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GRACE BLOGS COLLECTION

I Will Come Like a Thief

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Once upon a time, in the iron-age kingdom of Lydia, there was a river of gold called the Pactolus River. Whoever controlled the river was rich, and this explains why Croesus was one of the richest kings who ever lived.

Croesus, who lived about 550 years before Christ, built a citadel called Sardis to protect his wealth. The citadel sat atop sheer cliffs and was impregnable – or so Croesus thought.

But one night while the guards were dozing, a Persian soldier scaled the cliffs, opened the gate, and Sardis fell. Thus ended the reign of King Croesus.

The fall of Sardis was a pivot point in history for it brought the fearsome Persians to Ionia and the shores of Greece.

One of the changes made by the Persians was they populated Sardis with Jews. The Jews in Sardis thrived which meant that whoever brought the gospel to Sardis had a ready audience in the synagogue.

Fast forward to the end of first century and we find that Sardis had a church – one of seven mentioned in the opening chapters of Revelation. Jesus sent this church a letter and in it he said this:

If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. (Rev. 3:3b)

Telling the Sardians that he would come like a thief was a clever nod to their history. “Remember how your city fell because you weren’t paying attention? That’s what will happen to you, if you don’t wake up.”

Slumbering Sardians

The amazing thing is that Sardis fell twice; first to the Persians in 546BC, then to Seleucid armies of Antiochus the Great in 213BC. On both occasions the city fell because a brave soldier scaled the cliffs like a thief. (You can read the full story in my book, Letters from Jesus.)

Just as the British are famous for their orderly queues and their love of tea, the Sardians were famous for not paying attention. They would have understood that when Jesus said, “I will come like a thief,” he meant that he would come unexpectedly:

Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake. (Rev. 16:15a)

What does it mean to say the Lord will come like a thief? It means his return will be sudden. People won’t expect it.

How then should we live? Those slumbering in the stupor of sin need to wake up.

Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. (Matt. 24:42-43)

No one knows when the Lord will return, but we can be ready. We “wake up” by turning to God in faith. We stay alert by having a hopeful and confident expectation of his return.

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief (1 Thess. 5:4)

The meaning is plain: be ready for the Master’s return. But you won’t be ready if you think Jesus is never coming or that he has already come.

The Lord’s return is future, not past.

Since I have written a book about the fall of Jerusalem, some people have concluded that I am a preterist. “Paul teaches that Jesus came in AD70.” Nothing could be further from the truth. I don’t know when Jesus is coming but I can assure you it wasn’t then.

For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. (1 Thess. 5:2–3)

The Lord’s return will not happen during a time of war but in a time of peace and safety. No one was saying “peace and safety” before the siege of Jerusalem, and there was nothing unexpected or thief-like about the fall of Judea.

When is Jesus coming?

Not in AD70, 1000, 1984, 1988, 1999, 2012, 2017, 2020, or any year that has so far been claimed. No one knows the hour or day the Son is coming, not even him.

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (Matt. 24:36)

We don’t know when, but we do know how: the Lord will return unexpectedly like a thief. But his return won’t be a secret event. Everyone will know about it.

There are more than 90 scriptures discussing the Lord’s return, and every one of them encourages us to look forward to that great and glorious day.

The takeaway: Don’t get caught napping like King Croesus and the slumbering Sardians, and don’t let the day of the Lord overtake you like a thief.

Get ready, live ready, and look forward to the glorious return of the King.

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With more than 1000 scriptures indexed, the Grace Commentary is a great place to find answers to questions, like these:

1. What is the reward we get for our labor?
2. What did Jesus mean when he said, you are alive but dead?
3. What does it mean to deliver someone to Satan?
4. How do we examine ourselves before partaking of communion?
5. How do we believe in vain?
6. What is the meaning of sowing sparingly or bountifully?
7. How do we overcome?
8. Was Abraham really justified by works?
9. Was woman really created for the sake of the man?
10. Did Jesus preach conditional forgiveness?

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When Jesus Speaks Harshly

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Since I preach grace, I am often hit with the accusation that I have not read the harsh words of Jesus. The argument seems to be that because Jesus spoke harshly to the Laodiceans, Sardians, etc., he’s not as gracious and loving as I make him out to be.

Like the Hulk, Jesus has an angry side that grace peeps seem to miss.

It’s true that Jesus rebukes the Laodiceans (“You are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked”) and some of the Sardians (“You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead”). But it’s important to ask why?

Jesus does not rebuke them because they are under-performing Christians failing to meet their outreach quotas.

Nor does he rebuke them because the church finances are low and his job is in peril.

So why does Jesus speak harshly to the Laodiceans, et al.? Because they are lost and he loves them.

Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked (Rev 3:17)

Look carefully at Jesus’ words. “You do not know.” The Laodiceans had no idea they were spiritually destitute.

Like the rich man with his barns (Luke 12:18), they were stockpiling their good works, but they were not rich toward God. They had not taken hold of the Lord’s righteousness because they were full of their own.

Stinky self-righteousness

Self-righteousness is the hardest sin to dislodge. God help us, but we trust ourselves like we trust the laws of nature, and success only serves to cement our deception.

“I did it. I made it. I came, I saw, I conquered.” To be disabused of such a powerful lie, we need a stronger truth. Enter the Faithful and True Witness: “You are wretched.”

Why does Jesus say they are wretched? Because only the wretched cry out for rescue. And why does Jesus say they are naked? Because none but the naked will ever go to him for clothing.

Some say Jesus spoke harshly because he hates the Laodiceans. In truth, he loves them.

Others say his harsh words connote anger and condemnation. But Jesus cares for the Laodiceans and wants them to turn around.

Jesus didn’t speak to condemn them but to save them. If his words sound harsh it’s because the truth is sometimes hard to hear. It takes a hard truth to dislodge a deep deception.

