At the moment one trusts Christ as their all-sufficient Savior there is training God our heavenly Father wants them to receive. When one believes Christ died for the debt and penalty of their sins on the Cross our Father wants the believer to be equipped to share the same glorious news that saved them. As our Father begins to train us as “ambassadors for Christ” it could be said, “the eyes of our understanding” begin to be enlightened; in other words, 1) we begin to learn the dark predicament we were in before we trusted in Christ, and 2) the dark predicament the world is still in. In Romans 1-3 our Father equips us to be effectual “ambassadors for Christ” as part of His business and it is in Romans 1:18-32 where we are made aware of the world’s worthiness of God’s wrath. We are made aware “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” , so that, we can make “men” effectually aware of God’s wrath being against them.

LIGHT
All throughout scripture when God’s “glory” is being expressed and explained it always is manifest by a bright light. In fact Paul writes about this very issue in 1 Tim. 6:16, in context of the Lord Jesus Christ,

“who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen”

God through the express person of Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God and the brightness of His glory (2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3) is “dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto”, that is, no man in Adam with an unrighteous standing before God. Now, the brightness of God’s glory is only the represent manifestation of the glory. His glory consists of His God-ness; the characteristics and attributes of who He is such as His “eternal power and Godhead” (Rom. 1:20).
These characteristics of God that make up His God-ness, especially the two previously mentioned, are the very things that God has made known of Himself to every man. God not only left a fingerprint trail in everyman, but He also manifests the things that can be known of Him “from the creation of the world”, which “are clearly seen”. This is what Paul says in Rom. 1:19-20,

“because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly see, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

Simply put, every man can and does understand the “invisible things” of God by the consciousness of Himself that He has placed within everyone, as well as, the creation manifesting and bearing witness to God. Therefore, it can fundamentally be said that mankind knows God. This knowledge is not intimate; however, according to God manifesting the things that can be known of Him it can be said, “mankind knows God.” They know of His “eternal power and Godhead” and thereby “the glory of the uncorruptible God”.

AMBASSADORS
This point of the light of God-consciousness is where we begin to function as “ambassadors for Christ” as we present the “gospel of Christ”. As an ambassador we make men aware of our Sovereigns existence and the testimony of His God-ness from understanding the things that are made in creation. This will be the first point in our presentation of “the gospel of Christ” that will test and challenge the heart and mind of the unjustified. As we present this “truth of God” to them they are left “without excuse” and thereby challenged with the effectual working of God’s Word that is designed to lead them to change their mind. They will respond in one of two ways. If they in the honesty of their heart will respond positively to the light of God-consciousness we then can present the next point that will test their volition. If they decide to respond negatively to the light of God-consciousness and oppose the truth of God it is testimony of God’s wrath being against them.

DARKNESS
Romans 1:18-32 is our Father’s indictment against mankind. It is His substantial evidence that ultimately deserves and warrants just judgment. The nature of this substantial evidence against the world begins when the “course of this world” was charted and catered to by mankind. It was at this time God gave the world over to “the power of darkness” . God consigned the world over to the Adversary, because mankind consigned themselves over to it, by aligning their hearts with the wisdom of this world rendering their hearts foolish. In Romans 1:21, God characterizes mankind’s heart for what it now became, according to the “the power of darkness”;
“because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was DARKENED.” {EMPHASIS ADDED}

Their hearts were darkened and the light of God-consciousness was covered by its’ power. In other words, they “hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18b). This ultimately led to ungodly and unrighteous conduct and behavior that warrants justice. God uses this case when He consigned the world over to the Adversary due to their compliance with “the power of darkness” as the substantial evidence to prove man’s ungodliness and unrighteousness that deserves God’s wrath. It is this standing and predicament the world is still in today. This world is characterized by being: “vain in their imaginations”, “foolish hearts are darkened”, “professing themselves to be wise, they became fools”, “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things”, “vile affections”, women changing “the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly”, not retaining “God in their knowledge”, and doing “those things which are not convenient”. This list of man’s offences is on many accounts; yet, there is more. God concludes what is an already lengthy list of “ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” in Rom. 1:29-32. Romans 1:29-32 is the final piece of God’s indictment toward mankind. The strength that these verses give His indictment is remarkable and one would think this is God’s closing statement, but the truth of the matter is, He is just getting started. With the final piece of God’s opening statement it leaves the world and mankind “inexcusable” (Rom. 2:1). Romans 1:29-32,

“Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

The strength of God’s charge toward man’s ungodliness and unrighteousness does not only leave mankind “inexcusable”, but it is also inescapable. The rest of the case is formality and although man will produce tactics to escape the charge, there is no escape of God’s wrath being against them due to their “ungodliness and unrighteousness”.

We truly live in a dark world and to not recognize this as such is to not see the world through God’s eyes. This world and the unjustified men in it need to be delivered from “the power of darkness” and be declared righteous in the sight of God. As an ambassador one of the amazing privileges we have is the nature of the message we are graced with to share.

AMBASSADORS OF LIGHT
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:3-6

It is in this passage that our Father explains in wonderful detail what He does to an unjustified person through the gospel of Christ. As ambassadors this passage explains the honour and grandeur to partake in sharing the gospel we are given. And it is in this passage that explains the glorious nature of the gospel. In 2 Cor. 4:6 there is a comparison of the words He spoke during creation that brought light to shine out of darkness to the words He has given us to speak that brings forth light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ to shine in man’s foolish darkened hearts. The glorious gospel of Christ is the light that shines in the hearts that are darkened being consigned to “the power of darkness”. The glorious gospel of Christ is the power of God to change man’s predicament, to satisfy the justice of God against them, to forgive all their sin, to impute His righteousness, and to give an “inheritance of the saints in light (Col. 1:12).”

As we continue in our presentation of the gospel and make unjustified man aware of God’s wrath being against their ungodliness and unrighteousness, Romans 1:18-32 is the passage that is designed to effectually work and challenge their volition in connection with God’s wrath: both the reality and truth of it. At this point they can respond in one of two ways. They can honestly and positively respond to the truth of the wrath of God being against them and change their mind in connection with it, or they can respond negatively. Usually at this point a negative response is formulated through tactics to try and escape the wrath of God. There are only so many excuses the human soul can come up with and our Father in Romans 2 educates us as ambassadors to make us aware of them and also how to respond to each of them.

TRAINING
It is a truth that our Father teaches us to co-labour with Him in His business today in the dispensation of the grace of God, by training us and equipping us to effectually share with others as ambassadors, the gospel of Christ; the message that we have believed and are beneficiaries of. As in any business that further educates its’ employees to be effective and efficient, it is expected that the knowledge and education gained will be appreciated, received with zeal, and implemented. May we esteem the training and education we receive in Romans 1-3 as much as God our Father does and thereby appreciate it, receive it with zeal, and implement it to the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Look Up,
—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Episode Description

What is actually happening when the church gathers together? What are we doing, what are we supposed to be doing, and why have so many abandoned it? The church has become consumeristic -- judged by its programs, its atmosphere, and what it offers the individual. But the believer who gathers only to receive has misunderstood the church entirely. We gather to be built up and to build up. We gather to serve and to be served. We gather because the spiritual decline of one member is the spiritual decline of the whole.

