Todd Linn's Blog, page 16

When Being Out Of Step Is Good

As we continue our verse-by-verse study of 1 Peter, we recall our previous post on 1 Peter 4:1-2 where Peter challenges us to “arm ourselves” (1 Peter 4:1), preparing to suffer just as Christ suffered. In today’s post we pick up at verse 3 as we consider two more principles related to Christian persecution.

Better To Be Ridiculed Than To Live Like The World (Verses 3-4)

3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles (non-Christians)—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries 
4 In regard to these (these old behaviors), they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.

Here’s a rough, 21st century application of these verses; especially verse 4: “Hey, Johnny. We’re going out drinking and partying tonight. Come run with us.” You say, “No, thank you. I’ve given my heart to Christ and I just can’t do that anymore.” Response: “Johnny, you’re an idiot. You’re a prude. You’re a hypocrite. Who do you think you are, anyway? I’ve seen the way you’ve lived in the past. Sorry you’re just too good for us–Christian!”

See what Peter says in verse 4: “In regard to these, they think it strange you do not run with them, speaking evil of you.”

When I was a parole officer, I used to counsel my parolees about their “old running buddies,” the folks they used to run with when they got into trouble. I would caution, “Don’t run with them anymore. If you run with them, they’ll run you right back into prison.”

The phrase “run with them,” suggests an ongoing, frenetic, fast-paced search for pleasure. It also suggests that those who run never ultimately find what they are looking for; always disappointed and needing to “run” again. Some people live their entire lives that way, week after week, running after things that continually elude them. It reminds me of some rock lyrics popular when I was in high school:

Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend
Everybody wants a new romance

Just running week after week, living for the weekend, hoping to find pleasure, purpose, and meaning.

Does that describe you? Just living for the weekends? Looking for love in all the wrong places? Can you relate to these behaviors in verse 3: “lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties,” and so forth? Are you self-medicating with behaviors you know in your heart are wrong?

Hear again what Peter says to Christians who used to live that way: “We have spent enough of our past lifetime doing the will of the Gentiles (non-Christians).” That is, “We’ve spent enough of our past lifetime living in ungodly ways.”

Whether you lived a long time that way or you came to know Christ as a young person, Peter says, “It is enough!” You needn’t wonder whether you missed anything. Long time or short, it is enough. You’re living differently now.

People will ridicule you for living for Christ, especially those you knew before you really started living for Jesus. Consider the New Living Translation of this verse:

“Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.”

When I was in high school I was in the marching band and the first year I was in band camp, they taught us about marching in-step. You have to be in-step with everyone else; marching to the same tune. The person to your left put his left foot first, and you did the same. This way, everybody is in-step. If you’re not paying attention, or dancing to a different tune, then you’re out-of-step with everyone else, and it looks funny.

Here’s the thing: in the Christian life, It’s okay to be out-of-step with the world. 

It’s okay to be out-of-step with the culture. It’s okay to swim against the tide; to go against the flow; to stand for Christ against the world. That is, in fact, what we are to be doing.

Many in the church of today are trying desperately to be “in step” with the culture; so much so that many modern churches look more and more like the world and less and less like the Lord.  Especially in Western culture it seems many contemporary churches are doing their best to mimic the things of the world. Consequently, they are producing professing Christians who really don’t look or act very differently from non-Christians.

In these cases, Peter’s statement in verse 4–“They think it strange you do not run with them”–doesn’t really apply. After all, who thinks these Christians and their churches are different from the world?  Or, who finds these Christians and their churches strange in the way they live?  Answer: Very few, because they really are no different from the world.

We are to stand for Christ against the world, not in a high and mighty, arrogant way, but with loving conviction. And when you do that, be ready to suffer ridicule. They will–last part of verse 4–“speak evil of you.”

Watch what happens when you take a stand for Christ. Watch what happens when you share with worldly people that you believe sex outside of marriage is wrong. Share your biblical convictions about the sinful, destructive nature of adultery, or homosexuality, and be prepared to suffer ridicule. Share your conviction about Christ being the only way to heaven and be prepared to suffer ridicule. In fact, take a stand against any sin and be ready to suffer for doing good. Peter says, “They will speak evil against you; they will slander you, Christian.”

Just why do they slander you? Ever thought about it? Why do non-Christians speak evil, or slander, or, as the NIV puts it, “heap abuse on you” when you refuse to run with them?

“Why…? No doubt because silent, non-participation in sin often implies condemnation of that sin, and rather than change their ways unbelievers will slander those who have pained their consciences, or justify their own immorality by spreading rumors that the ‘righteous’ Christians are immoral as well.”

Wayne Grudem, 1 Peter

In other words, when a lost person stands in the light, he sees his own dirt. It’s convicting. So rather than repent, it’s easier for the unbeliever to heap abuse on the one whose righteous living condemns him. It’s easier to ridicule others than face up to our own sin.