In speaking harshly to the Laodiceans, the faithful and true Witness reveals their true condition. He lets them know that they have fallen short and lost their way.

Of the seven churches Jesus addresses in Revelation 2 and 3, the Laodicean church is the only one where he has nothing positive to say. This highlights the seriousness of the Laodiceans’ problem.

They are not told to remember, like the Ephesians, because there is nothing to remember.

Nor are they exhorted to hold fast, like the Philadelphians, because they haven’t taken hold. Trusting in their own performance, they are truly lost.

I advise you to buy from me… (Rev. 3:18a)

Why does Jesus advise? The law drives us, but Jesus draws us. The law whips, but the Lord woos. The law commands, but Christ counsels us like the true friend he is.

The Ruler of all does not demand obedience from the Laodiceans. He does not threaten them with hellfire or damnation. Instead, he draws them aside like a trader in the marketplace with the deal of a lifetime. With unexpected generosity, he makes them an offer that’s too good to pass up.

“Buy from me”

Why is Jesus talking like a businessman? Perhaps it is because this was a church of merchants and business people. They understood the art of the deal. “You want to do business?” Jesus said. “Then do business with me.”

Is Jesus saying we can buy our salvation? In a manner of speaking, yes.

To buy something is to exchange something we have for something we value more. You might say we buy salvation by exchanging our sins for his forgiveness, but the real exchange is Jesus for us. Christianity is a divine exchange, our life for his. It’s the best deal you’ll ever make.

But Jesus said they were poor. How can the poor buy anything? Because grace pays for all.

A Jewish listener hearing this invitation to buy from Jesus would have been reminded of an old prophecy:

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. (Isaiah 55:1)

The true riches that Christ offers come without cost, or rather, they come with a great cost that he has paid on our behalf. This deal makes no economic sense. We come to him poor and empty-handed, and receive everything in return.

We come naked and are clothed.

We come hungry and are filled.

We come thirsty and are satisfied.

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Book News

Paul’s most picturesque book, Stuff Jesus Never Said, is now – finally! – available in paperback.

“A critical and essential masterpiece for our generation.” That’s what readers are saying about Paul’s new book, The Silent Queen: Why the Church Needs Women to Find their Voice.

Got friends who are not native English speakers? Here are all the foreign-language versions of Paul’s books.

No Grace for Michael Corleone

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I recently watched all the Godfather movies again.

I started with Godfather 2, because it’s the best, then I watched Godfather 1, because it’s even better then best. Then I had a long break where I debated the merits of watching Godfather 3 and then I watched it, because hey, it’s still the Godfather.

Everyone says number 3 is inferior to 1 and 2, and it is. But Godfather 3 is still a good film with some memorable scenes – like the one where Michael confesses his sins.

[Spoilers ahead.]

For those who came in late: Michael Corleone is the Godfather who wants to get out of the crime business. For the sake of his children, he wants to go straight. He sells his casinos. He gives huge sums of money to the Church. He make every effort to become legitimate, but it doesn’t work out because his old friends and enemies won’t let him go.

“Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in.”

One of the best scenes in the movie is the one where Michael visits Cardinal Lamberto looking for help rescuing a bad business deal.

During their conversation, the Cardinal picks up a stone from a fountain. He notes that the stone is wet on the outside but dry on the inside. Like Christianity in Europe, he says, the water has not penetrated the stone.

Just as the light of the gospel has failed to penetrate Michael’s stony heart.

Suddenly, Michael collapses on a bench.

He’s experiencing diabetic shock and struggling to breathe. Some orange juice is brought out and Michael drinks like a desperate man.

“When I’m under stress sometimes this happens.”

Yet perhaps there is more going on than meets the eye. Maybe Michael is being crushed under the weight of his guilt. The good Cardinal seems to sense this when he says, “The mind suffers…and the body cries out.”

Michael seems to have shrunk inside his clothes. The powerful man has become weak and frail, more a child than a mafia don. The Cardinal seizes the moment.

“Would you like to make your confession?”

Michael is flabbergasted. Confess? What is the point? He is beyond redemption. His sins are too great.

But the Cardinal is not giving up. He realizes this sinner has come to a sacred crossroads.

“I hear you are a practical man. What have you got to lose?”

And so, amongst the flowers and in the privacy of the courtyard, Michael bares his soul.

“I betrayed my wife.”

“Go on, my son.” A church bell tolls.

“I betrayed myself. I killed men.” The church bell tolls again.

“And I ordered men to be killed.”

“Go on, my son, go on.”

There is a long pause. We know there is one more sin to confess. It’s the Big Secret that has been gnawing at Michael for years.

“I killed … I ordered the death of my brother.”

Michael looks down.

“I killed my mother’s son…

“I killed my father’s son!” Michael weeps.

There is no doubt that Michael is the worst of the worst, and he knows it. He is a broken man, undone by his sin.

The Cardinal, towering over the shamed man says this:

“Your sins are terrible, and it is just that you suffer. Your life could be redeemed. But I know you don’t believe that. You will not change.”

What?!

The Cardinal’s damning judgment extinguishes any glimmer of hope and leaves Michael hanging over the abyss. Michael remains lost, and it’s all downhill from here.

In the end, it’s bullets and oranges and he loses everything.

But wait. Rewind. Let us consider the Cardinal’s judgment: “You will not change.”

These are faithless and hopeless words from the man of God. How does he know Michael won’t change? Has he not read the story of Saul of Tarsus or Moses the murderer? Has he not himself experienced the transforming power of God’s grace?

It has become a cliché to say that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. So how can the Cardinal say that Michael Corleone was beyond redemption?

Michael confessed his sins and instead of getting grace, he got damnation. Instead of hearing the good news of 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” – he was written off.

It’s as if the Cardinal had said, “To hell with you. You will never change.”

Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but the movie reminded me how important it is to give grace to sinners, because only grace can change us.

We encounter people every day who carry heavy burdens like Michael. They may not be mafia dons, but they are prisoners nonetheless.

If we don’t give them grace, who will?

If we don’t tell them about the unconditional love of God, who will?

To me, the most dangerous man in that scene is not the Godfather but the Cardinal, because he withheld grace from a desperate sinner. Sure, he got Michael to acknowledge his wretched state, but like a doctor withholding medicine, he failed to administer the grace that turns sinners into saints.

How I wish I could have been in the Cardinal’s shoes. This is what I would have said:

God loves you, Michael, more than you love your own kids. You have done wicked things, but while your enemies may hold a grudge, God keeps no record of your wrongs. All your sins were carried by Jesus who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. On account of his great love, he has forgiven you. Receive his grace. Turn to God and be set free from your prison of sin.

(I would resist the temptation to say something clever like, “Your heavenly Father is making you an offer you can’t refuse.”)

The tragedy of The Godfather is that Michael is never shown grace – at least not by anyone in the church – and consequently he is unable to change. He tries to change, but he remains a prisoner of sin to the bitter end.

Every time he thinks he’s out, they him back in.

As a father who loves his kids, I have some sympathy for Michael Corleone. He wants nothing more than to spare his children from the consequences of sin. His desire is good, but good intentions and good deeds and all the money in the world can’t save anyone.

The Godfather is a story about the wages of sin, but it’s also a story about our inability to deliver ourselves from sin’s clutches. The bad news is we cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we try. The good news is that we can be saved no matter how bad we’ve been.

No matter what you have done, there is hope. God’s grace is greater than your sin.

Even if you have whacked the heads of the five families, betrayed your wife, and murdered your brother.

Are you a Godfather fan? Do you think grace would have made a difference or was Michael a truly lost cause? Let me know in the comments below.

5 Myths about God’s Forgiveness

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No religion preaches the complete forgiveness of sins like Christianity. You might say it’s one of our unique selling points.

So why do we do such a bad job with it?

We tell people God may forgive them if they say the right words and keep on the straight and narrow, and then we try and pass off this awful message as though it were good news.

Newsflash: telling people they have to work for divine favor is neither news nor good. In fact, it’s bad news because there is nothing you can do to atone for your sins. Happily, the good news is so much better.

Here are five things the Bible says about forgiveness, and five things it doesn’t.

Myth 1: God may forgive you

Manmade religion manipulates people with carrots (God might forgive you) and sticks (he might not). It’s an ancient racket that leaves people anxious and susceptible to extortion (give us your money and service). But if we preached the true meaning of forgiveness, we would disarm religious bullies and liberate those whom Jesus loves.

Here are two related questions: When were you forgiven? And when were your sins carried away? The answer to one is the answer to the other because forgiveness has to do with the removal of sins.

On the cross your sins were carried away by the Lamb of God. This is Christianity 101, yet most Christians don’t know it. Instead of thanking Jesus for carrying all their sins – past, present, and future – they’re begging him to do what he’s already done. They need to hear the good news:

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12)

God may forgive you? Look to the cross. He already did!

Myth 2: God’s forgiveness comes with price tags

Prior to the cross, Jesus preached conditional forgiveness to people living under the old law-keeping covenant. “If you forgive, God will forgive” (Matt. 6:14). But on the cross Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law so that we might live under a new and better covenant of grace.

Instead of preaching a law that never applied to us in the first place, we ought to tell people what Jesus said after he rose from the dead: “The forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to all nations!” (Luke 24:47). Do you see? Your forgiveness is a done deal. This is the good news the apostles proclaimed all around the world:

Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. (Acts 13:38)

Forgiveness is not a reward to be earned but a gift we receive by faith (Acts 10:43). You can’t work for it because Jesus did it all.

Myth 3: God forgives in instalments

The standard maintenance myth goes like this: “God forgave some of your sins, but now it’s up to you to keep the ledger clean.” How do you do that? You have to be good and faithful. You have to give and serve. You have to repent and confess.

Now those are all good things, but if you think doing them earns you forgiveness, you’re captive to superstition and unbelief. You need to repent from your dead works and agree with God’s Word.

The Lord “pardons all your iniquities” (Ps. 103:3). All means all. Before he died, Jesus prophesied that all sins would be forgiven (Mark 3:28), and on the cross his prophecy was fulfilled (Heb. 9:16). Here’s the good news:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. (Eph. 1:7)

You have been completely and eternally forgiven through the blood of the Lamb (Heb. 9:12). God doesn’t forgive on the instalment plan. In Christ, you are as forgiven as forgiven can be.

Myth 4: God only forgives some people

The Catholics say only those who confess are forgiven and the Protestants say the same thing! What does the Bible say?

“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). To forgive means to carry or take away sins and Jesus carried all our sin. There’s no sin he did not bear. “He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself” (Heb. 7:27).

Some people hold onto their sins as though they were unforgiven, but as far God is concerned, all our sins were dealt with at the cross (Heb. 9:26). Here’s the good news:

He himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)

Propitiation means satisfied. Because of Jesus, the demands of justice have been fully satisfied. Once upon a time the world was under the condemnation of sin, but God has forgiven all sin and there is nothing left to forgive. If God is satisfied with the sacrifice of the Son, let us be satisfied too.

Myth 5: God forgives but never forgets

Ah, the ol’ videotape chestnut. You know the one. “One day God will play a tape showing all your secret sins.” Yeah, that’s great news. Just terrific.

Beware this fake news! There are no videotapes because love keeps no record of wrongs (1 Cor. 13:5). You may have regrets that keep you awake at night, but God remembers your sins no more (Heb. 8:12, 10:17).

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. (2 Cor. 5:19)

Here’s the good news: Your heavenly Father loves you more than you know. The only tapes he has on you are highlight reels!

