

It should be noted that the New Testament defines love by pointing us to Jesus’s example of dying for us, his enemies (Rom. 5:10) on the cross.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

1 John 3:16

Be Willing to Suffer Unjustly at Their Hands

Christians are to follow Jesus’s example. Peter and Paul both specifically mention that Christians should follow Jesus’s example in his willingness to suffer unjustly at the hands of his enemies. He suffered for his enemies even though he had the power to destroy them (Mt. 26:53).

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly… But if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 2:18-23; 3:14-16

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Again, it should be remembered that we were enemies at the time that Christ gave himself up for us.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Romans 5:10

Do Good to Them

Lest we think we can somehow love our enemies while at the same time doing harm to them, it should be noted that we are specifically commanded to do good to them.

But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you… And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Luke 6:27, 34-35

Bless Them Instead of Cursing Them

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Luke 6:28

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

Romans 12:14

Pray For Them

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:44

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

Luke 6:28

Forgive Them and Ask God to Forgive Them

Jesus taught us to pray for forgiveness on the basis of how we forgive those who sin against us.

Forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

Luke 11:4

In the specific context Jesus’s teachings about enemies he said…

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37

Jesus himself practiced what he preached by praying for the forgiveness of his enemies on the cross.

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34

Give to Them

We are to imitate the Father who loves his enemies by giving them blessings, regardless of whether or not they deserve them.

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:44-45

We are to give to our enemies, even in those times when we do not expect anything in return.

Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back…. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.

Luke 6:30, 34

Provide For Their Physical Necessities

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.

Romans 12:20

Never Resist Their Evil in Kind

You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:38-39

Treat Them As You Wish They Would Treat You

The “Golden Rule” was spoken in the specific context of how to treat enemies.

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

Luke 6:31

Do Everything You Possibly Can to Be A Peace With Them

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Romans 12:18

Do Not Repay Evil For Evil, But Rather Overcome Their Evil With Good

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all… Do not by overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:17, 21

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

1 Thessalonians 5:15

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

1 Peter 3:9

Never Take Vengeance Against Them

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Romans 12:17-19

Note that the reason we do not have to take vengeance against enemies is because we can trust that God will do this instead.

Turn the Other Cheek When Struck

But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:39

To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.

Luke 6:29

Seek Their Healing Instead of Seeking to Injure Them

And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his hear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:51-53

But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.

Luke 22:51

Humbly Serve Them

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him… “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

John 13:1-5, 15

Answer Them With Gentleness and Respect

In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15

The Most Difficult Thing The New Testament Says About How Christians Should Treat Their Enemies

As far as I am aware, the above scriptures are a complete list of everything the New Testament says about how Christians should treat their enemies. But the most difficult thing the New Testament says about enemies is what it doesn’t say. That is, in all the New Testament, there is not a single “exception clause.” There is no verse I can quote that says “Love your enemies, unless you are facing the really scary life threatening kind”, or “Do good to your enemies unless common sense tells you that since innocent lives are being threatened it’s best to eliminate the threat first”, or “Put your sword in you place, unless you work in the military and your job requires that you use it against your enemies.” It’s always just “love your enemies” period. “Do good to them” period. “Overcome their evil with good” period.

It would be foolish ignore the obvious. It’s not difficult to think of hundreds of scenarios where taking these commandments as face value would be completely impractical (if not insane), would lead to the loss of life, and even feels completely immoral to us. To not respond to evil with whatever action is necessary to protect innocent life and loved ones feels just plain wrong. So when Christians read these commandments and conclude “Jesus couldn’t possibly have intended for us to rule out killing an enemy in those situations where killing them is completely justified to save innocent lives”, I get it. I share that emotional response myself. To take these commandments at face value completely violates every notion of common sense.

But at the same time, how common-sensical was it for the all powerful God to let himself be tortured and killed unjustly rather than using his power to kill his enemies? And yet this non-sensical response to evil is the specific example we are to follow.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-7

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly

1 Peter 2:21-23

Jesus himself was fully aware that his teachings did not fit into the box of “common-sense”. But instead of softening his teachings, he stressed that they were important for that very reason (Mt 5:44-47; Lk. 6:32-35). We are to love our enemies in a way that would seem like nonsense to the average tax collector or sinner.

It’s a lot to think about. It’s not easy. I don’t pass one ounce of judgment on those who draw different conclusions on some of the most difficult questions. The only way any of this makes any sense at all is when we fully trust in the cross, in the judgment of God against evil, the providence of God, the Lordship of Jesus, and confidently expect a resurrection. It’s not easy, but we have to think about it.

The Holy Spirit (Part 3): When God’s Spirit Fills People

On By Tyler BoydIn Holy Spirit3 Comments

Part 1:What Is a “Spirit”?
Part 2: The Holy Spirit in Creation

There is a sense in which every living being has the breath of God in their lungs (Gen. 2:7; Job 32:8; Ps. 104:29-30; Eccl. 12:7). But on special occasions in the Old Testaments, God’s Spirit is said to fill a few special individuals in a unique and personal way.

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams

The first person in the Bible who is specifically said to have the Spirit of God is Joseph. The context of this passage is when Joseph interpreted the meaning of Pharaoh’s dreams.

And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.”

Genesis 41:38-39

What did Pharaoh see in Joseph that led him to the conclusion that Joseph had the Spirit of God in him? It was Joseph’s unique knowledge and wisdom to discern the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream. Somehow, God had shared his unique knowledge with Joseph. Even though it was Joseph explaining dreams to Pharaoh, it was God’s Ruakh giving him those words.

Bezalel The Tabernacle Architect

The second person in the Bible who is said to have God’s Spirit was Bezalel, the architect of the tabernacle.

See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

Exodus 31:2-5

In what way did Bezalel have God’s Spirit? He was given ability, intelligence, knowledge, and craftsmanship to be able to build the tabernacle. This was more than just normal artistic ability. His knowledge of craftmanship was a gift from God. It was not something he had achieved on his own. He was able to understand and perform his crafts in a unique and special way as a result of being filled with God’s Spirit.

Moses and Joshua

To have God’s Ruakh is to have God’s mind and thoughts. That is why God’s Spirit is seen as being closely connected to the idea of prophecy, that is, speaking on God’s behalf.

But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”

Numbers 11:29

And Joshua that son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy 34:9

Being filled with God’s Spirit is deeply connected with knowing and speaking the mind of God, the thoughts of God, and the wisdom of God.

