Today, the 10th of October, is World Mental Health Day.

A recent international study found the following:

“One out of every two people in the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime…”
(Harvard.edu)

One out of every two means that as you read and I write, either you or I will experience mental health problems in our lifetimes (and, very possibly, both of us).

When people are physically ill, we cook for them, we pray for them, and we might even offer to go over to their home and clean. When a family has a baby and needs the support of a community, we make schedules to visit, take meals, and offer childcare for any older siblings. But, when there is a problem that begins in the mind, many do not know what to do. This is even true, sadly, within the church. Why is it, when our Bibles have so much to offer in terms of caring for others in a vast and varied range of situations, that this kind of struggle can find us lacking?

Here are some important things to remember:

The brain can get ill just like any other organ in the body; read Brains Get Sick Too by Rebecca Slack, PhD.

I recently learned the following:

“Just as diabetes has to do with a body’s failure to regulate blood sugar, mood disorders result from the brain’s failure to regulate the chemicals that control mood. Specifically, nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other by releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters. Norepinephrine and serotonin are the two neurotransmitters involved in depression. When there is an ample supply of these neurotransmitters available to stimulate other nerve cells, one typically feels “normal.” You can still have your regular ups and downs, but you aren’t fighting the illness of depression. But in clinical depression, fewer of these neurotransmitters are released because the first nerve cell reabsorbs them before they’ve adequately stimulated other nerve cells.”

Illness is illness, in whatever part of the body it is found. Neither visible or invisible illness were part of God’s plan for humanity and their presence reflects the fallen world we live in (Genesis 2.9, Revelation 22.1-4). Our frail and fallible bodies will one day be raised to newness of life and be without sickness of any kind (1 Corinthians 15.51-55) but until then, things will go wrong.

Mental (and physical) health problems are not rooted in sin.

Challenge this false assumption with John 9.1-3:

“Now as Jesus was passing by, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him.”

I love what Edwin Blum wrote about those verses:

“The disciples faced a theological problem. Believing that sin directly caused all suffering, how could a person be born with a handicap?… [John 9.1-3) does not contradict the universal sinfulness of man (cf. Rom. 3:9-20, 23). Instead Jesus meant that this man’s blindness was not caused by some specific sin. Instead the problem existed so that … God could display His glory in the midst of seeming tragedy.”
(emphasis added)

It is ok to ask for help.

Physical struggles that need medical intervention are not looked down upon, neither is your mental health.

It is self-evident that when we are sick, we need a doctor to make us well (Jeremiah 8.22, Luke 5.31). Sometimes that doctor prescribes a cautious and minimal treatment plan, other times that doctor will offer a more definite intervention. We trust their judgement and never look down upon someone who leaves the hospital with medication.

We would never, ever think to chastise or criticise someone seeking an oncologist if they have cancer or someone visiting an orthopaedic surgeon if they have a broken leg. As we have said, the brain can malfunction just like any other organ, so, logically, there is no stigma attached to seeking treatment. Sometimes that will be cautious, sometimes more definite. Both are ok, and the fear of criticism for seeking help should not stop you doing so.

You are not alone.

There is likely someone in your life who knows exactly what you are going through.

“… within the Christian community, where openness and grace should flow the richest and deepest, where the masks are meant to come off and safety offered to all, owning depression [and other mental health struggles] is virtually taboo. There is an unwritten rule that people of faith should not be depressed. The prevailing idea is that the Christian faith is to be a faith of joy, making depression a sin, which means there is no excuse for a depressed spirit. As a result, depressed people have been riddled with guilt, have hidden in shame, and have been afraid to surface in order to get the help they need.”
(Church and Culture)

It might shock you to hear that giants of yesteryear — such as the great reformer and hymn writer Martin Luther, the prince of preachers and ever quotable Charles Spurgeon, and one of the best known missionaries of the nineteenth century Hudson Taylor — all suffered with what we would call depression today. We would never, ever think of criticising these men, their faith, or their impact on modern Christianity. It was, perhaps, even more courageous for them to admit difficulty in a time when, generally, difficulties were not admitted. We would never say that they were not a ‘strong enough believer’ because they struggled with issues that were not as visible as a broken leg or a cancerous growth.

All of that to say, there are people all around us who have experiential knowledge of what we are dealing with and would, I am sure, love to help you. Many of us, however, are not mind readers and do not want to seem like a nosey-Nigel by being overly full of questions, so if you would appreciate help, confide in someone you trust.

Beyond heroes of the faith and those in our lives now, the Psalmist records in Psalm 42:

“Why are you depressed, O my soul?
Why are you upset?
Wait for God!
For I will again give thanks
to my God for his saving intervention.
I am depressed,
so I will pray to you while in the region of the upper Jordan,
from Hermon, from Mount Mizar.”
(vv.5-6)

Depression, mental health struggles, openly talked about in the Bible?!

In his struggles, the Psalmist is met with, literally, overwhelming grace. God does not look down on those who come to Him with problems, and yes, that includes those that find their origin in our minds, thoughts, or emotions:

“One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls;
all your billows and waves overwhelm me.
By day the LORD decrees his loyal love,
and by night he gives me a song,
a prayer to the God of my life.”
(vv.7-8)

The Psalmist has taken his struggle to God (v.6) and has found grace, love, and care (vv.7-8). On this reception and provision, F.B. Meyer wrote the following:

“…whatever the depths of our sorrow, desire, or necessity, there are correspondences in God from which full supplies may be obtained.”

Conclusion

Stated as simply as possible: If this is how God treats those who come to Him with struggles that begin in our minds, thoughts, or emotions, should we not do all we can to do the same?

From this day forward, when someone we know takes the courageous step to voice their struggles, let us all treat them with the same grace with which the Lord so freely gives us (cf. Ephesians 4.32, 1 John 4.19).

Further Reading

The American Bible Society, Healing The Wounds Of Trauma: How The Church Can Help.
Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D., The Body Keeps The Score.
Gaby Galvin, “The U.S. Suicide Rate Has Soared Since 1999,” U.S. News and World Report, April 8, 2020, read online.
Brianna Abbott, “U.S. Suicide Rates Rose in 2021 After Two Years of Decline,” The Wall Street Journal, September 30, 2022, read online.
Charles Swindoll, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life.
Dwight L. Carlson, “Exposing the Myth that Christians Should Not Have Emotional Problems,” Christianity Today, February 9, 1998, read online.
Samuel H. Chao, “Remarkable or Little-Known Facts About Hudson Taylor and Missions to China,” Christian History15, no. 4.
Larry Crabb, Connecting: Healing Ourselves and Our Relationships.
https://hms.harvard.edu/news/half-worlds-population-will-experience-mental-health-disorder?_ga=2.240407427.1432749876.1728282009-550650552.1728282009#:~:text=Massive%20burden%20of%20disease,by%20the%20age%20of%2075.
https://theconversation.com/how-neuroscience-can-teach-children-about-mental-health-31713
https://www.churchandculture.org/blog/2022/10/10/suicide-and-the-church

“Thick skin, soft heart.“

A good friend who pastors a church in a very different context and culture said this to me recently. In full he said,
“How are we [as Christians] supposed to keep a thick skin to pushback and criticism but also maintain a soft heart towards others?“

For those who claim Christ as Lord and Saviour this is a real and ongoing struggle.