During his time on earth, Jesus went around forgiving people who had done nothing to deserve it, and while he hung on the cross he forgave those who put him there. The Son of God did this to give us a picture of what true forgiveness looks like; it looks like love.

This is the good news the Church ought to be preaching to a world condemned by sin and guilt. “God holds nothing against you! He loves you and wants you to enjoy his love.”

What can we say in response to this happy news? There is only one thing:

“Thank you, Jesus.”

Want to go deeper? Check out the Bonus Materials for this article on Patreon.

Beware the Lord with a Sword

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What will you do with the Lord with a sword? I am referring to the picture of Jesus found in his letter to the church in Pergamum. In it Jesus introduces himself as “The One who has the sharp two-edged sword” (Rev. 2:12).

Why is Jesus holding a sword? And what does he plan to do with it?

Should I be worried?

Why does Jesus have a sword?

Contrary to what you may think, the picture of Jesus-with-a-sword has nothing to do with church discipline or punishment or anything like that, as we will see.

First, some context: Pergamum was a provincial capital and home to a Roman governor. Some Roman governors held ceremonial swords (the ius gladii) which meant they held the power of life and death. The sword-wearing governor of Pergamum had the power to punish those who refused to worship the emperor.

In short, he could kill Christians.

In Roman times, the sword or gladius was the symbol of absolute authority, and it is a Roman sword that Jesus has here. He’s not holding an Oriental scimitar or a Greek makhaira, but a sharp double-sided sword such as a Roman governor would possess. Out of the seven Revelation letters, the letter to Pergamum is the only one that mentions Jesus with a sword because Pergamum was the seat of power.

What is the significance of the Lord-with-a-sword?

Jesus is introducing himself as the true and eternal ruler of Pergamum.

Some more context (you might want to grab some popcorn): Pergamum had a long and bloody history of swordplay. It had been conquered by Greeks, Persians, Thracians, then more Greeks, before being given to the Romans and their sword-wielding governors. The Roman emperor ruled by the power of the sword, but the Lord-with-a-sword is the Lord of all and the true lord of Asia. The Romans, Goths, Sassanids, Byzantines, Seljuks, and all the other rulers of Pergamum have come and gone, but the kingdom of the Lord endures and will never be destroyed.

The Lord-with-a-sword was a powerful revelation for the power-conscious Pergamenes. It is also a great comfort for those who are oppressed. Jesus is saying, “Fear not, for your Protector is mightier than your oppressor. He who is for you is greater than he who is against you.”

Which is nicely reassuring. But there is another reason why Jesus appears here with a sword.

In the Gospels, Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). He was referring to the sword of truth that sets a son against his father and a daughter against her mother. It’s not that Jesus is in the business of wrecking families, but people divide themselves by their response to truth.

Such a divide was forming in the church at Pergamum. A group called the Nicolaitans had introduced a destructive teaching and were leading some people led. Jesus came to them with his sword of truth to slice through the lies and set them straight.

Is Jesus going to slay the false teachers?

Some commentators say Jesus will kill the Nicolaitans and their followers with his sword. “Balaam was killed with a sword. What happened to Balaam will happen to them.” Except Jesus has no intention of killing those he died for.

The kingdom of God is not advanced by running people through. The sword of his mouth is the word of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). It’s the word of truth that sets men free.

We must take care not to imagine Jesus as a merciless Roman governor. Far better to let scripture inform our image of the Lord-with-a-sword.

In the Old Testament, an angel with a sword opposed Balaam and the intent was to get Balaam’s attention (Num. 22:31). It’s the same thing here. Jesus loves the Nicolaitans. He hates their deeds, but he loves them. He went to the cross for them. He stands before them now with a sword to get their attention. “Come to your senses and turn to God.”

What will Jesus do to the Nicolaitans?

He will combat their diabolical lies with the cold steel of truth. The true enemy in Pergamum was Satan (Rev. 2:13). It was Satan’s message the Nicolaitans were preaching. But Satan is no match for the Lord-with-a-sword. Just as light defeats the darkness, God’s truth will defeat the enemy’s lies.

What does this mean for us?

Some people don’t believe in the power of grace. They prefer rules and discipline and the threat of Jesus swinging a big sword. “Watch out or Jesus will chop your head off!” It’s a terrible image, yet it is one I have often encountered. Apparently the Jesus of Revelation is a sword-wielding slayer of sinners and slackers.

As if.

We need to renew our minds and read the words of Jesus through the lens of the cross.

Jesus does not kill people who are lost or have gone astray, not even false teachers. So what will he do with people like the Nicolaitans? Either he will treat them the way he treats all sinners (with love and mercy), or he will rebuke them like Pharisees. It’s the latter action that is implied here.

Why do you put up with the Nicolaitans… Enough! Don’t give in to them; I’ll be with you soon. I’m fed up and about to cut them to pieces with my sword-sharp words. (Revelation 2:15–16, MSG)

Balaam ignored the angel with the sword and was cut to pieces by the Israelites. If the Balaamites of Pergamum ignore the Lord-with-a-sword, they can expect to feel the sharp edge of his words. They will get the same message that Jesus gave to the stubborn Pharisees: “Woe to you.”

What is the takeaway?

When we find ourselves bullied and pushed around by life, we need a revelation of the Lord-with-a-sword. If the Lord-with-a-sword is for you, who can be against you (see Rom. 8:31–34)? The powerful may oppress you, even take your life. But the Lord-with-a-sword shall deliver you, even from the grave.

The sword of the Lord is for your protection, not your punishment. If you stumble and fall, Jesus defends you; he doesn’t accuse you (1 John 2:1).

And he certainly doesn’t stab you with his sword!

A big shout out to all who signed up as patrons last weekend. Thanks to the generosity of readers like you, we have been able to give away more than $250,000 worth of gospel books.

Special Offer and the $250,000 Give Away!

