Christianity

May There Be More Men In The Arena – A Tribute To John MacArthur

/ Christopher Terry

I began work on this article some months ago, just after John MacArthur’s homegoing. I had to put it away for a time. I return to it now.

The apostle Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7–8). Pastor-teacher John Fullerton MacArthur, Jr. entered the presence of his Lord on the evening of Sunday, July 13, 2025. MacArthur leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Patricia, his four children, and fifteen grandchildren. John pastored Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, for 56 years. He faithfully led The Masters University since 1985 and The Masters Seminary since 1986.

The first time I ever heard John MacArthur speak was on the radio in the Fall of 1998. The local Christian radio station would broadcast a daily one-minute audio clip of John sharing a devotional thought from Scripture. The name of the segment was Portraits of Grace.[1] Each time I listened to these brief lessons from Scripture, I was impressed by the simplicity, graciousness, and conviction of the man who shared them. I learned from him, as a new believer, what the Scriptures meant. John’s preaching and teaching style was straightforward, no frills. When you listened to him, you gathered that he believed everything that he was teaching. The Word of God was clearly the authority in all areas of life for John MacArthur. There were a number of Bible teachers on the radio during those days. As I was growing in my faith, growing in my understanding of the Word of God, I realized that there were passages that most Bible teachers did not want to touch because they were too “controversial” in the estimation of the listening public. This was not the case for John MacArthur. If it was in the Scriptures, he was going to teach it. It was during my time in Seminary that I began to dig into the vast collection of sermons that John had preached. I had the privilege of attending a Together for the Gospel conference in 2018 and hearing him preach in person. MacArthur preached 3,000 sermons during his years of ministry, which can be found on the Grace to You website.[2]

John was close friends with R.C. Sproul, Sr. (1939-2017) for many years. They worked together, along with D. James Kennedy, to oppose the ecumenical Evangelicals and Catholics Together movement, which sought to blur the significant differences between Protestants and Catholics.[3] MacArthur appreciated that R.C., as an amillennialist and Reformed Presbyterian, had invited him as a self-described “leaky” dispensationalist and Reformed Baptist to speak at the Ligonier Conference. It was at R.C.’s memorial service that John shared the following, “R.C.’s nickname for me was ‘Boris.’ The first time he introduced me at one of the Ligonier Conferences, his introduction began with a detailed recounting of how Boris Yeltsin single-handedly stopped a coup in Moscow in August of 1991. Armed hardline communist insurgents were rolling through the streets of Moscow in a column of tanks, intending to seize the Russian Parliament building and overthrow Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, whose reforms they opposed. Yeltsin, recently elected president of the Soviet Union, intercepted the parade of insurgents, climbed onto the turret of one of the tanks, and made a speech that effectively ended the coup.”[4] During his life, Sproul repeatedly said that there was no one he would rather have by his side contending for the faith than John MacArthur. Sproul’s and MacArthur’s friendship provided a worthy example of how to disagree on important issues, like baptism and eschatology, while remaining good friends.  

As I mentioned earlier, John MacArthur was an example over the years of being willing to confront theological error and the sins of the age when others did not want to do so. He saw the errors of the Charismatic movement as a serious danger to evangelical Christians. John combatted those errors in his book Charismatic Chaos and then later through the Strange Fire conference. MacArthur also corrected the errors of the gospel (and salvation) without repentance teaching (i.e., a hyper-grace, easy-believism). He combatted this error through the book The Gospel According to Jesus, which was a much-needed response to the teaching that someone could be saved and never change. John described this teaching, that Christ could be Savior and not Lord, as a sort of rehashed neo-Pelagianism, in the vein of Charles Finney.[5] John sought to protect the gospel and a proper biblical understanding of salvation. He spent his life pursuing the goal of grounding Christians in sound doctrine through regular instruction in God’s Word. This resulted in the books Think Biblically: Recovering a Biblical Worldview and Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth. As he saw the prevalence of worldly compromise in the church, he wrote the books Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World and The Vanishing Conscience: Drawing the Line in a No-fault, Guilt-free World. In recent years, MacArthur was concerned about the growing confusion over and indifference toward eschatology. This led him to write Because the Time Is Near: John MacArthur Explains the Book of Revelation and The Second Coming: Signs of Christ’s Return and the End of the Age. During his life, John authored nearly 400 books and study guides.[6]

Pastor John and Grace Community Church were in the headlines several years ago when they stood boldly against California’s COVID-19 lockdowns.[7] Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, ordered houses of worship to remain closed.[8] The County of Los Angeles threatened and fined Grace Community Church because the church did not cease meeting in person, nor limit attendance, nor enforce arbitrary social distancing measures. The County sent a cease and desist letter threatening a daily $1,000 fine or imprisonment of up to 90 days or both (each time the church met indoors was considered a separate punishable offense).[9] The County of Los Angeles, as of August 2020, for a fourth time, was seeking a court order to close Grace Community Church.[10] County health officials were showing up at church services on a weekly basis to observe and scold the church for their non-compliance. Subsequently, the County decided to break a contractual agreement[11] wherein the County leased land to Grace Community Church, which was used for parking.[12] Grace had leased the land from the County continuously since 1975. [13] In response to this development, a Jewish synagogue down the street from Grace offered to let the church use their 150-space parking lot for free.[14]

During this time, California Governor Gavin Newsom showed preference to the entertainment industry and other nonessential businesses over against churches. The Department of Justice pointed this out in a letter to Newsom stating, “California has not shown why interaction in offices and studios of the entertainment industry, and in-person operations to facilitate nonessential ecommerce, are included on the list as being allowed with social distancing where telework is not practical, while gatherings with social distancing of religious worship are forbidden, regardless of whether remote worship is practical or not.”[15] In August 2020, Grace Community Church sued the County of Los Angeles and the State of California.[16] On August 31, 2021, the judge presiding over the case ruled in favor of Grace Community Church, stating that the County and the State had overstepped their Constitutional authority with their unlawful COVID-19 measures. The judge ruled that the State and the County were to pay a total of $800,000 to Grace Community Church to help them recoup legal fees.[17] Each paid $400,000 to settle the lawsuit.[18] The County also agreed to honor its contractual agreement for the land leased to the church.[19] In light of the legal victory, MacArthur wrote supporters, “monumental victory for Grace Community Church… We know that there is no circumstance that can cause the church to close. The church is not only a building but is the bride of Christ and exists to proclaim the truth.”[20] It was also during this time that Grace Community Church produced and released the documentary film The Essential Church, which encouraged churches to begin meeting for worship in person.[21]