So, how do we not wilt and fall away in the face of negativity but persistently pursue the best for other people?

First, we need to acknowledge our human limitations. You’re just a person, and I’m just a person. This means that we have limits. We have a limit to how thick our skin can be and how much criticism can be ignored and risen above. Words hurt (Proverbs 12.18). Words said in anger or upset, actions taken with a critical spirit, take a second to say or do and often far, far longer to forget.

We also have a limit to the compassion we can show. You’re just a person, and I’m just a person. We’re fallen, we’re fallible, and we’re not a source of inexhaustible compassion: Compare Jeremiah 17.9 with 2 Corinthians 1.3 and see that we’re not Him.

I recently read of compassion fatigue. Simply, if you’re constantly pouring out for others and bearing their burdens with little or no regard for yourself, this will catch up with you and you then become the person in need. Dr. Charles Figley writes on the destructive nature of this state and says that it …

“… refers to the emotional and physical exhaustion that can affect helping … over time. It has been associated with a gradual desensitization to [people’s] stories … [and ultimately] a decrease in quality care …”

So, how do we avoid falling away at every criticism and burning out through compassion? There’s inherent tension between the call to care and carry burdens but not carry to the inevitable negative emotions and interactions that fallen and fallible people bring. In both scenarios, the solution, I believe, is the same:

We take both to Jesus.

Perhaps it sounds too simple. Perhaps it is. The care we offer people should flow from who God is, revealed in the person of Jesus:

“Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you.”
(2 Corinthians 1.3-5)

“…if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose.”
(Philippians 2.1-2)

The compassion and the care we offer others, the soft heart, flow from who God is and what He has done for us in the person and work of Jesus. We care for others with the care we receive, not that which we manufacture ourselves. Your ultimate goal in caring for others is to take them to Jesus, not to be their Saviour. Compassion fatigue is much quicker to come when we try to take on ourselves those burdens that only He can carry.

The same is true for the criticisms:

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”
(John 15.18-21)

Criticism for the Christian is, sadly, par for the course. In the same discourse, Jesus goes on to say that He will send an Advocate, a Helper, who will guide us through these kinds of situations (John 16.1-11). The ability to not let the weight of negativity crush you is a Spirit-given gift.

Jesus knows, experientially, what you’re working through when the criticisms and disappointments have pierced your skin and threaten to harden your heart and has provided all you need to maintain a thick skin yet a soft heart. Take them to Him in prayer. Read His Word and see His actions and reactions. The key to having thick skin and a soft heart, simply, is to root yourself in Jesus.

After writing to Titus — his former travel and ministry partner (Galatians 2.1-3) — about his current task in the church, Paul begins to instruct his young charge on the conduct and character he is to insist upon in Crete (a place notorious for slack standards). Paul gets more specific on his command to Titus to teach what accords with sound doctrine (2.1) when he speaks specifically about the men under Titus’ charge:

“Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.”
Titus 2.2

Titus was most likely younger than these older men, and it takes a great deal of humility, dignity and self-control to be pastored and led by someone younger in years than you. The fact that Paul needs to tell Titus how the older men ought to behave shows us that this kind of behaviour does not always come naturally with age. Neither is this gender specific:

“Older women likewise are to exhibit behaviour fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good.”
Titus 2.3

There is often a misconception that once an older person stops work, they to move on to the next stage of their life and either become immersed in hobbies or just simply live out their days quietly and without much fuss. But, here, Titus is told to teach the Cretans the exact opposite: no, your older men and older women are to be examples in character and conduct. Do not let them slide off into the sunset and excuse any of their “personality quirks.” They must enter this phase of their lives and not “let go”. Rather, they ought to be the living embodiment of those who have years of experience to share, dispensers of tales about trials that have been overcome, and fonts of wise words that come from walking with the Lord for so long.

Being temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in endurance are all great qualities that we want the older men in our lives to be displaying. Likewise for the older women and their list of aspirational attributes. But, why? Why is this so important? Let us keep reading:

“In this way they will train the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited.”
Titus 2.4-5

Why do we need people we can look to and mimic? God through Paul says that it is so that the message of God may not be discredited. Our witness to the world is so important that we are urged to have those in our lives who have been there, seen it, and done it to make sure we are not tarnishing it.

There are a few things that come from this passage, then. Perhaps it is the exhortation to have a multi-generational church family that genuinely interacts with one another on a personal level (we cannot learn from a generation that are not present, nor influence those not there). Maybe it is that both men and women have an equally important yet complementary role in discipleship. There are individual implications and there are church-wide connotations, but, more than that, mentorship (and the character it develops) is needed so that the message of God may not be discredited.

Without mentorship from those further along life’s path, we are making it up as we go along, hoping not to mess up the message of God to others by our conduct. Friends, we need not live like this. God wants more for you than to make it up as you go along.

If you are new to the faith, find someone who has been sound in [their] faith for longer than you and talk to them. Imitate them as they imitate Christ. Soak up every ounce of accumulated wisdom and every single lived experience of Jesus that they are willing to share. And, by the same token, if you are in your 40s, 50s, 60s, or even older, look around and see who you can come alongside and mentor. Actively find those in your church to whom you can exhibit behaviour fitting for those who are holy, see those around you to whom you can pass on some of your decades of experience. Help them to live a life worthy of the the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

May we all see and show, with words and ways, what it means to live a life in which the message of God may not be discredited.

Amongst the many well-wishes when our first son was born in 2015 was a consistent message that slowly but surely,

“You will now come to see and appreciate a whole new side to our Father in heaven.”

At the time, the little cooing and gurgling bundle of joy did nothing but help me to understand how to love someone else in ways that I never thought possible (Psalm 103.13, for example), but, over time, I am becoming more and more awestruck at the patience and perseverance of God’s love. Let me explain…

“When he looks you in the eye and lies to you, it will break your heart.”