Judges

The next group of people said to have God’s Spirit were the Judges.

For instance, Othniel’s success was attributed to the Spirit of God.

Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim kind of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

Judges 3:10

Gideon’s successful leadership ability was attributed to the Spirit of the LORD.

But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.

Judges 6:34

Sampson’s great strength is attributed to the Spirit of the LORD. Just as a person’s breath/spirit give them strength, so God’s Breath/Spirit can give strength.

Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat.

Judges 14:5 (see also 13:25; 14:19; 15:14)

It should be noted that the judges are men who are often described has having severe moral flaws. This does not mean that God’s Spirit was responsible for their moral failings, but it does show that being filled with God’s Spirit does not imply complete and total control over a person’s choices. To say that the judges were filled with God’s Spirit means that their success was to be attributed to God working through them. It was not their spirit that gave them success; it was God’s Spirit.

Kings

Similarly, kings are often said to have God’s Spirit. David was filled with God’s Spirit when he was anointed to be Israel’s king.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward.

1 Samuel 16:13

Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, the Son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob.
the sweet psalmists of Israel:

“The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me:
his word is on my tongue.”

2 Sameul 23:1-2

With God’s Spirit in him, David claimed that God’s Spirit spoke words by David’s tongue.

Prophets

The last group said to be filled with God’s Spirit was the prophets.

But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the Spirit of the LORD,
and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
and to Israel his sin.

Micah 3:8

But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feed, and he spoke with me and said to me… I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD.”

Ezekiel 3:24-26

When the prophets were filled with the Spirit, they did not speak their own words. They spoke words from God.

Conclusion

Today when people talk about God’s Spirit “filling” or “rushing” upon people, they may mean many different things. But in the Old Testament, to have God’s Spirit had a very specific meaning. It meant to have God’s mind, God’s thoughts, God’s wisdom, God’s words, or God’s strength. When a person is said to have God’s Spirit, that means their words or their successes are attributed to God working or speaking through them as opposed to that person speaking or acting on their own. This is important because this understanding of how God’s Spirit fills unique individuals is foundational for understanding what it means when Jesus is said to have God’s Spirit.

The Holy Spirit (Part 2): The Holy Spirit in Creation

On By Tyler BoydIn Holy Spirit1 Comment

Read Part 1 Here:
Part 1: What is a “Spirit”?

The first part of this study identified the Hebrew word “ruakh” and the Greek word “pnuma” as the words we translate as “spirit.” As the study progresses, it will be important to remember the original broad range of meaning which includes wind, breath, thoughts, and spirit. These various meanings of “ruakh” and “pnuma” are not entirely disconnected from one another, as they all refer to that which is invisible and makes things move or come alive. Not only does man have a spirit, but God Himself has a Spirit.

The next three parts of this study will observe what God’s Spirit did in the Old Testament.

The Creator

The first thing God’s Spirit is described as doing in the Old Testament is creating the world.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:1-3

In creation, God’s Spirit/Wind/Breath is described as hovering or moving over the face of the waters. God then spoke words, and those created the world through those spoken words. As we continue the study, we will continually see a close connection between God’s Spirit and God’s words. This makes sense given the Hebrew word “ruakh” was used to describe “breath” or “thoughts.” “Spirit” and “word” are not synonyms, but they are closely connected, just as thoughts and breath are also closely connected to words.

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts.

Psalm 33:6

The Creator and Sustainer of Life

Not only did God’s Spirit create the world, but more specifically, God’s Spirit is described as creating and sustaining life.

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Genesis 2:7

But it is the spirit in man,
the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.

Job 32:8

The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job 33:4

When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to the dust.
When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.

Psalm 104:29-30

There is a sense in which everything that has breath in it’s lungs is alive because of God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit/Breath gave them their spirit/breath, and when God’s Spirit takes away their spirit/breath, they die.

The dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

If he should set his heart to it
and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
all flesh would perish together,
and man would return to the dust.

Job 34:14-15

Re-Creation

Just as God’s Spirit is responsible for creation, and just as God’s Spirit is responsible for creating and sustaining life, the Old Testament prophets looked forward to a day when God’s Spirit would again be involved in a brand new act of creation.

For the palace is forsaken
the populous city is deserted;
the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever,
a joy of wild donkeys,
a pasture of flocks;
until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high,
and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.
Then Justice will dwell in the wilderness,
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

Isaiah 32:14-16

Isaiah looks forward to the end of Israel’s exile and the beginning of a new age. This new age will come when the Spirit is “poured out” upon God’s people. The picture given is that of a forsaken, deserted, wild pasture being re-created into a fruitful field and a thriving forest.

Ezekiel also looks forward to this coming age, when God’s people are given a “new heart” and a “new spirit.” This too can be attributed to God’s Spirit.

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

This image is developed further in Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37. Notice all the ways this chapter uses the various meanings of the word “ruakh” and how the translators move back and forth between various English words throughout the passage. Don’t forget that it’s all the same word in Hebrew.

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live… Then he said to me, “Prophecy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Ezekiel 37:1-10

There are several things to pay attention to in this passage. First, notice how God’s Spirit is closely connected with words of prophesy. This, of course, makes sense given the Hebrew meaning of the word ruakh. Also notice that just as in Genesis 2, God’s Spirit creates new life. As the vision is explained to Ezekiel, we again see a description of God’s Spirit giving new life to Israel in the coming age.

And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land.

Ezekiel 37:13-14

Looking Forward

Understanding the Spirit’s role in creating the universe, creating life, and re-creating new life from the dead is all important background for understanding much of what the New Testament teaches about the Holy Spirit. For example, notice how the following verses continue to attribute resurrection and new life to the Holy Spirit.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11

For Christ also suffered once for sins… being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.

1 Peter 3:18

Before moving our attention to the New Testament, there is another aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work in the Old Testament that must be studied first, that is, the way that certain persons are described as being “filled with” God’s Spirit in a very special, personal, and empowering way. This will be the subject of the next part of this study.

Christianity and Economics, Part 1: Why Christians Should Think About Economics

On By Tyler BoydIn Economics1 Comment

Take care, and be on guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Luke 12:15

Proclaiming good news to the poor was at the very heart of Jesus’s mission (Lk. 4:18-19; 6:20-25). Jesus continually encouraged his disciples to be ready to give up their earthly possessions (Lk. 6:30). Jesus himself did not place confidence in his earthly possessions (Lk. 9:58, 62; 10:4). Jesus clearly warned that we cannot serve both God and money (Lk.16:13) and that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Lk. 18:24-25).

