The Doctrine of the Trinity, especially in Paul’s writings

Textual: Ephesians 1-6, Colossians 1, Philippians 2

Introduction
 
The Trinity can be defined like this: within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. James White, The Forgotten Trinity. Hank Hanegraaff, says, in the trinity, we are talking about one what and three who’s. The one what is the Being or essence of God; the three who’s are the Father, Son, and Spirit.
The relationship between the three is eternal. Each person is eternal, coequal with the others as to their divine nature. Each fully shares the one Being that is God. The Son is not 1/3 God, nor the Father, nor the Spirit. There never was a time when the Father was not the Father, the Son was not the Son, or the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, and the Spirit is not the Father or the Son.

The Problem is with our minds grasping something totally unique, which cannot be compared to anything else without including some error in the parallel.
We can’t explain from experience on life on earth God’s infinity and eternity—He is the creator of time, above time, and can move around in time and back out of it. This is beyond our understanding or simple explanation, but it is biblical truth.

We can’t explain God’s Omnipresence and unchangeableness, even our views of spirits or smoke, includes a limitation of the space and area they cover. Not so with the triune God. But the term trinity is not in the Bible. That is right, but the concept is there, and trinity or tri-unity is the best way in English to label what we find. We  have many theological labels that are not in the Bible.
We can’t explain God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, neither person having a body or any containment like we understand of created things on earth

So we bring confusing baggage to the terms person and being because God is totally unique and cannot be illustrated by anything in creation that will not diminish His glory or at the same time imply wrong views as well as correct ones

In theology person and being are not the same. Being is the essence, substance, or nature of something or someone. There are not 3 beings who are God. God is one in Being, yet three in persons.

A person has personality, mind, volition, likes, dislikes, preferences, emotions, intellect, knowledge, understanding, ability to communicate, to discern, to judge between options or directions, etc.

Pillar # 1: is Monotheism: There is only one God
Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one: and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and will all your soul, and with all your might. (Deu 6:4-5 WEB)

Pillar # 2: There are three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Mat 28:18 ESV)

Who gave him the authority? God the Father. Why just one name, it is singular, for three persons?
Because God is one in being, three in persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so the name is singular for one.

Pillar # 3: The persons are coequal and coeternal in sharing the divine being.
Mark: And [John the Baptist] preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." 12 The Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness. (Mar 1:7 ESV)

Eternity for God is not just a long period of human time. It is a way of existence that does not involve a progression of events and moments. We have no earthly idea how a day can be like a 1,000 years and a 1,000 years like a day from our perspective on this planet. Let’s be humble enough to admit that. We see growth, change, progression, destruction, and death. We cannot create matter out of nothing with our words. We have not even yet discovered what is the force that holds the particles in atoms together. It effects can be observed, and the atom bomb can reverse it, but it is beyond our knowledge.

So don’t bring the baggage of a person being the same as a being. In Christian theology there is a difference as can be seen with the Holy God of Scripture. This means He is pure, but also that He is like no other.

Peter wrote: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Pet 1:1 ESV) 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. (1 Pet 1:1-2 HCSB)
So this is what we find as we read our Bible, and especially the NT, that God is one, yet also three.
Our Baptist Forefather in 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith

·  THERE is but one, and only one, living and true God.  He   is self-existent and infinite in His being and His perfections.  None but He can comprehend or understand His essence.  He is pure spirit, invisible, and without body, parts, or the changeable feelings of men.  He alone possesses immortality, and dwells amid the light insufferably bright to mortal men.  He never changes.  He is great beyond all our conceptions, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty and infinite.  He is most holy, wise, free and absolute . . .  

·  God is all-sufficient, and all life, glory, goodness and blessedness are found in Him and in Him alone.  He does not stand in need of any of the creatures that He has made, nor does He derive any part of His glory from them.  On the contrary, He manifests His own glory in and by them.  He is the fountain-head of all being, and the origin, channel and end of all things.  Over all His creatures He is sovereign . . .

·  Three divine Persons constitute the Godhead-the Father, the Son (or the Word), and the Holy Spirit.  They are one in substance, in power, and in eternity.  Each is fully God, and yet the Godhead is one and indivisible.  The Father owes His being to none.  He is Father to the Son who is eternally begotten of Him.  The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. These Persons, one infinite and eternal God not to be divided in being, are distinguished in Scripture by their personal nature or in relations within the Godhead, and by the variety of works which they undertake.  Their tri-unity (that is, the doctrine of the Trinity) is the essential basis of all our fellowship with God, and of the comfort we derive from our dependence upon Him.

Some biblical passages use the term God intending to include all three persons, some refer to just one person of the trinity, some passages list two or all three persons. The Old Testament divine name Yahweh is used for one of three persons of the trinity separately in some passages and in others texts the divine name is used of the three persons together as one being. It is not exclusive to just God the Father in every passage.

Jesus always being God, on the first Christmas also became a man. He lived a holy life in our place. He died in our place to pay for our sins. He arose in the same body from the tomb. He will remain God and Man in His glorified body forever. Yet being fully God He possesses all the divine attributes, characteristics, essence, and abilities, including omnipresence, even when He was on the earth. 

We hold on to these facts and the full mystery involved in them with the humility to admit our small brains cannot illustrate them, demonstrate them, or explain them so a 5 year old can grasp them. Our God is too big and too unique for that.
We are going to a few of the Apostle Paul Epistles and see the trinity worked out in the text of Scripture to churches with real problems and real needs that Paul is going to address.

Direction
1. Paul’s description of the trinity in the book of Ephesians.
2. Paul’s defense of the deity of Yeshu’a the Messiah in Colossians chapter 1.
3. Paul’s description of the God-Man Yeshu’a in Philippians chapter 2.

So to begin, let’s consider

I. Paul’s description of the trinity in the book of Ephesians.
A. In chapter one he separates out the work of the three persons of the trinity.
     1. God the Father has a plan and a people vs 3-6, 9-11
     2. God the Son redeems, ransoms, purchases the people vs  7-8, 12-13d
     3. God the Holy Spirit seals us and is our down payment to prove our final deliverance is a sure thing vs 13e-14
     4. We could also go verse by verse in this chapter and see the clear distinction between the three persons of the trinity, Father, Son, Spirit
     B. Ephesians chapter 2
        1. The Father caused our spiritual deadness to be reversed by raising us from the dead and saved us by grace giving us the gift of faith 1-11
        2. The Son is perfect life and cross work has fulfilled the ceremonial law and brought unity between Gentile and Jewish believers in Yeshua the Messiah 12-16
       3. The trinity in * vs 18
       4. Membership in the one body of Christ by the Son, Father, and Spirit 19-22
    C. Ephesians chapter 3
         1. The Son, the Father, the Spirit vs. 1-5
         2. The Son, Father, Spirit, read vs 14-19    (10-21)
    D. Ephesians chapter 4
        1. Three persons, yet God is one, read vs. 1-6
        2. Proof of the personhood of the Spirit * vs. 30 Has anyone grieved the wind or electricity? You cannot disappoint or displease a force.
    E. Ephesians chapter 5
      1. God as the trinity, then the Son and the Father * vs. 1-2
      2. The Kingdom of Christ = Kingdom of God vs. 5
      3. The term “Lord” is used for all three persons at once vs. 10
      4. The Father, Son, Spirit vs. 18-20
    F. Ephesians chapter 6
     1. The Holy Spirit, 17-18, The Holy Spirit inspired the word, superintended the prophets, and illuminates the word, indwells the believer, convicts, and assists us when we pray
    2. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give peace, love, faith vs. 23
Argumentation: Is this the only book Paul does this in? No, it is in all his letters.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. (1 Tim 3:16 NKJV)

Jesus is truly God

13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
 (Titus 2:13-14 NASB)

Jesus the Messiah is our great God and Savior, but in both of these books, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are separate persons, but one in being, nature, essence, substance. All three are truly and fully God.

ILL. Vance Havner said, “I don’t understand how electricity works and produces light. But I am not going to sit in the dark until I do.” Embrace what the Bible says about God’s nature, affirm what it affirms, deny what it denies. That is all you need to do. You don’t have to explain it on a child’s level. Hold firmly to the trinity, God is one in being, three in persons, and these three are equal in power and glory.