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Zoom. Live streaming. Online worship. Virtual meetings. Facebook groups. Drive-thru communion.

Churches and ministries are adapting to meet the realities of a post-Covid world. But while the emergence of new platforms and technologies has been a boon, one thing that has not changed is the need for top-notch content.

We can help.

Escape to Reality has become an arsenal for the gospel of grace. Our resources are regularly turned into sermons, seminars, social media soundbites, and teaching series.

But you probably knew that.

What you may not know is that E2R supporters have given away more than $250,000 worth of books and ebooks to leaders and churches in developing nations and elsewhere.

That’s a lot of books!

E2R supporters are doing extraordinary things. By partnering they are proclaiming the gospel of grace all around the world and funding moonshot projects like The Grace Commentary. Our supporters give this message wings.

Who are these generous people?

They are E2R readers just like you who have signed up to give a little each month via Patreon or Donorbox. And the good news is you can join them!

Which brings me to today’s special offer.

Five years ago today, we launched our Patreon page. To celebrate our Patreonniversary, we have a special offer for anyone who signs up as a patron in the next three days:

1. Sign up for any amount, even as a little as a dollar a month, and you’ll get instant access to three classic sermons rewritten in modern English…

2. Sign up to give $10 or more per month and you’ll get the classic sermons plus the keys to my growing library of study notes (see below). You’ll also get online access to my last four books (The Silent Queen, Letters from Jesus, etc.) as well as sneak peeks at forthcoming work.

3. Sign up for $100 or more per month and you will get everything above (the classic sermons, the study notes, my last four books, draft chapters of forthcoming work, etc.), and as a token of my gratitude I will send you an limited edition autographed copy of one of my books. (Think of the resale value!) I will also send you a personal thank you message via Patreon.

If you or your family have been blessed by my writing and you want others to experience that blessing, why not become a patron on Patreon today?

You can also become a supporter at Donorbox and get the same rewards.

Not ready to become a monthly supporter? You can also make a one-time contribution at PayPal.

Every dollar helps, but be quick. This special offer ends this Saturday 12 June.

To all our awesome patrons and supporters who have helped give away a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of books, thank you! Your wholehearted generosity is bearing fruit all over the world.

Paul

Is the Husband the Head of His Wife?

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Since time immemorial, men and women have been trying to get along, and the results have been occasionally spectacular but often mixed.

Even if you accept that men and women are equal in grace, there are undeniable differences between the genders. What do these differences mean, and how do they affect the way we relate to each other? Do they illuminate that ancient question of who’s the boss?

Who’s the boss?

Indeed they do, said Aristotle.

Since women are excitable, while men are cool, calm and collected, wives need the steady hand of their husbands to guide them. An ideal marriage, said the philosopher, is one where the rational man rules his emotional wife the same way a soul rules its body.

“What nonsense,” said the Apostle Paul. “A man is not the soul of a marriage. He’s the head” (1 Cor. 11:3, Eph. 5:23).

But what does that mean?

According to the English theologian Matthew Poole, it means the husband is in charge:

The man is called the head of the woman, because by God’s ordinance he is to rule over her. He has an excellency above the woman, and a power over her.

Like Aristotle, Poole believed the husband to be superior to the wife for the same reason that “the head in the natural body, being the seat of reason, and the fountain of sense and motion, is more excellent than the rest of the body.”

Albert Barnes, an American theologian, said that the headship of the husband meant the complete subjection of the wife.

In all circumstances—in her demeanor, her dress, her conversation, in public and in the family circle—(she) should recognize her subordination to him.

For 2,000 years, theologians have been parroting Aristotle’s dribble about husbands being the rational rulers of their marriages. Wives are delicate creatures, easily upset. They need the cool-headed authority of their superior husbands.

But Jesus said no such thing, and nor did the apostles.

When Paul said the husband is the head of the wife, he did not mean he is the king or the boss of the home. He was talking about actual heads, like the one found on the top of your neck.

“Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies” (Eph. 5:28). Just as a head supports the body, the body supports the head. Paul was talking about the unity of marriage and how husbands and wives are mutually dependent.

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. (Eph. 5:23)

Paul is not saying husbands are their wives’ saviors; Christ alone is our Savior. But the manner in which Christ saves—by laying down his body for the church—is the manner in which a husband serves his wife.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Eph. 5:25)

Just as the love of God is revealed in a death, biblical headship is revealed in sacrifice. In the same way that Christ gave himself up for the church, the husband gives himself up for his wife. He crawls through traffic, fights grizzly bears, and catches bullets for her.

The husband puts his wife’s needs and interests ahead of his own because he values her more highly than his own life.

Source: The Silent Queen.

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He Who Sows Sparingly

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The church does a lot of things well, but one area where we sometimes drop the ball is money.

I have seen rich leaders use threats to extort money from poor people. I’ve encountered churches that publicly name and shame non-tithers. And I know struggling families that borrow from loan sharks to pay their tithes and avoid being named and shamed.

None of this is new.

Remember how Jesus marvelled at the widow who gave her last two coins to the temple treasury? It wasn’t her generosity that impressed him, but the power of religion to extract every last penny from our pockets.

“She put in all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44).

Which brings me to today’s scripture. You’re sitting in church and it’s time to take up the collection and you hear the following:

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6)

In context, Paul is talking about financial giving, so it’s perfectly legitimate to use this scripture when asking for money. But here are three takeaways that Paul never intended:

Bad takeaway #1: “Give financially, and God will bless you financially.”

In other words, you can purchase God’s favor. Nothing could be further from the truth. The blessings of God are not for sale but are freely given on account of his grace.

“Give and God will reward you.” Although there are rewards to giving, it is wrong to suggest that God will supply all your needs according to the size of your contribution. Read Philippians 4:19 if this is news to you.