It’s easy to see why some might dismiss the study of economics as too worldly for a Christian, especially if they read the Bible selectively. However, one should not conclude from Jesus’s teachings that God is an anti-material ascetic. After all, God is the one who created the material world, and he is the one who called it “very good” (Gen. 1:31). It’s hard to see how we can conclude that thinking about material goods is inherently wrong when material goods are created by God.

The Bible itself is full of teachings about material goods. In Genesis 2, for example, before the fall, Adam was instructed to “work” and “keep” the garden of Eden. That means that Adam had to think about how to care for material goods. In Proverbs 6:6-11, the writer instructs us to learn from the example of an ant as it was working to make material provision for itself in the winter by gathering food in the summer. Later in Proverbs 12:11, inspired scripture affirms that material sustenance is produced by work.

The law of Moses is filled with teachings about justice for the poor (Deut. 24:5-22), how to manage earthly goods (Deut. 25:1-5), the importance of using honest weights and measures (Deut. 25:15-18) and tithing (Deut. 26),. The book of Deuteronomy concludes by promising a list of physical, material blessings if Israel is obedient (Deut. 28:1-14) , and a list of material warnings if Israel is disobedient (Deut. 28:15-18). These verses sufficiently demonstrate that God is concerned with all of our existence, including the management of material goods.

Jesus teaches us not to be anxious about physical possessions (Mt. 6:25), but rather to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then all these things will be added to you (Mt. 6:33). Notice that Jesus does not teach that things are worthless. Rather he teaches that we should not be anxious about material needs, but rather should trust that God will provide for us as we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. Christians should not be ignorant about material goods, but as they think about material goods, they must remain committed to seeking first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness.

What is Economics?

Contrary to popular misconceptions about the term, “economics” is not the study of money, resource allocation, or supply and demand charts. Yes, one of the most popular and practical uses of economics is to be able to explain prices – which are quoted in units of money – of various goods and services that are being sold in the marketplace. But economics is not the study of money per se.

Economics is really about solving one of the greatest problems faced by mankind, that is, the problem introduced in the first few chapters of Genesis. The first command that God gives man in the Bible is found in Genesis 1.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 1:28

God wanted mankind to rule over and subdue creation. That is, they were to take creation from it’s wild, unsubdued state, and tame it into a state that suits our needs and glorifies God. However, with the fall of man as recorded in Genesis 3, this mission became much more difficult.

Cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
thorns and thistles is shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread

Genesis 3:17-19

This leaves us with one of mankind’s greatest problems. How do we have dominion over this world’s scarce goods without starving to death, killing one another, or both? Learning to think economically help us greatly as we attempt to answer this question.

Economics can be defined as the study of human choices and actions. This includes the study of why businesses are run in a particular way, why the stock market goes up and down, and how oppressive government policies can hurt the poor. But economics also studies cases of simple human interactions, where two people may choose to exchange goods or services directly with each other without using money at all (that is, “barter”).

There are indications in Scripture that humans were designed to interact with one another from the beginning. In creation, God said “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). From the very beginning the Bible indicates that Adam would have to have someone to help him in fulfilling his mission. This general principle is affirmed in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.

Ecclesiastes 4:9

The church itself is founded upon the principle of people working together. Christians are commanded to assemble together, and encourage one another (Heb. 10:25). In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul teaches about the church being made up of many different people with different gifts and qualities that are all designed to function together.

There are two basic ways for humans to divide up material possessions among themselves. One is by theft and violence. That is, if you have something I want, I could just take it. The other is by voluntary cooperation. That is, you may choose to gift me what I want, or we could voluntarily agree to exchange goods or services.

Not only does the study of economics verify that the second type of exchange leads to more prosperity, but the study of God’s word shows that it also facilitates loving relationships among mankind. When God commands us not to kill, steal, or covet, he teaches us that there is a right and wrong way to interact with one another. The study of economics shows that keeping the commands of the creator is the most effective way to manage the physical resources that he has given us. Or as the book of Proverbs puts it, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7). If we want to prosper in fulfilling God’s command to have dominion over creation in a way that facilitates love for God and love for our fellow man, we dare not ignore what can be learned from thinking about economics.

Introduction to the Christianity and Economics Series

What will follow in this series is not a Bible study. I’m writing with the assumption that Christians understand that the love of money is the root of all evil. I’m assuming that Christians understand the importance of taking care of the poor. I’m assuming that Christians recognize the dangers of laying up treasures on earth. I am not writing this to in any way encourage Christians to prioritize earthly treasures over heavenly treasures.

The purpose of this series is to simply discuss a few basic economic laws, that is, a few basic truths about the world that can be deducted simply from observing that people were created in God’s image with the ability to make choices. Since economics verifies what we are taught in scripture about the management of material goods, I hope to use this series to glorify God for his great wisdom. Since Christians are to love others, my hope is that these articles will help Christians to understand how to more effectively serve others in ways that many non-economic thinkers may miss. I also believe that understanding a few basic economic laws can help us to see through some of the ways that the Devil tries to deceive Christians into thinking they can accomplish good without submitting to what scripture teaches about material goods. I have no interest in debating various government policies from a left vs. right political paradigm. My concern is simply to point out a few basic principles that can be universally recognized regardless of political leanings.

My hope is that this series will help more Christians to recognize a few basic patterns in human behavior, so as to develop a deeper understanding of God’s creation. By so doing, I hope to encourage a deeper respect for God’s wisdom as we make decisions about everything from evaluating grand political ideas, to doing mundane household activities, to helping the church serve the poor in their communities more effectively.

Holy Spirit (Part 1): What Is a “Spirit”?

On By Tyler BoydIn Holy Spirit3 Comments

People have lots of different ideas about who the Holy Spirit is, and what he does. The goal of this study is to establish what the inspired authors of scripture had in mind when they wrote about the Holy Spirit. The first time we read about the Spirit of God is at the very beginning.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:1-3

When we see the word “spirit” in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word is Ruakh. In the New Testament, the Greek word is Pnuma. The words Ruakh and Pnuma are much more complex and carry a much deeper and broader meaning than the English word Spirit. To better understand what the biblical authors had in mind when they spoke of God’s Holy Ruakh, it helps to understand the original word, and how it differed in meaning from our English word Spirit.