This next nugget of parenting wisdom seemed like something that somebody with grumpy, grouchy, and monosyllabic teenage kids would say. I did not understand why it was being said to me: the dad of the world’s most handsome, adorable, and obedient toddler. This boy went everywhere with me. He has been a daddy’s boy since day one. But, alas, the lies came. It upset me like nothing much has ever done and fulfilled the forewarning of the words above. In that moment, I just could not fathom how someone I loved unconditionally could lie to me. This person who had professed their little-legged but huge-hearted love for me again and again had now made a decision to obscure the truth to avoid trouble.

Is this how God sees me?

Am I like this?

Am I unconditionally loved yet willing to lie through my teeth when I think it would turn away trouble?

Fast forward to today and we now have two boys. Super-sleuth detective I am not, but I can tell when my sons are trying to deceive me. It seems to come so easy to them in the moment, too, which makes it all the harder to take. If I can always see it in them, how much more is the creator of the universe able to see it in me? How easy must it be for the omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent God to know that we are lying or being deceitful.

What kind of love keeps someone right there in the face of rebellion?

Surely this kind of behaviour would be enough to turn most loves away?

Being lied to for someone else’s self preservation or gain is pretty hard to take. Proverbs 6 makes very clear that God is not a big fan of lying either (vv.16-19). This is tremendously bad news for us who find it so easy to lie and deceive (cf.Jeremiah 17:9-10). We find ourselves, therefore, naturally and inherently doing things that contradict who God is. Simply, we sin (cf. Psalm 12, Romans 3.23).

What kind of love keeps someone right there in the face of outright rebellion?

“…a Never-Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”
(The Jesus Storybook Bible)

In his letter to the Romans, Paul lists some of the things that God overcomes to be right there with us despite our failings:

“…I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(8.38-39)

Paul could quite as easily, I believe, have written that

“…I am convinced that neither
…lies, nor deceit, nor trying to cover it up, nor continuing to lie when the game is up…
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God is love, as John writes (cf. 1 John 4.8) and so, simply, He is always going to be there for those that turn to Him in repentance and with faith.

“The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning your faithfulness is abundant!”
(Lamentations 3.22-23)

“It will so happen that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered.”
(Joel 2.32)

“…while [the returning, formerly rebellious, prodigal son] was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Hurry! Bring the best robe, and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Bring the fattened calf and kill it! Let us eat and celebrate, because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again—he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.“
(Luke 15.20-24)

There is now nothing we can do that will drive Him away (Romans 8.1, cf. Romans 7.21-25). The penitent heart that wants to be loved will always, always be loved.

Both my sons love me, and I love them. I love them unconditionally. I love them despite their failures and would do anything to redeem them from the consequences of their failures, if they want my help. I love them even though I know they will disappoint me again, and again, and again (and I them). I love them despite knowing that they will, I am sure, at some point in their life turn away from me in their hearts and believe they are better off alone and know better (althoughhopefully only for an exceedingly brief moment). As the Jesus Storybook Bible phrases it:

“And though they would forget him, and run from Him, deep in their hearts God’s children would miss Him always, and long for Him — lost children yearning for their home.”

Why do I love them like this, doing my earthly best to show them patience and perseverance? I love them because they are my children, I love them because they are made in my image, and I love them because of the example of our heavenly Father’s love for me (1 John 4.19).

Memento Mori is a Latin phrase that means “remember that you will die.” It is, I think, the perfect way to end one year and start a new one. It might sound morbid, but, really, it’s magnificent. Let me tell you why.

Many people will have made many resolutions this past couple of weeks:

• how they will live this coming twelve months
• things they will start
• perhaps even things they will stop

Personally, I can think of no greater resolution for this next three hundred and sixty-six days than this: remember, daily, that you will die.

The earliest known use of the term in popular culture was in the late 1500s. William Shakespeare brought it to the attention of many in his play “Henry IV”:

“…I make as good use of it as many a man doth of a Death’s-head or a memento mori …”
(Act 3, Scene 3)

It was then, and still is now, used to remind people of the impermanence of human life (cf. Isaiah 40). Classical antiquity (c. 800 BC to c. AD 500) was filled with references to the inevitability of death but with different language. Often visually or physically depicted by a skull, it was somewhat ubiquitous for a long time in art and literature.

During the Roman triumphal return of a conquering general, it is rumoured that someone carried a skull to remind the victor that he, too, would die one day … so enjoy today because there will be an end. Second century Christian writer Tertullian, apparently, wrote that this was standard practice, but evidence for his claim is scant.

How, then, does this fit into a Christian worldview?

Isaiah 40.6-8 tells us this:

“All people are like grass, and all their promises are like the flowers in the field. The grass dries up, the flowers wither, when the wind sent by the Lord blows on them. Surely humanity is like grass. The grass dries up, the flowers wither, but the decree of our God is forever reliable.”

The simple and humbling truth here is that you and I, all people, are like grass. Our lives begin with beauty and new growth. It seems like we will never stop developing, expanding, and flourishing. We transform, as if by some means of supernatural metamorphosis, from frail and helpless infants into miniature people, eventually reaching physical maturity with the world laid out before us. But, as Isaiah reminds, the grass dries up and the flowers wither. Our once indestructible bodies start to fail us. We begin to stand just a little frailer than before. Where there was once firmness and strength, we now notice frailty and fragility. What is happening to us? We have turned the corner from grandeur and greatness towards our inescapable end: the grave.

James, too, prompts us to consider the fragility and fleetingness of our lives:

“You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes.”
(James 4.14, cf. Psalm 102.11, Job 8.9, 1 Chronicles 29.15)

So, accepting our limitations, what does this do for us?

Accepting that we have an end can, somewhat counter-intuitively, inspire us to live in the here and now. Matthew McCullough writes that facing up to the truth of our inevitable death leads us to a deeper hope in life. As we are honest with ourselves about the truth that each and every one of us faces a physical death, we are inescapably drawn into grief. We think of what we will miss; the people, the places, and the points that define our lives. Grieving over death is natural and shows us that this was never meant to be the case for humanity, that death is a consequence of the fall (Genesis 2.9, 16). To be self-aware enough over the inevitability of your death is to welcome grief into your life. However, as a born-again believer in the risen Jesus, we grieve not as those who do not have hope (1 Thessalonians 4.13-14).

It is in death that we experience the richest life: both momentarily and eternally. In death, for the believer, there is hope and there is life.

It grieves me that the most poignant and personal truths are only shared when life is ebbing away.
How different our transient existence would be if we regularly and routinely told those we love that we do, in fact, love them.
How different would our families, churches, friendships, and relationships be if everyone around us knew how valued, appreciated, respected, and special to us they were.
It grieves me that these truths only surface when death is imminent or, heartbreakingly, once death has already claimed another life. In death, there are some of the richest experiences life can offer.