The Supreme Court, in December of 2020, also ruled (5 to 4) that it was unconstitutional for states to restrict attendance at houses of worship while permitting other groups to have large crowds.[22] In a joint opinion, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, joined by Justice Samuel Alito, wrote that California had “openly imposed more stringent regulations on religious institutions than on many businesses… If Hollywood may host a studio audience or film a singing competition while not a single soul may enter California’s churches, synagogues, and mosques, something has gone seriously awry.”[23] Additionally, the State of California had to pay $1.6 million in a suit brought on behalf of South Bay United Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista and pay $550,000 in a suit brought on behalf of Trevor Burfitt, a Catholic priest in Bakersfield.[24] In total, California paid over $2 million in lawsuits because the leadership of the State acted illegally, overstepping Constitutional authority. If that was not enough, the State of California and its agencies agreed “to enter permanent injunctions that prohibit the State from ever again imposing discriminatory restrictions on all houses of worship statewide.”[25] If you are trying to make sense of all of that information, here is a simple summary, the State of California and the County of Los Angeles had to admit they acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally in their COVID-19 restrictions on churches.

John received serious criticism from other Christians and Christian ministries (one of those notably was 9Marks) over non-adherence to COVID-19 lockdowns.[26] In September 2020, one month after Grace Community Church sued California and the County of Los Angeles, Capitol Hill Baptist Church (pastored by Mark Dever, who also at the time was President of 9Marks) sued the Mayor of Washington, D.C., over lockdown measures.[27] The church won its lawsuit and was awarded $220,000 for legal fees.[28] So, some of the men who publicly and forcefully disagreed with MacArthur and Grace Community Church came to the same conclusion one month later. Praise the Lord for his abundant goodness!

I know that many would like to forget that period of time.[29] Winston Churchill, while addressing the House of Commons in 1948, said, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.”[30] I mention this because we learn through the example of John MacArthur that faithfulness to the Lord over the long haul involves hardship, criticism, and at times loss. We endure the loss of friendships, reputation, and other opportunities. This is the cost of Christian faithfulness (1 Pet. 3:13-17; 4:1-19). Serving and glorifying Christ is the most worthy pursuit, regardless of the cost (Phil. 1:21). On April 23, 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt delivered a speech entitled “Citizenship In A Republic.” It included a portion that has become commonly known as The Man In The Arena. In that portion of his speech, Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”[31] We need only to survey the pages of Scripture to learn that every faithful man of God has had his critics. John MacArthur, over the years of his life and ministry, had critics. One thing is also sure: John MacArthur, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, was a man in the arena. May God, in his grace, raise up more men like John MacArthur who will be in the arena for the glory of Christ.

[1] https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/portraits-of-grace/

[2] https://www.gty.org/

[3] https://www.gty.org/articles/A149/evangelicals-and-catholics-together

[4] https://tms.edu/news/a-tribute-to-my-friend-john-macarthur-remembers-r-c-sproul/

[5] https://www.gty.org/blogs/B150227/seeker-vs-sinner

https://www.gty.org/blogs/B160120/ask-jesus-into-your-heart
https://www.challies.com/interviews/5-more-questions-with-john-macarthur/

[6] https://www.gracechurch.org/leader/macarthur/john

[7] https://www.gty.org/blogs/B200723/christ-not-caesar-is-head-of-the-church

[8] https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/case/cases-los-angeles-county-v-grace-community-church

[9] https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63d954d4e4ad424df7819d46/667340221c971de2a85bee39_MacArthur-Ex.-5-1_Cease-and-Desist-Letter.pdf

https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63d954d4e4ad424df7819d46/667d8b8bb7efeb7913f22c39_20STCV30695-LA-SC-8-25-20.pdf

[10] https://cbn.com/news/us/john-macarthur-files-declaration-against-los-angeles-repeated-church-closure-attacks

[11] https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63d954d4e4ad424df7819d46/667dbb058c536a205bc134c8_Grace-Community-Church-Letter-for-County-of-LA.pdf

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MacArthur.111/posts/3829680747047984

[12] https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/63d954d4e4ad424df7819d46/667dbb058c536a205bc134c8_Grace-Community-Church-Letter-for-County-of-LA.pdf

[13] https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/news/los-angeles-county-yanks-parking-lot-lease-out-from-under-pastor-john-macarthur-and-church

[14]https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2019078561549227&id=154851931305242&m_entstream_source=timeline

[15] https://www.newsweek.com/doj-accuses-california-governor-newsom-discriminating-against-religion-tells-state-reopen-1505294

[16] https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/news/pastor-john-macarthur-and-grace-community-church-sue-state-of-california

[17] https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/news/big-religious-liberty-win-for-john-macarthur-and-grace-church

[18] https://californiaglobe.com/fr/grace-community-church-wins-against-gov-newsoms-attacks-on-religious-liberty

[19] https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/2228

[20] https://www.newsweek.com/church-that-defied-gavin-newsoms-covid-rules-get-800k-legal-settlement-1624801

[21] https://essentialchurchmovie.com/

[22] https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article247507750.html

[23] https://www.npr.org/2021/02/06/964822479/supreme-court-rules-against-california-ban-on-in-person-worship-amid-the-pandemi

[24] https://cbn.com/news/us/california-gets-another-multi-million-dollar-smackdown-discriminating-against-churches

[25] https://www.thomasmoresociety.org/case/cases-los-angeles-county-v-grace-community-church