II. Paul’s defense of the deity of Yeshu’a the Messiah in Col 1:12-23.
A.    Background to Colossians is a heresy Paul is refuting. An early form of Gnosticism, Greek philosophy, mixed with Jewish ceremonies. You can see this influence in the writings of Philo Judeas of Alexandria, Egypt. Matter is evil, Spirit is good, so it was the 8th emanation of the good God that created matter.
B.    No Greek philosopher would want a resurrection; they wanted to be free from the prison house of the body. So they denied the deity of Jesus the Messiah and is oneness with God the Father. They used angels as the beings that created when mixed with Judaism.
C.    Read Col 1:12-23
1.    The Father transferred us to the Kingdom of the Son, whom He loves 12-13
2.    Jesus is the one through whom we have redemption and forgiveness of sins 14
3.    Jesus is the image of the invisible God, one in nature with the Father, who is spirit (John 4)
       * vs 15
4.    Jesus is the firstborn, the privileged and preeminent one over all of creation. Vs 15
He will call to Me, 'You are my Father, my God, the rock of my salvation.' 27 I will also make him My firstborn, greatest of the kings of the earth. 28 I will always preserve My faithful love for him, and My covenant with him will endure. (Psa 89:26-28 HCSB) 
ANE treaty the emperor called the governors his sons and they called him father, his first born, is his favorite chosen governor that he has a treaty with who is not kin to him at all. This is first applied to David, not the first person God had a covenant with or his first creation, and then to the Messiah, Yeshu’a. vs 15
5.    Note Jesus creates all things, not some, not the rest, all vs 15
6.    Again, everything visible and invisible, angels, planets, minerals, atoms
All were created by King Jesus. He is God.
7.    He is not the 8th emanation or an angel, He is before all things vs 17
8.    He holds all the atoms together by the word of his power
If he lets go, atomic explosion. He still did this work while on earth. 17
9.    Jesus is the beginning, He is the first in privilege to have a resurrected glorified body, He is the preeminent one in everything LORD * vs 18
10.     All the fullness of God dwells in Yeshu’a, Paul uses their terms against them * vs 19 Jesus is God
11.     Read 20-23 The eternal Son of God came to earth, became a man to die for sinners. Do you know Him? Do you belong to Him? Has he rescued you yet? You embrace the Christ by Repentance and faith with a full surrender to His Lordship. Like Thomas, you say, My Lord and My God. He is the boss, and He is God.

A.    ILL. JW, When the Russelites come to your door and want to tell you that Jesus was a created being, a subordinate being, actually Michael the Archangel, and the Holy Spirit is a force, and God is Jehovah, one person and one being, don’t you believe that heresy for a minute. The Watchtower is in error and they have twisted the Bible, especially their New World Translation. They even have the wrong name for God, besides their attack on the person and work of Jesus. They deny his bodily resurrection and salvation by grace. Do not let them into your house as 2 John vs. 10 commands.

III. Paul’s description of the God-Man Yeshu’a in Philippians chapter 2:5-11.

A. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S MENTAL PERSPECTIVE. Read vs 5-7

Explanation:  Context is two women fighting in the church, see chapter 4. Youoweme and Sotochie. For unity to be maintained in the church, the members have to be humble. Christ modeled this better than anyone, so He is Paul’s example. Mind – Form: outward appearance – displays - inside Honey Jar –clear to all in Heaven Jesus – God –outside – inside – 6 - Clutch – glory veiled – perspective opposite – pride – selfishness – Jesus never ceased – God – added not subtracted – 7- no reputation (empty), glory veiled Christ always God became man hypostatic union of the two full natures, fully God and fully man. He was always God the Son, but he stepped into time and history to become man. That act was one of humility. He possessed no splendid form for us to see, no desirable appearance. (Isa 53:2 CEB)

Argumentation: In Matt. 17 we see the one instance Jesus removed the veil for 3 disciples and they got a glimpse of His glory, but to everyone else He looked just like an ordinary man. Mark. I came not to be served but to serve and to give . . .No greater love has a man than this, to lay down his life for His friends, there is no self-seeking here!  Paul is making a case, if the greatest one, the God-Man can be a slave, should not also the lesser ones, His disciples be slaves?  Sure, Euodia & Snytyche, can serve others.

Application: What does this model teach us?  We are to not try to get things done our way only & look out for only our interests. The model here is the Messiah’s perspective, His attitude, mindset was one of humility. Now if he was only a man or an angel or just a created being, he could not humble himself by not fighting to retain his former heavenly glory. Only a divine uncreated person could humble himself in this way. Just a man would be in deep sin if he tried to obtain the divine prerogatives and he would have never had them to begin with as a mere man. You cannot fight to keep what you never had. Jesus was no mere man. He is the eternal Son of God with no beginning and no end. He added humanity to his person-hood as the second person of the trinity in order to rescue us from our sin.

4 I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created. (John 17:4-5 CEB)
A mere man could not have said this. No angels shared equal glory with God the Father or God the Son. When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God's angels must worship Him. (Heb 1:6 HCSB)

And in Jesus prayer in John 17 you have God the Son speaking to God the Father. Two divine persons, yet one in being, essence, nature, and glory.

B. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S PATTERN. Read vs. 8

Explanation: Appeared as a man, He was – God-Man, fully God – fully Man, He humbled … death – cross, 5 descents – 1) from heaven, 2) glory hidden, as a man 3) slave among men, 4) death, 5) cursed death on cross (Electric Chair, concentration camp) He was crushed for the rebellion of his people to whom the punishment was due (Isa 53) He bore our curse, humbled for us, His pain, our gain

Argumentation: The Bible teaches Jesus is God. Heb. 1:8 “But to the Son He says: Your throne, O God is forever and ever.” And Jesus became Man as well, Heb. 2:14 “just as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death.” Mat. 1:23 “they shall call His name, Immanuel, God with us.” As hard as it is to grasp, we must repeat what the Bible teaches without dumbing it down into a heretical position.

C. LOOK AT THE MESSIAH’S PATIENCE. Vs. 9-11

Explanation:  Waiting for God’s timing, waiting for heaven to settle certain issues requires patience.  Jesus did it! Look – “Therefore” reason for Christ’s exaltation – humility first.  He was raised (past tense) highest point. This is at his ascension, recorded in Psa 24 as the King of glory returns back to heaven.  He was given a title above all other titles Look at the word “LORD” -- worship of men and angels. In the Old Testament translation into Greek, called the Septuagint, about 250 BC they used the Greek word kurios to translate Yahweh the most. That is the Greek term Paul uses here. And he puts it first. Kurios is Yeshu’a the Messiah. Yahweh is Yeshu’a the Messiah. LORD is Jesus Christ. It is most certainly a term that means boss, master, but it most assuredly means God. He is Lord. Yahweh. Jesus is fully God and all beings in the universe SHOULD acknowledge it right now. The ones who belong to Jesus, men and angels, bow to worship whenever they here this phrase and title given to the exalted and glorified God-man at His coronation when He ascended in Acts 1 and returned to His former glory have finished the work he was sent to do. LORD is Yeshu’a the Messiah! When you say this as an act of worship you are not only pleasing the Son of God, but you are bringing glory to God the Father.

Argumentation: Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all of the house of Israel know for sure that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”  A past event.
12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.
 13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son . . .
16 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. (John 14:12-17 NASB)
13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
 14 "He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
 15 "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He [the Spirit] takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. (John 16:13-15 NASB)

ILL. LDS, When they come on their bikes and try to tell you that Elohim sired Jesus spirit from one of his 100 wives on his far away planet and then later came down and had a physical relationship with Mary of Nazareth so Jesus could have a physical beginning and could later become a god from a man just like Elohim did, don’t tolerate that heresy at your house. They had a faulty leader, Joseph Smith and they have several faulty books, including the book of Mormon. The trinity is not up for debate. This is a first level doctrine that you may not compromise on one little bit.