Wind

One of the most basic meanings in the Old Testament for ruakh is “wind.” When you look outside, and you see the leaves and branches of a tree swaying back and forth, you would call that “wind”. If you were an ancient Hebrew, you would call that “ruakh”. If you spoke Greek in the first century, you would call that “pnuma”. Ruakh is that invisible power that causes movement.

And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind [ruakh], and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.

1 Kings 18:45

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool [ruakh] of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:8

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

Exodus 14:21

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind [pnuma], and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit [pnuma] and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:2-4

And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

Acts 27:15

Breath

If you hold your hand in front of your mouth and speak a word, you will feel a small push of wind against your hand. We call this wind “breath.” If you were an ancient Hebrew, you would call that “ruakh”. If you were a first century Greek speaker, you would call that “pnuma”. Not only was the word “ruakh” used to refer to the wind that blows around outside, it was also used to refer to the wind that goes in and out of the lungs of living creatures and keeps them alive. Not only does ruakh make leaves and branches move, but it’s also the invisible stuff that causes people and animals to live and move. Breath/Spirit/Ruakh is a gift from God. When God gives it, it creates life. When God takes it away, we die.

As long as my breath is in me;
and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

Job 27:3

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who made it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

If he should set his heart to it
and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
all flesh would perish together
and man would return to dust.

Job 34:14-15

Thoughts

When you speak a word, we call the wind that comes out of your mouth your “breath.” But what do we call words before they come out of your mouth, while they are still floating around in your head? We usually call these “thoughts.” If you were a Hebrew, you would call these unspoken words “ruakh”.If you spoke Greek, you would call them “pnuma.” As long as you are alive and breathing, you will have thoughts. When you stop breathing, and your mind shuts off, you die.

Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Psalm 32:2

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
For anger lodges in the heart of fools.

Ecclesiastes 7:9

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

God’s Spirit

Not only to all humans have Ruakh/Breath/Spirit that keeps them alive, but God also has Ruakh/Breath/Spirit. Not only do we have thoughts and words that we can speak, but God also has thoughts and words that He can speak. In fact, our Ruakh is a gift from God’s Ruakh.

When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.

Psalm 104:29-30

By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts.

Psalm 33:6

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:1-3

God’s Spirit and Inspired Words

In reading over these verses, did you notice the connection between God’s Spirit and God’s words? This is a connection we may not notice when we are only thinking of modern concepts of “spirit”, but for the original authors and readers of scripture, this would have been obvious! God’s Spirit created life. God created life by speaking words. God’s words, give us life, so that we too can have thoughts and words.

Observe that God’s Spirit was never simply an emotion, and unexplained feeling, or an uncontrollable urge of some sort. Of course, spirit and emotions can be closely connected, just like words and thoughts and emotions are all closely connected. But we cannot separate the idea God’s Spirit from God’s words, just like we cannot separate our own words from our own thoughts.

In fact, the English word “inspiration” captures this connection nicely. We use inspiration to translated the Greek word “theopneustos”, which comes from two shorter Greek words, “Theos” (God), and “Pneuma” (breath/Spirit/thoughts). When Paul says scripture is inspired, he is literally saying it is God-breathed, it is God’s-thoughts, it is “in-Spirited” by God’s own Spirit.

All Scripture is breathed out [“given by inspiration“, NKJV] by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16

Guns, Swords, and Inspired Words

On By Tyler BoydIn Uncategorized

Whenever a random act of violence occurs, debates about the 2nd amendment and gun control are sure to follow. This isn’t surprising. People have different opinions about is best for the country. Some think that it would be in the best interest of American citizens if people had less access to guns. Others think it would be in the best interest of the citizens of this country if we had more guns in the hands of responsible citizens. As long as people have disagreements about the direction the country should go, debates are unavoidable. But despite all the arguing, the problem of violence continues, and often seems to grow worse.

As Christians, there are two ways to approach gun control debates. The first way is to ask what we, as American citizens, think would be best for our county. That is, we could join in the same debate that everybody else is having. The second way is to ask what we, as Christians and citizens of God’s kingdom, think would be best for advancing God’s kingdom. This second discussion receives far less attention, despite the fact that the kingdom of God offers real world solutions to the problem of violence.

Jesus had a lot to say about how his disciples should respond to evil. They are to love their enemies (Lk. 6:27, 35; Mt. 5:44). Love is defined in the New Testament by pointing us to Jesus dying for his enemies (1 Jn. 3:16). They are to do good to their enemies (Mt. 5:44; Lk. 6:28). They are to forgive them (Lk. 6:37; 11:4; 23:34). They are not to resist with the same kind of evil that their enemies use (Mt. 5:39; Lk. 6:29). They are to pray for them rather than seeking to injure them (Mt. 26:51-53). Since God loves and blesses others indiscriminately, we are expected to love and bless others indiscriminately (Mt. 5:45-47; Lk. 6:36-37)

Jesus’s apostles echoed these teachings. Peter wrote that we should follow Jesus’s example by being willing to suffer unjustly at the hands of our enemies, even when we have the power to defeat them (1 Pet. 2:18-23; 3:15-16). Paul wrote that we should never return evil with evil, or take vengeance against our enemies, but always return evil with good (Rom. 12:17-19). Instead of harming our enemies we should provide for their physical needs, and overcome their evil by doing good (Rom. 12:20-21).

To the best of my knowledge, this represents everything the New Testament has to say about how Christians should think about and treat their enemies. What’s more, there’s never an exception clause. The New Testament never says anything along the lines of “love and do good to your enemies, unless you run in to the really nasty, violent, life-threatening kind.” To a first century audience, it would have been clear who they talked about when they said “love your enemies.” First and foremost, they would have thought of the Romans, who enforced Pax Romana by fear. They were the kind of enemy who could crucify your friends and family just to flex their muscles. They were the nasty, violent, life-threatening kind of enemy.

The early Christians were not simply concerned about protecting their rights or fixing unjust Roman laws. In fact, they had a reputation of rejoicing when they were wrongfully beaten and imprisoned and plundered by their enemies (Heb. 10:32-34). That’s not to suggest that Christians should minimize the wrongfulness of denying other people their rights. It is right to be deeply concerned when we see the government passing wicked laws that cause more people to be harmed. These Christians responded to violence with joy, not because they didn’t care, but because of their confidence in God’s promises (Heb. 10:35-36). In the meantime, they actively showed compassion towards those whose freedom had be wrongfully taken away (Heb. 10:34).