[26] https://www.9marks.org/article/a-time-for-civil-disobedience-a-response-to-john-macarthur/

https://www.9marks.org/episode/episode-140-a-conversation-about-grace-community-churchs-statement-on-civil-disobedience/

https://www.9marks.org/article/further-reflections-on-recent-conversations-about-christian-freedom/

[27] https://www.christianpost.com/news/capitol-hill-baptist-sues-dc-mayor-over-ban-on-outdoor-worship-with-over-100-people.html

https://context-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/default/documents/eecc2501-3017-43a4-97fd-c8b7f579497c/note/2cf9ae61-0a27-41f8-aa3a-d0cc4d520c0d.#page=1

[28] https://www.christianpost.com/news/dc-to-pay-220k-for-restricting-in-person-worship-of-church.html

[29] https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/covid-response-forgiveness/671879/

https://www.christianitytoday.com/2023/06/covid-19-pandemic-amnesty-masks-vaccine-lockdown-church/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2025/covid-pandemic-anniversary-lessons/

[30] https://winstonchurchill.org/resources/in-the-media/churchill-in-the-news/folger-library-churchills-shakespeare/

[31] https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-the-sorbonne-paris-france-citizenship-republic

Rebellion Against Biblical Anthropology

/ Christopher Terry

We are living in the midst of an all-out assault on biblical anthropology. It is no longer a sneak attack but rather a high-handed rebellion against God’s order and design of humanity. Scripture teaches us, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27).[1] There are only two sexes. The sex you received is static. God chose your sex prior to birth, and it is witnessed at a chromosomal level. The technology and pharmaceuticals of today only foster a delusion that one can change what is intrinsic. It is a masquerade, and a dangerous one at that.

Many are concerned about the physical, emotional, and psychological effects of such rebellion against divinely ordered nature. The concerns are legitimate. Yet, the problem is deeper and costlier. There is a spiritual price to be paid by all those who rebel or empower such rebellion against the Creator. They cannot actually accomplish what they are seeking. A male cannot become a female or vice versa. It is a self-deception that is continually exposed. When Christians, conservatives, or others deny the fluidity of gender, it is met with anger and outbursts. Why? Because the delusion is being exposed. It is, in fact, an idolatry of self. As human beings, we do not possess libertarian freewill. Our Creator determines our sex.

Those rebelling against the Lord are surprised that Christians don’t approve or participate in their sins (1 Pet. 4:4-5). They do not like Christians repudiating their sins because it highlights their guilt and shame. So, the rebels malign Christians. They employ emotional sabotage and manipulation to bring Christians into conformity with their ideology. As Joe Rigney writes, “Sabotage is inevitable. Attempts to steer you will come. The world will seek to wield names and labels against you in order to manipulate and render you mute and impotent.”[2] The question for followers of Christ is, will we remain faithful to Christ in what we think and say, regardless of how uncomfortable it becomes? Being called things like transphobe or hater is one thing. What about when we hear the emotionally charged question, “Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter?” No good parent wishes his or her child dead in ordinary circumstances. Yet, the question is loaded with emotionally manipulative language. The truth is, we are not confined to the parameters set by the question. It is not that far from the scenario of a child in the store who throws a tantrum over not being able to get a toy or a candy bar. Children lob emotionally charged grenades such as, “I hate you… I will never forgive you… You have ruined my life… My life is over…” In such instances, parents have to function like the mature adults they are supposed to be. They have to maintain a cool head. For Christians, we are called to sober-mindedness (1 Peter 1:13; 4:7; 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:6). Just because others are drunk on their passions and lusts does not mean we are supposed to be. We must refute the lies of the world with the truths of Scripture (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

Let’s say that you hold to a biblical view of sex and sexuality, and you are willing to speak that truth to others. What do you do when others, even some who profess to be Christians, take issue with your tone? The question of tone has far-reaching implications, even outside of the issues of sex and sexuality. The subject of tone relates more to one’s feelings or perceptions of how someone else has communicated something. On its own, tone does not deal with the content of one’s message or its validity. We can all acknowledge that there is a proper tone of speaking that is appropriate at a five-year-old’s birthday party that is not appropriate in a courtroom. The tone of a campaign speech in the run-up to an election is different from the tone of a campaign victory speech after the election has been decided. The tone that one speaks with at a wedding reception is different than the tone one speaks with at a funeral service. Why is that? We learn, based upon the culture and even the family that we grew up in, what is socially acceptable and appropriate for particular settings and what is not. Yet, the problem with tone policing is that it is very subjective. It can become a gotcha card in any situation where the hearer does not particularly like what has been said. We cannot allow the individual feelings of a person to override truth.

Scripture clearly says things that would be considered today to be harsh or even aggressive in tone. What do we do with the saying of Jesus, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves” (Matt. 23:15). Or this one, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed” (Matt. 16:4). I think many look at the context and see Jesus targeting the Pharisees and Sadducees, and automatically conclude those are the “religious bad guys.” Of course, it is appropriate for Jesus to use sharp words to indict their sin. I know we cannot evaluate the tone of what was said because we were not there. Furthermore, this is the sinlessly perfect Lord of all Creation who is doing the speaking. So, we know what he said was true, justified, and holy. Let’s consider another scenario. The apostle Paul declared to Elymas the magician that he was “full of all deceit and fraud… [a] son of the devil… [an] enemy of all righteousness” (Acts 13:10). Some would say that this was acceptable because he was rebuking a man who was trying to prevent the pronconsul, Sergius Paulus, from believing the gospel (Acts 13:8). In addition, Paul is decribed by Scripture as being “filled with the Holy Spirit” just prior to his scathing rebuke of Elymas (Acts 13:9). So, in light of these details, most Christians would say that Paul was justified in what he said.