Bad takeaway #2: “You can’t out give God, so expect a big payback!”

“Give to God (i.e., the church, my ministry, my Bible theme park) and you will get a 30-fold, 60-fold, even a 100-fold return.” So if you give $10, you could get $1000 back in a divine wealth transfer. What a terrific investment!

Honestly, it’s a wonder the Federal Trade Commission doesn’t clamp down on claims like these.

Sidebar: Have you ever wondered why those promising big returns for giving don’t follow their own advice? If they did and it worked, they wouldn’t have to ask for money. And it didn’t work, they have no business making these promises.

“Okay, Paul, but what about Malachi 3:10 where God says ‘Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing’?”

See the cross. God has already opened the floodgates of heaven. They could not be more open than they already are. They are not open because you gave, but because he did. Every blessing is ours in Christ (Eph. 1:3). Thank you, Jesus.

Bad takeaway #3: “Sow generously, even if you can’t afford it.”

In other words, widow, hand over your grocery money. The exploitation of the poor by religion is an ancient disgrace. As Jesus said, “Beware of the chief priests who devour widow’s houses” (Mark 12:40).

If you give your food money to a rich minister because you have been led to believe you will magically end up with more money, you are in for a rude surprise. Yes, I know there will be some who say, “I gave all I had and God blessed me!” But those are exceptions to the rule, and this is not what Paul is talking about here. He is not encouraging hungry widows to give what they can’t afford.

Sparingly means spare

Let’s take another look at 2 Corinthians 9:6. A key word in this passage is sparingly. “He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly.”

Picture a farmer who has a ton of seed but only sows a tenth of it. He is left with a lot of spare seed. What’s going to happen at harvest time? He will have a tiny harvest. If he had sowed the lot, he would’ve reaped ten times as much.

The point is this: the more you sow, the more you reap. Pretty obvious, right?

In context, Paul is talking about giving to the poor. I appreciate that’s not obvious at first glance, but when Paul speaks of “your service to the saints” and “supplying the needs of the saints” (see 2 Cor. 9:1, 12), he’s talking about giving to help the starving Christians in Jerusalem.

So this has nothing to do with building cathedrals or buying a jet for your favorite evangelist. It’s about helping starving widows, some of whom were hungry because they had put all their food money in the temple treasury!

Okay, next verse:

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Cor. 9:8)

Note the order: God blesses you abundantly, then out of that abundance you are able to bless others. God leads and we respond. I know that’s deep theology right there. Some people can’t see it because they read it backwards, as in, you give abundantly then God will bless you.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Back to the farmer. The farmer’s job is to sow the seed, but where does the seed come from?

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. (2 Cor. 9:10)

Are you getting this? God gives you seed and then you choose whether to sow that seed sparingly or bountifully. It’s up to you. It’s your seed.

It’s very important that you get this lest you find yourself at the temple treasury giving your food money away in the hope of winning a pay out from that divine slot machine in the sky.

In context, Paul is talking about giving to poor Christians, but the principle of sowing and reaping is universal. In much of life, you get back what you put in.

Let me give you two examples. Example 1: I once gave fifty bucks to a ministry that shelters and cares for victims of sex trafficking. Example 2: I helped fundraise over a hundred thousand dollars to build a kindergarten in Mongolia that provides hot meals and health care to under-privileged kids in the impoverished ger district of Ulan Bator.

Both were legitimate and important ministries, but guess which investment had the bigger payback for me personally? You got it – it’s the one where I was more deeply invested.

To recap, Paul is not saying “give out of your poverty and God will be obliged to repay more than you gave.” What a greedy, selfish message! He’s saying, “If you think raising funds to feed starving saints in Jerusalem is a worthwhile project, then give out of your abundance and don’t hold back.”

What’s in it for me?

Okay, all well and good. But I know what you’re thinking. “Where’s the payback? What do I get out of this?” Paul tells us:

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. (2 Cor. 9:13-14)

When you give out of the grace that God has given you, the result is praise to your heavenly Father and gratitude for you. If that is not a worthwhile return, I don’t know what is.

I like to imagine the Corinthians responded enthusiastically to Paul’s message. “Brothers and sisters are starving? Let’s help!” But who knows. The Corinthians were famously stingy. Paul had to appeal to their better nature and competitive instincts (see 2 Cor. 9:2-4).

We live in a world full of needs and we have to choose wisely how we respond.

Perhaps your church is pivoting to adapt to a post-Covid world.

Perhaps your neighbors are struggling because they’ve lost their jobs.

Perhaps you have been moved by the healthcare disasters unfolding in India and Nepal.

There are so many worthy opportunities out there that it’s easy to go numb and lock the wallet. But no one will praise your heavenly Father if you do that.

We need to give – it’s in our DNA. And there will be times when you encounter an opportunity to help others while making an impact for the gospel.

When that happens, follow Paul’s advice and sow generously.

Give out of your abundance and don’t hold back.

 

Postscript:

If you haven’t discovered it already, my new Grace Commentary is a great place to find answers to common questions, like these:

1. What is the sin leading to death?
2. Why was Paul eager to remember the poor?
3. How do we test ourselves to see if we are in the faith?
4. What does it mean to fall from grace?
5. Will God erase me from the Book of Life?
6. What does it mean to say “the women are to keep silent”?
7. Why did Jesus tell the high priest he would see the Son of Man in power?
8. What is “another gospel”?
9. Why does John say we are living in the last hour?
10. Why did Jesus tell the disciples to pack swords for their trip to the garden of Gethsemane?

Check it out!

Paul

Three Treats for the Feast of Ascension

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Forty days after Easter brings us to the Feast of Ascension. Which means that people all over the world are today celebrating the ascension of Jesus into heaven.

I’ve been thinking about the post-Easter period because I’ve recently added several hundred verses to the Grace Commentary, many of them having to do with the story of Christ’s crucifixion. This means I spent the better part of two weeks immersed in one of the Bible’s best known stories.