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines edification and service as the twin purposes of the gathered church. Edification begins with the faithful preaching of the Word -- God must reveal Himself to us, and He does so through Scripture faithfully taught. That Word, dwelling richly in the inner man, then flows outward in service: provoking one another to love and good works, bearing one another’s burdens, comforting, correcting, and restoring in the spirit of meekness. Every member is necessary. Every presence, every prayer, every act of service builds the body. The church grows as every member invests in others through truth and love.

Key Scriptures

1 Corinthians 11:17 -- Coming Together for the Worse

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

2 Timothy 4:2 -- Preach the Word

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Psalm 19:1, 7 -- General and Special Revelation

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork... The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

Ephesians 4:15-16 -- Every Joint Supplying

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Galatians 5:13 -- By Love Serve One Another

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Galatians 6:1-2 -- Bear One Another’s Burdens

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Hebrews 10:24-25 -- Provoke unto Love and Good Works

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

1 Corinthians 12:7 -- Every Member Necessary

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Episode Outline

1. The Consumeristic Church -- Judged by atmosphere and program, not Word and service

2. Coming Together for the Better -- 1 Corinthians 11:17 and the failure of the Corinthians

3. The Preaching of the Word -- 2 Timothy 4:2 and the primacy of faithful exposition

4. General and Special Revelation -- Psalm 19 and why Scripture exceeds what creation declares

5. Edification Defined -- The Word building up the inner man for godliness and Christ-likeness

6. Every Joint Supplying -- Ephesians 4:15-16 and the corporate growth of the body

7. By Love Serve One Another -- Galatians 5:13 and service as the outflow of edification

8. Bear One Another’s Burdens -- Galatians 6:1-2 on restoring, comforting, and carrying together

9. Every Member Necessary -- 1 Corinthians 12:7 and the profit of the whole

Questions Discussed

1. What is actually happening -- and what is supposed to be happening -- when the church gathers?

2. Have you come to church primarily to receive, or also to give?

3. Why is the faithful preaching of the Word the most fundamental activity of the gathered church?

4. What is the relationship between edification and service -- why are both necessary?

5. Do you know the people at your church well enough to bear their burdens?

6. Do you underestimate your role -- your presence, your prayers, your acts of service?

7. Is the local church you are part of gathering for the better or for the worse?

If you’ll turn your Bibles with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. 1 Corinthians chapter 11 — if you recall, I said before we would start our new series, our union with Christ, due to being on vacation with only a week in between, I wanted to take a look at what is commonly known as the two ordinances of the New Testament. Baptism — usually when that is said, it’s water baptism — and then the Lord’s Table. And so we covered two Sundays ago the issue of the one baptism, and now we’re going to take a look at the Lord’s Table.

And again, I am approaching these as if to win you over. Although I believe, fairly common in our understanding of these things as a local church, I want to address them as if I’m presenting it to you for the very first time, to have you see the Scriptures, to have things progressively revealed as we look at the Scriptures, that you would come to your own persuasion, and hopefully we would join together in all of it.

So I want to start here by reading a fairly long section of 1 Corinthians 11, starting in verse 17 down to verse 34. We’ll have a word of prayer, and then we’re going to be all over the place this morning. So hopefully your fingers are warmed up.

1 Corinthians 11, starting in verse 17, Paul writes:

“Now in this that I declare unto you, I praise you not, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you, and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together, therefore, into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating, everyone taketh before other his own supper. And one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in, or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it and said, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, and when he had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood, this do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till ye come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home, that ye come not together unto condemnation, and the rest will I set in order when I come.”

Opening Prayer

Father, I pray that as we look at this issue, we would look at Your Word and be persuaded and convinced by what Your Word says. And that we would be mindful of tradition, and if tradition be found wanting, then we ought to ascribe to Your Word. And so, Father, we thank You for the opportunity to look at these things in the spirit of Your grace and in meekness and gentleness. It’s in Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

What Do We Call It? Confusion Over the Terms

Again, as I stated two Sundays ago, um, the common evangelical broad umbrella, there is a way in which the Lord’s Table is viewed and understood as an ordinance, as something that is ceremonially done in the church. And there’s a lot of, just like baptism, there’s oftentimes a lot of confusion that surrounds it. In fact, even in regards to what to call it. Do we call it the Lord’s Supper? Do we call it the Lord’s Table? Do we call it Communion?

There’s confusion in regards to what is the meaning and the significance behind it. Is it actually turning into the body of Jesus Christ in some mystical way when we eat it? And is the wine or the juice mystically turning into the blood of Christ? And is that the means by which we are conformed into the image of Christ? The same essential elements are presented, but the meaning and the teaching and the doctrine behind it is wholly different.

And so what is true? How are we supposed to view these things? And so I want to look at it. First of all, I want you to see that these three terms are in the Scripture: the Lord’s Table, the Lord’s Supper, Communion.

Three Terms in 1 Corinthians 11 and 10

Look here at 1 Corinthians 11 and come down to verse 20. He says, “...when ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s...” what? Now, a supper is a meal. That’s what supper is. There’s partaking of food. That’s also evident within the context.

Now, it can be confusing because, of course, as we’ll look back at the Gospels, the night in which the Lord was betrayed, they were having a Passover meal, but then they also partook in the bread and the cup. And so, oftentimes those things get conflated. They get conflated in view of what’s happening the night in which the Lord is betrayed and that Passover meal, and then the bread and the cup being brought up there. And there can be confusion in regards to this passage in 1 Corinthians 11 because he brings up the bread and the cup in the context of a meal.

But I want you to see something real quick, and we’ll touch on this a little bit later. Look what he says in the very next verse. Look at verse 20 again. He says, when ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. And what I want you to see, it’s evident that they’re having a meal together. And he says, when you gather into one place, you’re not having the Lord’s supper. You’re having a supper. It’s just not the Lord’s. And we have to ask, well, what does that even mean?

But look at the next verse. He says, “for in eating, everyone take before others his own supper.” That proposition right there tells you somewhat of what the Lord’s Supper is and what it’s not. In eating, you’re doing something that doesn’t reflect the Lord. And so he goes on to say, you’re having your own supper. It’s not the Lord’s. It’s your own. And then he says, and one is hungry and another is drunken. This meal that they’re having is not considering one another. It’s considering themselves.

So, in 1 Corinthians 11, just to highlight one, the terminology of the Lord’s Supper is there. It’s there, but it’s in the context of a meal. It’s in the context of a meal. We’ll see that more as we go on. You don’t get drunk off of a little sip like the Lord did the night in which He was betrayed, and you don’t get full off of breaking just a little piece of bread and leave others hungry. That’s why He tells them to go eat at home if you’re hungry. And so, He’s bringing up that, and we see that terminology.

Come back to one chapter, to chapter 10. Look at 1 Corinthians 10. And for time’s sake, just look at v. 16.

“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

There we see the term communion. This is translated other places. Earlier on in 1 Corinthians 1, it’s fellowship. Very similar terms, fellowship and communion. And it’s in connection with the body of Christ and the blood of Christ that is blessed and that is broken.

And then jump down to verse 21. And he says, He cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils. Now what is he talking about in this context? Back up to verse 14. He says, Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from what? Idolatry.

Now, a few chapters earlier, and what he’s going to go on and describe in verse 23 and following, is that the idol that is there in their midst with the Gentiles is nothing. And that the meat sacrificed to the idol is nothing. And so if you eat the meat that’s offered and sacrificed to the idol, it’s not idolatry. And so what does he mean here?