But watch this: Peter says that unbelievers cannot escape responsibility for their actions. A day of judgment is coming:

They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:5)

A Judgment Day is coming. God will judge both living and the dead. That’s a way of saying, “No one escapes the judgment.” You can’t escape judgment by dying. Death will allow no unbeliever to escape judgment. Unbelievers will give an accounting to Him who is ready to judge everyone; the living and the dead. All people will one day stand before their Creator and face the judgment.

Peter mentions the judgment to encourage Christians who face ridicule for living for the Lord. 

Look To The Future When All Is Made Right (Verses 5-6)

You may suffer now. You may face ridicule today, but look to the future when all is made right. Judgment Day is coming and those who ridicule you will one day face their Creator. So leave your suffering in God’s hands.

This is similar to what Peter wrote back in chapter 2, about Christ’s suffering for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps: “when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:21-23).”

So when others ridicule you–and it seems like they’re getting away with murder–remember they’re not getting away with it. Leave it to God. Put it in God’s hands. 

Look to the future when all is made right: God will judge the living and the dead.

Then in verse 6, Peter encourages the Christian to remember his or her own future:

For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead (those who believed in Christ and later died), that they might be judged according to men in the flesh (that is, Christians will die just as non-Christians), but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)

Here’s a paraphrase of verse 6: “The gospel was preached to Christians who have since died so that they would be saved them from eternal judgment.”

Even though Christians will experience physical death (“judged according to men in the flesh”), they will “live according to God in the spirit.” That is, Christians will live on; they will continue living in the spirit,” and they will be saved from eternal judgment.

Christian: it’s okay to be ridiculed for being out of step with the world. Look to the future when all is made right!

The Apostle Paul agrees: “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).”

So keep on marching out of step.

The Incorrigible, Inconsistent Tongue!

In our previous post on James 3:3-12, we studied how the tongue is both influential and inflammatory. In today’s study, we consider two more characteristics of the tongue.

The Tongue is Incorrigible 

James says:

“For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

If you have visited the zoo or have been somewhere like Sea World, you likely have marveled  at man’s ability to tame all kinds of creatures.  Both lion and lion tamer are in the same cage.  Elephants gently place their foot upon a man’s body.  Dolphins jump through hoops to the delight of a watching crowd.  

James suggests that it is remarkable that man can tame these wild animals, but is not so good at taming his own tongue.

Yet surely James does not mean that man is left without a solution.  Surely he is not just ranting, concluding that nothing can be done about the matter.  Indeed, it is by God’s grace and our sanctifying growth in Christ that we are able to control our tongues.  After all, “what is impossible with man is possible with God (Luke 18:27).”

Humanly speaking “no man can tame the tongue.”  Left to our own devices we are incapable of “breaking it” and taming it successfully and consistently.  We are sinners!  No amount of grit and human effort will finally culminate in our overcoming the unruly tongue.  This is James’ point.

He describes the incorrigible tongue as “an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”  Like an arrow with a poisoned tip ready to be shot at one’s enemies, so are the words we shoot at others, words “full of deadly poison.”

We must watch our words, how we talk to others, how we talk to our children, our spouse, our neighbors, our co-workers, our fellow church members.  To quote Solomon: “He who holds his tongue is wise (Proverbs 10:19; NIV).” 

Some are proud of their ability to “tell it like it is.”  Like the woman who approached the great Methodist evangelist John Wesley and boasted, “Mr. Wesley, I pride myself in speaking my mind. That,” she added, “is my talent.”  Wesley replied, “Well ma’am, the Lord wouldn’t mind if you buried that talent!”

The tongue is influential, the tongue is inflammatory, and the tongue is incorrigible.  Finally:

The Tongue is Inconsistent

James notes the irony that with the same tongue we praise God and then turn right around and say something that destroys others.  We are inconsistent in using our tongue for good.  He writes, “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.”

How inconsistent we are with our tongues!  We gratefully exclaim, “Praise God” or “God is good” and then immediately spew hateful invective upon a person who has wronged us.  One moment we are using our tongue for good and the next for evil.  And when we speak evil of others, we are guilty of “cursing men who have been made in the similitude (or likeness) of God.”  

When you speak evil of another person, you are verbally attacking someone made in the image of God—believers and unbelievers alike.  There is no other creature on the planet who is more like God than a human being.  There is a very real sense, then, that when you and I speak hatefully about another person that we are speaking hatefully about God Himself.

Incredulously James states, “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”  We can almost picture James saying these words.  Shaking his head, he lifts his hands palms upward as if to grasp for something he can’t find, and then proclaims to any who will hear him, “These things ought not to be so!”

He is right, of course.  These things ought not to be so.  Yet how often are we guilty of doing the very things God forbids?  We can be singing praises in a worship service and then, immediately after worship, approach another church member and engage in gossip.  Moments earlier we were singing, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God,” and now we are using that same tongue to speak inappropriately about one of the family members.  These things ought not to be so.