Eternally, too, we experience the richest life in death.
Death hurts, there is no denying. Anything that we experience that contradicts who God is and His design for us hurts. Isaiah tells us that for those who choose to trust the suffering servant, for those who love the sacrificial Saviour, death no longer has a sting (Isaiah 25.8, 26.19). Death as the eternal and permanent enemy is no more (1 Corinthians 15.51-58). The resurrection of Jesus guarantees, both logically and theologically, your own. Whilst no doubt difficult, death is now simply another step in our journey to glory.
In death, there is hope and there is life (John 10.10).

So, as we all move closer each day to a physical death, accepting this truth should inspire you to live to the fullest each and every day.

Those people you love will not be here forever: tell them how much they mean to you.

Take the chances and seize the opportunities that God puts in your path.
Do not wait for things to one day, perhaps, maybe get better. Take action to do something about it (Nehemiah 4.9).

Yes, there is death in our life, but it is not the end.
Accept it, grieve it, but never lose sight of the hope of eternal life. Never forget, too, that hope and life in death are only found in the person, and through the work, of Jesus, and your faith therein.

Bibliography

Beard, Mary. The Roman Triumph. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 2009.

McCullough, Matthew. Remember Death: The Surprising Path to Living Hope. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018.

To read Scripture daily is a good thing (2 Timothy 3.16, Romans 15.4, Mark 13.31, 1 Peter 2.2, Psalm 119.130).

There isn’t, as far as I can see, a daily amount that we must read. Other faith traditions may impose an “expectation” on their adherents, but, for those born again by faith in Jesus, a daily commitment to read the Word and to hear from God through His Word, is something we want to do.

So, how much is enough? Should I read a certain amount every day? Let’s see.

Quality

Charles Spurgeon said the following:

“Some people like to read so many [Bible] chapters every day. I would not dissuade them from the practice, but I would rather lay my soul asoak in half a dozen verses all day than rinse my hand in several chapters. Oh, to be bathed in a text of Scripture, and to let it be sucked up in your very soul, till it saturates your heart!”

(1882, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit: Sermons)

Reading multiple chapters a day isn’t a bad thing, neither is reading a few verses. The fact that we’re daily in the Word is the most important thing. There’s no minimum daily, weekly, or yearly quota that we must read … and there’s no maximum allowed either! If you have a Bible app on your phone, you can usually set it to deliver a “verse of the day” to your home screen. Often memorable, stand-alone truths, this kind of Scripture intake can really help with “soaking in Scripture,” as Spurgeon says. We have a truth there, at our fingertips, to see over and over again each time we pick up our phones (which, research has shown, is on average every ten minutes).¹ When we read for quality, we should think on that truth throughout the day. We should repeat it to ourselves throughout the day. Quality reading is about a truth truly taken in, not just quickly taken in.

If you’re in a season of soaking, my counsel would be to not allow this to be a permanent state. Don’t allow yourself to perpetually exist on the crumbs of such a glorious meal. If you’re soaking in the quality of just a few words each day now, plan ahead to take a deep dive into something new soon. Plan to devour books, sections, or even Testaments like never before. Enjoy the quality, and look ahead to the quantity.

Quantity

As we read above, some people like to read so many … chapters every day. I’ve had seasons where I’ve found myself drawn to reading through certain books of the Bible; maybe I’m teaching a passage soon and want the big picture, maybe things are happening at home that I think a specific book would speak into. Either way, sometimes we are drawn to more, and then reading a higher quantity of Scripture daily is what we need. Different books and different sections of our Bibles are hard to really understand in small pieces (the history books, for example) and so we do need to consider them as they come: as a whole.

If you’re in a season of ploughing through the Word, my counsel would be to make sure that your reading is deep enough for it to produce fruit. The witness of “Yeah, I read five whole chapters a day…every day!” mixed with a decidedly un-Christian lifestyle is not a good look. It’s also inconsistent with the commitment you have made to taking in the Word. If you’re working hard at taking it in, make sure you’re letting the Word work in you (James 1.22-25).

So, Quality or Quantity?

There’s no hard and fast answer to this; it’s a personal, situational, and seasonal response. The bottom line is that, as believers, we should be daily in the Word. If that’s a passage or a paragraph, a whole book or a bite-sized chunk, being in the Word is one of our everyday essentials.

I believe that God wants us to be continually sanctified, to be daily made more like Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5.23, Galatians 2.20, 1 Corinthians 6.11, Romans 6.6, Hebrews 13.12, and many more). In John 17, Jesus is recorded as praying for His disciples to be set apart in the truth. He then says that God’s Word is truth.

To be sanctified, to be set apart in the truth,
we have to be in the Word.

I’d love to hear from you about your Bible reading: Are you in a season of quality or quantity?

Let me know!

References:

¹ https://www.zippia.com/advice/smartphone-usage-statistics/#:~:text=How%20many%20times%20does%20someone,That%27s%20a%20lot.

For the past couple of years, Christmas trees seem to be appearing earlier and earlier. Not in the shops that want you to buy their stuff, but in the homes of regular people like you and me. It seems that people are watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music, and eating Christmas foods way earlier than ever before.

Why is that?

Is it a Bahrain-specific thing: I’m traveling soon but want to enjoy some Christmas cheer here before I leave? Perhaps … but there might be a bigger-picture reason.

When we decorate for Christmas, when we put up the tree and switch on the lights, what are we really doing? For some, it begins and ends there:

Decorating the home looks nice.

Twinkling lights look nice.

Mince pies taste nice.

Michael Bublé sounds nice.

For some, it’s very surface-level. It’s just … nice.

But, on a deeper level, when we put up the tree and switch on the lights, what are we really doing?

What we’re doing is turning our eyes and hearts and minds towards hope.

When we put up the tree and switch on the lights, we’re putting a (very) visual reminder in our homes and lives that something better is coming.

We’re telling ourselves that the lives we live in the here and now are not all that there is and all that there will ever be. We’re turning eyes and hearts and minds to hope:

The hope of a coming child, a son, through whom we can live a peace-filled life (Isaiah 9.6).

The hope of restoration to right relationship with God and the close and intimate fellowship this brings (Revelation 21.3).

The hope that there’s something, someone, bigger, greater, and above it all who loves you, cares for you, and stepped down into fallen creation to rescue you from it all (Philippians 2.5-11).

The last few years were strange, weren’t they?

They put us in situations of separation, of uncertainty, of anguish, and of heartache. At times like this, we need hope.