But what about when we, as average Christians, refer to certain behaviors as sinful that the Bible describes as sin? When Christians call homosexuality a sin, which is what Scripture clearly teaches, who determines the acceptable tone? What is the standard by which we evaluate said tone? Thankfully, we have answers to these questions. We must have an objective standard by which to judge such things. We know ultimately that the Lord is the One who is in authority above all (Eph. 1:20-23; 4:6; cf. Rom. 9:5; 11:36). If God is the supreme authority, which he is, we need to know what his standards are. Scripture is the revealed Word of God. It is the binding standard upon us, revealing to us God’s authority and his view of things. So, when someone accuses a Christian of having a bad or aggressive tone, we must go to the Scriptures to determine the validity of such an indictment. The problem is that most accusations of bad or aggressive tone are merely instances of someone’s feelings being hurt. Scripture does not condemn speech that makes someone feel guilty about sin. In such a case, the emotions of the hearer have become the standard. The individual has become the authority. As Christians, we rightly reject these as faulty. We know these are not the supreme standard or authority by which we judge things. We are called to submit to the authority of the Lord and to abide by his authoritative Word. 

[1] “Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

[2] Joe Rigney, Leadership and Emotional Sabotage: Resisting the Anxiety That Will Wreck Your Family, Destroy Your Church, and Ruin the World (Moscow: Canon Press, 2024), 48 Kindle Edition. ↩︎

Today is the memorial service for Charlie Kirk

/ Christopher Terry

A Christian man, who was 31 years of age with a wife and two children, was murdered on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Why was this Christian man murdered? His killer didn’t like that he, Charlie Kirk, spoke against the transgender movement, which is a deadly cult. The killer etched words of support for transgenderism and anti-fascism. Let’s have a thought exercise this morning, as Christians, because this is relevant for us all. How did we end up at such a point? Pastor Mike Riccardi, of Grace Community Church, writes, “In his excellent book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, historian Carl Trueman argues that the dominant worldview of the contemporary secular West is what he calls ‘expressive individualism.’ This is the idea that ‘each of us finds our meaning by giving expression to our own feelings and desires’ (46). The Enlightenment philosopher Rene Descartes is famous for the dictum, ‘I think, therefore I am.’ Expressive individualism is captured by the motto: ‘I feel, therefore I am.’ Or perhaps, ‘I am what I feel I am.’ ‘And,’ the reasoning goes, ‘in order for me to be my authentic self, I must give unfettered expression to those feelings. And because I am my feelings, any contradiction of my psychological beliefs about myself—any failure to affirm and validate those feelings—is a hateful threat to my very self. It is violence against my personhood.’ That is western culture over the last 15 years, especially as promoted by the political left. It’s why ‘speech’ is called ‘violence.’ It’s why words are spoken of as being ‘weaponized.’ Everything is a weapon if I am under attack when my feelings aren’t affirmed. Any lack of wholehearted affirmation and even celebration of my feelings—and certainly the notion that my feelings ought to change in order to be brought in line with objective reality—is virtually the same as wanting me to die. It’s not difficult to see the implication: I have to kill you before you ‘kill’ me. There is a straight line between the deification of one’s own feelings to the political assassinations (and attempts) that we are now seeing more of.”[1]

Why did the murderer think Charlie was anti-transgenderism? Because Charlie, as a Christian, believed and taught that God made two genders (two sexes), male and female, which are static and determined by God alone, prior to birth. Does that describe you this morning? Does that describe what you believe, that there are only two genders and they are determined by God alone, at a chromosomal level? If it doesn’t, then you are in direct contradiction of God’s holy Word and should repent of your sin.

Why did the murderer think Charlie was a fascist? First, let’s define fascism. Fascism is a form of totalitarian rule. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary contains the following regarding totalitarianism, “of or relating to a political regime based on subordination of the individual to the state and strict control of all aspects of the life and productive capacity of the nation especially by coercive measures (as censorship and terrorism).”[2]  The Pocket Dictionary of Ethics explains totalitarianism as, “The political theory that invests the state with the right to exercise oversight or even control over all aspects of the lives of its citizens. The term was first put forward by Mussolini in describing the Fascist state as stato totalitario. Totalitarianism has been criticized by ethicists in general as being incompatible with the idea that the human person is the entity in whom *rights are ultimately invested and by Christian ethicists as usurping for the state prerogatives that belong solely to God.”[3]  Hmmm… So, the persecution of Christian groups and conservative groups under the recent democrat presidents doesn’t fit this definition of totalitarian, but Charlie Kirk disagreeing with you does? So, because Charlie, as a Christian, disagreed with transgenderism, the LGBTQ+ agenda, homosexual marriage, feminism, Wokeness, social Marxism, etc… As a result, he was called a Nazi, a fascist, a racist, and an inciter of violence. According to this mindset, every person here this morning with a biblical view of marriage and sexuality would be considered a fascist. Good thing this criterion is not the arbiter of truth. This man proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ during his time on college and university campuses. He declared the inherent worth and dignity of the unborn. If you claim to be a Christian here this morning, and you are pro-choice or support abortion, you are at odds with the Word of God. It does not matter how you have rationalized it, you are wrong.

There are a number of people who are so far gone from logical discussion, that they blamed Charlie for his own murder. Because they have drank the Kool-Aid of liberal academia, the liberal media, and liberal politics, which openly communicates that a person is no longer accountable for his or her own actions. Friends, listen to what Scripture has to say, “But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury” (Rom. 2:5–8).

Charlie was a strong supporter of the second amendment. As a result, many public-school teachers and employees, university professors and employees, and a large number of others who are on the political left, including members of the media have celebrated the murder of this Christian man declaring that he “got what he deserved.” The United States of America is in a desperate state morally and spiritually. This does not get fixed by Christians hiding their light (i.e. the truth) under a basket. It does not change by professing Christians adopting the ungodly, secular views and practices. Christians must live out the truth of God’s Word. Churches must live out the truth of God’s Word. Christians must proclaim the gospel, which starts with the standard of God’s law.

Charlie, as a Christian, taught biblical principles which directly contradict the message and practice of the secular humanistic culture, the message and practice of government schools, and the message and practice of the democrat party. So, if you are a Christian who believes that God’s Word is authoritative and yet you hold views and practices that are contrary to Scripture, you have a problem.