Well, he’s talking about things spiritually. He’s talking about the issue of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the broken body of the Lord that we bless, that we see, and that we highlight, and that we believe in. And that becomes very instructive to us. And that which is done outside of that, an embracing of the world where the devils are, and the wisdom of the devils, and the seducing spirits, and the doctrines of the devils — that if we operate based upon that, then we’re partaking at the table of devils, even though we belong to the Lord. It’s very graphic, grave terminology that he’s using here.

There’s no — as he’s going to bring up in 2 Corinthians, because they’re still having a problem with this — when he says, be not unequally yoked with the unbeliever. And he says, what fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? It’s not like there’s some in-between. Light and darkness, there’s no in-between. Yeah, sure, we can say, oh, we can dim our lights and get it really close to dark, but no, there’s still light. There’s no in-between.

And so too does he maintain that sharp contrast here when he says there’s the table of devils and there’s the table of the Lord, the Lord’s table. And it’s not the issue here of eating bread or drinking wine or juice. It’s the issue of what do you believe and what are you going after. And the issue is you need to flee from idolatry. You need to flee from the things of the world that the adversary propagates and seeks to use to conform you. Otherwise, you might be one that’s in the Lord, but you’re partaking of devils.

And so he comes along and brings those things up, but nonetheless uses the Lord’s table. So we’ve seen communion, we’ve seen the Lord’s table, and we’ve seen the Lord’s supper used. And both in context to communion and the table and the supper, there’s a contrast to communion and something else. There’s another table and there’s another supper. And in these contexts, you can have communion in the same location and yet be in contrast one with another. You can be partaking — there can be a table in the same geographical location at the same event, and yet it’s two different tables. And there can be a supper that’s being had, and it’s two different suppers.

And so again, we start hopefully, start thinking outside the realm of tradition, and start seeing what is being addressed.

The Gospel Accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke

So let’s go back to the Gospel accounts. I want us to go through these passages really quick. Matthew 26. Matthew 26, and look at v. 26. They make ready for the Passover. In v. 19, He describes that there’s going to be one that betrays Him, in v. 21. And then in v. 26, it says:

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it and break it and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat, this is My body.”

Now is that literally His body? No, of course not. His body’s holding the bread, right? So we know there’s obviously some symbolism here, and I want you to see what I think that symbolism is. Well, one, it’s His body, right? It’s symbolizing His body. And then He breaks it. And that’s what His body is going to go through — a breaking.

And then in v. 27 it says:

“And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Sins and the forgiveness of sins, the remission of sins, is connected with the blood of Jesus Christ and the New Testament. Verse 29 — now that’s an important verse to highlight some timing that we’ll take a look at here in a moment.

Come with me over to Mark’s Gospel. Look at Mark 14 and look at verse 22. Mark 14 and verse 22. We’re just grabbing the passages in the Gospel accounts in which Paul is referring to in 1 Corinthians 11. Mark 14, look at verse 22. The same flow — there’s a betrayal in v. 21, and then in v. 22:

“And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed it and break it and gave it to them and said, take, eat, this is My body. And He took the cup and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them and they all drank of it. And He said unto them, this is My blood of the New Testament which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

Come with me to Luke 22. Luke 22. As you’re turning to Luke 22, there’s no indication of — well, I shouldn’t say there’s no indication — you don’t have a parallel narrative in John’s Gospel of this event. And I think that that’s telling, and I think that there’s other things that John does include that helps us to understand even more of the significance of this issue.

Look at Luke 22, look at verse 14.

“And when the hour was come, he sat down and the twelve apostles with him, and he said unto them, With desire, I have desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup and gave thanks and said, Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come. He took bread and gave thanks and breaking, gave it unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament of my blood which is shed for you. But behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goeth as it was determined, but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed.”

And they began to inquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing.

So, there we have the three accounts in Matthew, Mark, and Luke that highlight this New Testament bread and cup issue in regards to Christ identifying the bread with His body that’s broken in the midst of them and that is going to go break physically soon thereafter. And the cup, the vine, the wine, the issue of His blood that is about to be shed for them. And He says to do this — to do this in remembrance of Me.

What Does “Do This” Really Mean?

But we’ve got to ask, is he meaning to treat it as a ceremonial thing? Or is he saying, like I break my body, and like I shed my blood for forgiveness, do this. Break your body. Sacrifice. Love. Use your body for charity. And forgive others. Do this in remembrance of Me. And I would suggest to you that that is the main thrust of the matter. And that we don’t see some other things in regards to Scripture that lend to that reality.

Now how would that fit in 1 Corinthians 11? I’m jumping ahead here. But that would fit in 1 Corinthians 11 because what are they not doing at this supper that they’re having? They’re not thinking about one another. The one has a whole bunch and is bringing food, and the others have nothing. And by not distributing what they have to the others, in the church of God, they bring shame. And Paul says, I praise you not in this. And he says, do I have to remind you of that which I have received, that which was delivered to me from the Lord, in regards to the Lord’s table? The bread and the cup that are a remembrance. You’re not remembering. Here you are before the body, and it isn’t just the Corinthians, the Corinthian church. This is the Lord’s body.

And when you remember Him in this meal, Corinthians — instead of having your own supper, by virtue of your sharing these things and thinking of one another, now you enter into remembering the Lord, and you have a supper that’s not your own, but the Lord’s.

So again, oftentimes we have the imprint of tradition upon us that highlights some kind of ceremony. So you might have some churches that have a meal and they say this is the Lord’s table or this is the Lord’s Supper. You have some who will partake in the bread and the cup like us, and they’ll come along and say this is what this is, but the focus is the ceremony of it.

And yet what is often forgotten is that you can do those things and it not be the Lord’s. You can do the rite and the ritual and the ceremony and it not be the Lord’s. You can have a different understanding about it that is erroneous, and of course the outward appearance of it would just be a form, not the very heart of it. And whether form or fashion and doctrine behind it, you can completely miss, I believe, what the Lord is trying to communicate.

And this is why I’ve tried to express to you over the years, as we’ve done this and we partake in the bread and cup, to shift in our thinking — although we do it once a month — to shift in our thinking that we’re not just partaking in the Lord’s table once a month. Every time we gather together, we are to remember the Lord. We do that. How? In singing with each other. Not your praise or my praise, but the praise of the Lord.

We do that in prayer, that we corporately, before God, are submitting to the Lord in regards to Him. We open up His Word and remember the Lord Jesus Christ. And all of that is to flow out one towards another in fellowship and communion. As we are led by the Spirit, as we’re taught by the Spirit, that ought to be our fellowship and communion.

Now here’s the test of this, I think — is that if those elements are taken away, and the ceremony and the ordinance and the tradition is taken away, what is that? What would it be to you? I think that’s almost the test. Would it become a fellowship issue? Would it become a communion issue in which you can’t have fellowship anymore, can’t have communion anymore? Or do we actually see through it all and realize what the real issue is?

John 13: Washing the Disciples’ Feet

Now, I want to show you some other things before we get into the context of 1 Corinthians 11. Come with me to John’s Gospel, John 13. There’s much more that happens in the upper room than just they prepare the Passover meal, they have the Passover meal, the identification of Judas as the betrayer, and then the institution of what is commonly known as the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s Table, or Communion. There’s some other things that happen, and there’s some other things that take place before they eat of the Passover.