Ultimately, the problem of violence will never be solved by endless debates about what the government should do about violence. Since rulers and authorities gain their power from the implied threat of death, they were left disarmed when death was defeated (Col. 2:15). As Christians, our relationship to earthly government is defined by an attitude of submission. We submit to them “for the Lord’s sake”, recognizing that “this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people” (1 Pet 2:13-15). We submit, because we recognize that God uses government authorities as his ministers to execute wrath and vengeance on evildoers (Rom. 13:1-4).

It is our duty to solve the problem of violence, not by arguing about what Caesar should do about it, but by spreading the peaceful principles of the kingdom of God. As we spread the boarders of his kingdom, we recognized that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4). Swords and guns are completely unnecessary to be a disciple of the prince of peace. Unlike earthly governments, which at best can argue about who should have the right to carry a gun, the kingdom of God provides a real solution to the problem of violence by pointing us to Jesus. Jesus defeated evil, not by carrying a sword or gun against his enemies, but by loving his enemies, dying for his enemies, and by rising from the dead to show just how powerless their violence really is.

Roe v. Wade and the Temptation To Do Good

On By Tyler BoydIn Christian's Relationship to Government, Kingdom Life1 Comment

On June 24, 2022 the Supreme Court made the wonderful decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. When the news broke it was immediately recognized as a time for celebration for Christians, and for good reason. But along with the positivity, there’s been another side of the Christian response which has been troubling. That is, many Christians have pointed to this as evidence of the good that Christians can accomplish by pursuing political influence and power. It is argued that Roe v. Wade would have never been overturned without Christians using the political strategies and choices that were necessary to bring about this change.

Although I unapologetically celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision, I do not believe that Christians should look to earthly power as the primary, or even as one of the ways to bring about good in the world. Not only do I whole heartedly oppose abortion, I also believe that the kingdom of God must be kept distinct from the kingdom of the world; not only in what we say is wrong, but also in how we fight against what we recognize as wrong. As a believer in moral absolutes, I believe abortion is wrong and is destructive to society. I also think it is important for Christians to heed the warning of Psalm 146:3, to “put not your trust in princes.” As a Christian, I celebrate the Supreme Court for their decision which could potentially save millions of lives, and I call on Christians to faithfully follow the way of Jesus, who rejected earthly political influence in order to establish a kingdom which is not of this world.

Yes, I know I’m being redundant. But that’s because some Christians still just don’t get it. Let me make myself perfectly clear: I oppose abortion. Abortion is murder. Abortion is selfish. Abortion is immoral. Christians should actively fight against evil, and abortion is evil. But none of this should be viewed as justification for Christians to fight against evil in ways that blur the distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. This is precisely what most (if not all) activities and decisions made in the pursuit of earthly power cause Christians to do.

A Kingdom Not Of This World

My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.

John 18:36

When Jesus claimed “My kingdom is not of this world”, He pointed to the observable fact that his disciples were not fighting to substantiate that claim. Of course, you could say that in a sense Jesus’s entire ministry was a fight against evil. But even still, Jesus’s disciples were not fighting in the same way that other revolutionaries would fight.

When Jesus used the phrase “of this world” He was not speaking of the geographic location of His kingdom, but rather He was referring to the world’s way of doing things. For example, Jesus said He came to testify against “the world” because its deeds are evil (Jn. 7:7). Elsewhere, John would say, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). The contrast between “of this world” and “not of this world” is referring to the world’s ways of doing things and a godly way of doing things.

If Jesus’s disciples had a reputation of fighting in the same way the world fights, Jesus’s claim would have been completely meaningless. Can you imagine Pilate’s response if this had been the case? “What do you mean your kingdom is not of this world? Then why is Peter standing out there handing out picket signs at the political rally? Why did Matthew just send a donation to a Roman senator? And why is Simon recruiting more zealots?” But as it was, Jesus’s disciples were not fighting, and so Jesus’s teaching stood with the weight of observable truth.

Yes, Jesus’s early followers, like us, also had an earthly citizenship. But despite the fact that they lived under subjection to the kingdoms of this world, their distinction from the world remained apparent. They were “in” the world but not “of” the world.

Scripture drives home this distinction when it teaches us to view ourselves as soldiers stationed in a foreign country, and thus refuse to let ourselves get entangled in “civilian pursuits” (2 Tim. 2:4). It teaches us to view ourselves as “strangers” and “exiles”, just like Abraham did (Heb. 11:8-10, 13-16; 1 Peter 2:11).

Note this carefully – preserving our “exile” status is at the very core of who we are. That’s why Scripture repeatedly stresses the fact that we are called to be a “holy” people (2 Cor. 6:17), indicating that we are to be “set apart” (Ps. 4:3). Like Israelites coming out of Egypt to be “set apart” for God, Christians are instructed to “come out” of Babylon (Rev. 18:4). We are to be holy in the same way that God is holy. Our holy and distinct relationship with the world should be every bit as holy and distinct as Jesus’s relationship with the world.

Our Mission

It’s important to understand that I’m not arguing that Christians should adapt an escapist position, where we simply isolate ourselves from societal problems such as abortion. When God called Israel to be a “holy nation”, the purpose was not to isolate them from other nations. Israel was to be a holy nation so that they would serve as a light to the other nations (Isa. 49:6; 55:4-5, etc). God’s plan was always to bless all nations through Abraham’s family (Gen. 12:1-3).

So too, Christians are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt. 5:13-16). But in order for us to be salt in the world, we must maintain our distinction from the world.

If salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

One way we maintain our holy distinction from the world is by refusing to pursue ruling authority over others. That’s the way the world tried to accomplish great things, but Jesus explicitly instructs us not to seek that kind of power.

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But is shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:42-45

God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son (John 3:16), and we are to imitate His love for the world by imitating his self-sacrificial behavior (Eph. 5:1-2). If we really love the world, and want to make a positive difference in the world, we would do well to love the world in the same way God did. The reason we are not to be “of” the world is so that we can be “for” the world.

We are not simply called to do “good”. We are called to be faithful. We are called to “imitate Christ”. We are called to be holy.

Jesus and the Temptation to Do Good

Paul says that we must be careful not to be outwitted by Satan’s designs (2 Cor. 2:11). With this in mind, we would be wise to reflect on how Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, so that we do not fall into a similar trap.