Conclusion

Review
The Trinity can be defined like this: within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
3 Foundations
a.    God is one in being, nature, essence, attributes
b.    God is three in persons, Father, Son, Spirit
c.    These three persons are coequal and co-eternal
Look for these foundational elements as you read your Bible. They are there over and over again so that you can embrace the truth about the God who created the world, and the God who saves sinners.
You need to get these elements right, and accept the mystery of all that they imply by faith.
We need to also state what is untrue about the biblical doctrine of the trinity as well as what is true.
There are not three Gods. There are not three beings called God.
There is not only one person in heaven pretending to be three or one person with three different titles.
The Son of God is not a created being and he is totally separate from Michael the Archangel, a person and being He created, contra JW’s.

The Holy Spirit is not a mere force like electricity or the wind, but is a full person. He is not an “it,” He is to be referred to as a He, a person with a mind, will, and divine emotions and all the attributes and power of God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ.
What is true, God is one in being, but the godhead described in the Bible is at the same time, three in persons, namely the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Son of God and the Holy Spirit have always existed and are outside of time as is God the Father.
The false gods of the cults and world religions cannot deliver your soul from sins power, control, and everlasting punishment. Only Jesus, who is fully God and fully man can save you from the wrath to come. Run to Jesus.

Unconditional Election Verses

Exod. 13:9                                                                              

Exod. 33:19

Lev. 20:26                                                                               

Num. 16:5-7

Deut. 4:37

Deut. 7:6-8                                                                              

Deut. 10:14-15                                                            

Deut. 14:2

1 Sam. 2:28

1 Kings 3:8

1 Kings 8:16

1 Chron. 28:6, 10

1 Chron. 29:1, 10-12                                   

2 Chron. 6:6

Neh. 9:7

Job 42:1-2                                                                              

Psa. 33:12                                                                               

Psa. 47:4

Psa. 65:4                                                                                 

Psa. 78:70

Psa. 106:5

Psa. 115:3

Psa. 135:6

Isa. 14:24,27

Isa. 41:8-9

Isa. 43:10

Isa. 44:1-2

Isa. 46:9-11

Isa. 49:7-10

Isa. 55:11

Jer. 32:17

Ezek. 20:5

Dan. 4:35

Hag. 2:23

Zech. 3:2

Malachi 3:6

Mat. 11:27

Mat. 19:26

Mat. 20:15-16

Mat. 22:14

Mat. 24:22, 24, 31

Mark 13:20, 22, 27

Luke 6:13

Luke 18:7

Luke 10:20

John 6:37,40,44,65,70

John 10:28

John 13:18

John 15:16,19

Acts 1:2,24

Acts 13:17, 48

Acts 15:7

Acts 16:14

Acts 18:27

Rom. 8:28-30,33

Rom. 9:10-24

Rom. 11:4-7, 28, 33-36

Rom. 16:13

1 Cor. 1:27-29

Eph. 1:3-6, 9, 11-12

Phil. 1:29

Phil. 2:12-13

Phil. 4:3

Col. 3:12

1 Thes. 1:4-5

1 Thes. 5:9

2 Thes. 2:13-14

1 Tim. 5:21

2 Tim. 1:9

2 Tim. 2:10

Titus 1:1

James 1:18

James 2:5

1 Peter 1:1-2

1 Peter 2:4-9

2 Peter 1:5-11

2 John 1:1

2 John 1:13

Rev. 3:5

Rev. 13:8

Rev. 17:8, 20:12, 15

Rev. 21:27

 Rev. 22:19

The Ten Commandments: Ethics for the Twenty-First Century by Mark F. Rooker. A Book Reivew

The Ten Commandments: Ethics for the Twenty-First Century by Mark F. Rooker, Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2010

With careful exegesis and detailed scholarship, this work makes a significant contribution to the study of the Ten Commandments from a conservative evangelical perspective. It is written in such a way that it will be beneficial to interested laymen, Sunday School teachers, pastors, theologians, and scholars. The introduction thoughtfully considers the issues of the conflict over the numbering of the commandments among Jewish, Roman Catholic and Protestant scholars. Likewise, the conclusion offers significant help to the Bible student seeking to apply these moral laws to contemporary life and forming a biblically ethical framework that is pleasing to God. The chapters between the introduction and conclusion deal with each of the Ten Commandments in numerical order one chapter at a time. The separate Hebrew terminology used for each commandment in both the Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 passages are carefully exegeted, compared and contrasted. Thus, this work has an advantage over most commentaries on either Exodus or Deuteronomy since the majority of scholars give very little space to the difference in wording in these two texts.  This makes this volume extremely useful in studying this subject.

Biblical Theology

Rooker’s format of each chapter on each of the Ten Commandments is extremely helpful to the student of Biblical Theology. Following each chapter’s introduction, he then addresses the meaning of the commandment at hand. In this section he sets the context in the Ancient Near East and carefully defines the important Hebrew terms in each commandment from Exodus and Deuteronomy. The next section deals with the commandment being studied as it appears in the Old Testament followed by a section on its occurrences in the New Testament. Each chapter’s conclusion gives further explanation and summarizes the chronological study already offered and then adds practical applications and suggestions for modern life.

Handling the Controversial Fourth Commandment

Because of the wide range of opinions on the fourth commandment, it is impossible for an evangelical Christian to take a position that is accepted by all Bible students. Dr. Rooker does not shy away from this commandment or refuse to take a position. Even though it differs at its onset from this reviewer’s published view, after careful study of this chapter, this reviewer believes Rooker’s position is the most defensible one. Along with many evangelicals, Rooker states that the fourth commandment is not repeated in the New Testament in the sense that it is binding upon New Covenant believers. No one would argue that it is not mentioned in the Sabbath debates between the Pharisees and Jesus. But the other nine commandments that appear in teaching passages for Jewish and Gentile Christians are directly applied to them as ethical behavior that is pleasing to God because they reveals his character (e.g. Rom 7:7, 13:8-10; 1 Cor 7:19, 10:14; Eph 6:1-2; 1 Thes 4:2-3; 1 John 5:21). Thus, even though this reviewer has argued that the first nine commandments are repeated in 1 Tim 1:8-11 and applied to new covenant believers, there is a weakness in this view that is not present in Dr. Rooker’s position on this issue. His viewpoint best supports the perspicuity (clarity) of Scripture. This doctrine is under attack by certain Emerging Church spokesmen even though it is directly taught in passages like Psa 19:8. “The command [mitzvah] of the LORD [Yahweh] is radiant, [BDB =pure, clear] making the eyes light up” (Psa 19:8 HCSB). The Ten Commandments are most assuredly included in the moral commands (mitzvah) that the Bible declares are “clear.” Without significant outside help, most believers in various cultures studying 1 Tim 1:8-11 would not see that these adjectives all apply to the first nine commandments in order starting with the third adjective. Thus, Dr. Rooker’s view that the fourth commandment is not repeated in the New Testament is what most readers would also see in their reading of it and thus his stance supports the doctrine of the clarity of the Scriptures better than the viewpoint of this reviewer.

Likewise, Rooker also denies that there is sufficient biblical evidence that Sunday replaced Saturday in the Messiah’s administration of the New Covenant as the Christian Sabbath. Reformed Baptists and conservative Presbyterians will not agree with this view whereas most types of Dispensationalists will make this same argument. This view is also the easiest one to defend from the Bible text itself without going into complicated typology and continuity issues. However, Rooker’s application of the moral principles behind the fourth commandment is identical to this reviewer’s view and will be accepted with joy by those who don’t have antinomian tendencies.

Significant Insights

In chapter ten of this work, the explanation on coveting may be one of the best in print in English. It is very insightful to make the distinction that what is forbidden in this commandment is longing for an actual possession that belongs to a specific person or a person legally attached to him/her rather than desiring a possession similar to one owned by a friend. A balance between the positions of the legalists and the libertines is found in each chapter of this work, but this is clearly evident in chapter ten.

Possible Improvements

Because of the subtitle, this reviewer would recommend the addition of a footnote on abortion in chapter five. At what point the baby should be considered a person needs to be stated. Thus, he/she would be protected by this law against murder. Simply citing a work on the Old Testament that defends human life and personhood beginning at conception would greatly improve this chapter. Even though, euthanasia is not mentioned in this chapter either, the clarity of the meaning of murder in this chapter makes its application to euthanasia extremely clear.