To further illustrate the utter inconsistency with which we use our tongues, James draws upon nature.  Rhetorically he asks, “Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?”  And of course the implied answer is “No” as indicated by his conclusion: “Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”

A modern day equivalent might be something like, “When you turn on your kitchen faucet does it produce both fresh water and salt water?”  Of course not!  So just as a spring (or kitchen faucet) produces only one kind of water, so our tongues should be used to speak in only one kind of way.  We should consistently use our words in a helpful way rather than a harmful way.

Mixing metaphors, James proves the point further by interposing questions related to horticulture.  He asks, “Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?”  Again, the implied answers are “No, of course not!”  No one has ever seen a fig tree that bears olives instead of figs or a grapevine that produces figs instead of grapes. 

James is using absurdity to illustrate the tragic inconsistency of the tongue.  We should use our tongues consistently, using our words only for good and never for evil.  

Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, illustrates how inconsistent use of the tongue harms families:  

Such inconsistency compromises our confession, and in the family it can scar our children.  Have you ever stopped to think what it is like to be a child and hear some of the things they hear coming out of the mouth of mom and dad? The same mouth that hopefully says, “I love you, I’m so proud of you, I thank God He gave you to me,” may also be heard to say, “Shut up. Put that down. Stop that right now. I don’t care what you are doing, come here right now. Listen to me. Give me that. Don’t touch that. Not like that, stupid. Go away. Leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m busy? Boy, that was really dumb. Can’t you do anything right? You’d lose your head if it wasn’t screwed on. Hurry up, we don’t have all day! What’s the matter with you? Can’t you hear anything? I don’t know what I’m going to do with you. You will never grow up to amount to anything.” And with words like these we don’t bless, we curse. We don’t build up, we tear down. And parents, words are powerful when directed at our children.

Daniel Akin, SEBTS

When we return to James’ teaching next time, we’ll consider three helpful suggestions to curb on tongues!

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 110-114, available on Amazon.

4 Keys To Effective Sermon Delivery

I’ve written a few posts over at chucklawless.com in recent weeks; grateful to Chuck for his inviting me to provide a few “Thursdays With Todd Linn” on his terrific site. This post is similar in format.

Sermon content is arguably more important than sermon delivery. If we have prepared a faithful exposition of Scripture, our manuscript will contain explanation, illustration, and application of the very Word of God. At the same time, if we don’t “deliver the goods” as effectively as possible, our sermon may fall on deaf ears. Yes, the Holy Spirit mercifully is present to overcome our verbal blunders, but this is no reason for failing to improve. While the following principles are not the only actions necessary for effective sermon delivery, they are especially important.

1) Make Good Eye Contact

Our listeners are accustomed to eye contact when speaking with a friend, so it is reasonable they would expect the same from their pastor. Pastors must become very familiar with their sermon manuscript or outline before stepping into the pulpit. The more time spent reviewing our notes, the less dependent upon them we are when preaching. Familiarity with our manuscript leads to greater eye contact with our listeners. As you preach, locate individuals in each section of the congregation (left to right, front to back) and lock eyes with them. As a general rule, look directly at a person for about three seconds before looking away. If eye contact is shorter, we fail to make an emotional connection with our listener. Eye contact longer than three seconds, however, may make for an awkward moment!

2) Never Apologize In Your Sermon

When preachers apologize for lack of preparation, a sense of inadequacy, or for other reasons reasons, they draw attention to themselves instead of drawing attention to Jesus. There is only so much time to preach the Word, so the less time we spend talking about ourselves, the more time we have to talk about Christ. God has gifted you with the sacred privilege of being His ambassador, so approach the pulpit confidently, knowing He will speak His Word through you.

3) Call For A Specific Response

Calling for a response to what God has said in His Word is the difference between merely teaching what the Bible says and preaching an anointed message that expects obedience to God. Too often, preachers fail to think through a meaningful conclusion that culminates in a response to the Word. It is not enough simply to conclude our sermon with a general prayer. We must call for action! Believers must be challenged to obey God’s commands and unbelievers must know how to receive Christ.

4) Preach As Though It Were Your Last Opportunity

As you step into the pulpit this weekend, imagine it will be your last opportunity. Will that make a difference in your delivery? We must preach as Puritan Richard Baxter once wrote poetically: “I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men.” 1

Arguments For God’s Existence (Theology Thursdays)

On two separate occasions the Psalmist writes, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no god (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1).'”

The statement, however, does not mean that atheists lack intelligence or are somehow intellectually inferior. Indeed, many atheists are especially gifted thinkers and scholars.