The Devil tempted Jesus by offering him all the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-8). The Devil essentially offered Jesus what he came to get (Mt. 28:18-20), but by way of an immediate shortcut that would bypass his sacrificial death on the cross.

Think about it. Without having to suffer and die, Jesus could have immediately taken all the kingdoms of the world into his possession. Can you imagine how much “good” Jesus could have done if he had accepted Satan’s offer? He could have quicky overturned every evil law in Roman society. Jesus could have immediately outlawed abortion throughout the world. The Devil’s temptation would not have been a temptation if there was not a lot of “good” wrapped up in it.

Yet Jesus refused. Why? Because Jesus did not come just to give us an improved and more “godly” version of the kingdoms of this world. Instead, Jesus came to bring a kingdom that is not of this world. In fulfillment of Psalm 2, Jesus came to replace “the kingdom of the world” with “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” (Rev. 11:15-18). He didn’t just come to fix the kingdoms of this world. He came to put them out of business, thus turning all nations to him.

As tempting as the immediately good consequences may have been, Jesus refused to lose the radical distinction of his Kingdom in exchange for the Satan-ruled kingdom of this world. No matter how much good he could have done. He refused to rule like the Gentiles did. If we are dedicated to following Jesus’s example, we must resist the temptation to trade our holy mission regardless of how much “good” we might think we can accomplish by using other means.

Continue the Fight

Abortion is a great evil. Its existence testifies to the fact that Satan is, in a very real sense the “ruler of the world” (Jn. 14:30; 16:11), “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:1-4), and the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:1-2). Abortion thrives only under Satan’s “domain of darkness” (Col. 1:3). That’s why it is so important that in our fight against abortion, we are careful not to be “conformed to this world” (Rom. 12:2).

So what do we do now? Christians should continue the fight against abortion as they have done in the past, yet without the pursuit of earthly power. Keep finding ways to serve the poor and the needy in your community. Keep inviting them into your homes. Keep supporting single mothers. Keep volunteering at pregnancy crisis centers. Keep adopting. Keep getting involved in foster care. Keep donating to children’s homes. Keep praying. The church has long led the charge in these type of actions, and that must continue. Yes, all of these things require a degree of personal sacrifice, but imitating the sacrificial savior is precisely what sets us apart from the world. Because of the gospel, sacrifice is how we believe we will win.

If we want to see Satan’s dominion weakened, we must remain faithful to God’s kingdom. Two thousand years ago, Jesus pointed to his disciples’ refusal to fight as proof that his kingdom was not of this world. When Jesus looks at our fight against abortion, does he see that our actions still bear witness to that truth?

Practical Advice for Evangelism

On By The Christian ExileIn Evangelism

Everyone who is in Christ, having been reconciled to God through him, has been granted immeasurable spiritual blessings. But this also comes with responsibility: “and has given us the ministry of reconciliation … and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ …” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, NKJV). All who have been reconciled to God through Christ are expected to give others the same opportunity. This is the God-given ministry of every disciple.

What is Evangelism?

Evangelism is not something we do to people. It is what we do with the gospel (“the good news”). We have no control over how people respond to the gospel, but we do have control over whether or not we make it available to those outside of Christ. The Lord has not given any of us the responsibility of saving souls. That’s his job.

When it comes to evangelizing, stop putting so much unnecessary pressure on yourself. God, through his word, is the one who ultimately saves (Acts 2:47; James 1:21). No matter how smart, eloquent, and knowledgeable you might be, you do not have the inherent power to save anyone. At the same time, no matter how clumsy, inept, and inarticulate you may think you are, God can and will save people through your humble efforts, despite your inadequacies. “So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:7).

Where To Begin: Attitude

Eliminate excuses. The Lord cannot be obeyed or glorified by coming up with reasons for not doing what he has called us to do. Excuses are unacceptable. Understand that the best way to ensure a lost soul stays lost is to say and do nothing.

Have a realistic understanding of who you are and what your purpose is. The greater burden actually rests on those you are trying to reach and the condition of their hearts. If a person does not genuinely desire to know and obey the Lord, there is very little you can say or do to change that (cf. John 8:47). At the same time, if a person sincerely wants to know the truth and do God’s will, irrespective of how many mistakes you might make in your fallible attempts to communicate, he or she will learn the truth and obey it.

Jesus promised, “seek and you will find” (Matthew 7:7), regardless of how unimpressive the teacher might be. He also said, “If anyone wants to do his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine …” (John 7:17), no matter how awkwardly that doctrine might be presented. He further stated, “you shall know the truth” (John 8:32), irrespective of those who make less-than-perfect attempts to communicate it.

Where To Begin: Initial Approach

Always start with prayer. Jesus (the greatest evangelist) was a man of constant prayer. Although the book of Acts is a record of evangelism and conversions, it is replete with references, examples, and allusions to prayer. What were the acts of the apostles? In their own words, “we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). If you are attempting to do God’s work, shouldn’t you invite God to be involved in it?

Be yourself. If you try to mimic someone else’s approach or recite a memorized sales pitch, you may come across fake and insincere. Develop an approach you’re comfortable with and that works best for you.

Be transparent. People appreciate and are more receptive to sincerity and honesty. If you’re nervous, acknowledge it. If you don’t know how to answer a question, admit it. If your aim is to share your faith, don’t try to hide it. Never be deceptive, pushy, or manipulative.

Always be mindful of your immediate goal: introducing this person to the word of God. While the ultimate goal is to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:18-20), this can only be accomplished one soul at a time. If someone is not engaged in Bible study, there can be no genuine conversion (John 8:31-32, 51). With this goal in the back of your mind, it is not the purpose of your spiritual conversations to declare the whole counsel of God or to win an argument or even to answer questions.

Let the Bible do the teaching. No matter what you attempt to convey verbally, it can never replace God’s inspired word. Even if what you say is the truth, it will be no more convincing than what anyone else might say without scriptural confirmation. You are simply a guide, pointing to the scriptures for the answers and instruction.

The aim of your conversations is to develop the person’s interest in studying the Bible, and the best approach is to simply ask questions with that purpose in mind. “Tell me about your spiritual journey.” “What do you think about God?” “What do you know about the Bible?” If you get stumped and can’t think of what to say next, just blurt it out: “I’d really like to study the Bible with you.” You may be surprised at how many doors of opportunity are opened that would be missed otherwise.