Conclusion

Like the other works in the NAC Studies in Bible and Theology, this work by Mark Rooker should be included in the library of every student of the Bible who teaches other believers biblical truth. Laymen will not need to spend much time in the footnotes, but they will definitely benefit from each chapter of this very helpful work.

Ted D. Manby, Th.M.; Goldsboro, NC; Associate Pastor of Adamsville Baptist Church

Book Review: Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders

            With many modern attempts to restore proper biblical leadership in the Kingdom, J. Oswald Sanders contributed his work Spiritual Leadership to these noble efforts.  In his topical, systematic approach to issues with spiritual leadership, Sanders desire was the cultivation and enhancement of those pursuing the call of leadership in the Body.  He wrote, “The material has been presented in a form that is calculated to be of help even to younger Christians in whose hearts the Holy Spirit is working to create a holy ambition to place all their powers at the disposal of the Redeemer” (11-12).  Within his work, Sanders walked the reader from the foundational to the qualities of spiritual leadership, and the necessities to the pitfalls, partaking from biblical examples of leadership to forge sound advice to those desiring the office of leadership.

            As Sanders walked the reader through the course of spiritual leadership development, he maintained a excellent structure and flow throughout the work.  In the first five chapters, Sanders dealt with the “honorable ambition” of the call to spiritual leadership, and rhetorically begged the question of the reader, “Can you become a leader?” (36-37).   With a solid foundation established, Sanders, in the next five chapters, sought insights on leadership from Paul and Peter, explained essential qualities of leadership, noting that “above all else,” the leader was to be Spirit-filled, as “to be Spirit-filled is indispensable” (79).  Afterward, in chapters eleven through eighteen, he discussed the importance of prayer, time, reading, improving leadership, its cost, responsibilities, tests, and the need for delegation.  In chapters nineteen through twenty-two, he wrote regarding the replacement (Moses and Joshua), reproduction (Paul and Timothy), and perils of leadership, concluding with the example of Nehemiah.  Throughout this conscientious effort, Sanders structure and flow of his work allowed him to remain consistent and comprehensive regarding his topic.

            As Sanders discussed the foundational aspects of leadership, he noted, “True greatness, true leadership, is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you” (15).  Also, “Spiritual leaders are not elected, appointed, or created by synods or churchly assemblies.  God alone makes them.  One does not become a spiritual leader by merely filling an office, taking course work in the subject, or resolving in one’s own will to do the task.  A person must qualify to be a spiritual leader” (18).  Evidently, God’s foundational model was different from the ideals of what Sanders called “natural leadership,” (Self-confident, ambitious, seeks personal reward, etc.) however, “Both natural and spiritual qualities reach their greatest effectiveness when employed in the service of God and for His glory” (28-29).  Ultimately, “there is no such thing as a self-made spiritual leader” (28).

With these truths as the underpinning of spiritual leadership, Sanders begged the question of personal qualification to the reader, asking varied questions grounded in biblical precept.  He said, “Desirable qualities were present in all their fullness in the character of our Lord.  Each Christian should make it his constant prayer that they might more rapidly be incorporated into their own personality” (37).  Using the examples of Paul and Peter, Sanders examined the qualities of spiritual leadership.  He referenced 1 Timothy, stating, “The qualities of leadership Paul taught are as relevant now as during the first century A.D.  We dare not toss them off as antiquated or carelessly regard them as mere options.”  As for Peter, Sanders referenced 1 Peter 5, encouraging, “The Christian leader need not fear that care of the flock of God will be too heavy a burden.  By God’s invitation, the leader can transfer the weight of spiritual burdens onto shoulders bigger, stronger, broader, and more durable.  God cares for you.  Let worries go!” (50).  While examining other qualities of the spiritual leader, he wrote, “God prepares leaders with a specific place and task in mind.  Training methods are adapted to the mission, and natural and spiritual gifts are given with clear purpose” (51).  As essentials, he listed the qualities of discipline, vision, wisdom, decision, courage, humility, integrity, and sincerity (53-62).  Other qualities mentioned were humor, (righteous) anger, patience, friendship, tact and diplomacy, inspirational power, executive ability and letter writing (67-76).  As mentioned earlier, that “above all else,” the leader was to be Spirit-filled, as “to be Spirit-filled is indispensable” (79).

Sanders not only identified the foundational and the qualities of spiritual leadership, but he also mentioned its necessities.  Of prayer, he wrote, “God will not cooperate with prayers of mere self-interest, or prayers that come from impure motives.  The Christian who clings to sin closes the ear of God.  Least of all will God tolerate unbelief, the chief of sins” (92).  Of time, he cautioned, “A leader needs a balanced approach to time lest it become his bondage and downfall” (98).  For reading he offered practical tips for effectiveness, particularly on what and how to read, stating, “Leaders should always cut a channel between reading and speaking and writing, so that others derive benefit, pleasure, and inspiration” (107).  With these tenets in mind, Sanders identified six areas that were to be cared for in improving leadership:  administration, spiritual tone, group morale, personal relationships, problem solving, and creative planning (112-113).  

Other necessities Sanders distinguished were leadership’s costs, responsibilities, tests, and the need for delegation.  The costs were listed as self-sacrifice, loneliness, fatigue, criticism, rejection, pressure and perplexity (116-122).  As for the responsibilities, they were discipline (also a quality), directing the confidence of others to the Lord, providing guidance, and initiation (126-128).  Along with these lists, a list of tests the spiritual leader faced were mentioned, such as compromise, ambition, the “impossible” situation, failure, and jealousy (131-135).  To the need of delegation, Sanders warned, “If we succumb to human persuasion and take on more than we should, God will accept no responsibility for the outcome” (140).

Pressing on with the task of teaching spiritual leadership, Sanders used the examples of Moses and Joshua in replacing spiritual leaders (144-145), while he chose Paul and Timothy as examples of reproducing spiritual leaders (148-149).  “God’s greatest gifts are always men.  His greatest endowment to the church was the gift of twelve men trained for leadership” (144).

With the foundation, the qualities, and the necessities, Sanders took care to explain certain perils or pitfalls of leadership.  He listed pride, egotism, jealousy, popularity, infallibility, indispensability, elation, depression, and disqualification (153-160).  With this list, Sanders offered encouragement with the example of Nehemiah, who despite the pitfalls, completed the task, as he quoted the book of Nehemiah:  “So the wall was completed” (Nehemiah 6:15, 166).   

            Within his work, Sanders walked the reader from the foundational to the qualities of spiritual leadership, and the necessities to the pitfalls, partaking from biblical examples to forge sound advice to those desiring the office of church leadership.  In reading Sanders’ work, those who pursue the call received what radio personality Paul Harvey would describe as “the rest of the story.”  As in the Scripture, he shared the good, bad, and the ugly of spiritual leadership, still begging the question in the reader’s mind “Can you become a leader?”  Each man of God should reflect on these words:  “No work of God will be left destitute until its purposes are achieved” (143), and “He [God] will take a man of lesser gifts that are fully available to Him and will supplement those gifts with His own mighty power” (145).  May the Lord help us to recognize utter need for Him in His service.  

           

Forgiveness in the Bible

When a person compares the various New Testament passages on forgiveness, they can easily become confused if they don’t realize that there are at least two types of forgiveness described in these texts. There is full formal forgiveness that follows repentance and then there is forgiveness from the heart. These two types involve very different promises made by the one forgiving the offender.

  I.  Consider: Matt. 18:21-35 --  The parable of the ungrateful servant and forgiveness from the heart.

    (NIV)  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" {22} Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. {23} Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. {24} As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. {25} Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. {26} The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' {27} The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. {28} But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. {29} His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' {30} But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. {31} When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. {32} Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. {33} Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' {34} In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. {35} This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

II.  Consider also - Matt. 18:15-17 --   Forgiveness between Christians when the cover of love is blown off has a certain prerequisite according to Jesus in this text (listening, repenting).

    (NIV) “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. {16} But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' {17} If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the     church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

III.  LOVE-COVERED FORGIVENESS (small things)

      (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)  "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
      (1 Peter 4:8 NIV)  "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude     of sins."

    You should wait until a pattern is established before dealing with any one sin.  Some small offenses can and should be permanently covered over by love.  Others are kept in store until we have enough information to spot major weaknesses so that we can offer help to our trapped loved one.