I have been praying for Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, and his two children who are now without a father. May God give them comfort and peace.

[1]   https://x.com/MikeRiccardi_/status/1966507105734873535

[2]   Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1996).

[3] Stanley J. Grenz and Jay T. Smith, Pocket Dictionary of Ethics, The IVP Pocket Reference Series (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 121. * It appears elsewhere in the book as a separate entry

Good, Right, and Proper

/ Christopher Terry

“But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Hab. 2:20). Our Creator God is awesome. He is holy, righteous, and good. He has no beginning and no end. He is omnipotent. He is omniscient. He is omnipresent. There is truly no one like him. Isaiah writes, “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it” (Isa. 46:8–11). When our God speaks, his will is accomplished.

The Lord God created everything that we see and even the things that we don’t see. He designed everything in the way that he desired. When the Lord evaluated everything that he created, at the end of day six, he declared that “it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). This means that everything as he designed it is good, right, and proper. We learn from reading God’s Word how he designed things to work. Genesis 1:1-2 reads, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” God, the Creator, did not intend to leave the earth formless, empty, and dark. He would, according to his divine intention, bring form, fullness, and light. In doing so, the Creator chose to fill the earth through mankind. The Lord created mankind, male and female (Gen. 1:27). It was his design that there be two sexes. It was his intention from the beginning. God would use the man and the woman, united in the covenant union of marriage, to be “fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28; cf. 9:1). This is God’s plan. The man and the woman are united for life as husband and wife. The fruit of their union (i.e. children) would be God’s means of filling, subduing, and exercising dominion over the earth. Hear this, the earth was created, designed by God, to be full.

We live on a planet we did not design. We were not involved in the planning, architecture, or assembly of this world. As the hymn writer so aptly states, “This is our Father’s world.” Adam was never destined to be alone. The Lord created Adam knowing that he would subsequently create the woman from Adam’s rib (Gen. 2:7, 18-25). This one man and one woman joined in the sacred, lifelong, covenantal union of marriage would be God’s means to carry out his purposes on planet Earth. The Lord chose to fill the planet with human beings, made in his own image, that resulted from the union of one man and one woman. Yet, we all know that Adam and Eve died (Gen. 5:5). God chose to continue the process of filling, subduing, and exercising dominion over the earth through descendants of Adam and Eve. Marriage, between one man and one woman, was God’s ongoing means of carrying out these divine purposes described in Genesis 1.

When God creates something, he determines its purpose for existence. Mankind, male and female, was created by God for his purposes. Marriage, between one man and one woman, was created by God for his purposes. Sex, between a husband and wife, was created for his purposes. The earth, and all it contains, was created by God for his purposes. Yet, we live in a post-fall world. Every person is born dead in sin and is separated from his Creator (Rom. 3:23). As a result, people in rebellion against their Creator seek to cast off and undermine the purposes and boundaries established by God (Rom. 1:18-32; 3:10-18). We witness this sinful drive, chasing after those things which the Lord has forbidden. As Christians, we grieve over the lengths to which mankind will go to rebel against God’s created purposes and order. We grieve over the fallout and destruction we witness in society. But, we don’t experience this in the abstract or hypothetical. The problem isn’t just “out there” somewhere. It happens with people that we know. We see lives, marriages, and families destroyed through sin before our very eyes.

June has the unfortunate distinction of being labeled “Pride Month”. It’s still June, in case anyone was wondering. There is no amount of advertising or celebration or even intimidation that is going to make activities lauded by the Pride Month advocates acceptable in the eyes of the Creator God or genuine Christians. We pray for the repentance of those individuals who are involved in or support the activities that the letters LGBTQ+ entail. As Christians who believe that God’s Word is inspired, inerrant, and binding upon us, we recognize that such beliefs and activities of the LGBTQ+ movement are in fact acts of rebellion against the Creator God. As I described earlier God has established the proper purposes and boundaries of mankind (two sexes – male and female), marriage (one man and one woman united in a covenant union for life), and the family (one husband and one wife, by God’s grace, coming together in union to produce children – to fill the earth, subdue it, and exercise dominion). These things are not unclear. There is no nuance. There are no grey areas. Christians, we know what God’s purposes and boundaries are. They are detailed in his Word.

What we see in our day are clear acts of rebellion against God (Rom. 1:18-32; cf. Ps. 2). When we look at what God has established, how he created things to work, we see that the unbelieving world has endeavored to do the opposite. They have sought to establish their own purposes and standards, in disregard of the Lord’s. Psalm 94:5-9 reads, “They crush your people, O LORD, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, ‘The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.’ Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?” They have not learned the lesson that Scripture teaches through the tower of Babel (Gen. 11). Rebellious humanity thought that building a tower would prevent the Lord from causing them to spread out and fill the earth as he had intended (Gen. 11:1-4). God had determined what they were supposed to do, and that was to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it (Gen. 1:28; 9:1). So, he judged them by confusing their language, and he dispersed them over the face of the earth (Gen. 11:7-9). Advocates of Pride Month (and LGBTQ+ lifestyles and activities) can advertise through media, set up displays in retail stores, walk in parades, and seek to indoctrinate the youth of America, but it will never change the fact that they are acting in highhanded rebellion against their Creator. We know that God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7-8). He will not endure such things indefinitely (Rom. 2:5-11). We know that no person living in such sin will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:8; cf. Rom. 1:26-27). Christians, we must proclaim the whole gospel, which includes confronting people’s sin and their need for repentance. Paul declared,  “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ac 20:18b–21). We must pray for the repentance and salvation of lost people.

The last thing that lost people need, including those involved in the LGBTQ+ movement, is for the evangelical church to become soft on sin and truth. We need to repent of our accommodation of the spirit of the age and speak the truth in love (Rom. 12:1-2; Jas. 4:1-10). We need to celebrate, as Christians, God’s good design. He created mankind (the two sexes) as male and female. He created marriage between one man and one woman for life. He established the marriage union of one man and one woman to carry out his purposes of being fruitful, multiplying, filling the earth, and subduing it (Gen. 1:28; 9:1). Let us not be uncertain. Let us not be silent. Let us celebrate, teach, and live out God’s good design in our lives, in our families, in our churches, and in the location in which God has placed us for such a time as this. God designed everything in the way that he desired. When the Lord evaluated everything that he created, at the end of day six, he declared that “it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). This means that everything as he designed it is good, right, and proper.