Rather, the word “fool” in these two passages suggests one who will not submit to the moral authority and restraints of the God of the Bible. As such, it is not that the unbeliever lacks information or that there is not enough evidence to persuade him to follow God. It is instead that the individual wishes to be his or her own master or ruler, refusing to bow to the will of God and His Word.

You could say that the “fool” has said in his heart, “NO, God!”

Understood this way, we identify with the unbeliever in Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1. Apart from God’s grace we are all equally “foolish” and desperately in need of God’s eye-opening, life-giving, soul-saving Holy Spirit work that grants a new heart soft to His will and ways.

Today’s “Theology Thursday” SlideShare presentation is a very basic introduction to the arguments for God’s existence, namely the cosmological argument, the moral argument, and the teleological argument.

Slide 22 is a simple picture of a watch, representative of William Paley’s so-called “watchmaker argument.” More on that–and other useful information–here.

As much of the material is philosophical in nature, it is important to remember that no one will successfully “argue” an unbeliever into the Kingdom of God. Only God can open our eyes to see. And only God can save through the power of the gospel.

Arguments for God’s Existence from Todd Linn, PhD

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Planning To Suffer

My preaching friend Hershael York told about a time he had gotten up early one Sunday morning to go over his sermon before preaching at the historic Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. He had risen early, showered, got dressed, and put on an old pair of comfortable shoes that he wore around the house. Like most old shoes, they had become rather ugly and, for that reason, his wife hated them. In fact, she had thrown them out once, but Hershael found them and pulled them out of the trash, hiding them from her so he could wear them around the house in the mornings.

So on this particular Sunday morning, he had put on these old shoes as at other times. Later, when time came to travel to the church to preach, he had gotten his stuff together and drove to the church building. And it wasn’t until he was standing on the platform later that morning, preaching that first worship service, when he looked down and he saw he was still wearing those old, ugly shoes!

Imagine how he must have looked standing there in a nice, pressed suit; clean, starched shirt, beautiful tie–and an old, raggedy pair of ugly shoes! The shoes didn’t match what he was wearing. They seemed out of place. They didn’t suit him. He should have put them off and put on his new shoes.

It’s like Paul’s metaphor of the Christian life being about “putting off the old,” putting off the things of the old lifestyle, and then “putting on the new,” adorning ourselves with new attitudes and behaviors in Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-13).

Peter’s teaching is similar in 1 Peter 4:1-6. He writes in verse 2 we should “no longer live the rest of our time in the flesh for the lusts of men.” In fact, he says in verse 3, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime doing the will of the Gentiles (unbelievers).”

We’re finished with the old way of living.  And if we ever fall back to that old lifestyle, engaging in some of the behaviors of our lives before Christ, such behaviour is out of place with who we now are. It’s as if we’ve gone to the trash can and dug out an old, raggedy pair of shoes that we’re trying to wear. The old doesn’t match who we now are. It just doesn’t suit us. 

Peter calls for Christians to abandon the old ways of thinking and behaving, especially when suffering for their faith. Today’s post examines just the first two verses of the passage:

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 
2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

The very first word in the passage, “Therefore,” is a gate that swings in two directions: it swings backward into the preceding passage, and forward into the following passage. This is why we often say, “When you see a ‘therefore’ in the text, ask what is the ‘therefore’ there for?” The word works like a gate that reaches backward and forward to ensure we interpret the passage contextually.

So when we “swing back” into the preceding paragraph, we recall from our previous post on 1 Peter 3:18-22 that, among other things, Peter is teaching about suffering, making the larger point that Christ suffered for doing good (1 Peter 3:17).

Peter returns now to this teaching on Christian suffering as the gate swings forward into the first verse of chapter 4: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same mind” (or, the same thinking).

Arm yourselves! Peter is teaching Christians to prepare for suffering. We must plan to suffer for our faith, resisting the temptation to avoid suffering by going back to our former ways of thinking and living, living for ourselves and abandoning the Lord.

Arm Yourselves!

When you set a burglar alarm at your house or workplace, you are making certain before you leave that everything is ready when trouble comes. That’s what Peter is teaching: “Arm yourselves! Be ready when trouble comes.” 

Christians often suffer at the hands of unbelievers who “speak evil” (1 Peter 4:4) of them for not engaging in behaviors popular among non-Christians. This is why Peter challenges Christians to “arm themselves.”

The idea is something like this: “Plan to face suffering just as Christ did. Prepare to suffer for doing good, just as He did. They ridiculed Him. They will ridicule you. So arm yourselves! Don’t live for the glory of man, but for the glory of God!”

One way to “arm ourselves” for suffering is to remember what Christ did for us when He suffered.

My running friend Paul Brantley forwarded me a video clip of marathon runner Ryan Hall. When Ryan Hall ran the Boston Marathon a number of years ago, he gained the distinction of running the fastest marathon ever by an American. Ryan Hall is a committed Christian who, in the video clip, shared how he would visualize the sufferings of Christ as a motivation to keep running. Whenever he felt pain as he ran, he just remembered the pain Christ suffered for him, and it spurred him on to keep moving forward, to keep on running.