IV.  FORGIVENESS BETWEEN CHRISTIANS FOR THINGS THAT BLOW THE LOVE COVER OFF. (Offenses that are big things to us)

    (Matthew 18:15-17 NIV) “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. {16} But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' {17} If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

    (Luke 17:3-5 NIV) “So watch yourselves.  If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. {4} If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him {5} The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’”

    You may only grant formal forgiveness to those who repent. When I grant someone formal forgiveness, I         make three promises.

                  1.  I will not ever bring this up to you again.
                  2.  I will not ever bring this up again to myself.
                  3.  I will not ever bring this up again to others.
   
    Once formal forgiveness has been granted, any violations of these promises are sin.  According to Luke 17:3, formal forgiveness can only be done after the guilty party has repented and only if they appear to be Christians. To make the above promises prior to repentance would be a clear violation of many passages, including Matthew 18:15-17. Once you have granted someone formal forgiveness you may not take them to the church or to court if their repentance appears to be genuine.  This would be a breach of all three promises. Because of the permanence of this commitment, Jesus limits it in Luke’s text to repentant believers. Likewise, He anticipates situations to happen in the life of the believer that will knock off the cover of love and require His restoration procedures as explained in Matthew 18:15-17. If you automatically granted formal forgiveness after every offense then there would never come a time to obey Matthew 18:15-17. Such a view of forgiveness is very different from what Jesus intended and is a breach of many principles of Biblical interpretation.

    Luke 17:3 (NKJV) “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”

    THE COMMAND
    Guard your heart. Take heed to yourself. Don’t become bitter and don’t become a pushover. Make sure you watch your motives and fight your own sins in your own life.

    THE CIRCUMSTANCE
    Jesus said, ‘If someone sins against you’. Maybe they will sin, maybe they will not. This is what to do if it happens. You have been harmed by someone else’s sin. This is personally against you or affects you and has blown the cover of love off your relationship with the person (1 Peter 4:8). This circumstance is when a person has sinned against you. You cannot forgive a person for someone else or grant formal forgiveness for sins that were not done against you. For these situations you forgive someone in your heart for what they have done to others instead of taking up a grudge against them. It is not proper to notify them that you have forgiven them if they have not repented or sinned against you in any way. If they assume you have taken up a grudge, you may assure them that you have committed their situation and justice to God and that you will not be seeking revenge or their harm or even rejoice in any calamity that falls upon them. You are praying for God’s blessing on them and will trust God to settle all accounts. You are seeking to obey Romans chapter twelve and overcome evil by doing good things for even your enemies.

    THE CHRISTIAN (or the convert)
    Who has sinned against you?  A brother has sinned against you. This is  specified in the text. This does not apply to a pagan.  If a pagan comes and repents can you forgive them?  Yes, but you will need to explain the condition below and that anything less than true repentance will again sever the relationship.  Also, you will need to remind them that trust is earned and not granted, so that it will take time and effort to earn your trust again.   Christians will sin against you. What do you do?  It depends on a number of factors.  Will my love for them cover it or will my love motivate me to help them with a potential blind spot?  Is this a normal case? Then I need to “go to them and show them” the problem.

    THE CONFRONTATION
    Rebuke the Christian offender who has sinned against you.  Do not hate, gossip, hurt, or get back at the offender.  No, these are not acceptable responses to being wronged.  Jesus told us to: “rebuke, “and / or “Go and Show them their fault.”  This is the way of Christ.  Like it or not, this is what Jesus wants you to do in most situations when dealing with someone who appears to be and claims to be a Christian.  If this person is dangerous, you should seek counsel and may need to choose a safer medium to follow this text.  For instance, this may be done well in a five star restaurant where there are people and atmosphere of quietness.  It may require prayer partners and church leaders who will help protect you physically and who will train you to protect yourself emotionally.  It may be done over the phone or by mail in some situations, but a written response can be used to further damage you, so you need a lot of godly advice.  There is a difference between a mafia hit man or a molester and someone who is likely to intimidate you.  Again, involving wise Biblical counselors is a must when dealing with unusual situations.  Verbally mean and intimidating people need to be faced, but there are some safeguards to involve even in this type of situation.  For most situations, you should be able to go alone and to go with questions.  This is what I perceive to be between us.  What do you think about what I have said?  Or, I sense that there has been something wrong, or were you aware when you did such and such how it made me feel?  By questions, we leave their motives and understanding of the offense as tentative until the facts are brought out by your discussion.  The normal pattern is first privately, then with two or three others, and then take it to the Church leadership to attempt to resolve or to bring it to the whole church.  This text is parallel to Matthew 18:15 -21.


    THE CONDITION
    Full formal forgiveness has a condition.  It is repentance.  If they repent, maybe they will, maybe they won’t, but only if they do repent, may you grant them full formal forgiveness.  Formal forgiveness must be conditional for sinners.  God requires the conditions of Faith and Repentance before He forgives sinners as well.  To forgive like God you must also require the same conditions. If a person refuses to listen or repent, then you must follow Matt. 18:15-17.

    THE COMEBACK
    The brother returns to repent.  He says, ‘I am repenting.’ The benefit of the doubt must be given because the action matches the words at this point. This meeting is on his initiative, where the first circumstance was based on your rebuke. You must grant him full formal forgiveness and make the three promises in your mind.  This is for a Christian only, and after repentance only.  If further actions prove this repentance to be a sham and a lie, then another rebuke will be required. The process begins all over.

    THE CHANGE
    Repentance is a 180-degree change of all that I am and all that I love and serve.  My mind, will, and emotions and life turn from a love of sin to a love of God, from surrender to the flesh to surrender to Christ.  I confess my sin without excuses and  turn away from my sin with my heart, mind and intentions.  Repentance begins at intentions and spills over into choices and actions and has visible fruit.  I say to God and man, I was wrong.  I am sorry.  I don’t want to do this again.  Will you forgive me?

    THE CURE
    Only repentance and forgiveness can restore sick relationships. We may not invite people back into the relationship that sin has broken without repentance and forgiveness.  Otherwise we have prostituted the relationship and made it of no value.  Some say they could never obey Jesus’ command to ‘rebuke’ or to ‘go and show.’  Consider this situation.  You are a mother or grandmother, and you come around the corner and see your son or grandson taking $20.00 out of your purse, and then he leaves the kitchen and goes into the bathroom.  Would you really apply the denial-based forgiveness in this circumstance (I can’t rebuke)?  Or would you not love him too much, realizing the next person he steals from could even shoot him and take his life or have him put in jail or juvenile detention if you just ignore this sin against you?  Most would go to him and show him his sin, even if he hid the money and lied about it, and would rebuke him for stealing. They would try to help him see the terrible consequences this sin will bring in his life.  It is not the $20.00, you have spent more than that on him before.  But mature love casts out fear.  You must then develop a greater love for your brother or sister in Christ, so that you can do for them what you would do for your own son, nephew, or grandson.  You are not to nit pick ever issue in their life, but when you see soul destroying sin and relationship killing sin, you must be part of the team in the body of Christ that helps this person see their blind spots and the danger they are in if this sin continues.

    THE CONCLUSION
    The apostles said, ‘Increase our faith.’ The hearer’s of these words recorded in Luke realized Jesus was asking them to do some hard things. For some, the hard thing is to repeatedly forgive those who repeatedly repent. For others the hard thing is the rebuke.  They have committed their lives to denial-based-forgiveness, denying reality and the truth and living in a pretend world where everything is fine. This is not only a refusal to obey Christ, but it is also damaging to others and ourselves. One must become dead emotionally and live in a world of lies and in a make-believe world that does not exist to be around people who have wronged them and do nothing. Everyone is hurt by this common procedure. It is ungodly (Romans 1:18). Denial is never displayed in the Bible as anything less than harmful and sinful.

V.  FORGIVENESS FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS WRONGED ME AND WILL NOT REPENT OR CANNOT REPENT.  (This is not formal forgiveness. This is forgiveness in  my  heart. The promises with this type of forgiveness are very different.)

    When I choose to obey Scripture and forgive someone from my heart, I make three commitments.
    