If we look to the world around us for hope, for encouragement, and for the reassurance that tomorrow will be better, then each and every year we may just end up putting the tree up a little bit earlier. Just think—if you’re having a bad year, maybe your tree will go up in the summer …

But, if we look only to Jesus for hope, for encouragement, and for the reassurance that tomorrow will be better, then we’ll be free to throw that tree up and switch on those lights whenever we want to because our hope is firmly rooted in the truth of the Word of God and the Word become flesh, Jesus.

So, when should we put up the tree and switch on the lights? I guess it depends on why you’re doing so. Thinking deeper and leaning harder on the truth of Jesus for your hope, encouragement, and reassurance this festive season, put that tree up whenever you like.

Keeping Jesus At The Center – Ray Ortlund

My wife Jani and I were at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa on New Year’s Eve 1971, going into 1972. The service was held in the big tent, of course.

We arrived early enough to get seats in the center of the front row.

Love Song played. Chuck preached. And then we took Communion. It was wonderful.

But the most unforgettable moment for me occurred right after the service. Chuck was still standing just behind the Communion table. And one of the young people greeting him, giving him a big hug, accidentally knocked over a stack of Communion trays.

What struck me was how quickly and genuinely Chuck reassured him and set him at ease: “Oh, that’s okay! No problem at all.” I thought, “Chuck is a wise pastor.

Any non-churchy kid could come in here and be accepted. Jesus is the only issue here.”

That memory has helped me in my own pastoral ministry all these years.

Thank you, Chuck.

Even When The Crowd Is Quite Small – Nicky Gumbel

I first met Chuck Smith in around 1978. At that time, Calvary Chapel was already a huge church, yet he was willing to come and speak to about five of us at HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton in London).

I still remember the talk he gave on “Healthy Sheep Multiply.” I was struck by his sheer stamina! He spoke for about three hours with hardly a pause.

Later I had the privilege of visiting Calvary Chapel, in around 1985, and heard him preach—expounding the Bible with great authority and humour.

Chuck Smith has rightly been called “one of the most influential figures in modern American Christianity.”

Learning To Love God’s Word – Elaine O’Connor

God used Pastor Chuck to introduce me to the inexhaustible insights and wisdom His Word has to offer.

It all began with my noticing that Pastor Chuck saw the world and others differently.

He saw humanity as precious, created by God for a relationship with Himself. He saw events as under the watchful gaze of a loving God.

The second thing I noticed was that Pastor Chuck cherished God’s Word, every single bit of it. He would get excited to read and study the Bible. I had only seen that depth of excitement at bakeries or sporting events.

It seemed logical that the two were connected. Therefore, wanting that same loving kindness-fueled perspective myself, I also began to read and study the Bible.

Through the years, I have experienced both bitter and sweet times.

Difficult as the bitter times have been, I have known with absolute confidence that God loves me and sees what is happening. I have known with astounding certainty that I can trust Him. No one can purchase this knowledge, even with access to the finest of stores. It is a gift from God.

There is something about one’s roots growing deep into God’s love—via His Word—that enables even the frailest tree to stand … and offer shade to others. The words of Psalm 1 are perfect and true.

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts,” writes the prophet Jeremiah. Pastor Chuck felt the same way.

God used Pastor Chuck to instill in me that same sense of appreciation for Him and His Word, and that has made all the difference.

A Humble, Simple Love For The Word – Daniel Hamlin

I first started attending Calvary Chapel in the mid 1990’s. What stood out to me the most and what kept me coming back was the priority given to the Word of God. Not long after high school I went off to Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, California. Pastor Chuck would periodically come out to the college to preach, and it was during one of these sermons I discovered something about him that left a profound impact on me.

He was teaching through the book of Ruth and asked us to follow along as he read. Everyone’s head was down as they read along with him, but I happened to look up for a moment. I glanced at Pastor Chuck and noticed he wasn’t looking at his Bible. He was reciting the text correctly, but his eyes were off to the side. I realized he was reciting it from memory. We read through multiple chapters of Ruth that day and Pastor Chuck seemed to recite it all from memory. He didn’t do it for show, he didn’t draw any attention to himself about it, he just quietly recited it as if he were reading it. Had I not happened to glance up at him, I wouldn’t have known.

It was then I realized what a tremendous love for God’s Word he had. It challenged my own devotion to reading Scripture and inspired me to continue in my pursuit of studying the Bible. In that moment I realized this wasn’t something he just picked up along the way by accident. It was the result of a lifetime devoted to studying and taking to heart God’s precious Word.

To me, Pastor Chuck is a reminder of what the Lord can do through someone with nothing more than a humble, simple love for the Word and the Spirit. I never met Pastor Chuck personally, but his impact on my life and ministry was profound.

From Bahrain With Gratitude – James Travis

I had never heard the name Chuck Smith until I moved to Bahrain in 2013. The pastor of the church we joined on arrival was (and is still very much) a Calvary Chapel guy and I remember him talking about Pastor Chuck a lot.

I got a brief history of the movement, his understanding of the motivation behind the movement, the philosophy of ministry which my mentor saw (and appreciated) in Pastor Chuck, and was finally presented with a copy of Calvary Chapel Distinctives where I could hear from the man himself. The book was
something I devoured as I learnt and trained for ministry, and was later a key text during at least one of my M.Div classes with Calvary Chapel University.

All of that to say, Chuck Smith has had a deep and meaningful impact on my life
and ministry despite the two of us having never met. I’ve learnt a great deal
from his own writings but perhaps more so from those who spent time with
him. Those men and women would be horrified to read their own names here in
what is a tribute to the vicarious legacy of Chuck but, in summary, I’m grateful
for Chuck Smith. I’m grateful for and to the people he impacted and their
continuing impact on the lives of others.

It is a testament to him that ten years on from his death, he is still ministering life and its Author to others, through others.

It seems that no matter how much nuanced hinting or explicit declaration happens in churches, people still stumble over the question of “Do we need the Old Testament?” For some it’s interesting but not instructive. For some it’s awkward and not authoritative. For some it’s plain banal and therefore certainly not binding. Neither references and quotes made, nor promises and prophecies fulfilled, seem to cement in people’s mind that yes, we DO need the Old Testament.

Let me give you just five reasons (of many) why we do.

1. All Scripture (the entire Bible) is God breathed and has been Divinely preserved for your benefit, not just the last quarter (2 Timothy 3.16).

When Paul wrote this to Timothy, he wasn’t just thinking about the records of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and intervening ministry (Matthew-John).

Neither was he just thinking of the testimony of those who lived with and learned from Him (Acts, for example).