That’s similar to what Peter teaches in these verses. When you face ridicule, remember they ridiculed your Lord. Remember what He did for you, and it will motivate you to keep going.

So when you suffer for Christ, don’t be surprised, but be ready. Jesus reminded his followers they would suffer hatred just as He suffered hatred:

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

John 15:18-19

If you are a Christian, arm yourself with the same way of thinking as your Lord. 

Show others you are not living for the passing pleasures of this world, but are living for the greater glory of God.

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Our Tongues: Influential & Inflammatory!

We use our mouths every day.  We speak at home, we speak at work, we speak at school, we speak to our neighbors, we speak to our children, we speak to our spouses.  Some spouses are challenged by the words they use with one another.  Some couples are challenged to speak at all!

A married couple awakened one Saturday morning and, like most mornings, had very little to say to each another.  The phone rang and the wife answered.  Her girlfriend Sally was on the other end so the two chatted awhile.  After some time, she asked Sally what she and her husband were doing.  Sally replied, “Oh, we’re just sitting here having coffee and talking to each other.”  She hung up the phone and looked over at her husband who was reading the newspaper.  She said, “Do you know what Sally and her husband were doing this morning?  She said they were just having coffee and talking to each other!  Isn’t that great?  I wish we would do that.”  Her husband peered over his newspaper and replied, “Well, we can do that.  Put a pot of coffee on.”  His wife brewed some coffee, poured a cup for her husband and for herself.  Then, after the two sat in silence for a full minute, the husband impatiently barked, “Well, call Sally up and find out what they were talking about!”

Truth is, for most of us it’s not what we don’t say that gets us into trouble, but what we do say. We are far more likely to use too many words than use too little.  Solomon wisely advises: “The prudent hold their tongue (Proverbs 10:19; NIV).”

If Jesus is known for the “Sermon on the Mount,” James is known for his “Sermon on the Mouth!”  Nowhere else in all of the New Testament do we have such comprehensive treatment on the danger of the tongue.

In this passage (James 3:3-12), James describes four main characteristics of the tongue. We’ll look at just the first two in this post.

The Tongue is Influential

Influence can be used for good or bad.  This seems to be what James is teaching as he develops his exposition on the tongue.  He writes:

Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.  Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.  Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

James likens the tongue to a bit used in a horse’s mouth.  This tiny piece of metal is placed in the mouth of a horse in order to guide it in the direction desired by the rider.  Just a slight tug of the reins and that little bit causes the horse to stop, go, or turn one way or the other.

James then compares the tongue to the rudder of a ship.  While ships are huge and driven by forceful winds, they are controlled “by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.”  The captain at the helm turns the wheel and the rudder responds so that the entire ship changes direction.

Such power!  It’s amazing when you think of the great influence of something so small.  

James says just as the behavior of the horse is influenced by the little bit, and just as the behavior of the large ship is influenced by a small rudder, so the behavior of a person is influenced by the small tongue.

The tongue “boasts of great things.”  It is influential.  It is capable of great things, things we should be using it for like praising our Lord, preaching the Word, or speaking well of others.

But the context of this passage tells us that while the tongue can be used in a positive manner, too often it is used negatively.  While the tongue is capable of accomplishing “great things,” too often we use it to bring about “great damage.”  To this problem James now turns.

The Tongue is Inflammatory 

The tongue has the potential to arouse anger and hostility.  It is incendiary and fiery.  So while the tongue has the ability to “boast great things,” James marvels, “See how great a forest a little fire kindles!”

Just as a small fire spreads and does great damage, so the tiny little tongue is capable of spreading damage far and wide.  The tongue has the same potential as a little match has when lit and placed near dry, wooden brush.  

Several years ago a 10-year-old boy admitted that he had started one of the largest wildfires in Southern California when he was playing with matches.  The blaze, called, “The Buckweed Fire,” started in the rural community of Agua Dulce:

…fanned by high winds and hot, dry weather…spread quickly, driving 15,000 people from their homes, destroying 21 houses and 22 other buildings, injuring three people and [burning] more than 38,000 acres.” 1

It all began with one match.  James says your tongue has the same potential.  Just one word.  One small word spoken in anger has the potential to do the same destruction.  “How great a forest a little fire kindles!”  James adds:

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.  The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

Interestingly, the word “hell” here is used only twelve times in the New Testament.  Jesus uses it eleven times in His teachings in the Gospels and then James uses it here.  Jesus referred to hell as the place of final condemnation.  It is the place where non-Christians will spend eternity, the place where unbelievers are separated eternally from God because of their sin.  

Here is a reminder of the need to have our sins forgiven, our need to turn away from sin and turn to the only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who lived for our righteousness and died as a substitute to atone for our sins.  The only way to avoid hell is to turn to Jesus Christ and to live for Him.