And what I want you to see is that — I’m just going to call it the Lord’s Table right now — what happens before the Lord’s Table, the bread and the cup, that which we just read in Matthew, Mark, and Luke — is there some teaching that the Lord’s Table is in the midst of? And yet, as we look at the teaching before the Lord’s Table and after the Lord’s Table, I want you to see what I see, hopefully, a common thread that I believe is the main issue.

Look at John 13, and look at verse 1.

“Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come, that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end. The supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He was come from God and went to God, He rises from supper and laid aside His garments and took a towel and girded Himself.”

I’m sorry, this is after the supper, I misspoke.

“Verse 5, After that He poureth water into the basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

So what you have is the Passover meal. You have the Lord’s table, and we’re going to see some things that surround that. This is one of them. After they’re done, He begins to wash their feet. Now again, oftentimes this is put in such a kind of traditional way that I think it loses its punch.

He poured water into the basin, in verse 5, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded. Then cometh He to Simon Peter, and Peter saith unto Him, Lord, dost Thou wash my feet? That’s not what the Lord should do. That’s what the servants do.

“Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

Wait a minute. That makes no sense. I mean, think about it. If you don’t wash me, I have no part with you? Come on, Lord, we’re just talking about washing feet. This is what the servant does. Obviously, I think He’s talking a little bit more here about just the physical washing of feet.

And He goes on, in verse 8, Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Verse 9, Simon Peter saith unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Do it all. Jesus said unto him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit, and ye are clean, but not all. For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore said He, Ye are not all clean.

So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? So now He gives the interpretation of it. Do you know what I just did to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. You know who I am. I’m your Master. I’m your Lord. The eleven believed in Him. They’re justified.

“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

See the principle by which He does? He says, if I am above you and I do something and you’re below me, just to put it that way — ought you not to do it? They’re having a hard time. No, don’t wash my feet. But if He is the example, if He’s the leader in all this, then wash others’ feet.

“For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

So He washes His disciples’ feet, and He gives the interpretation of it. Do you know what I just did? He says, I’ve given you an example to follow. Not just ritualistically wash people’s feet. Again, because you can do that and not have the heart of the matter. He’s trying to get to the heart of the matter. Now, can you wash someone’s feet and do it with the right heart? Absolutely. But he can lose that. And He’s trying to show the significance of it.

A New Commandment: Love One Another

Now look further on down. He talks about the betrayal, which we’ve seen in other Gospel accounts, in verse 21, and who it is, in regards to the dipping of the sop, in verse 25–27. And then look at verse 31.

“Therefore, when Judas was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself and shall straightway glorify Him. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek Me, and as I said unto the Jews, whither I go you cannot come, so now I say to you.”

They’re almost completely blinded from what this means. Not only by way of crucifixion, even though He’s told them that. But even after His resurrection, the fact that He’s going to depart and He’s going to go be with the Father is something that they are really in the dark about, and that it’s becoming light to them progressively throughout that short period of time in regards to where is He going. They say He’s going to go to the Gentiles. They don’t understand all this.

And so He says it again here now. But He is providing them — I’m going to go away. There’s going to be this time, as He’s already said during the Passover meal, during the Lord’s table, I’m not going to drink this again with you until I drink it with you in the kingdom. So there’s this teaching of He’s leaving, and what do you do in the meantime? What do we do in the meantime? What do they do in the meantime? Because even though there’s differences in regards to Israel’s program and what we’re being taught today, there’s similarity in the sense that we still live in that gap where He’s gone. And what do we do now?

“V. 34, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.”

Now look, you already have that in the Law. You already have love the Lord thy God. You already have love thy neighbor as thyself. He’s already addressed earlier in the week the religious leaders, and He’s already addressed the issue, there’s two great commandments. Love the Lord thy God and love thy neighbor as thyself, and upon these two hang all the law and the prophets. But notice now what He says. He says that you love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

You know love by loving like Christ loved. Now what has He just got done doing? He’s just got done washing their feet, giving them an example that it’s through humility. It’s through submission. It’s through condescension. It’s through esteeming others better than yourself. It’s by taking on the mess of the uncleanness of the feet of someone else, and to aid in your love them so that they are clean. Now again, some of that’s just figurative. Some of that is literal. And then He comes along and says, a new commandment I give you. Love one another, well, of course we are, as I have loved you. And that takes the issue of love to the extent in which He is the fulfillment of the law in that sense. He is. How do you love the Father? How do you love your neighbor? How do we love one another? We know because of Jesus Christ.

Now look at v. 35.

“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

By this — by what? By them loving one another as He has loved them. The implication and the application of it, one to another, is that all men would know. All men would see it. And because of the peculiarity of this love is that as He’s loved — that’s how people know. One of the ways people know. If you do this, they’ll all know.

Now I find that fascinating in the view of 1 Corinthians 11. Because he says, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord’s death. And I always think, who do we show it to? Yeah, there is a show to the angelic realm. But it’s not just when we gather together do we show this. It’s when we’re around each other and we’re doing life with each other. We get to show His death by loving others as He has loved us. As He has showed. And how do we see that? Well, it’s all leading up to the cross.

Look at some other things He says. Look at John 15 here, and look at v. 8. John 15 v. 8. This is all still things that He’s teaching as He transitions from the upper room to the Mount of Olives.

“Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. So shall ye be My disciples. As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you. Continue ye in My love.”

Nobody’s just done there. He’s just said, I love like My Father loves. If you love like I love, you love like the Father loves. It’s just this unity.

“If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is My commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. But I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

I made known unto you all these things. I made known how I love. And there’s no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friends. And you’re my friends. Friends. I’m telling you these things. This is about what’s going to happen. This is what I’ve done. I’ve showed you it in a very simplistic form. In one small sense regarding love, there’s no difference between the cross and the washing of the feet. Now redemptively, it’s a huge chasm. But in regards to the essence of charity, the issue of humility and servitude — is He not giving of Himself when He washes His disciples’ feet? And is He not doing it on the cross?

Now we also see that there’s no greater love. Now we see also there’s degrees of love. And I would say that there’s even a greater love manifest in view of Romans 5, that He commended His love toward us while we were yet enemies, while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us. That extent of that love, the quality of that love, is greater not only because of who He is, but also who He’s extended to — not just as friends, but sinners. And that’s of course what they are too. But He’s teaching them about this issue of love.

Luke 22: Who Is the Greatest?

Now come back with me to Luke’s Gospel, Luke 22. Now I want you to see one more thing that He’s teaching around this time, that hopefully we can see the common thread. That if we insert tradition and elevate the Lord’s table above these other things, then we would hold it above it all. But if we put it in the same thread, we see actually something that is focal. That is the issue.

Look at Luke 22 and look at v. 23. Again, He’s bringing out the issue of their inquiring in v. 23. We read that already, of who is going to betray Him. And see what it leads into with the rest of the disciples.

“V. 24, And there was also strife among them, which of them should be accounted the” — what?