Neither was he only thinking of the Hebrew Scriptures (cf. 2 Timothy 3.15).

Paul was so often a big-picture guy, and his declaration that all Scripture is breathed out by God most certainly starts in Genesis and then includes the aforementioned records of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, resurrection, and legacy.

2. As believers, the New Testament gives us the hope of Jesus. The Old Testament shows us whyit was needed.

Again, and again, and again in the Old Testament, we see people doing their utmost to live the life God wants for them but failing. We see the fallen, fallible, and frail human condition come to the fore again and again. On their own and in their own strength and power, people simply can’t cover the space and separation between themselves and God that their sin has created.

We see in the Old Testament that, at the core, people want and need a figure of hope, someone to look to who will put this inability of theirs right. For a while, the figure was a judge (Judges 3.15); for a while, it was a king (1 Samuel 8.19-20). None worked, truly. The longing for something better remained. The longing for someone better remained. The New Testament makes clear that this person is, ultimately and permanently, Jesus.

3. The New Testament picks up right where the Old left off.

So much is shared in the first few books of your Bible. There’s creation, covenants between God and man, the promise of a Messiah, and time after time, the human condition is shown, warts and all. So many threads and themes are begun, so many promises are promised, and so many dilemmas are detailed. The New Testament picks up each, answers them neatly, and resolves them without fail in the person and work of Jesus.

Consider but a few:

See the story of Jael and her radical obedience in Judges 4 and how the New Testament flawlessly completes this arc.

See the proto evangelium, the first Gospel, of Genesis 3.

See the mathematical and chronological accuracy of the prophecies of Daniel.

See the prophetic declarations of Isaiah and Micah about the birth of Jesus.

See the suffering Saviour in Isaiah and the Psalms.

So much is predicted and begun in the Old and comes to fruition and finality in the New. To detach the two would be to have an answer to a question nobody asked.

4. Jesus said He came to fulfil, not abolish (Matthew 5.17).

Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial and atonement laws of the Old Testament. We’re no longer required to live by the complex atoning framework of Leviticus to be in God’s presence, for example. However, the character, selfless love, and behaviour of a believer draws much from the Old Testament (Romans 7.12). Jason Derouchie wrote that

“As Moses asserted, in the day of heart circumcision (Deut. 30:6), which we are enjoying today (Rom. 2:29), all of his teachings in Deuteronomy would still matter: “And you shall again obey the voice of the LORD and keep all his commandments that I command you today” (Deut. 30:8).”

Whilst we are no longer required to offer sacrifices for sins or to observe ceremonial laws, do we ever move past commandments like Deuteronomy 6.5?

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

To say that the Old Testament no longer matters is tantamount to saying passages like that don’t matter, and Jesus said otherwise (cf. Matthew 22.37).

5. Jesus said it all points to Him (John 5.39; Luke 24.27, 44-47).

Quite simple this one.

Jesus said it’s all about Him, so why wouldn’t it matter to those that love, follow, and believe in Him?
* * *

These are just five reasons why the Old Testament is important. We as a church have been working through it one chapter a week for a few years, and I honestly can’t remember how many times something has come up in Genesis or Exodus (for example) that has then been preached from a New Testament book on a Friday. To be believers with a well grounded, firm, and secure faith, we need to feed ourselves on the full counsel of Scripture, not just the last quarter.

I’d love your thoughts on the Old Testament:

Are you currently reading part of it?

Are there parts you’ve never read?

Are there parts you don’t understand?

Further Reading

https://jamestravis.net/2021/03/10/jael-radical-obedience/

References

https://jasonderouchie.com/10-reasons-why-you-should-read-the-old-testament/

Originally published in James Travis’ blog on July 29, 2023.

Living in Bahrain means that travel is an accepted part of life. We travel to see friends and family, we travel on vacation, we travel to renew visas, and we travel because living here puts us close to many other wonderful places (Europe, Asia, and Africa are all reachable in around three hours). People often say that “travel is good for the soul.” The philosopher Seneca (reportedly) said that “Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.”

How does this all look in the life of the believer?

Is travel really good for the soul?

Here, in no particular order, are some reasons why travelling is one of a great many good and perfect Divine gifts (James 1.17).

Travel interrupts and disrupts our well-worn rhythms and routines (but without penalty).

We’re not made to be at work twenty-four seven. We’re not created to be reachable and questionable all hours of all days. Being out of reach, offline, and unavailable has a huge impact on our mental and physical health.¹ We’re forced to be still, be present, and just be.

Even those who love and thrive on routines need a break from them now and again. We see this as early as Genesis 2.1-3wherein God Himself rests from work and established patterns. People need rest (Exodus 20.8-11), and ultimately this work/break rhythm points us to Jesus in His fulfilment of the Sabbath (Hebrews 4.9-11). We rest knowing that our status before God will not suffer and our regular rhythms and routines can freely be paused without penalty. There is now no mental angst from removing yourself from your regular rhythms and routines because those routines are not earning you anything before God. Rest, recharge, and trust that this doesn’t remove any of God’s favour from you.

Travel gives new and renewed perspective.

What’s truly important, and what’s not.

Where we’re investing time, energy, and emotion, and where we shouldn’t be.

What we own, and what is beginning to own us.

What we truly need in our lives, and what we don’t.

These are just some of the contrasts we begin to see in increasing clarity when we move away from our comfort zones and all of the ‘stuff’ therein.

Matthew 6.19-21 teaches us very clearly that where our treasure is, so too is our heart and affection. We are counselled to love God with all that we are (Matthew 22.36-40) and this cannot be done whilst also glorying in our possessions.

Travel, wonderfully, removes us from most of our personal possessions and puts us out there in the Kingdom with little more than a suitcase. Less around us, more to see.

Travel gives new (visual) perspectives.

Seeing the sun rise or set over a new landscape renews your sense of awe and wonder in the process. Watching the same sun that sets over your house set over a mountain range in a different land is (somehow) a much more interesting process.
Seeing vastly different visuals challenges us to imagine a life that’s different from the one we are living and the one we are so used to seeing.

We begin to see that our little corner of the world is just that: little.

We begin to see that we are so small and insignificant in the face of the spectacular created world around us.

In Psalm 8.3-4 we read:

When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,
and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place,
Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them?
Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them?

Seeing more also urges us to think things like;

Could there be more for me?

Could God fulfil me in a different location just as much as He does now?

If you never go (even for a short time), you’ll never know.

Simply, travel is fun and brings joy.

New places, new spaces, new faces.

There is joy in discovering more of creation than you have ever experienced before. Joy is an essential part of the Christian experience and one that I am convinced many are lacking. It’s a defining part of the born-again life.