The tongue is inflammatory.  Years earlier, Solomon warned of the same deadly potential of the tongue.  He said: 

Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.  As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife (Proverbs 26:20-21; NIV).

Your tongue has the potential to ruin the reputation of others.  When you repeat hearsay, when you repeat gossip, or when you fail to direct a critical person to go and talk directly with the person about whom he or she is criticizing, you are using your tongue in a way that tears down rather than builds up.

The tongue is influential and the tongue is inflammatory.  But there is more–and we’ll come back to that next time!

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 106-110, available on Amazon.

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When Leaving A Pastorate

I’ve written a few posts over at chucklawless.com in recent weeks; grateful to Chuck for his inviting me to provide a few “Thursdays With Todd Linn” on his terrific site. This post is similar in format.

While pastors leave churches for many reasons, most believe the Lord has guided them through the process and will guide the church once they have gone. Whether accepting a call to another church, beginning a different ministry, or entering a season of retirement, caring pastors leave their churches wisely. Here are 5 basic principles to follow when leaving a pastorate:

1) Prayerfully Plan A Transition

Each situation is different and time constraints present special challenges, but carefully thinking through a transition is essential to the church’s health. Trusted leaders of the congregation are especially helpful to pastors in planning everything from an initial announcement to the pastor’s final day in the pulpit. When possible, a season of prayer gatherings and/or a special sermon series will help the congregation stay focused on the Lord.

2) Encourage The Church

Reminding the congregation of God’s sovereignty helps them face future uncertainties. They are comforted knowing the God who led their pastor to step aside is the same God who will bring their next shepherd. Pointing members to their loving, providential God encourages them to look upward and outward. At the same time, however, separations are difficult and pastors should allow members time and space to process grief. Finally, the pastor should bring an encouraging “farewell sermon” on his last Sunday, a message full of hope, praise, and gratitude to the church for ministry shared together.

3) Stay Away As Much As Possible

Once the pastor steps aside, he should do his best to stay away from the church. His absence from the congregation helps the church grow and move forward. On the other hand, his lingering presence may prevent members from embracing a new vision or direction.

To be sure, some churches have implemented succession plans that allow a minister to remain in the congregation as pastor emeritus or to serve in some other capacity, perhaps as a member of a satellite campus. Even in these situations, however, the pastor must remember he has stepped aside from his pastoral role and exercise caution before agreeing to serve in any capacity that may interfere with the new pastor.

4) Point Questioning Members To New Leadership

It is common for church members to reach out to the former pastor during challenging times of an interim and/or early stages of a new pastor. Change is nearly always difficult and the road forward can be bumpy. Former pastors help members cope by speaking positively of new leadership and encouraging members to express their concerns directly to their new pastor.

5) Avoid Saying Anything Negative

Once a pastor has left the church, he should always speak positively of former members, staff, and leaders. It’s just bad form to speak negatively or disparagingly about anyone. While there may be future occasions requiring an honest discussion about a former member’s behavior or a staff member’s work ethic, even then “let your speech always be with grace…” (Colossians 4:6).

Pastors: what principles would you add to this discussion?

Providence of God (Theology Thursdays)

“If God created everything, and is in control of everything…

“Did God create evil?”

“Why does God allow evil to exist?”

One way of answering these questions is to reflect upon God’s providence. A helpful catechism defines God’s works of providence as “His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.”

Today’s Theology Thursday SlideShare presentation:

The Providence of God from Todd Linn, PhD

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So You Want To Teach The Bible?

When you visit your family doctor one of the first things he asks you to do is to stick out your tongue.  Then he carefully examines your tongue.  Apparently our tongues reveal much about our physical bodies.  I understand that a coated tongue may mean we have a fever and a yellowish tongue may indicate there is something wrong with our digestive system.  Examine the tongue and you can make reasonable inferences about one’s physical health.

In a similar way, our tongues reveal much about our spiritual health.  The tongue is often a spiritual indicator of our hearts.  The way we use our tongue, the way we speak, indicates something about who we are as a person and what we think of others.  Someone said the tongue is the “tattletale of the heart.” 

We noted earlier that Jesus taught as much in Matthew’s Gospel.  He said, “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart…For out of the heart proceed [things like] evil thoughts…lies…blasphemies (Matthew 15:18-19).”  The way we use our tongues is indicative of our true character.

The works about which James is concerned in the immediate context (cf. James 2:20-26) include the “work” of our speech.  Good works include good words.  True Christians take care to control their tongues.  James goes into great detail about the misuse of our tongue in much of chapter 3, but he opens this section by first warning those who use their tongues to teach.

James warns Christians of the danger of being teachers, specifically teachers of the Bible.  Bible teachers and preachers, by virtue of the fact that they will be speaking a great deal of words, are therefore in great danger of misusing their tongues.  