        1.  I choose to desire the restoration of the relationship damaged by the offense.
        2.  I determine to exercise tough or bold love with them, to pursue goodness toward them, even at times                      meeting their needs.   
        3.  A mature Christian will long for justice, but will surrender the timing and the task of  vengeance to God                 alone (Rev. 6:9-11).  I commit to not attempt to get even with them or to even rejoice when bad things                     happen to them.
   
    Offering forgiveness from my heart invites the offender to repent of their sin against me.  This invitation and my desire make an opportunity for the restoration of the relationship damaged by the sin, after they have repented.  Then the process of rebuilding trust can then begin.  By the three commitments above, I remove the “keep out” sign from the door of my heart. I determine to let them in on the terms set by my Lord.  The invitation to restoration and to have access to my heart is extended.  However, entrance through the door of my heart first requires repentance. The forgiveness in my heart tentatively cancels the debt so that the relationship can be rebuilt.  Nevertheless, the sin debt may be brought up with this type of forgiveness for the ultimate good of the offender and the restoration of the relationship.  I dream of what God would want them to be, and that is the person I am willing to be restored too.  Forgiveness from my heart does not include trust.  Trust must be earned rather than granted.  I will do good to my enemy who has destroyed our relationship by his or her sin, even by removing myself from their damaging influence in order to bring change in them or at least reduce their guilt on the Day of Judgment.  I do not invite them to damage me more, I invite them to change (repent) and enter the path of life.  I am commanded by the Lord Jesus to be as wise as a serpent, not to be as dumb as a stone. Evil is overcome by doing good (Romans 12: 17-21) to our enemies.  At times we will stand with serpent-wisdom and courage when they strike us, showing them that their attempts to cause us shame or to cause us to flee will simply not work (Matt. 5:39).  However, we do not lay down for them to stomp us, as that will do both of us harm.  Furthermore, if verbal repentance proves to be just another attempt at harm and manipulation, we must confront them on having not yet truly repented ( Matthew 3:8) and having postponed restoration even further. If someone has died or moved away without repenting, this may be the only forgiveness I can offer until the Day of Judgment when the matter will be set straight.

Forgiveness from the heart can be seen in these verses:
    (Matthew 18:32-35 NIV) “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. {33} Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ {34} In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. {35} ‘This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.’”

    (Matthew 6:12-15 NIV)  "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. {13} And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' {14} For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. {15} But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

VI.  FORGIVENESS JUST LIKE GOD’S
    Have you ever considered in what way God forgives our sins?  Does He do it by denial, by pretending we have not sinned against Him?  Does He forgive us unconditionally, regardless of what we do?  Does He save us and forgive us automatically, just because He loves us?  What has to occur before God will forgive us?  To get our answer we must go to “the Law and to the Prophets.”

    (Acts 17:30 NIV)  "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands     all people everywhere to repent."

    (Luke 13:2-3 NIV)  Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? {3} I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

    (Luke 24:46-47)   Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, {47} and that repentance and forgiveness of sins     should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

    So when we read what Paul says: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV), we must ask ourselves some questions.  How and when did God the Father forgive me in Christ for my sin debt?  As the verses above state, AFTER I REPENTED.  We are to forgive one another JUST AS God forgave us, which is again, after we believed in Christ and repented of our sins.  We were not granted formal forgiveness a moment before this act of faith and repentance.  We were under the wrath of God until we trusted Christ and in surrender, turned away from our life of sin and turned instead toward a life in God.These verses must have an application then.

    (Matthew 18:15-17 NIV) “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. {16} But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' {17} If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector (a traitor).”

    (Matthew 7:6) “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before wild boars, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and slice you in pieces.”

    Forgiveness is a very important subject.  You should study this issue with the following two books that provided some of the information above by gifted Bible students and with an open Bible:
    From Forgiven to Forgiveness, Jay E. Adams
    Bold Love, Dan Allender and Tremper Longman, III

    The Bible never contradicts itself. We must interpret all Scripture by the teachings of other Scriptures. Once a difference is discovered between the different kinds of forgiveness, then what seemed to not make sense begins to clear up for the child of God (John 7:17). We are to be both fruit inspectors and judges ( 1 Cor. 6:1-6) as well as to hold each other accountable to the truth. For those who repent, we chose, like God, ‘to remember their sins no more.’ The omniscient God does not forget, but He does not focus on acts covered and taken away by the blood of His Son. We too must chose to redirect our focus by forgiveness.


By Ted D. Manby

The Importance of the Local Church

The local church is mentioned in the Bible over seventy times. Jesus loves the church and died for the church (Eph 5:25). Yet some people do not understand that the local church should have an important place in their lives. They see no need of attending the services or getting involved in the work of the local assembly. It is not wise to emulate these folks. This is not the biblical pattern nor one that will produce strong and consistent disciples that love Jesus and follow Him. In the New Testament when people were delivered from the power and consequences of their sin (saved) they immediately became part of a local church (Acts 2:41, 47). When Saul was transformed into the Apostle Paul on the Damascus road, he wanted to join the church (Acts 9:26). Paul taught that the local church is God’s field, Christ’s Bride, Christ’s body, God’s building, and God’s spiritual temple that is corporately indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:10–5:25). Jesus taught that He was in the business of building His church (Matt 16:18). How can someone who genuinely loves Jesus ignore the church that He is building? How can someone who worships the Bride Groom, ignore His cherished Bride without greatly insulting Him? Is it even possible for a body part to ignore the rest of the body and only have a connection with the Head (Eph 1:22, 4:16)?

We are commanded by God through His Apostles to attend church services. The Bible says, “And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, 25 not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb 10:24–25 HCSB). Since the final day of the LORD is much closer for us than it was for the early church, we should be even more diligent today about attending church regularly than they were in the first century.

Many Books of the New Testament were written directly to local churches. This shows that God expected His people to actually attend church services so they could hear what the Apostles were inspired to write. We all need to hear the Word of God preached and taught. To not attend church is to neglect the preaching of the Word of God. When we turn away from the regular preaching of the Bible, it hinders our fellowship with God (Proverbs. 28:9), stunts our spiritual growth, and deprives other Christians of what they need from us (Eph 4:16). In the body life flows from body part to body part, every part is not directly connected to the head (the illustration in the New Testament is of a human body, not of an octopus).

Our family’s needs to attend local church services and events. God commands parents to diligently teach the Bible to their children (Deut 6:6–7). Attending a Bible teaching church as a family is one way of doing this. God is doing His work in this world through the local assemblies. The church is His one and only ordained and commissioned redemptive channel on the earth. Only the local church has the authority to participate in the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Therefore, it is impossible to be a faithful and obedient Christian without being an active participant in a Bible teaching church unless one is physically unable to do so. Real believers that are providentially hindered from active participation during a season of their lives still have a great desire to be part of a local assembly and they miss it dearly when they cannot be. However, If the assembly we choose to attend is committed to entertainment or

liberalism rather than biblical exposition, it will not be able to assist us in training our families with the Word of God and to think Christianly.
   
Every believer (past, present, and future) needs to be part of a church in order to regularly fellowship with other Christians (Acts 2:42). God has designed humans to have a need for community. Being a hermit or recluse is not normal. We need a place to serve, to give, and to corporately worship our Triune God (Acts 4:31). We need a pastor and people who care for us, serve with us, and pray for us. We need a place where we can invite our friends to come and hear the Word of God and to hear again the gospel message we have been sharing with them. As we team up with other believers at our local church, we can more effectively reach our neighborhood for Christ. Also, through the church we can help send missionaries around the world, pray for them, provide funds for them, as well as going on short term mission trips ourselves with others in the body of Christ. Some active church members will be directed by the Lord to relocate and serve Him where the gospel is scarce. But those who are not faithful in the smaller things—like regularly participating in corporate worship on the first day of the week (Sunday), He will not lead to enter vocational service locally or overseas (Luke 16:10). Furthermore, it is a weekly witness that we believe in the resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus, when we gather for worship on Sunday, just as we see the early church doing in the New Testament (1 Cor 16:1–2).