As part of the fruit of the Spirit presented in Galatians 5 we read:

“… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
(emphasis added)

So, is travel good for the soul? It seems that it is, yes.

It doesn’t have to be an epically-long international odyssey, but going somewhere new to do something new is a gift from God: enjoy it!

References

¹ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/social-media-and-mental-health.htm ︎

Our Bibles are littered with exchanges; Psalm 106.20, Mark 8.37, 2 Corinthians 6.13, and Micah 6.6-8, to name a few. One often overlooked exchange in Scripture is found in Philippians 2. “Wait—you say—Philippians 2 is one of the most talked-about passages in Scripture!” We read therein of Jesus taking on flesh (vv. 7-8), how He condescended to our level (v. 8a), was obedient in a way that we could never be (v. 8b), and in doing so truly showed His Divinity, power, glory, and majesty (vv. 9-11). There is so much going on there in such a rich teaching that we would be forgiven for overlooking the beautiful exchange Jesus made: heaven for here.

Writing to a church from prison¹ about living out their Christian lives (1.27), Paul says that as the Philippians (and us by extension) live day by day we should have the same mindset as Jesus (2.5). Think about life and those around you like this, he says, and then proceeds to pen perhaps the richest and most illuminating teaching on Jesus in the New Testament, perhaps. This hymn, this poetic powerhouse of a description of Jesus as the model of the behaviour he wants the church to have, also lays out a beautiful and fascinating exchange: heaven for here.

Now, before we really get into it, saying that Jesus exchanged heaven for here assumes that He existed before His incarnation. He could not exchange His place in heaven for a place among us here on earth if He came into existence on that O so Holy Night in Bethlehem, right? Jesus was, and is, and always will be (John 8.58). He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (Hebrews 13.8). So, the exchange …

Philippians 2.6 tells us that Jesus existed in the form of God (ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ) prior to His incarnation. This does not mean that He kind of looked like God or was the next best thing, a copy ready to paste. It means that He possesses the essentials that make that person that person, nothing added and nothing subtracted.² H.A.A. Kennedy wrote that the word Paul chose here (μορφῇ— in the form of)

“…always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it…” ³

Before His incarnation then, Jesus had the role in heaven of physically and visibly representing God to those present (John 1.18, 6.46) by truly and fully expressing the being that is God (cf. Deuteronomy 4.35). Jesus was, simply, the One who showed those around Him what God was like: God in a physical and viewable form.

Joseph Henry Thayer (of lexicon notability) wrote that

“[Jesus] bore the form (in which he appeared to the inhabitants of heaven) of God.”²

“You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,

who, though he existed in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be grasped,

but emptied himself

by taking on the form of a slave,

by looking like other men,

and by sharing in human nature.”

(Philippians 2.5-7, emphasis added)

Philippians 2 teaches us, then, that Jesus exchanged His place representing and embodying God in heaven (v. 6) to represent and embody God on earth (v. 7).

Why did this all happen?

Why was heaven exchanged for here and what does this mean for us, now?

We read the reason in vv. 9-11 of the same chapter:

“As a result God highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus

every knee will bow

—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—

and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father.”

(Emphasis added)

Jesus exchanged heaven for here so that every knee will bow: everyone will one day meet Him, and the Father sincerely wants you to meet Him as Saviour (2 Peter 3.9, Revelation 20.4-15).

Jesus exchanged heaven for here so that everyone will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord: there is no other name under heaven by which we are saved and all notions of self-sufficiency ceased in this exchange (Acts 4.12).

Heaven was exchanged for here so that, as Isaiah wrote, we who walk in great darkness can see a great light (9.2).

Heaven was exchanged for here to give you, and to give me, the opportunity, by grace alone and through faith alone, to have our sins forgiven, through Christ alone, for the glory of God alone.

Heaven was exchanged for here so that we can experience a full, abundant, and meaningful life here (John 10.10) and life eternal when this one ends (John 3.16-17).

Heaven was exchanged for here so that you and I can be brought back into right relationship with God because the barrier, our sin, has been removed (Romans 6.23).

Heaven was exchanged for here so that here could be made ready for heaven (Revelation 21.1-4).

In all of that, simply, heaven was exchanged for here, for you.

References

1 – https://www.gotquestions.org/prison-epistles.html

2 – https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3444/kjv/tr/0-1/

3 – H.A.A. Kennedy: The Expositor’s Greek Testament, The Epistle to the Philippians

Many people have personal preferences and their own opinions about the gathered church (which is fine; we’re all made, graced, and gifted uniquely, cf. 1 Peter 4.10). One area keenly discussed is the receiving of God’s Word when the church assembles for its regular and formal service (Hebrews 10.25):

Is it preached?

Is it taught?

Is there even a difference?

As we’re making decisions about how our gatherings should look and how we should expect to receive the Word, we really ought to consult Scripture itself (1 Corinthians 14.36).

So, let’s do just that now …

We’ll begin by looking at 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy: they were written to a church-leading man, in part, about “doing church” after all. Paul writes:

“I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you in case I am delayed, to let you knowhow people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God, because it is the church of the living God, the support and bulwark of the truth.”
(1 Timothy 3.14-15, NET, emphasis added)

As part of these instructions for “how to do church,” five times in two letters Timothy is instructed to teach (1 Timothy 2.12, 4.11, 16, 6.2; 2 Timothy 2.2, διδάσκω – to teach or speak in a public assembly, to direct, to admonish, to instruct).

Only once is Timothy instructed to preach (2 Timothy 4.2, κηρύσσω – to publish, proclaim, to announce openly and publicly).

There is, in Paul’s letters to Timothy at least, a preference for teaching and instruction over simply announcing the Good News when the church is gathered. Is this reflected in the wider New Testament?

In a word, yes: preaching is spoken of 61 times to teaching‘s 160 (NET).

So, What Does This Mean for Our Weekly Worship Services?

It means that teaching certainly does have a place: a scriptural place of importance that (by frequency at least) outweighs preaching. To enter church and expect to simply hear the Gospel message, isolated from any biblical instruction, is to want dessert without a main course.

It means that when we gather we should want to know and to grow in our faith, and we do this, first and foremost, by being instructed in God’s Word (1 Corinthians 14.18-19).

It means that our expectations as we gather should line up with Scripture and that we receive the rhema¹ (Acts 5.20-21) as those who want to learn.

It means that teaching should not simply be tolerated, but treasured (Proverbs 2.1-5).

To be preached at without being taught will certainly have value for some. Most, however, need the why that teaching provides in addition to the what of the Good News:

Why does God love me?

