God

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.

Somewhere forever

/ Christopher Terry

The Scriptures teach us that, “Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow” (Ps. 144:4). God’s Word reminds us over and over of the temporary nature of this earthly life. Yet, we will be somewhere for all eternity. It is true for all of us. Those who have repented of their sin and received Christ as Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:9, 13; John 1:11-12). All who have trusted in the finished work of Christ will spend eternity with him in heaven. Those who have not repented of their sin and have not received Christ as Lord will not be saved (John 3:18, 36; 1 John 5:11-12). All who reject the finished work of Christ will spend eternity apart from him in hell. All human beings will be in one place or the other. What a person does with the Lord Jesus Christ determines his or her eternal destination (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

There have been numerous times when I have been present with individuals as they were nearing the end of life. Some had struggled with longstanding health challenges. Others had experienced a sudden downturn in health. Being present when a believer is nearing the end of life is a unique experience. A born-again believer has peace with God and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Believers are looking forward to being in the presence of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:23). The thought of being with the Lord, the One whom these brothers and sisters have trusted and served for so long, is the fulfillment of the desire of their hearts.

Being present with someone who does not know the Lord is entirely different. The person has had time to think, to contemplate what happens next. But, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone on his or her deathbed is not always as you might think. You would assume a person who is about to enter eternity apart from the Lord would want to change that reality. We have to remember what the Scriptures teach. Unbelievers are dead in their sin and they do not seek after God apart from his divine intervention in their lives (Rom. 3:10-18). Our prayer in such circumstances is for God to bring repentance and faith (cf. Acts 20:21). But, the key questions are: Repentance from what? Faith in what? These individuals must hear the gospel (Rom. 10:17; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). They do not need to hear that things will be better soon, if they do not know Jesus Christ. If they do not know Christ, things will certainly be worse (Matt. 13:49-50; 25:41, 46; Rev. 20:11-15). Scripture clearly states, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God… Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:18, 36). And here, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12). These are non-negotiables. It does not matter how good someone thinks he or she is. We are all sinners (Rom. 3:23) and there is no way anyone can save himself.

No one gets to the end of his or her life and stands justified before God, except through Jesus Christ. Romans reads, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:21–26). We need the salvation that Christ provides. We need the righteousness available through him and him alone.

Charles Spurgeon once preached, “You remember the story of Whitfield’s once saying that there would be some in heaven who were ‘the devil’s castaways;’ some that the devil would hardly think good enough for him, and yet whom Christ would save. Lady Huntingdon once gently hinted that such language was not quite proper. But just at the time there happened to be heard come a ring at the bell and Whitfield went down stairs. Afterwards he came up and said, “Your ladyship, what do you think a poor woman had to say to me just now? She was a sad profligate and she said, ‘O, Mr. Whitfield, when you were preaching you told us that Christ would take in the devil’s castaways and I am one of them,’” and that was the means of her salvation. Shall anybody ever check us from preaching to the lowest of the low? I have been accused of getting all the rabble of London around me. God bless the rabble! God save the rabble! then, say I. But suppose they are ‘the rabble!’ Who need the gospel more than they do? Who require to have Christ preached to them more than they do? We have lots of those who preach to ladies and gentlemen and we want someone to preach to the rabble in these degenerate days.”[1] Brothers and sisters, the people you meet (on their deathbed or not), they need the same salvation and righteousness that is available through Jesus Christ alone. It is our responsibility to tell them. Let Paul’s declaration be ours as well, “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).

[1] C. H. Spurgeon, “Heaven and Hell,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 1 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1855), 304.

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.

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.

Convictions Formed by God’s Truth

/ Christopher Terry

Once again, we have entered the Fall season. It won’t be long before the air grows cold and the leaves begin to change. The Lord demonstrates his creativity and wisdom over and over again. Who else could make something that is dying look vibrant and beautiful? As C.S. Lewis wrote, “He gives them the seasons, each season different yet every year the same, so that spring is always felt as a novelty yet always as the recurrence of an immemorial theme.”[1] As creatures living in God’s world, we have an idea of what is coming next with the changing of the seasons.

On the other hand, we are still surprised at times. There are good surprises and other times challenging ones. For instance, we can be caught off-guard by the power and effects of the weather. We have incredible technology and can see weather patterns developing. Yet, storms like Hurricane Helene can devastate us. As of now, we are aware of over 200 people who have died.[2] There are countless others who are stranded or missing.[3] As of now there are at least 3 million people who are still without power.[4] Please be in prayer for those who are affected by this storm. It is a reminder of how fragile life can be, and also of our limitations as human beings. The book of Isaiah says, “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?” (Isa. 2:22). As we read the pages of Scripture we are reminded repeatedly of the limited nature of mankind. The LORD tells us in Genesis, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19). We can be here today and gone tomorrow.

Friends, God made us in his own image, but we are not him (Gen. 1:27). We were made for him and we need him (Rev. 4:11). As created beings we are under our Creator’s authority and are accountable to him. One day each of us will face our Creator – the saved (Rom. 14:10-12; cf. 1 Cor. 3:11-15) and the unsaved (Rev. 20:11-15). This One, who spoke all things into existence and rules them by his powerful word, has revealed his standards in the Scriptures. So, we would do well to know what he has said, and also to do what he has said.  