He had encountered this one other time when they were headed up to Jerusalem. Remember, James and John’s mom comes and says, hey, when you enter your kingdom, have them sit on your right and left. And He says, it’s not mine to give. And then the ten hear it. And this is what they’re arguing. And He teaches them essentially the same exact thing that He teaches them here. But look what He says in verse 25.

“He said to them...”

Now this is the night when He, as the King of kings and Lord of lords, is going to stoop to wash their feet. He’s going to stoop to die for them. And here they are, and He is the greatest of them all, and here they want to know who can be the greatest. And so hence the education that they need, and the repetition of this.

What is the focal issue?

“The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But He shall not be so.”

But He that is greatest among you — now, He doesn’t say it isn’t that there isn’t going to be great and the greatest. But the exercising of lordship and greatness as the world does it amongst the Gentiles and the benefactors, that’s not what it’s going to be among you.

May I insert 1 Corinthians 10 at this point. The table that you’re going to be a part of is the Lord’s table, not the table of devils. A table, but two vastly different tables. Greatest, by the definition of that greatness, is prescribed by the Lord.

“But ye shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief as he that doth serve.”

Can you imagine the night in which He was betrayed if you were just listening? Just the repetition of the same thing from like five different angles. Wash each other’s feet. I’ve just made an example for you. Oh no, we don’t wash each other’s feet. What is that operating upon? I’m greater than you. You’ve got to be the servant. The equality — hey, the servant is greater than the master. If the master serves, then the servant ought to serve. And when the servant serves like his master, he serves like the master. You’re like him. You’re abiding in his love.

“He says, for whether is greater, verse 27, he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth. It is not he that sitteth at meat, but I am among you as he that serveth.”

What makes the difference? He does. He gets to make the difference. I sitteth among you — which is greater, the one that sits or serves? Well, I am among you, and I am one that comes as serving. In one sense here, the same table, but what are you doing at that table? Are you sitting or serving?

“Verse 28, Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. I appoint unto you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

There’s a table and there’s thrones. But how are you going to sit and how are you going to be in His kingdom? Are you going to try to take in with you the devils and the table of devils and the Gentiles’ lordship and the benefactors’ way of doing things? Or is it not just a translation into another realm? It’s a translation into another life. A translation into another way of doing things altogether.

The corruption of the adversary goes into all the divine institutions of God and just starts utilizing man’s flesh and sin against them to corrupt it all. And God comes along, and Christ comes along, and says, there are those institutions and there is a kingdom. There is glory. There are seats. There is sitting. But the way in which you do that is not how you’ve learned it. Learn from me. I’m the example. I break and I give and I serve. And I deal with your uncleanness. And now He’s calling us into that fellowship. Fellowship. He’s calling us into that communion. That life that He had, that He’s giving, that He tells them to give, that He got from the Father, and He says, if you do what I say to you, you’re doing what I’m doing, and you’re doing what the Father’s doing. And then in John 17, He says, and I pray for them, Father, that they come where I am. We can just all be together.

And we have that same principle as the Apostle Paul teaches it.

Back to 1 Corinthians 11: Gathering for the Worse

Now come back with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Look at what the Apostle Paul says here in verse 17.

“Now in this I declare unto you, I praise you not, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse.”

It’s just like His disciples the night in which He was betrayed. When they’re having that argument of who’s the greatest, that’s not for the better, that’s for the worse. That would attach Jesus Christ on the world system. And that’s not what He’s looking to do. He created all authority, but the whole thing is that the — in that is changed. The way in which it’s done is changed from the inside out. Not by having better programs and policies. Not by just having behavior modification. Not by just putting a law upon it and which man have to abide by, but that the life of Jesus Christ would impact the mind and the heart of individuals that would change all of the operation of it. That’s what you need. That’s why governments fail. That’s why people fail.

You know, and when you know that, one of the greatest heartbreaks — it’s one thing for man to go to those things, you know, the behavior modifications and just change this and just change this and just change this. It’s one thing for man to do that. But when the church starts embracing that stuff, they start partaking in the table of devils. And they still bear the name of Christ if they’re true believers. And it deserves the same reproof and correction that the Apostle Paul is giving. Amen.

Stop partaking in that stuff, and none of it addresses the heart. And if it does address the heart, it’s for the fulfillment of any desire, affection, that you have. That’s true life. That’s not my Savior.

What’s in the heart of my Savior — because that’s who He is — is to give Himself. He washes, He becomes a servant. He lifts others up. He’s constantly the doormat of people. He’s constantly at the feet of people, literally, figuratively, physically, to the spiritual nth degree. He’s dying on the cross. To draw men to Himself, that if they believe He could be with them, He is taking their death. That which we could never enter into, He does. And all in the process, He’s being reviled and He reviles not. All in the process, He’s the just one, and yet He’s doing it for the unjust.

All the while, He’s teaching them. Men do it to be liked by other men who believe the same thing they do. He says, don’t be like that. Be like your Father in Heaven, who even gives rain and sun to His enemies. It’s completely different than the world. It’s just vastly different. It comes along and it sees, oh, the servant washes the feet. Well, I’m the Master. I’m going to come wash your feet. No one does that. He does. No one would die for sinners. Yet He does.

The night in which He was betrayed, the twelve, they were gathering for the worse. And so are the Corinthians here.

And he says in verse 18, “for first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you, and I partly believe it.” He’s already addressed this in chapter 1. Some are of Apollos, some are of Paul, some are of Cephas, some are of Christ. And then he says, “for there must also be heresies among you,” part of the works of the flesh. When you have conduct and behavior that isn’t reflective of the Lord, you are holding to a doctrine that doesn’t produce the life of Christ. That’s a heresy. It’s one way to view heresy.

There’s a common thinking oftentimes under grace is, hey, we can just live the way we want. That’s a heresy. Because we know in Romans 6, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Who forbids it? God Himself does. Now, that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to sin. We’re going to sin. But to teach as if God’s indifferent to it, you’ve got to be reading the different scriptures because it’s everywhere.

And here, for them to be conducting themselves the way they are in this supper, they must be holding to some heresies that lead to selfishness, to lead to pride, to lead to not thinking about others, to just following the table of devils.

“That they which are approved may be manifest among you.”

You know how that works on a supper like this? When you’ve got those that have, and those that have not, and those that have come, and they don’t give to any of those that have not, and there are those that have some, and they come and they give to those that have not — guess who’s going to be approved? Guess who’s going to be made manifest? Manifest. Now whether they’re doing that from the right heart or not, I don’t know, but in regards to this, this is how it would be made evident. Because he’s saying if the opposite of what this was taking place, you’d be having the Lord’s Supper. It would be a supper that reflected the Lord.

Verse 20, “when you come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.” He’s reproving them. Why is it that they’re not eating the Lord’s Supper? Because in v. 21, for further explanation and amplification, “in eating, everyone taketh before other his own supper.” If you’re taking before other your own supper, and one is hungry and another is drunken, that is not the Lord’s Supper. It’s a supper, but it’s not the Lord’s.

Verse 22. “What?” It’s a rhetorical question of reproof. “Have you not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this?” In this supper that you’ve made your own, that you’re not considering anyone else, do I praise you in this? I praise you not.

Then, verse 23, he further explains, how do you go from having your own supper to the Lord’s Supper? You remember the Lord’s table. You remember what the Lord instituted the night in which He is betrayed, in regards to His broken body. And now we know that He fulfilled that in sacrifice of Himself. And he brings that up in verses 23–25.