Power and Authority

/ Christopher Terry

I have been reminded over the past week of the incredible power of wind. We can’t see it but we can hear it. We can’t take hold of it but we can feel it. The wind is capable of causing massive devastation. As I walked around the neighborhood, following the storm earlier this week, I saw huge trees uprooted from the ground. The wind blew these trees over. No created thing was able to put a stop to it. When you consider the power necessary to uproot fully mature trees, just remember that it pales in comparison with the power of Almighty God. Our Lord, during his earthly ministry, was on a boat in the midst of a particularly bad storm, sleeping (Mark 4:37). His disciples were scared by the power of the storm and so they woke him, pleading with him to do something (Mark 4:38). The funny thing is when he did something they became scared again but for a different reason (Mark 4:39-41). This time the disciples were scared by Jesus’ power and authority. They wondered, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”[1] Christ is Lord over all of creation (Col. 1:15-18; cf. Job 38:10-14, 20-24). He has the power and authority to command the weather to do exactly what he wants. None of us have the power and authority to command a storm to stop. The Lord alone can do such things. He rules the wind and the waves.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, willingly came in the flesh to this earth (John 1:1-3, 14, 18). The same earth that he created, rules over, and sustains by his powerful word (Heb. 1:3). The Lord entered Jerusalem on a donkey, in fulfillment of the prophecy, to present himself as the King of Israel (Matt. 21:5; cf. Zech. 9:9). He allowed himself to be arrested, tried, and condemned (Matt. 27:24-26). Christ, who possesses all power, allowed himself to be crucified (Matt. 27:32-44). On the cross, he absorbed the wrath of the Father for our sins and died as our substitute (Rom. 3:21-26). Apart from his substitutionary death on the cross, we would remain dead in our sins (cf. 1 Peter 2:24; Rev. 1:5). This One, who commands the wind and the waves, willingly laid down his life on a Roman cross to redeem us. He did all of these things in obedience to the Father’s will (John 5:30; 6:38). Three days later, Christ rose again (1 Cor. 15:3-4). No one could stop him from doing so. Jesus possesses the power and authority necessary to rise from the dead (John 10:17-18; 2:19 cf. Acts 2:24). We do not possess that kind of power and authority. Jesus does.

Ephesians 1:19-21 reads, “And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” This is divine, resurrection power that the Lord possesses and exercises. Paul wrote in Philippians that he desired to know Christ and the power of his resurrection (Phil. 3:10). George Whitefield declared, “The power of his resurrection is as great now as formerly, and the Holy Spirit, which was assured to us by his resurrection, as ready and able to quicken us who are dead in trespasses and sins, as any saint that ever lived. Let us but cry, and that instantly, to him that is mighty and able to save; let us, in sincerity and truth, without secretly keeping back the least part, renounce ourselves and the world; then we shall be Christians indeed. And though the world may cast us out, and separate from our company, yet Jesus Christ will walk with, and abide in us.”[2] This is a powerful truth about a powerful Savior. The finished work of Christ reconciles repentant sinners to a holy God. The question is, do you have peace with God (Rom. 5:1; 8:1)?

The Lord defeated death through the resurrection. As a believer, your resurrection is assured because Christ has risen. He is alive and he is seated at the Father’s right hand in glory and power (Eph. 1:20-23). You can trust him with your eternal soul. Charles Spurgeon once preached, “In Christ, believers possess all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and grace, and power, and love. All things are yours, if you are Christ’s. From our union to Christ follows our sanctification: we cannot follow after sin, for Christ does not follow after it. He died unto sin once, and we are henceforth dead to it. He is risen by the glory of the Father, and we are risen with him into righteousness, and acceptance, and joy.”[3] If you can trust him with your eternal soul, you can trust him with the details of your life. The Lord, who controls the wind and the waves, is all-powerful and he is good.

I close with an excerpt from The Valley of Vision,

“LORD GOD, Thou hast commanded me to believe in Jesus, and I would flee to no other refuge, wash in no other fountain, build on no other foundation, receive from no other fullness, rest in no other relief… Let me not be at my own disposal, but rejoice that I am under the care of one who is too wise to err, too kind to injure, too tender to crush.”[4]

[1] Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[2] Robert Murray McCheyne et al., A Treasury of Great Preaching: 5 Vol. Set (WORDsearch, 2020).

[3] C. H. Spurgeon, “Christ’s Resurrection and Our Newness of Life,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 37 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1891), 182.

[4] The Valley of Vision. (United Kingdom: Banner of Truth Trust, 2003), 42-43.

Hope

/ Christopher Terry

Hope is a simple word that most people think they understand. Hope encourages. Hope inspires. People want it but do not possess it. Most have no idea where to find it. Some are looking for hope in possessions or material wealth. Others are looking for hope in the approval of people or success. Yet, all of these things can be taken away. We need to find a source of hope that cannot be taken away. We need hope that does not wane.

The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ provides hope that can never be taken away (Rom. 8:31-39; John 10:29-30). It provides hope that does not wane (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 5:2). The gospel provides the hope of eternal life and peace with God (John 3:16; Rom. 5:1). Charles Spurgeon once preached, “When a man is at peace with God, then he has the desire to draw near to him. When he is justified, he has the right to draw near; so that, being justified, and having peace, we have ‘access by faith;’ and this is not a transient privilege, but the grace into which we have access is a grace in which we stand. We abide in it; the Lord has given us, through our justification, a permanent standing near to himself.”[1] This standing, this justification, provides us with hope that cannot be found anywhere else. So, the person who desires hope that is certain and enduring must find it in Jesus (1 John 5:11-13; Acts 4:12).