Conclusion

While we should surely give attention to developing effective evangelistic techniques, tools, and strategies, at the end of the day these things are a means to an end but in and of themselves do not save anyone. The results of evangelism are not up to you. What is in your control is what you do with the word of reconciliation that has been placed in your hands. “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak …” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Kevin L. Moore

How To Double The Size of Your Congregation In One Year

On By Lance MosherIn Evangelism

How cool would it be if your congregation’s size doubled every year? Don’t let the practical side of you immediately throw stumbling blocks at this idea. It’s understandable to be concerned about lack of space at your church’s building, for instance. God can work out the practical stuff later, because people’s relationship with God is more important than the size of your building. Assuming you know that, ask the question, what would it take for your congregation to double in size in the next 365 days? 

The Status Quo of Evangelism

One way to accomplish this type of growth would be to have the preacher prepare several evangelistic sermons and invite the entire community to the building to hear the lessons. But that’s what we’ve been trying for generations, and even when it has seen some success, it hasn’t seen that type of success. Alternatively, we could pay the preacher to not only spend time in his office preparing sermons, but also to beat the streets and set Bible studies with non-believers. Come to think of it, aren’t we already doing that too? What kind of growth has that resulted in? Praise God for the souls who have been won through the preacher’s efforts, but assuming your congregation is larger than three or four souls, one guy’s Bible studies likely hasn’t doubled the congregation’s size in one year. Here’s an idea: We could hop onto social media, post and share Bible verses and Christian memes and debate with people in the comment section. Perhaps that would work.

Tongue in cheek aside, it’s clear that the above suggestions, which, from what I have witnessed, have become the church’s status quo of evangelism, are not going to fulfill the Great Commission. Are we satisfied with the results that we have seen for the past generation or so? I hope not.

What would it really take to see the church double in size in 52 weeks? The preacher could reach an individual with the gospel. Just one soul. That would do it. So long as you did too. And everyone else. If every single Christian were involved in reaching the lost, and each one reached one, then the church would double. And it doesn’t take an overly-creative mind to imagine that happening again the following year, but this time with twice as many people participating.

Qualifications

Again, the practical side of us may want to object here, but for the time being, don’t allow it to. Instead, let’s briefly consider whether every Christian is truly qualified for this type of work. In my years of evangelism, I have seen three basic qualifications for the task:

1. Love

The apostle Paul wrote, “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). Love is a leading quality of the Christian. It is to be applied above all things (see Colossians 3:14). We do not evangelize to win arguments or make ourselves feel good. We do it because we love the lost, the Lord, and our own souls, which leads to our next qualification.

2. Motivation

Proper motivation is always required for a job well done. If you do not desire to do something, you’ll likely never do it, or if you end up doing it, it is likely out of necessity. Just as an overseer of the Lord’s church must not lead “out of compulsion” (1 Peter 5:2), so too must the evangelist share the good news willingly. What will motivate you for evangelism? A true understanding of the cost and answer to sin—the revelation of God’s love. 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

3. Basic Knowledge

If you know enough to become a Christian, you know enough to teach others how to become a Christian. If you know what God has done for you, you know enough to share that news with someone else. The person who says, “I can’t evangelize; I don’t know enough” has a distorted view of evangelism. Will there be times when tough questions or objections arise in your evangelism? Without a doubt. But Jesus sent His apostles out to share the good news of the kingdom, not answer every question about Scripture. The answers to the tough questions will come with time and study, but for now, don’t waste anymore time to teach someone the basics of the gospel.

And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:1-2

Paul impressed upon the Corinthians’ hearts “the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). Basic knowledge is all that’s needed to get started.

Objections

“Yes, yes, yes,” someone begins. “I agree I am qualified with love, motivation, and basic knowledge, but I…” How would you finish that sentence? But I can’t speak well. But I am weak. But I am fearful. I can relate. The first Bible study I led, I literally shook the entire time, so much so that the person I was studying with asked if I was okay. Do you see 1 Corinthians 2:1–2 quoted above? Check out the next three verses.

I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:3-5

Did Paul actually write this? Are we talking about the same Paul we read about in Acts? Yes! Even one of the most famous evangelists in the kingdom trembled while spreading the good news. But that’s where the gospel shines the most! As the saying of today goes, “Let go, and let God.” When you depend on your own abilities, your dependence is misplaced. Let God and the message of Jesus do the work.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Romans 10:17

Faith does not come by way of well-crafted arguments and eloquent speech. It comes by hearing the message of the soul-saving gospel. 

The Keys to Evangelism

In the Greek, evangelize is the verb form of the word gospel. So, to evangelize someone is to gospel-ize, or to “good news” them. Maybe it’s better put this way: to evangelize is to share the good news with someone else. There is a place in evangelism for storytelling and sharing with others what God has done specifically in your life, but from my experience, the most effective and accurate way to share the gospel message is to have a Bible study with someone.

When you and your friend can sit down together with questions and discover the answers by turning pages and reading Bible passages in context, some amazing things happen. And this is key—while evangelizing, always have a Bible between you and your friend, either literally or figuratively. On the other hand, when you tell your friend what the Bible says, you rob them of the opportunity to discover the truth for themselves, and you are between your friend and the Bible. When you tell them the answers, best case scenario, they learn the truth, but they link it with you and your knowledge (i.e. you shine; the gospel doesn’t). You must commit to keeping a Bible between you and your friend in your evangelism. It’s easy to slip back into lecture mode. But it is so much more profitable when you take the time to help someone discover the truth in their personal copy of God’s word.

But how do you set a Bible study?

First, you must have a conversation. Otherwise, you’ll never get to the point when someone is given the opportunity to say yes to a Bible study. Many Christians depend on being extra nice or smiling more than average, hoping people will come to them and asking about what makes them different. Of course, Jesus did say something about this (see Matthew 5:16). But He also commanded that Christians actively go and teach (see Matthew 28:18–20; Mark 16:15). In order to teach, you must use words. You must converse.