And then he says in verse 26, “for as often as ye eat this bread...” He’s talking about Jesus Christ. I don’t have time to get into it, but in John 6, John 6, verse 66, when the disciples leave Him, because He says, in order to take part in the kingdom and eternal life, you’ve got to eat His bread and drink His blood, and they start thinking cannibalistically. And then He gives the verse of interpretation. He says, “the flesh profiteth nothing but the Spirit.” You have to think about that spiritually. And He even says it’s the issue of believing on Him. So He equates believing on Him with eating and drinking Him. That’s the spiritual relation, not the flesh, as if I’ve got to eat His flesh and make up some mystical doctrine in which it becomes that within me, to get past the cannibalism. It’s not even about that. It’s about communion in life with one another and how we esteem one another.

He says, “for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup” — not the cup of the table of devils, which Paul has warned a chapter earlier, wherefore flee, because that’s idolatry, which is essentially the worship of self — he says, “ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.” We get to show His death till He come. That’s what we’re doing. When we love like He loves, in the context in which we live in, we get to show His death.

You enter into — you hear the world, and I hear myself a lot of times, in regards to sacrifice for others, excuse, excuse, excuse, excuse, excuse, all these different ways of thinking about it so that I don’t need to do that. And yet here’s a verse that comes along and says, when you enter into that, you enter into showing the Lord’s death. That’s beautiful. That gives you motivation to do what the world doesn’t do. That gives you motivation to live like Jesus Christ.

And by the way, when Christ did that all the way to the extent of the cross, how did God respond to that? Wherefore, He highly exalted Him. He exalts those that abase themselves. Those that make the conscious choice that we now have, by way of the Lord Jesus Christ, to abase ourselves — because it’s not the issue of some religion or vain humility, although we have to be careful of that — but if there’s a pure heart and sincerity that I’m going to enter into this by faith in what He’s done and what He’s taught, guess what He’s going to do with that? Just like what He did with His Son. I’ll never be exalted above His Son, but that’s what He’s going to recognize and glorify. That’s what’s going to be in the realm of this kingdom in heaven and earth. Those that constantly live and sacrifice one toward another, because that’s the union amongst the Godhead. Manifest in the sacrifice of our Savior. Stamp of approval in that He rises again from the dead. Glorified in that He is exalted at the right hand of the Father. This is not only who we believe, this is the life of Jesus Christ that we pursue.

And here in this ordinary event of having a meal, whether the Corinthians know it or not, the seemingly insignificant thing God cares about. He cares about whether it is marked as our own or it’s marked as His.

Examine Yourself: Verses 27–34

So He says in v. 27, “wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” If you’ve ever wondered about the issue, the judgment seat of Christ and Paul’s exhortation to the believers that there would be no blame there — there’s this, there’s this one context of positionally we are holy and without blame, but then there’s another context of coming out of that judgment seat of Christ that way, and that we understand that there’s judgment of things done in the body, whether they be good or bad. Here’s a verse to look at in regards to being — doing things that are guilty of Christ’s body and blood. Doing things unworthily. It has nothing to do with our eternal salvation. It has to do in understanding that. How do we respond to that in the corporate gathering of the church?

So he says in v. 28, “let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.” Eat of that bread and drink of that cup worthily — you got to examine yourself, you got to examine him. Am I doing things that would be identified as my own or as the Lord’s?

Verse 29, “for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” Again, this isn’t damnation in the eternal damnation sense that which others might interpret it as such, but he’s addressing believers here. This is like what Paul does in other places. We don’t do certain things that the world does, because God’s wrath is against what the world does. He uses God’s wrath, even though we’ll never experience it, but identifies it with those that do those things, so that we would come along and see what our identity is, and that we’re not identified with them. Therefore, our life ought to reflect that.

Same thing here. If we discern that who we’re around is not the poor or the rich, or not what we look like or economic status, or not even sin that impacts relationships, but we understand what the Lord has done to each and every one of us as individuals, and we discern such that the body that we’re gathered with is the Lord’s body, then we can have a supper that is not our own, but that is the Lord’s.

V. 30, I believe, is literal. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” They’re getting drunk. And what do you do when you get drunk? You sleep. There’s many weak and sickly. And they’re not addressing their needs. They come and they see the weak and they see the sickly. And instead of addressing their weakness and their sickness, they get drunk or full, and they fall asleep.

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord.” We want that. “That we should not be condemned with the world.” That’s the way the world does things. Not even giving the care.

“Wherefore, my brother, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.” Wait for one another. If you’re going to fight over something, who goes first? You go first. No, you go first. No, you go first. Someone’s eventually got to go first, but go first. And when you come to have a meal, Corinthians, come and bring food for others. Tarry one for another. You brought food, don’t go to eat it. Let someone who’s weak and sickly or someone else go and eat it. If you’re hungry, go eat at home. Bring something. That’s the sacrifice He’s talking about. Bring something for those that are in need. If there’s not enough for you, don’t grumble and murmur and complain about it — I’m hungry, eat at home, and wait.

That would make it so that, by virtue of eating and drinking at a meal, would make it that there would be none weak, none sickly. And it would make it that none would be sleeping. Now if you have an overabundance, all those needs might be met and you still might sleep. That’s our day and age. We sleep not because we haven’t given in sacrifice, we sleep just because we have an overabundance of things. Maybe he ate too much, but everyone got to eat too much and we had to go take a nap. Of course, we don’t want the drunkenness issue.

Verse 34, “if any man hunger, let him eat at home, that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.”

The gravity of these verses in regards to what happens when the local church gathers is very descriptive. It’s even uncomfortable, a lot of times, for us who are under God’s grace, where positionally and eternally there’s no condemnation, there’s no damnation, there’s no worse. We have everything in Christ Jesus, and yet we still have a context practically that, by virtue of all those things, that’s what should be coming out of it, right? What should be coming out of us being identified in Jesus Christ is that which is better.

Yet when we walk after the flesh, we can come together for the worse. When we walk after the flesh, we can end up having a meal that is our own. But when we walk after the Spirit, and that who we are in Christ, and we’re beholding Him, and that He sacrificed for us, and we learn from that — that’s our instruction, the sacrifice for one another — now the supper is the Lord’s.

And so we don’t want to come together for the worse. We don’t want to come together for condemnation and damnation. Even though the chastening of the Lord is a good thing, I don’t want to be chastened by Him. We don’t want to come together to walk unworthily. Which, by the way, again, you have to be a part of it to walk of it unworthily. Get that right? If you’re not a part of it, you can’t walk even unworthily. But this is what we’re a part of. And the exhortation is walk worthy of this.

Remembering the Lord Every Time We Gather

So, this is not an examination time simply when we take part of the bread and the cup. This is an examination time of any time we gather together. When we partake in the bread and the cup, in one sense we’re doing it in remembrance of what we should always be remembering when we gather together. And how do we remember the Lord? By His Word. By His Word we understand His sacrifice. By His Word we understand His shed blood. By His Word we understand the instructions given to us in light of that. And so we feast, and we partake of His table.

There has been devils that have set up their tables in churches. Not just simply by their change and twist of doctrine concerning the ceremony, but by their doctrine as a whole, that leads to a certain way of life within that church. And it was usually the way of life in the world that they wanted anyways, that they just wanted the church to give license to. And it’s not remembering the Lord anymore. And you need to know that. It’s not remembering the Lord. It’s not remembering His teachings.