When we put other things before our church attendance, the message we are sending to others around us (including our children) is that Jesus is not very important in our life, neither is His Word. We are not walking in obedience to the Good Shepherd of the sheep (John 10:27). When we do not assemble together with Christ’s Bride, we are showing that an idol has replaced Yahweh in our hearts as the supreme One we adore. Unless we are providentially hindered, the normal pattern of a follower of Jesus is to gather with the local assembly of Christ’s body, building, and bride. When the Holy Spirit does a mighty work in a local assembly, we will not be a participant in that event even if we watch or listen to that service by some form of electronic media (e.g. TV, radio, CD, DVD, etc.). Nothing replaces being there during a special visitation of God (John 20:24).

Why is the confusing to some people? It is because many who claim to be a Christian do not attend church regularly. John the Baptist preached that if our life did not produce the fruit that vindicates our profession, then the mere words we said were useless and false (Luke 3:7–9). The Apostle John tells us that one of the tests that confirms that we have a sufficient basis for assurance of our salvation is to be actively part of a local church (1 John 2:18–19).

Make sure you have surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ and are truly delivered from the power, love of, and everlasting consequences of sin. Alabama pastor Matt Chandler regularly reminds the Village church that the reason many of them have no love for the Lord, the Word of God, or the people of God is that they are not yet saved. They made an easy-believism profession, with no intention at all of surrendering to Jesus or obeying His written Word. James clearly reminds us that a professed faith that cannot demonstrate that it is genuine by loyal obedience is a demonic and dead faith that cannot deliver one from the wrath to come (Jam 2:14–26).


The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the importance of local assemblies. In fact, it was the pattern of Paul’s ministry to establish local congregations in the cities where he preached the gospel. He knew for the gospel to expand in a city and multiply that he must plant churches. He then would return to these churches to help establish them in the faith. He gave most of the fifty-six “one another” commands to local churches, which it is only in such gatherings of believers where these commands can be obeyed. For instance, we cannot greet another believer with a handshake if we are never in their presence. Paul could not imagine a churchless Christian any more than he could a Christ-less Christian.

The New Testament also teaches that every believer is to be under the protection and nurture of the leadership of a local church. These godly men can shepherd the believer who attend by encouraging, admonishing, caring for, leading, and teaching. Hebrews 13:7 and 17 help us to understand that God has graciously granted accountability to us through godly leadership (Also see Titus 1and 1 Timothy 3). Furthermore, when Paul gave Timothy special instructions about the public meetings, he said “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” (1 Tim 4:13). Part of the activities in a Bible based public worship service includes these three elements: hearing the Word read out loud, being called to obedience through preaching and exhortation, and Bible teaching. It is by God’s design and plan that in the context of the local assembly that these things can most effectively take place.

The book of Acts shows us what the early church did when they met together: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
 (Acts 2:42 ESV). They learned God’s Word and appropriated its truths into their lives. They came together to participate in acts of love and service to one another, they regularly ate together as well as celebrating the Lord’s Supper together, and they prayed together. Worship in the entire Bible is seen as scheduled events that are regularly individual acts and regularly corporate acts. Biblical Christianity include both private and public worship. What is positionally and spiritually true of a believer needs to be displayed in their lives ( 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:1–6).

Active local church membership is necessary to live a life with integrity. It is only through the ministry of the local church that a believer can receive the kind of teaching, accountability, and encouragement that is necessary for him to stand against his spiritual enemies (Eph 6:10–18; Jam 5:16). Likewise, the local church is the God ordained place for the believer to regularly exercise their spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:11). Charles Spurgeon was truly correct when he said the local church “Is the sweetest place on all the earth.”

Spiritual Testimony of Ted Manby

I grew up in a home where my mother was interested in spiritual things because of her
special relationship with Jesus Christ.  My father  was not interested in spiritual things, but he
claimed to be a Christian. I was raised in a church committed to truth that taught me the Bible from my earliest days. As I learned the truths from the Bible at church and from my mom, I discovered as a child around ten years of age  that I had a problem.  I loved sin, and was very skilled at breaking all of God’s rules. So I started to become aware of my problem.  I loved sin.  But I was hearing the truth about a perfect and holy (sinless) God who hates all sin, wherever He finds it, and must punish each and every sin. Sin is the wrong things we think say or do and our failure to fully do other things our Creator commands us to do. So I began to develop a fear of Hell (an everlasting place of fire and torture for sinners) and of receiving justice for my wrong actions at an early age.

But I had some other problems. My stubborn will was not ready to give up (surrender) the sin I
loved with all my heart. I just did not want to pay for all my wrong actions, bad thoughts, and bad words. I started longing for a way to get away with my sin—not to stop it, but to just not have to pay for it forever in the lake burning with fire. The Bible teaches that sin is punished in this terrible place. After I graduated from high school, I was working full-time in the construction field. My company was planning on sending me to the Virgin Islands to build some houses for about two years. If I had been able to go, I would have dropped deeper into the sins that so controlled me at that time. I believe now that I might have died there. But the bookkeeper embezzled a lot of money from the company. I went four weeks with no pay but still worked to try to keep the company alive.

In desperation, I went to a Navy recruiter and tried to get into the Seabee Reserves (Construction workers for the U.S. Navy and Marines). He told me he could not help me. But then two weeks later he called and said, “We have two available positions. Take one in two days or lose it.” So in October of 1979, I was on my way to Great Lakes, Illinois for Navy boot camp (beginning training for Military life).  They took my clothes, my friends, my hair, and my access to all the sins I loved.  All my God substitutes and false gods were gone. I was very desperate for help with no place to go but to God. I realized I could not run from God anymore. The idols (false gods) and addictions I had depended on were far away;  and if I was going to make it at boot camp, I would have to have God’s help. I knew the truth, I knew the “good news” the great book God had the prophets write for us, the Bible calls the “gospel,” and I did not need to hear it again. I had been taught it at home, in Sunday School, church services, Christian camp, on the radio, and in church programs for young people repeatedly for almost 18 years.  I knew what Jesus required and I realized that finally obeying the truth was my only hope. So on the first day of boot camp,  October 17, 1979, I cried out to God in prayer. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was something like this, “God, You and I both know how I have prayed asking for forgiveness of sin over and over again, but was unwilling to obey You. We both know that I am not a real Christian (believer and follower of Jesus the Messiah). Deep down, I know that I am distant from you, trapped in bad behaviors and my life is a big mess.” Well, I continued on in my prayer, “Lord Jesus, I surrender everything. The sin I love, I will let it go. The demand to still be my own boss,

I no longer make. I am done playing games. I will come to you on your terms of faith (deep trust in Jesus alone) and repentance (turning from sin and selfishness to God, a U turn).”

I remember where Jesus found me—sin-sick and a total mess.  He took me and changed
me. He gave me a new heart, new desires, new likes and dislikes, and a new mental understanding of everything in the world. He gave me a deep love for God, for the Bible, and for His people found in local churches.  From that day forward, I was different. I had a life changing experience that changed me forever. No one can earn heaven or new life. You must receive it as a free gift from God.

Through a group of Christians, a church family that taught the Bible correctly, God started bringing key people into my life and leading me to get teaching and training several times every week. It was during this time that I was baptized by immersion as a public testimony that God had set me free from the power and coming punishment of sin.  And then God gave me two Christian roommates. Soon after in a Bible study class at church,  I met the lady who is now my wife.

 Since October of 1979,  when I embraced King Jesus as the Boss of my life and my Deliverer from sin and Hell, there have been some difficult experiences and sad times. But God has helped me through each one. Today I trust Him more than I did years ago because my fear of hell is gone, my guilt is gone and I know that I am going to heaven one day because of what Jesus did for me. He lived a perfect life in my place. He died on a painful wooden cross in my place (the paycheck for sin is death). He rose the third day from the dead and from His stone tomb. He is now in heaven on the throne as King. He has always been God and 2000 years ago He also became Man to purchase those who would believe in Him and repent over their sins. He has promised me in the Bible that he will never leave me or abandon me. He cannot lie. Have you ever had a life changing experience like this?

Handling the Bible Properly on Culturally Hot Topics

A few weeks ago (10/2013) a NC Biblical Recorder article raised at least three questions. This article will seek to answer those questions biblically without recreating “the theological wheel.” These questions are more thoroughly answered in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, eds. J. Piper and W. Grudem (Crossway, 1991); Women in the Church, eds. A. Kösetenbeger, T. Schreiner, and S. Baldwin (Baker, 1995); How to Read the Bible for all Its Worth, G. Fee and D. Stuart (Zondervan, 2003); and Understanding and Applying the Bible, J. R. McQuilkin (Moody, 1983).