Teachers are Judged More Strictly

James writes, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”  James warns that those aspiring to be teachers and preachers of the Bible will face a stricter judgment than those who do not teach and preach the Bible.

Before we go further, note that James assumes all Christians are aware that they will face a judgment.  The very fact that he writes of a “stricter judgment” for Christian teachers implies that there will be a judgment for all Christians.

This is not a judgment to be confused with the judgment of unbelievers.  The Bible speaks of a judgment of non-Christians at the end of the age.  Revelation 20:11-15, for example, mentions the “great white throne judgment,” where unbelievers will be called to appear and, because they are not followers of Christ—and because their names are not recorded in the Book of Life—will hear the Lord say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you (see Matthew 7:21-23).”

There is a judgment for all those who are not in Christ.  It is a judgment that results in eternal separation from God, an eternity spent in hell as just punishment for sin.  This is why we must turn to Christ to be saved.  Jesus is the only way to avoid hell.  There is no other way to enter heaven.  Jesus says emphatically: “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me (John 14:6).”  We must turn to Christ to avoid the judgment upon all unbelievers, all non-Christians.

The believer; the follower of Christ, does not fear the great white throne judgment.  The true Christian will not hear Jesus say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you” because the true Christian knows the Lord and is known by the Lord.  The true Christian has been saved from the consequences of sin by faith in Christ.  The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to the believer, credited to the Christian, so that he or she stands before God “in Christ Jesus.”  

As Paul says in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Christians are “in Christ Jesus,” justified; positionally secure and saved.

So the Christian will not face condemnation, but the Christian will be judged regarding his or her sanctification.  We noted this truth earlier in Chapter 9.  Entrance into heaven is not the concern for the believer on judgment day.  His concern, rather, has to do with the degree of rewards—or loss of rewards.  Every Christian will give an account of himself or herself before God (Romans 14:10, 12) and will receive rewards based upon the way he or she has lived (1 Corinthians 3:8).  

To Christians, the Apostle Paul writes: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).”

And just as there are degrees of punishment taught in the Bible, which includes degrees of punishment in hell, so there are degrees of reward taught in the Bible, which includes degrees of reward in heaven.

This prospect of reward or loss of reward in heaven causes many Christians to wonder what those rewards look like.  What kind of reward will some have that others do not have? How can we truly be joyful if we find that we have lost some rewards?

Wayne Grudem is helpful here in his Systematic Theology.  He writes:

We must guard against misunderstanding here: Even though there will be degrees of reward in heaven, the joy of each person will be full and complete for eternity. If we ask how this can be when there are different degrees of reward, it simply shows that our perception of happiness is based on the assumption that happiness depends on what we possess or the status or power that we have. In actuality, however, our true happiness consists in delighting in God and rejoicing in the status and recognition that he has given us. 

Systematic Theology (page 1145)

He adds:

“Those with greater reward and honor in heaven, those nearest the throne of God, delight not in their status but only in the privilege of falling down before God’s throne to worship him (see Revelation 4:10–11).” (ibid.)

As we turn back now to James’ opening words in the text, we may ask why teachers will receive a “stricter judgment” than others.  Surely it stands to reason that teachers of the Bible will receive a stricter judgment because they are handling the very Word of God.  With great privilege comes great responsibility.  Jesus says in Luke’s Gospel, “Everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required (Luke 12:48).”

The teacher opens the Bible, God’s Word, and endeavors to teach what God says.  This is a sobering task.  To misrepresent God or to add to the Word something God has not said is a scary prospect.

On a personal note this is one reason I am committed to expository preaching, especially verse-by-verse preaching through books of the Bible.  Aside from its many practical benefits, verse-by-verse expository teaching is the method least likely to stray from the plain meaning of Scripture.  

The preacher opens the Bible and merely “exposes” what is in the open Bible before the people.  He expounds upon the Scriptures and all the hearers may follow along and judge the accuracy of the exposition.

John Newton is known by many as the author of the hymn, “Amazing Grace.”  But Newton was also a pastor for a number of years.  Indeed he was a Bible-teaching pastor who challenged his hearers to compare his teaching with what they read in their open Bibles:

I count it my honor and happiness that I preach to a free people who have the Bible in their hands. To your Bibles I appeal. I entreat, I charge you to receive nothing upon my word any farther than I can prove it from the Word of God. And bring every preacher and every sermon that you hear to the same standard.

The Works of John Newton, Volume I.

Handling Scripture is a tremendous responsibility of Bible teachers and preachers.  We must use the Word of God accurately and with integrity.  It is the pastor’s greatest responsibility.  In the periodical, Reformation & Revival, Pastor Phil Newton agrees:

The preacher must expound the Word of God or else he has failed in his calling.  He may be a wonderful administrator, a winsome personal worker, and effective leader.  But if he fails to expound the Word of God, he is a failure to his calling to preach the Word.