We come together to remember the Lord by virtue of sound doctrine, and that sound doctrine producing a soundness in your mind and your heart, in which you live out of one toward another. And that when there needs to be a correction of it, we go back to the doctrine. That’s not who you are. That’s not who we are. Therefore, we live this way.

Closing Thoughts: Symbol, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation

So, my last comment is — do I think that even the partaking in the bread and cup needs to be done? No. Is it wrong to do it? No. Is it wrong to do it if you do it in such a way that misses what’s really behind the whole issue? Yes. And that’s what we need to be careful about.

As long as we as the board decide to do it in the way that we do it once a month, is for you not to get ceremony in your mind, not to get rite and ritual in your mind, but to understand that this is a symbol of what we do every time we gather together. You are a part of that broken piece of bread that, when put together, makes the whole, but is broken in sacrifice in view of our Savior’s body being broken and sacrificed to us, that is instructive in how we love one another.

And to the extent of bloodshed — not that we need to shed our blood, but that that is the forgiveness of our sins, that we go in and we forgive one another. You can be in church, not partaking in the table this way, and yet if we’re not extending forgiveness to one another, what is that? That’s not the table of the Lord. Does that mean it’s easy? No. Can it be difficult? Yes. But when we look to Him, and when both parties can stop looking at each other and both can look at Him, forgiveness and reconciliation could be had. Listen, as hard as it can be, it could be had in any and in all situations and circumstances. Maybe not without parameters and boundaries in regards to some things, but in the large percentages of sins that we commit to one another, against one another, they can be dealt with. They can be addressed.

If you have any questions, I’d love to field them for you. Let’s end.

Closing Prayer

Father, we thank You for this time to get into Your Word. I pray that provided some clarity in regards to this issue. Hopefully an emphasis on whatever way in which it’s done, a meal or the bread in the cup, that the focal point is the reflection of Christ one towards another. And that is our fellowship. That is our communion. And when we take away from that, we end up making something more than You ever intended it to make, and we miss the point.

Father, I thank You for this body of believers. Although imperfect, although we still have our flesh, a desire in so many, if not all, to pursue You, to pursue our Savior, not only to the point of knowledge, but that which passes it into the realm of life one with another in wisdom and in understanding. So, Father, I thank You for all of them. And I can’t wait to see the glory in which You glorify them with, not only all of us together, but in regards to their service, like their Master which is in heaven, that You’ll glorify them with. For as Paul said to the Thessalonians, they are my crown of rejoicing, and so too are all those here. May we rejoice in our fellowship and our communion in Jesus Christ, for that is what You’ve called us into, the fellowship of Your dear Son. We give You all the thanks and praise, in Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Episode Description

When you think about worship, what comes to mind first? Most Christians think about music. Many think about the lights, the atmosphere, the Sunday service. But what if all of that disappeared? Would you still be able to worship God? And is the reduction of worship to music and Sunday services the reason so much Christian worship feels more like performance than reality?

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines the biblical doctrine of worship from the ground up. He walks through John 4:23-24, where the Lord tells the Samaritan woman that true worshipers worship the Father in spirit and in truth -- not in a place, not in a tradition, but from the inner man. He traces the same thread through Psalm 51, Ephesians 3, Colossians 3, and Philippians 3, and shows that worship is not an external compulsion but the inward overflow of a heart that has been quickened by the Spirit and shaped by the Word. Worship without truth drifts into fleshliness and idolatry. Truth without the Spirit can become empty ritual. Both must be present. And when they are, the believer becomes what Romans 12:1 calls for -- a living sacrifice, reasonable service -- a worshiper not just on Sunday but in every word, deed, and decision of every day.

Key Scriptures

John 4:23-24 -- Worship in Spirit and in Truth

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Psalm 51:16-17 -- A Broken and Contrite Heart

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Ephesians 3:16-17 -- Strengthened with Might in the Inner Man

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.

Colossians 3:16-17 -- Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You Richly

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Philippians 3:3 -- We Are the Circumcision

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

John 17:17 -- Sanctify Them Through Thy Truth

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Ephesians 6:6 -- Doing the Will of God from the Heart

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

Romans 12:1 -- A Living Sacrifice, Reasonable Service

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 Corinthians 6:20 -- Glorify God in Your Body

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Episode Outline

1. The Assumption Challenged — Worship is not music, lights, or Sunday atmosphere

2. Worship in Spirit and in Truth — John 4:23–24 and the heart as the location of true worship

3. The Inner Man — God has always sought the broken and contrite spirit (Psalm 51:16–17)

4. Christ Dwelling in the Heart — Strengthened with might by the Spirit (Ephesians 3:16–17)

5. The Word of Christ Dwelling Richly — Colossians 3:16–17 and worship in all of life

6. We Are the Circumcision — Philippians 3:3 and no confidence in the flesh

7. Truth Governs Worship — John 17:17; worship without truth drifts into idolatry

8. Spirit and Truth Together — Neither alone is sufficient

9. A Living Sacrifice — Romans 12:1 as the summary of Christian worship

10. The 24-7 Worshiper — Every word and deed done in the name of the Lord Jesus

Questions Discussed

1. When you hear the word worship, what is the very first thing you think about?

2. What is worship -- is it defined by outward form or by inward reality?

3. How can daily life reflect worship that honors God beyond singing or Sunday services?

4. If there were no lights, no instruments, and no service -- would you still be able to worship God?

5. What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth?

6. Can you know the truth and have it not impact your heart -- and what does that produce?

7. What is the difference between worship that begins outward and worship that begins inward?

8. Are you a 24-7 worshiper -- or only a Sunday one?

Reviewing the Foundation of Our Walk
Paul highlights the profound foundation, in chapters 1 through 3, of the eternal purpose established by God in Christ. We, as believers, are reminded of the spiritual blessings we have been blessed with, the enlightening of our understanding, and our new identity as we have been created in Christ Jesus. This theological backdrop isn't trivial—it’s essential groundwork for the practical instructions that follow in chapters 4 through 6. Our walk, therefore, should naturally flow from who we are in Christ.

Understanding who we are—chosen, blessed, redeemed, accepted, and forgiven is insightful and instructive. This registry that is true of us is meant to shape our actions. If we neglect this foundation, we reduce our spiritual walk to mere morality or simply an accusition of knowledge without its designed use. If we forget this foundation, we minimize our walk to some kind of activity detached from our Saviour Jesus Christ and our identity in Him. Therefore, taking hold of these truths constrains and empowers us to walk worthy of our vocation.

Walking in Love, Holiness, and Light
Paul outlines specific areas for our walk: love, holiness, and light. Walking in love means reflecting the sacrificial nature of Christ's love in our actions and interactions-our relatioships. Striving for purity and integrity, we live out a life marked by holiness, which, though not always explicitly stated, underlies our pursuit of all that is holy and pleasing to God. Thus we perfect holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor. 7:1).

Walking in light requires an enlightened understanding. Our understanding enlightened is a keen awareness of our actions and their alignment with God’s Word. We are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Therefore, as we live in this dark world, walking opposed to yet in the midst of spiritual darkness by walking in the light and as lights is what we exercise ourselves in. Such a walk demands vigilance, gravity, and sincerity where our deeds consistently reflect our new and enlightened state in Christ.