I learned so much! I discovered many gems that are now on display in the commentary. Let me share three of them with you here.

How Jesus hijacked the chief priests’ plan

One thing that stood out was how the chief priests planned to kill Jesus, but God changed their plan. I’m not talking about their plan to crucify Jesus. I’m talking about their plan to crucify Jesus without anyone knowing about it.

The chief priests and the elders of the people … plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.” (Matt. 26:3-5)

The festival was the combined Festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread which ran for a week. From the perspective of the chief priests, this was the worst possible time to kill Jesus, because Jerusalem would have been packed with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.

But from God’s perspective, Passover was the perfect time for the crucifixion. Why? Because the city was full of potential eye-witnesses who could take the Gospel all over the world.

You probably know how Jesus was killed immediately prior to the festival, on the day we now call Good Friday. But what you may not appreciate, is how Jesus made it happen. He basically picked the day of his death to maximize the impact.

“I thought Judas made it happen.”

Not really. The more I studied Judas’s involvement in the story, the more I came away thinking he wasn’t a smart guy, and that if everything had been left to him, the crucifixion might never have taken place.

Yes, Judas went to the chief priests offering his services as an informant, and yes, the chief priests were pleased to recruit him. But look carefully at the terms of their agreement:

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray him at an opportune time. (Mark 14:10-11)

Note the phrase “at an opportune time.” For the chief priests, an opportune time meant “not during the Passover Festival.” So Judas was instructed not to betray Jesus at Passover, but then he did it anyway.

Because Jesus told him too.

Let’s set the scene. Jesus and the disciples are enjoying the Last Supper when Jesus says, “One of you will betray me.” He means Judas of course, but Judas plays dumb. He doesn’t get up and leave. He just sits there, enjoying his lamb and hummus, while the disciples start freaking out.

“Surely not, Lord. Who is going to betray you?”

Jesus replies, “It’s the one who dips his hand in the bowl with me,” and then Jesus pins Judas’s hand in the olive bowl.

Gotcha. You can’t hide now, Judas. Go do that wicked thing you planned.

But still Judas doesn’t leave. He just sits there like a deer caught in the headlights.

So Jesus gives him a third nudge. “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27). In other words, “Go now, Judas!” Then Judas finally leaves, and everything is set in motion.

Within 24 hours Jesus is in the tomb and a short time later he’s out of the tomb, and all this happens when Jerusalem’s population is swollen with potential evangelists such as the 500 people who saw the risen Lord (1 Cor. 15:6). Those 500 witnesses each told two people who told two people and so on all the way down to you.

Do you see?

If everything had gone according to the chief priests’ plan, you might not have heard how Jesus died and rose again, but everything went according to God’s plan and you have. You are the living proof that God’s plan was genius. What the chief priests meant for evil, he turned around for good.

That’s just one of the Easter gems I discovered. Here’s another.

The mockery that became a prophecy

He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. (Matthew 27:42)

The chief priests mocked Jesus at the cross. “You come down, then we’ll believe in you.” It was a jest but a prophetic one, because Jesus did come down and many priests did believe him (Acts 6:7).

Isn’t that wonderful?

I love the way God turns things around. God could have revealed himself using angels with trumpets, but he used the wicked words and schemes of wicked men. Truly, he is the Great Redeemer. Okay, last gem.

His blood on our heads

Perhaps the best example of God’s redemptive superpowers came from the angry crowd:

And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” (Matt. 27:25)

What a terrible thing to say. Yet even these hateful words were redeemed because Jesus’ blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins, including the sins of those who wanted to kill him. May his redeeming blood be on all our heads, because nothing else can save us.

For the disciples, Easter was the worst of times, but the weeks that followed were the best of times. The same men who saw Jesus nailed to a cross, saw him ascend to heaven in glory.

That’s a timely word for us. We’re in the middle of a pandemic, and you may have lost your job, your loved ones, and your health. Take heart and remember the message of Easter. No matter how bad things are, Jesus always has the last word.

And thank God he does.

—

The Grace Commentary is a great place to find answers to common questions, like these:

1. If God loves the whole world, why does he hate Esau?
2. What is predestination?
3. What did Jesus mean when he said, “Hold fast, so that no one will take your crown?”
4. Why did Jesus and the disciples celebrate Passover at the Last Supper, while the chief priests waited until the next day?
5. What is the “one baptism”?
6. How do we confess our sins?
7. Why does Paul say “doers of the law will be justified”?
8. Who is a pillar in the church?
9. Why did Jesus say, “See you in Galilee?”
10. What is the hour of testing coming on the whole world?

Four People You Should Never Listen To

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On the day Jesus died, he encountered opposition from four powerful men. These authority figures represent the types of people who will seek to frustrate God’s plan for your life.

We can learn a lot from how Jesus responded to these four men and his responses were different for each.

1. Annas the false father

The first powerful man Jesus faced, was Annas. Once upon a time, Annas had been the high priest, which meant he ran the ruling council of Israel, the 70-man Sanhedrin. He was no longer the high priest, yet he acted as he if was and he retained the title of high priest.

Old man Annas questioned Jesus about his teachings (John 18:19). On the face of it, his questions seemed harmless, as though he simply wanted to learn more about Jesus’ message. But from Jesus’ abrupt replies, we realize that Annas was a snake. His motives were rotten and significantly, he sent Jesus away in bonds.

Who is Annas and why do we need to be wary of him? Annas represents those false-father figures who question you about the grace message or your grace journey. On the surface, they give the impression of being paternal and caring, but their real motive is to keep you bound and under their thumb.

Annas may try to give the impression of being a wise head – “Listen, kid, I’ve seen all this before” – but his wisdom is that of the serpent. “Did God really say?” Listen to the Annas-types in your life and you will fall from grace back under law. Jesus doesn’t really engage with Annas (John 18:21), and neither should we.