  • Where else can one find forgiveness of sin? It is found in Christ alone (Acts 2:38; Col. 1:4).
  • Where else can one find peace with God? It is found in Christ alone (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:1-10).
  • Where else can one find eternal life? It is found in Christ alone (John 10:27-30; 1 John 5:12).
  • Where else can one find freedom from and victory over sin? It is found in Christ alone (Rom. 6:1-23; 2 Cor. 5:15).
  • Where else can one enter into a covenant relationship with God? It is found in Christ alone (Heb. 9:11-28; 10:12-39).
  • Where else can one find adoption as sons? It is found in Christ alone (Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:15).
  • Where else can one find a heavenly inheritance that will never pass away? It is found in Christ alone (1 Peter 1:3-9; Eph. 1:11-12).

These are just a sampling of the blessings we receive in Christ. Meditating on these truths should encourage us and cause us to rejoice in the Lord (Phil. 4:4-5; 3:1a). Scripture is clear, “but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:24–25). Regardless of what may come tomorrow the hope we have in Christ is secure. In Christ, we have hope.

We should not be under the illusion that we will live trouble-free lives as believers. The Lord Jesus told us that we would have trouble in this world (John 16:33; cf. 1 John 5:1-5). God’s people experience loss and trial (ex. Job). The prophet Habakkuk wrote, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments” (Hab. 3:17–19). [2] Take note, this was a song to be utilized in Israel’s worship. Despite trouble, despite difficulty, the Lord is still our confidence. He is the One we look to when everything else seems to fall apart. In Christ, we have hope.

There are several professing Christians who are distraught over the actions of our current President and his administration. I would also ask you to consider if you were just as distraught over the actions of the last President and his administration (i.e. advocating for abortion on demand; the “transing” of kids; the unhindered flow of people crossing the border illegally). As Christians, we should use equal weights and measures. This is a time to consider where our hope and confidence are found. The proper answer is that our hope and confidence should be in Christ. As the book of Daniel teaches us, “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Dan. 2:21). We are called to, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1–4). We are called to pray in this way for our leaders, regardless of whether we voted for them or not. Why are we supposed to do so? God commanded us to do so. Secondly, as God answers our prayers for our leaders then we as Christians can live peaceful and quiet lives, godly and dignified in every way. Jesus is building his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18). God’s kingdom will come, and his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). In Christ, we have hope.

I will close with an extended quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones,

“’But,’ someone may say, ‘surely you can’t claim that there is any hope in the Gospel either, because it has been tried now for 2,000 years and has obviously failed quite as much as the various other things to which you’ve referred.’ The only reply to that is the one that was given so perfectly by the late G. K. Chesterton when he reminded us, ‘Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.’ That is the simple truth. The world, speaking generally, has never tried Christianity. It has talked a lot about it, but it has not really tried it. So I argue that this is still the only hope for the world. Therefore it is urgent that we should ask what Christianity is. Or, to put the question another way, what is the Christian church? What is her business, and what is her message? It can be put like this: Why am I, or why is anyone else, a preacher of the Gospel? There is only one answer to that question. I am a preacher because I believe I have been called; because in my little way God has given me a burden; because I know by personal experience, by the experience of others, and by experience garnered from the reading of history that there is nothing under heaven that can enable men and women to conquer and to master life and to have a hope that cannot be dimmed except this Gospel. Therefore, the most urgent task in the world today is to make the Gospel known to men and women. And this is the function of the Christian church.”[3]

As Paul writes, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Rom. 1:16–17). In Christ, we have hope.

[1] C. H. Spurgeon, “A Door of Hope,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 47 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1901), 516.

[2] Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[3] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Christianity—The Only Hope,” in Authentic Christianity, 1st U.S. ed., vol. 1, Studies in the Book of Acts (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2000), 5–6.

2025 – A New Year

/ Christopher Terry

We have entered the year of our Lord 2025. A new year brings with it a sense of hope and anticipation. Some people look forward to the prospect of self-improvement and increased prosperity that may come with a new year. Others hope for new and exciting experiences. As Christians, a new year should look a bit different. Everything for the Christian revolves around Christ: his glory; his kingdom; his will; and his Word. All of these things are priorities for the Christian.

In beginning a new year, I would encourage you to look back and take stock of the past year(s). Ask yourself, in the past year(s):
• How did God provide for you?
• How did he sustain you?
• How did he guide you?
• How did he correct you?
• How did he teach you?
Write down your answer to these questions. As you consider what you have written, give God thanks for his good and faithful work in your life.

In beginning a new year, I would encourage you to set some goals for your Christian growth. The following list is not intended to be exhaustive.

  1. Set goals for your Bible reading and prayer time. Here are some suggestions:
    a. Read through the entire Bible in a year.
    b. Read through the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).
    c. Read through the New Testament in six months or a year.
    d. Read through the Old Testament in six months or a year.
    e. Read through the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Number, Deuteronomy).
    f. Read through Proverbs each month. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. On average you will be reading one chapter per day for the entire year.
    g. Read through Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.
    There are many more options than the ones listed here, but it is a starting point to get you thinking. Start somewhere. Having a plan helps.
  2. Set goals for memorizing Scripture. Here are some suggestions:
    a. Memorize verses that focus on an area of need right now (ex. worry, anger, bitterness, doubt, discouragement, etc.).
    b. Memorize verses that will help you share the gospel (the “Romans Road” is not a bad place to start).
    c. Memorize verses that will help you defend the faith (1 Peter 3:15).
    d. Memorize verses that encourage you in your worship of the Lord.
    There are many more options than the ones listed here, but it is a starting point to get you thinking. Start somewhere. Having a plan helps.
  3. Set goals for sharing the gospel. Maybe your goal will be to:
    a. Share the gospel with one person each day.
    b. Share the gospel with one person each week.
    c. Share a gospel tract with one person each day.
    d. Share a gospel tract with one person each week.
    e. Leave a gospel tract in a public place each day.
    One thing you should be doing each day is asking God for opportunities to share the gospel. Ask him to give you the wisdom, clarity of thought, words to speak, and courage to share.
  4. Set goals for encouraging others in the faith. As Christians, we are supposed to be making disciples. How can you exhort others to love and good deeds as believers (Heb. 10:24-25)? A word of wisdom/caution: focus on encouraging someone of the same gender as you, unless the person is a spouse or family member. Here are some suggestions:
    a. Let a fellow believer know you are praying for him or her. Just make sure you actually pray. Also, ask the person what you can be praying for.
    b. Share Bible verses intended to encourage the brother or sister in Christian obedience and faithfulness.
    c. Share things you are learning from God’s Word and other good Christian literature.
    d. Share good sermons, podcasts, and books with fellow believers.
    e. Ask the fellow believer what he or she is learning lately from God’s Word and other good Christian literature.
  5. Set goals for reading Christian books that will encourage you in Christian maturity. There are several written works that can be a great encouragement to you in your Christian walk. It gives you the opportunity to learn from fellow believers who you will not be able to have a conversation with or be mentored by. Here are some categories:
    a. Christian life – prayer, spiritual growth, Bible reading, evangelism, discipleship, etc.
    b. Christian Theology – Systematic Theology, Biblical Theology, and Historical Theology
    c. Family life and Marriage – resolving conflict, raising and discipling children, family worship time, etc.
    d. Church – worship, ordinances, governance, discipleship, etc.