When having a conversation with someone, have these two basic goals in mind: (1) develop interest, and (2) increase curiosity. When someone is interested and curious about something, they ask questions and pursue answers. However, you must also remember that one quick way to decrease interest and satisfy curiosity is to provide the answers. So do your best to navigate the conversation with questions, not answers. Our voice assistants have made things so easy. If I’m curious about something, all I have to do is say, “Hey, Voice Assistant! What’s the average lifespan of a whooping crane?” Then, the answer is verbally given and silence ensues. But imagine if the voice assistant followed up with some questions. “Do you mean one in captivity, or one in the wild?” “Are you more interested in the lifespan now, or fifty years ago?” “Why do you think the numbers are different?” “What got you interested in this subject to begin with?” “How many whooping cranes do you think are in the wild today?” “What do you think caused them to be so endangered?” I just wanted the average lifespan, but now I’m going down a research path that has me interested and curious. Okay, maybe whooping cranes are not that interesting to you (perhaps they are more so now than ever before!), but I hope you get the point.

How do you start a conversation?

Navigating conversations with questions is key to developing interest and curiosity. But how do you start a religious conversation? You may have been thinking that there is some trick or skill that only the best of the “people persons” have, but no, it is deceptively simple. Are you ready? Here it is: “May I ask you a question?” That’s something you can insert anytime with anyone, whether you’re walking up to a cashier, or in mid-conversation with your best friend. Most people will say yes to your request, and when they do, you now have permission to ask anything at all. You could ask why the sky is blue, what color their socks are, or what the average lifespan of a whooping crane is. Or you could use the opportunity to start a religious conversation. “What are your thoughts about Jesus?” “What church do you go to?” “What’s your favorite book of the Bible?” “What person in the Bible do you think you relate to the most?” Get creative! Then, forget for a moment what you think about things, and continue to ask them what they think about things. Perhaps you’ll eventually get to the point when you can ask something like, “What do you think the Bible says about that?” “I don’t know,” they may respond, to which you can say, “Would you like to know?” 

Have a genuine conversation with someone. Navigating a conversation with questions will avoid arguments and fulfill your goals of developing interest and increasing curiosity. It will also avoid running into postmodern responses like, “that may be true for you, but it’s not true for me.” Be committed to not providing Bible answers to questions, but instead providing the opportunity to discover the answers. Be careful about scripts and tactics. And you especially do not want to seem like you’re leading someone into a trap. Have fun and explore as many subjects with as many people as possible.

In your journey of having religious conversations, you’ll come across many people who are just not interested in religious things. In those moments, you have the amazing opportunity to represent Jesus. He never shoved religion or the Scriptures down people’s throats. After having given them an adequate opportunity, if they decided to walk away, Jesus allowed them to. You can do the same. Leave the door open, thank them for being willing to discuss things with you (as brief as it may have been), let them know you’d be happy to talk about it again if they ever become interested, and change the subject. Yes, many folks will not be interested, but they likely will not be hostile. And you may be surprised how many people are willing to talk about these things with you. Give as many folks as you can an opportunity to learn more about Jesus.

A word about arguments

An older brother recently told me, “I grew up during the debate age.” What he meant was during his youth, it was normal for people to have a meeting of the minds and find value in working through disagreements. Today, however, disagreements are often hostile environments and seen as intolerance (a social sin!). When the gospel claims to be the truth, you will certainly have disagreements as you share it. But we are no longer living in the debate age, so be careful about turning disagreements into arguments. 

When you navigate conversations with questions, arguments are virtually impossible, since you are simply asking the other person about their interests and opinions. But a good conversationalist will likely eventually turn the questions on you, asking you about your interests and opinions. This is an opportunity to kindly decline to answer, admitting that your opinions don’t mean much in the end. “But what do you think the Bible says about that?” “I’m not sure.” “Would you like to know?” Usually, if the conversation has gotten this far, it would be dishonest for them to say no.

Conclusion

So, what would it take for your congregation to double in size in the next year? Just reach one person. In my experience, most active evangelists are able to reach more than one person a year. So perhaps your local church can triple or quadruple in size soon. It’s not just about numbers, but a plurality is made up of several individuals. And every individual has been created in the image of God for a purpose. 

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NKJV)

Perhaps God placed you in an individual’s life to help them fulfill that purpose.

Better Bible Study Tip #66: Don’t Second Guess God’s Choice in Inspiration

On By Tyler BoydIn Better Bible Study

One of the reasons why some people find the Bible difficult is because it doesn’t clearly answer all of their doctrinal questions, or articulate their beliefs as plainly as they wish it would. Sometimes this can lead to the bad habits of trying to pull more out of a text than what the text actually teaches, or to pull proof texts away from their contexts in an effort to explain a particular position more clearly.

We need to trust God’s wisdom in inspiring the text the way he did. For instance, if God wanted to inspire a text the show the importance of infant baptism, he could have easily included that. If God wanted to more precisely answer all of your questions about the Holy Spirit, or about the continuation or secession of miracles, he could have inspired someone to explain that more clearly. If God wanted to inspire authors of later generations to write in a way that would more clearly answer every question a modern Christian might raise, he could have done that.

Even though God could have given us a different Bible, he didn’t. For whatever reason, he choose to inspire the particular writers that he did, at the particular time that they wrote. For whatever reason, he chose to address the particular questions that the Bible deals with, teach the particular doctrines that the Bible teaches, and teach them with the precise words that he chose to teach them with. If the Bible is silent on a particular subject, God can be credited with that decision as well.

It was God who inspired scripture. It was God who selected and prepared the particular writers that he chose to inspire. It was God who gave us the Bible as it is, with the words it contains. He did not inspire a different text. God is not incompetent.

As Paul puts it in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The Bible, as it is, has a divine origin. The Bible, as it is, is sufficient. For this reason we should be extra careful to keep man made catechisms, creeds, statements of belief, and church traditions in proper perspective. If those creeds or traditions teach anything less than what the Bible teaches, they don’t say enough. If those creeds or traditions include anything more than what the Bible teaches, they may say too much. If those creeds or traditions are precisely the same as what is revealed in inspired scripture, they are redundant.

This is not to suggest that it is inappropriate for uninspired teachers to try to explain the text using their uninspired words, or for churches to write a statement of beliefs, or for traditions to be formed and kept. But we must remember that while God could have inspired other words to be included in the Bible, for whatever reason he didn’t. “Other words” are “other words.” They are not inspired. They do not originate with God.

If we can’t explain a particular belief without using the inspired words of scripture, and without using proof texts ripped from their original context, perhaps we should reexamine why we hold that particular belief. Or at they very least, we should reexamine why we feel like it needs to be explained in a way that is different from how the Bible explains it.

When we try to teach more or less than what the Bible teaches, we are disrespecting God’s choice in inspiration. We must honor God’s wise choice to inspire scripture the the time, place, and way that he did.