2. Caiaphas the religious bully

The second powerful man Jesus faced, was Annas’s son-in-law and the current high priest Caiaphas (John 18:24). This guy was a murderous bully who, more than any other person, was responsible for putting Jesus on a cross. He also slandered Jesus’ character and questioned his identity.

Who is Caiaphas and why do we need to be wary of him? Caiaphas represents that religious voice that says, “Who do you think you are?” Caiaphas will tell you that you’re a grub, a sinner, or a servant, anything but a dearly-loved child of God.

Listen to the lies of Caiaphas and you will forget who you truly are and be susceptible to manipulation. “I’m a sinner, so I’d better make myself clean. I’m a servant, so I’d better serve.”

Jesus spoke back to Caiaphas and so should we. Before the ruling council, Jesus emphatically affirmed that he was the Son of God (Matt. 26:54). This is how to respond to religious bullies. You are not a sinner or a servant, but a dearly-loved son with all that entails. God is for you; who can be against you? Like Jesus, you have nothing to prove.

3. Herod the head-hunter

The third powerful man Jesus faced was Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee (Luke 23:8). Like the other men on this list, Herod questioned Jesus. But to Herod, Jesus said nothing. Not one word. So Herod mocked Jesus, and then sent him away.

Who is Herod and why do we need to be wary of him? Herod represents those mockers who find your beliefs mildly fascinating, but they will happily chop your head off with arguments. Herod beheaded John the Baptist and he’d tried to do the same thing to Jesus (Luke 13:31). Listen to the Herods in your life, and you’ll find yourself running in circles like a headless chicken.

Not everyone who asks questions is sincere. While Annas seeks to control you, Herod merely wants to argue and wind you up. Jesus wastes no time with Herod and neither should we.

4. Pilate the king-killer

The final person Jesus visited was the most dangerous of all. Yet Pilate was not a snake like Annas or a religious bully like Caiaphas. Nor was he a bored mocker like Herod. But Pilate represented Rome, an empire that had little tolerance for rival kings.

Who is Pilate and why do we need to be wary of him? Pilate is that person in your life – your boss, your manager, your biggest client – who has a vested interest in preserving the status quo and no interest in the kingdom of God.

Your heavenly Father has big dreams for you. He wants you to rule and reign in life. But the Pilates in your life are not tolerant of rival kings, and they will not support your God-given dreams. They have power over you, and as long as you do your job and play your part, they won’t bother you. But step out of your rut or take a stand, and they will lean on you, and even crush you.

Of the four leaders Jesus encountered, Pilate comes across as the most reasonable. He was just doing his job. But Jesus didn’t fit in Pilate’s world and this became a problem. “Don’t you know I have the authority to kill you or release you?” (John 19:9). The Pilates in your life say something similar. “I can fire you or promote you, but you have to play my game.”

Jesus does not talk to Pilate like the other three. In fact, Jesus has considerable grace for Pilate. He understands that Pilate is under pressure from his own bosses. “You would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11).

This is not to absolve Pilate of his responsibility in the crucifixion of Jesus, but to contextualize his actions in the larger drama of an ancient cosmic battle between the kingdom of heaven and the powers of darkness. Jesus recognizes that Pilate is in an awful situation, and he feels for the man.

The lesson we learn is this: don’t hate your boss. The authority figures in your life may not understand who you are or where you’re coming from, but Jesus loves them and he’s put you in that position to help them discover his love.

Many people come into our lives for a season, and some enrich us while others hurt us. Some will try to frustrate the grace of God in your life. So be wary of those who seek to bind you (Annas), diminish you (Caiaphas), mock you (Herod), or keep you from your kingly destiny (Pilate).

—

Want to go deeper? Bonus materials for this article are available on Patreon.

Paul’s latest 20-page study note, “How to store up heavenly treasure,” is also available on Patreon.

What burdens does Jesus place on us?

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Thyatira is considered one of the bad churches in the Bible. You may recall they had allowed a woman called Jezebel to preach and she led some of the believers astray. So Jesus sent them a letter where he basically says, “I’m going to deal with this.” He ends his letter with this:  I place no other burden on you. (Rev. 2:24b) What burdens does Jesus place on us? Only himself. The image of Jesus burdening us seems at odds with his promise of a light and easy yoke (Matt. 11:30). But look carefully at what Jesus asks the Thyatirans to do in regards to Jezebel’s deception and you will find… nothing. Which is astonishing given the mess she’s made. The letter to Thyatira is sometimes held up as a dissertation on church discipline. This is ironic given the total lack of instruction the Lord provides for fixing their problem. The saints are not told to deliver the woman to Satan for the destruction of her flesh. Nor are they told to shame or shun those who followed her. Jesus is not happy about the Jezebel situation, but everything that needs to be done, he himself will do. “I will [...]

Good Friday Timeline

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You probably know that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday. What you may not know was that Good Friday was one of the busiest days in Jesus’s life. As far as I can tell, no other day in the Bible receives more attention. To help you appreciate this, I drafted a timeline of the key events of the first Good Friday. There was a little bit of guesswork involved in this, but you can check my timeline against the scriptures. Some points to note before we start: Good Friday was the preparation day that precedes the Sabbath, and the Sabbath begins at sunset on Friday (Luke 23:54). Jesus was crucified the day before the Sabbath (on Friday morning; the first day) and raised after the day after Sabbath (Luke 24:1) either late on Saturday night or early Sunday morning (the third day; see Luke 24:46). A Jewish day is twelve hours long (John 11:9). So when the gospel writers refer to the third hour or the sixth hour of the day, they mean the third or sixth hour after sunrise. Since people in biblical times didn’t wear watches, it is more accurate to interpret “the third hour” as mid-morning rather [...]

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