Can a woman be President and not a pastor? According to the Bible, the answer to this question is yes. When we go to the teaching portions of God’s Word we have a directive or prescription from Paul, an Apostle of Christ for the church. He writes, “I am not permitting a woman to be teaching or to be exercising authority over adult males” (1 Tim 2:11). We also see in 1 Cor 14:34 a similar directive given in the context of a New Testament church worship service. 1 Timothy was written by Paul at the end of his ministry to guide Timothy on how to return a church (that had strayed in doctrine and practice) back to God’s proper order (1 Tim 3:15). The commands in this book have the utmost authority in the life of the church today and cannot be set aside by a historical passage of Scripture. In 1 Tim 2:9–15 Paul limits a woman’s audience when she is teaching the Bible or theology. She may teach Scripture and theology to women and children, but not to adult males in the church. In fact, she is encouraged to teach women and children according to Titus 2:3–4. She may also teach adult males Spanish and Geometry in a non-church setting, but she may not exercise authority over the adult males in the church (yet she can have authority over children and other women). Likewise, there is no limitation on women regarding evangelism concerning gender or age.

In Eph 5:22, married women are responsible to be under their husband’s authority in the home. But, the Bible does not limit a woman’s role in the state; therefore, she is free to be a President, Senator, or even Prime Minister (Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meir). Church elder roles, however, are restricted to men, that is, the one-woman-man (1 Tim 3:2). This topic should not be decided by emotions and requires some careful study and reading. Please see Piper, 179–193 and McQuilkin, 193–202 for more detailed explanations of these biblical issues. It will be worth every moment of your time to address this topic biblically with knowledge and understanding.

Can what the Bible describes, rescind what the Bible prescribes? Hermeneutics is the science of studying the Bible, and according to every Evangelical work on hermeneutics known to the author of this article, the answer to this question is no. Unfortunately, even the historical examples (narratives) in the former BR article had some rather serious problems. For example, Mary in Acts 12:12 allowed a group to occupy her son’s room. (Upper rooms were built on houses so that the son and his wife could live above his parents.) Lydia invited a group of missionaries to have a meal and spend the night in her house (Acts 16:15). Likewise, Col 4:15 has a textual variant where some manuscripts have Nympha (female) and others have Nymphas (male). All this text states is that this person was a believer in which a group of Christians met in their house (male or female). There is no indication of ruling, presiding, or preaching in any of these examples. Better historic examples would have been Judg 4:4 and 1 Cor 11:5. However, even these texts, which describe what was going on at one location in history, cannot be used to undo commands given to the church.

Southern Baptist church members should be encouraged to read a book like Fee’s on proper Bible interpretation every few years. If this was done, any attempts to use historical citations to counter clear biblical commands would not be accepted in our publications because the editors could not handle the thunderstorm of complaints.

Consider an example of why biblical historical sections are not a primary guide for faith and practice. The Bible records in Judg 4:15–21 that a woman, Jael, hammered a tent peg through the head of Sisera, a Canaanite General, attempting to eliminate the God-ordained Jewish rebellion. Surely no one would say this description of an event was a prescription for every family or Boy Scouts camping trip. It is likewise improper to do this with any other biblical historical record or to set historical texts beside a teaching passage as equal in authority for life and practice. (Please see Fee, 89–125, which explains this in detail.)

Learning how to handle a written document takes effort, but it is essential to properly understand the Bible, our sole authority for faith and practice (not voices, holy hunches, or feelings). To properly understand Gal 3:28 see Piper, 154–164; and Kösetenbeger, 195–208. To intelligently understand Rom 16:1–2, concerning Phoebe, as a servant, or as a deaconess (diakonos[1]) of the church, see Piper, 68, 219–220, 353–354.

How does the Bible’s record of events help us determine ethical issue like slavery or develop a “just war” theory? The answer to this question is: very little. We need to focus on what the Bible prescribes or on historical examples that the Bible actually tells us are good models (See Heb 11: 1–38; A Just Defense, K. Payne (Multnomah, 1987); Ethics for a Brave New World, J. Feinberg (Crossway, 1993); and An Introduction to Biblical Ethics, J.R. McQuilkin (Tyndale, 1995). The teaching passages are paramount for forming biblical ethics. Moreover, just because the Bible describes something does not mean that it endorses it for every age and time. For instance, even in the Ten Commandments the practice of slavery is mentioned (“You shall not covet your neighbors . . . man servant or his female servant . . .” Exod 20:17). But it is not sanctioned nor is it recommended in this command against coveting. Likewise, when the Bible reader comes to the teaching in the Epistle to Philemon by an Apostle of Christ (also see 1 Cor 7:21 and Gal 5:1) as well as the many Old Testament restrictions on this institution (e.g. Exod 21:2), he quickly learns that the Bible intended to change this culturally accepted practice in the teaching sections, while it simply recorded and even limited slavery in the legal and historical sections (Lev 25:39–43; Deut 23:15–16).

We also need to let the biblical paradoxes stand as they are without reinterpreting them based on descriptive texts. For instance, an individual Christian is not to retaliate against evil (Matt 5:39; Rom 12:14–21) while the state is directed by God to bring evil doers to justice, which includes death (Rom 13:1–7; 1 Pet 2:13–17), according to God’s economy and revelation. God requires these prescriptions for individuals and states simultaneously. Likewise, the individual must also balance the righteous person’s responsibility to defend the defenseless (Prov 31:89; Isa 1:17), and thus, he must take defensive actions when he is with children or when he witnesses evil men harming widows or orphans (the positive side of the command in Exod 20:13 is: “You must preserve life”).

I would not have a problem working side-by-side in a disaster relief project with the dear brother who wrote the BR former article. But because of the way he approaches the Scriptures and the conclusions he draws from them, I would be unable to serve on the same church staff with him. Disagreement on secondary level issues (e.g. women pastors)[2] can allow us to have some levels of cooperation. But the very method that he recommended for interpreting the Bible (which is a first level issue) breaks unity even more than the conclusions he draws from that methodology. Departing from evangelical hermeneutics and ethics does not make it easier for conservatives to partner with those who are similar to us in third level theological issues (e.g. church government). The position offered in the former article has not achieved common ground but has furthered the divide between those who seek to accurately exegete the Bible to determine issues of faith and practice and those who proceed using other methods with additional authorities. The conclusions reached by these two dissimilar approaches to the solving “hot topics” issue are vastly different, and that’s why interpretation methodology is crucial and has very practical implications.

Ted D. Manby is the Associate Pastor at Adamsville Baptist Church in Goldsboro, NC and has earned a B.A. in Bible from Columbia Bible College, and a M.Div. in Advanced Biblical Studies with languages, and a Th.M. in Old Testament studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest. This is his fifteenth year serving on a church staff.

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[1] This noun (table waiter) is not solely masculine or feminine by itself in Koine Greek. The masculine ending is used for both masculine and feminine uses with this and other common gender noun. See David Allen Black, It’s Still Greek to Me: An Easy-to-Understand Guide to Intermediate Greek (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1998), 22. Thus the Greek word form would be the same for a female “table waiter” as a male “table waiter” and the same for the technical usages of this noun translated as a male “deacon” or as a female “deaconess.” The context alone signifies which usage the author intends. This is difficult because we only have two texts on this topic (Rom 16:1–2, 1 Tim 3:11, women). Thus, we must admit the possible translations in these texts include: servant, deacon, deaconess, or even the wife of a male deacon. This author prefers the position of “deaconess” in both texts.

[2] First level theological issues concern the fundamentals of the faith and the gospel. Getting these wrong are the difference between heaven and hell (deity of Christ, virgin conception and birth, repentance and faith, inspiration of the Bible, resurrection of Christ, return of Christ, salvation by grace alone through Christ alone, etc.). Secondary issues are very important doctrines, but not part of the gospel, the fundamentals, or teachings absolutely vital for living the Christian life. Third level issues are ones that good Bible students have agreed to disagree on for centuries, but they can still make a biblical argument for their view being valid.