In the near future, I will share a list of suggested resources that would be a good place for you to start. In the meantime, get started on the action steps listed above. Seek the Lord each day. Seek to bring him glory in all that you do.

Let Joy Resound

/ Christopher Terry

Christmas is coming. Some will read those words and begin to feel anxious because of all that still has to be done. It is not supposed to be such an anxiety-inducing time, at least not to the extent that it is. We are to gather in our local church to celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Matthew writes, “’And she will bear a Son; and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us’” (Matt. 1:21–23 Legacy Standard Bible). Friends, the plan of God to redeem sinful humanity and reconcile them to himself was always heading toward this end (1 Pet. 1:18-20; cf. Gen. 3:15). There was no other way for there to be peace between the Lord and sinners. God took on flesh to pay for mankind’s sin (John 3:16-17; 1:1-2, 14, 18; Heb. 1:1-3).

We have reason to celebrate. The reason for our celebration has little to do with sales and stuff. Brothers and sisters, we are living in the year of our Lord 2024. Christ has changed everything. He gives unalterable hope and unfathomable peace to those who know him. We gather in local churches with fellow Christians to sing, pray, worship, and fellowship in joy because Christ has come. We gather in homes with family and friends in joy because Christ has come. The Creator of all things, in fulfillment of his promises, has provided redemption (Isa. 53). Sins can be forgiven. Wrath can be removed. Justification can be imputed. Eternal life can be received. Francis Schaeffer writes, “Just as the only basis for the removal of our guilt is the finished work of Christ upon the cross in history, plus nothing, so the only instrument for accepting that finished work of Christ upon the cross is faith.”[1] We know from Scripture that salvation is by faith through grace (Eph. 2:8-10). We should be rejoicing in the Lord continually for this great truth.

Since Christ has come; since Christ has died; since Christ has risen; since Christ has ascended; since Christ is coming again we have hope. We have peace. We have joy. We have security. There is no longer a baby in the manger. There is no longer a Christ on the cross. There is no longer a Christ in the tomb. At this very moment, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. The Lord Jesus is supreme over all power and authority (Eph. 1:20-23). Christ is coming again (1 Thess. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; John 14:1-3). John MacArthur declares, “Scripture is neither vague nor equivocal on the promise of Christ’s return… And regardless of what the scoffers say, Jesus is coming. World history is barreling toward a conclusion, and the conclusion has already been ordained by God and foretold in Scripture. It could be soon, or it could be another thousand years (or more) away. Either way, God is not slack concerning His promise. Christ will return!”[2]

Jesus Christ is Lord. This truth provides us with things that can never be taken away. We know that in Jesus Christ alone forgiveness of sin and eternal life is found. We know that Christ has overcome the grave (Acts 2:23-24) and the world (John 16:33). In Christ, death is defeated (1 Cor. 15:22; Rom. 5:17). In Christ, we have overcome the world (1 John 5:1-5). Regardless of how corrupt our leaders can be at times, Christ is still Lord. Regardless of how bad inflation can be at times, Christ is still Lord. If we live to see intense persecution and violence, Christ is still Lord. If we live to see revival and reformation, Christ is still Lord. We need not fear. We need not be anxious. Christ has come. Christ is coming again. MacArthur exhorts us, “It is especially essential that we remain diligent, hard-working, and resourceful while we await the Lord’s return. The fact that Christ could return at any moment is no excuse for quitting what God has called us to be and do. The day may indeed be drawing very near, but now is not the time to put on our pajamas and sit on the roof! This is no time to fold up our things and retire from all Christian service to await the Lord’s appearing. Quite the opposite. The knowledge that Christ could appear at any time is a great incentive to work harder, apply ourselves more diligently, and stay faithfully at the task. The day of opportunity may be short. The time is certainly drawing closer. We dare not squander the opportunity we have left.”[3]

The apostle Peter writes, “But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9–10 Legacy Standard Bible). Francis Schaeffer commenting on these verses explains, “This passage says that in this present life, Christians are called for a purpose, called to show forth the praises of God. In other words, God did not mean that there should be no evidence of the reality of the victory of the cross between Jesus’ ascension and his second coming. God has always intended that Christians should be the evidence, the demonstration, of Christ’s victory on the cross.”[4] Brothers and sisters, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4 Legacy Standard Bible). Friends, we should rejoice in the Lord this day. We should rejoice in the Lord this Christmas.

[1] Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1971), 4.

[2] John MacArthur, The Second Coming: Signs of Christ’s Return and the End of the Age (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2003), 27.

[3] John MacArthur, The Second Coming: Signs of Christ’s Return and the End of the Age (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2003), 164.

[4] Francis A. Schaeffer, True Spirituality (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1971), 63.