Reformation & Revival Vol.9, Winter 2000, 19).

Indeed, preaching and teaching the Word of God is an enormous responsibility.  This is to say nothing of the responsibility of those who hear the Word of God.  If God places great stress on the teaching of the Word, what of the responsibility of those who hear and listen to its teachings?  

James has already cautioned that Christians are to be “doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22).”  He takes for granted that Christians are actually in a position to “hear” the Word.  This is a reasonable assumption.  Christians are those who are interested in hearing from God by listening to the teaching of His Word.  Once they have heard it, James argues, they must “do” it, living out its truths.

Teachers are Likely to Stumble 

James is talking here about the likelihood of a Bible teacher’s stumbling in speech, making a slip of the tongue.  He says, “For we all stumble in many things.  If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”

Stumbling is a metaphor for sinning.  To stumble is to fall, or slip up.  James’ honesty is refreshing: “For we all stumble in many things.”  We all sin.  Then he adds: “If anyone does not stumble in word (or speech) he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.”

The word “perfect” is best understood in this context as “mature.”  The one who does not stumble as much as others in word, by what he says, is the one who has control over his tongue.  He has control over his words.  He or she is careful when speaking.  This is a mature person who thinks before speaking and chooses words carefully, and considers how his or her words will be heard.  

Teachers and preachers are in the business of using words to expound the Word.  We teach God’s Word by using our words so it just stands to reason that, the more words we use, the more likely we are to “stumble,” to slip up, to say something erroneous or untrue.  This is precisely what Solomon seems to suggest in Proverbs 10:19: “Where words are many, sin is not absent (NIV).”

If you are teaching the Bible, you may say things you didn’t even realize you were saying.  You can sin accidentally by saying something without thinking it through.  

Mark Twain famously noted: “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.”

What James issues as a warning to teachers is applicable to all Christians.  We are all likely to stumble in speech.  More about that in the next chapter.

What About You?

What if everything you said last week were recorded and played back next Sunday morning for your church family to hear?  How does this hypothetical question motivate you to live this week?How might a church use James 3:1-2 as a teaching tool for those eager to teach Bible studies in their church?What method of preaching do you believe to be least likely to stray from the meaning of Scripture? Why?

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 99-105, available on Amazon.

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5 Reminders About Pastoral Care Visits

I’ve written a few posts over at chucklawless.com in recent weeks; grateful to Chuck for his inviting me to provide a few “Thursdays With Todd” on his terrific site. This post is similar in format.

Most pastors spend a great deal of time making pastoral care visits. Thankfully, many churches are blessed with multiple staff, elders, deacons, and laypersons who share in this responsibility. In order to provide the most effective ministry, it’s helpful to evaluate our current practices. Whether visiting members in the hospital or home, here are five things to remember about pastoral care visits:

1) Listen Before Knocking

This practice is especially relevant to hospital visits, but also applicable to other situations. Because most hospital visits are unannounced, we are wise to pause for a moment at the door and listen for any signs our visit may be untimely. For example, it’s nearly always best to wait for hospital staff to finish their work before entering the room. Additionally, listening for a moment at the door may indicate another visitor is in the room. Patiently waiting for their visit to conclude honors their time together and ensures we don’t interrupt a meaningful conversation.

2) Keep Your Visit Brief

Situations vary, but most hospital visits should be around 10-15 minutes. Some visits are shorter, especially when we sense the person is tired or uncomfortable. Other visits are longer because the one we are visiting is especially animated and enjoys our company. And, it may be helpful to spend a bit more time sitting with family during their loved one’s surgery. In any case, it’s usually better to hear someone say they wish we could stay longer than to know we’ve overstayed our visit.

3) Don’t Talk Too Much

Most of the time pastors just need to show up to make good pastoral visits. Too often, however, we’re tempted to talk more than we should. When members are in the hospital, they usually don’t feel like talking much and are frequently blessed simply by our brief visit and prayer. This is especially true during bereavement visits. When people are grieving, it’s typically not our words that bring them comfort, but our presence.

4) Take One Person With You When Possible

Taking one person with you on pastoral visits is a discipleship opportunity that may also bring additional encouragement to the one being visited. It’s also a way to build camaraderie among deacons, staff, and laypersons. And when a pastor brings along a spouse, son, or daughter, he is allowing his family to share in the care of a congregation.

5) Always Conclude With Prayer

Near the end of the visit simply ask, “May I pray for you?” and then lead in a brief prayer asking for God’s comfort, strength, and encouragement. During hospital visits, it’s good to pray for hospital staff, too, as they are generally nearby and often appreciate prayer. If the person you are visiting is asleep, it’s usually best not to wake them. Just offer a silent prayer and leave a brief note letting them know you were there.

Pastors: what other visitation practices do you find helpful?