Brothers and sisters, we are living in a time when people use terms like reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy, diversity, equity, and inclusion (i.e. D.E.I.), to name a few. It is important for us as believers to understand what is meant by such terms because we live in a world where these terms are used. Ironically, reproductive freedom refers to ensuring legal access to abortion. So, reproductive freedom is the freedom not to reproduce. We are Americans. We love freedom. Our history contains a War for Independence. So, what kind of American are you if you are against freedom? The language is weighted. But, do you notice that the particular language used intentionally creates a cognitive distance between what is being said and what is being done? This is no accident. It attempts to remove the shock from the practice in question by creating an intellectual fog. As believers in Jesus Christ we must cut through the fog. Paul writes, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4–5).

According to the way that God has designed us, when a man “knows” a woman, babies are the expected result (cf. Gen. 4:1-2). So, if we do not like the natural outcome of our actions, do we have the authority to erase the outcome? Abortion is so common in our world that many of us have not lived in a time without such a practice. The arguments and the terms have changed, but the outcome of the practice is the same. Where do we, as Christians, find our standard regarding such a practice? The obvious answer is the Word of God. But, is this from where we draw our convictions? Or, have we bought the lie that people can interrupt, change, or negate what God has established without consequence? Next time you hear terms, consider what they mean and what God’s Word has to say about them. I have given you just one example. Take care, dear Christians, that your convictions are formed by God’s truth, his standard of right and wrong. Do not let carefully crafted language, or manipulative tactics shape your standard. As Paul writes in Romans, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:1–2).

[1] C.S. Lewis, The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics (United Kingdom: HarperCollins, 2007), 258.

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/03/hurricane-helene-death-toll-power-outages

[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgmgz3elmjxo

[4] https://www.npr.org/2024/09/30/g-s1-25406/helene-death-toll-damage

HCSB Minister’s Bible

/ Christopher Terry / 1 Comment

I just received a review copy of the HCSB Minister’s Bible in the mail.  Anyone who reads this blog knows that I really like the HCSB translation.  I am very excited about the forthcoming revision.  I cannot wait till it is released and anticipate the forthcoming HCSB Study Bible.

My first impressions of the Bible is that the formatting is the best I have seen.  I absolutely love the single column paragraph format.  It is also a black-letter Bible, thank you B&H Publishing!  The Bible itself has all of the technical textual notations at the bottom of the page.  It is not a reference Bible.  I have absolutely no problems with this at all.  Typically the references do not run parallel to my train of thought.  There are some articles in the back of the Bible that would be helpful for those in ministry.  The Bible does include the normal HCSB text Bible features:  plan of salvation, concordance, bullet note index, and several tables.

I will have much more on this Bible in the future.  Everything that I has seen so far is absolutely wonderful.

Update:

I have had plenty of time using this Bible to make a more informed review.  The Bible is smyth sewn which makes it possible for the Bible to lay flat and will also ensure that the binding lasts longer (kudos to Holman for making the majority of their Bibles with sewn bindings – we appreciate it).  The cover itself is genuine leather (it is not the best I have seen but certainly not the worst).

The font is very easy on the eyes in regard to size.  It is a different font character than I have seen in other Bibles.  This does not make it bad just different.  Christians are unique when it comes to Bibles.  There is a large segment which does not want to see any variation between Bible translations (font, format, translation theory, etc…) so I don’t know how this will effect potential customers.

I like that this is a black letter text.  The truth is that there was no such thing in the original letters.  A black letter text forces readers to recognize that every single word in the Bible carries equal inspiration and weight.

The text is in a paragraph format with a single column of text.  I prefer this layout of the biblical text.  It allows you to focus on the text at hand rather than all of the visual noise on the rest of the page.  It does feature the textual notes at the bottom of the page which is very a useful feature.  The notes provide pertinent information for alternate renderings, Hebrew or Greek textual manuscript information, or literal translations.

This is a wide margin edition.  It has ample amount of space on the outside of the text which allows users to record their own studies and thoughts on the biblical text.  I have been able to record notes from my own studies in the margins and have had sufficient room to write.  I think that this is an excellent feature in a Bible.

The Bible paper is thin.  There is some bleed through from the text on the opposite side of a page.  The boldness of the font on the facing page actually makes the bleed through less of an issue.  The font on the facing page grabs your attention and minimizes the distraction.  I did notice that after writing on a page that the edges of the page began to curl.  Over time the page goes back to normal.

There is a pastoral helps section.  I am a pastor but do not choose to use the helps.  The helps are well done and could be very useful.  I choose to use this as more of a study/teaching/preaching Bible, not a minister’s manual (not that there is anything wrong with such a use).

There is a full concordance in the back of the Bible.  Since the HCSB is an optimal equivalence translation such a feature is a useful tool.

All things considered, I think that this is an excellent edition of the HCSB.  I would encourage others, who like the HCSB and want a Bible to record their study notes in, to purchase this Bible.  This is the first edition of the HCSB text so it would probably be wise to purchase Minister’s Bible which features the updated text.

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