Why did Jesus need to die for me?

Why is it important for me to live a certain lifestyle now I have claimed Christ as Saviour and why does this text lead me to it?

Why is the Gospel good news for me?

The Two – Teaching and Preaching – Are Not in Competition; They Are Complementary: Each Is Essential to the Other.

I once read something on how preaching and teaching should go together each week as the church gathers:

“…our world needs to know just how far we have fallen from our original purpose

(the teaching of the text),

but that there is a Saviour who has ascended higher than we ever can, and He wants to take us with Him

(the preaching of the Gospel message).”

So, What Should We Get at the Gathering?

Your pastor’s primary job when the church gathers—according to Scripture—is to teach before he preaches (it’s literally part of his job title, see Ephesians 4.11 and the grammatical coherence of pastors and teachers).

When you gather at church, there are those among you who don’t know why (or even how) we’ve fallen and, as such, whythe Gospel is the good news. Scripture, properly handled and taught, reveals so. To present the Gospel message aside from the teaching of Scripture is to answer a question that nobody asked.

So, if you already know why the Gospel is good news, great! But remember, there will be those in your church family who are newer to the faith than you are and maybe there are those whose biblical literacy is catching up to yours, so be patient with those who might not yet know why. Pray for them as they receive God’s Word as instruction and insight that they haven’t had before.

Simply, be patient in the teaching as you await the preaching.

If there are passages, or whole books of the Bible, that you lack understanding in, soak in the teaching of the text and welcome the opportunity to know and grow in your faith.

Simply, take in the teaching and the preaching with equal enthusiasm.

Whatever posture you find yourself in as you receive the Word each week at church, let us all see above everything else, and with a progressing clarity and brilliance, its Divine Author and the Saviour that it points us to (John 5.39-40).

References

¹ Rhema: that which is spoken; declaration, saying, speech, word.

I recently talked with a good friend and the conversation turned to (among many things) the topic of gossip. It went something like this:

• Person A – “I don’t think people realise the wider impact gossip has on a community.”
  • Person B – “What do you mean?”
• A – “It robs one person of an opportunity to apologise and to pursue reconciliation.”
  • B – [Intrigued, tell-me-more nod]

As we talked, it became clear to me that as hurtful as gossip can be in the moment, there are much further reaching and deeper consequences that I had just not considered (and that I’m grateful were shared with me). What they said is too good not to share.

Ironically, if someone feels they haven’t been shown the grace, care, or love they desire and takes issue with that, by gossiping they are actually depriving others of the very same. There’s no grace in gossip and depriving others of something we clearly value so highly just doesn’t make sense (Leviticus 19.18, Matthew 7.12).

By involving others in the airing of our annoyances (an awkward position that nobody wants to find themselves in) instead of speaking with the source, we’re actually withholding the opportunity for it ever to be made right. We find ourselves, maybe without even thinking, doing the very thing we claim to be offended by, and we totally miss the moment to see the Gospel at work among us.

Imagine:

“He/She ‘did this’ or ‘said that’ and therefore didn’t treat me right … so I think I’ll complain to someone else about them and by doing so not treat them right …”

Barriers to Seeing the Gospel At Work Among Us

One wonderful aspect of the Gospel is that when we accept that we are sinners (Romans 3.23), when we accept that we can’t earn our righteousness nor prove ourselves good enough (Romans 3.20, Isaiah 64.6), we have the opportunity to turn to God in repentance and faith to find grace and forgiveness (Daniel 9.9, 1 John 1.9, Isaiah 45.22, Joel 2.12-32).

Gossip, however, cuts off this crucial step of acceptance. We simply cannot repent of things we’re totally unaware of. Leviticus gives specific commandments for sins committed in ignorance but even they have to first be accepted before the sacrifice can be offered (4.1-2, 27-28). Gossip, again, removes the first step to forgiveness: an acceptance of sin by the sinner. When gossip is present, the rest of the beautiful process that is forgiveness and reconciliation will never be allowed to continue.

Let’s be clear: gossip is a serious sin (Romans 1.29, 32) and contradicts Jesus’ very clear teaching on conflict among believers (Matthew 18.15). As I read recently,

“It hurts others, divides friends, and damages relationships.” ¹

Beyond this short and straight truth it causes, as I have learned in conversation and through experience, collateral damage that (hopefully) nobody intends. We deprive others of forgiveness as we plunge ourselves into sin.

Gossip is the opposite of the Gospel.

It’s bad news that cuts people off, not Good News that restores.

I saw this in 2022 more than any other year. It was, honestly, the hardest year of my pastorate to date. The times that hurt the most and the times that were not-so-easily rectified in a Scriptural and edifying manner contained a case of gossip, specifically that which Paul describes in 1 Timothy 3.8 as being ‘double tongued’:

“…must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre…” (KJV, emphasis added)

The Spirit working through Paul chose the word there, δίλογος:
δί, meaning double, or two,
and λογος, meaning words, speeches, or subjects.

Practically, it means saying one thing with one person on a given subject and another with another person (specifically with the intent to deceive one or more of those parties). Gossip and being double-tongued are, simply, sin-siblings.

On multiple occasions in 2022 an act of double tongue-ness (is that a word?) was in play, and the damage it caused to relationships was real, the hurt it caused me personally was (at times) devastating, and the impact it had on certain areas of the church family was tangible. It’s unbelievably frustrating, and upsetting, to find out that a relationship you perceive as friendly, polite, supportive, and mutually respectful is simply a veil as the other party is actively saying otherwise to other people.

Gateways to Seeing the Gospel At Work Among Us

Friends, it must not be like this among those who claim the same Lord and Saviour in the risen Jesus.

Writing on the conduct expected of believers and demonstrated by our Lord, Peter quotes Isaiah 53 and says:

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

‘He committed no sin,

and no deceit was found in his mouth.’”

(1 Peter 2.21-22, NIV, emphasis added)

There should be no gossip or deceitful double-tongue found coming forth from the mouths of those who profess to follow Jesus;

We should speak the truth in love to and about one another (Ephesians 4.15).

We should speak highly of one another to one another for the good of one another (Ephesians 4.29-31).

We should speak to one another for one another’s strengthening, encouragement, and consolation (1 Corinthians 14.3).

To find out that you have been spoken about to another in ways that completely contradict how you have been spoken to face to face is personally heart-breaking and potentially community-splitting.

I hope and pray that you will join me now in committing to doing our earthly best to avoid this in 2023 and beyond.

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References

¹ Matt Mitchell, “What is Gossip? Exposing a Common and Dangerous Sin,” Desiring God. Last modified May 26, 2021, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-gossip.