See Then That You Walk Circumspectly
The phrase "walk circumspectly" is loaded with meaning. The term "circumspectly" combines "circum," meaning "around," and "specere," meaning "to look." It suggests a vigilant, watchful approach to life. This isn’t merely about going through the motions but about living with intentionality and purpose as we learn Christ and apply Him to all of life.

Paul contrasts this circumspect walk with living “not as fools, but as wise.” Foolishness often describes a failure to regard God’s truth or a misapplication of His wisdom. Wisdom, therefore, involves the right application of divine understanding, discerning our spiritual environment, identifying paths aligned with God’s will, and actively choosing them. It also entails an abstain or avoidance of evil, darkness, and foolishness.

Redeeming the Time
Paul's command to “redeem the time” captures the essence of living with purpose. This expression calls for a proactive reclamation of the opportunities before us for God amidst days He describes as evil. Our time is limited; we are to make the most of it for God’s glory.

Redeeming the time involves proving the will of God and reproving the will of man. This walk that understands the treasure and use of time reflects eternal priorities. The days are indeed evil, not only in their moral landscape but in their potential to distract us. Therefore, this call to redemption prioritizes eternal value over fleeting pursuits.

Awake, Arise, and Walk as in the Day
Drawing parallels to Romans 13, there's an urgency here—an urgent call to awaken from spiritual slumber because the day is at hand - the day of our salvation, the day of redemption. Each day inches us closer to the fulfillment of our ultimate hope.

Walking as in the day aligns our present life with the future reality we anticipate. It means casting off works of darkness and putting on the armor of light - a recurring theme in Paul's letters. The metaphor of armor signifies the spiritual battle that's part of our daily experience, necessitating the godly strength of light to defend and to navigate through.

The Call to Vigilance
Walking circumspectly is an admonition for holy living, shaped by renewed minds and enlightened hearts. As God’s children, we are charged to reflect Christ’s light in a world overshadowed by darkness. Our clear instructions are not to conform but to be transformed by God’s truth, proving His good, acceptable, and perfect will.

This challenges us to see these commands not as insignificant statements to passover but as living principles for today. Reflecting on our walk and examining our spiritual vigilance can fundamentally transform our engagement with the world. As we embrace who we are in Christ, our walk not only becomes circumspect but a powerful testimony of God’s grace and truth.

Choosing to walk in wisdom, love, and holiness, redeeming each opportunity, is ours to have to do good unto all men. By doing so, we shine as lights, bearing witness to the transformative power of the Gospel in a world desperate for the light of Christ. This understanding of “walking circumspectly” extends beyond individual piety and becomes a shared testament to the life-changing power of God’s truth.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

1. Proving What is Acceptable unto the Lord
The first call Paul issues in this passage is for believers to “prove what is acceptable unto the Lord.” This directive underscores the necessity of discernment in the Christian walk. But what does it mean to prove what is acceptable?

To “prove” in this context signifies testing or examining something against a standard—in this case, God’s standard. As believers, we are called to evaluate our thoughts, actions, and lives according to God’s word. This process requires a purposeful pursuit to understanding and aligning our lives with the divine principles embodied in Scripture.

Proving what is acceptable involves:

• Engagement with Scripture: Regular study and meditating on the Bible help believers understand God’s will and cultivate a mindset centered on His truths. It’s about immersing oneself in the word to know what God deems pleasing and in alignment with His character.

• Application of Truth: Knowing is not enough—we must apply biblical principles in our daily lives. This means making choices reflective of goodness, righteousness, and truth, as highlighted by Paul. Our lifestyle should be a testament to our faith, illustrating the living principles of our inheritance in God’s kingdom.

• Continuous Reflection and Growth: Proving involves an ongoing process. As we grow in faith and knowledge, our understanding of what is acceptable develops. Continuous reflection allows us to refine our actions and attitudes to better align with God’s will.

By sincerely seeking to understand and practice what is acceptable to God, believers grow deeper in their relationship with Him and become effective witnesses to the world.

2. Reproving the Unfruitful Works of Darkness
The second point this passage addresses is a call to “reprove” the unfruitful works of darkness. While proving involves discernment, reproving entails discernment and taking an active stance against behaviors and practices contrary to God’s light.

Reproving unfruitful works means:

• Identifying Darkness: Believers must first recognize the manifestations of darkness, which Paul describes as actions devoid of value and contrary to God’s nature. These include behaviors that breed corruption, deceit, and distance from divine truth.

• Non-participation and Separation: Paul urges believers to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” This statement underscores the knowledge light provides of darkness’ ability to blind. And it advocates for avoiding complicity in actions that contradict the new man paths detailed in Ephesians 4-5. Separation from darkness is a testimony to our perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

• Courageous Correction: Reproving involves lovingly confronting behaviors that are wrong, both with ourselves, in personal relationships and in broader societal contexts. It requires courage and wisdom to address wrongdoing in meekness and with a desire for repentance and salvation.

• Reflecting Christ’s Love: Though reproving could be perceived negatively, the intent should always be redemptive. The goal is to shine the light of Christ in such a way that it draws people out of darkness, pointing them towards a hopeful and transformative relationship with God.

In reproving darkness, believers act as beacons of godliness, calling attention to the unfruitfulness of sin and urging others to go to the enlightening truth of the gospel.

3. Paul’s Call to Awake Out of Sleep
The final exhortation from Paul in this passage is a wake-up call: “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” In this metaphorical call to action, he addresses the dangers of spiritual slumber—a state of complacency and unawareness in believers’ lives.

Awakening out of sleep involves:

• Awareness and Vigilance: Spiritual sleep indicates a lack of awareness or concern for spiritual matters. Paul calls believers to awaken to the reality of their faith, embracing an active and vigilant stance against the pressures and lures of the world.

• Remembering: Awakening means reigniting one’s love for God and His things, remembering we love because He first loved us. This renewal brings about spiritual vitality and enthusiasm for God’s work and purposes - for He has redeemed and purified unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

• Living Intentionally: To awaken is to live with purpose, done when you know the eternal purpose of God in Christ. To make deliberate choices that reflect our identity in Christ. It is a meditative and prayerful commitment to living each day in the fullness of God’s light, motivated by the hope of eternal life, the light of the kingdom of God’s dear Son, and the glory of God.

• Embracing Transformation: The awakened Christian life is marked by transformation—the kind of change that impacts not only personal habits but also shines into relationships and communities. This transformation is ongoing, as believers are continually called to exercise themselves unto godliness and grow thereby.

Paul’s call to spiritual wakefulness is a reminder that the Christian life is not passive. It is an active, lively engagement with God’s purpose, marked by alertness to His will and readiness to walk worthy.

Conclusion
Ephesians 5:8-14 lays out a path for believers seeking to live out their faith sincerely in a world at odds with God’s light of truth. By proving what is acceptable, reproving the works of darkness, and awakening from spiritual sleep, we align our lives with the transformative power of Jesus Christ. This “growing up” is one of intentionality, courage, and from the heart, embodying the light and life we have received through Christ. As we walk in this light, may we continually strive to reflect God’s glory in all that we do, drawing others to the hope and redemption found in Him.

A common evangelical doctrinal statement frames it this way:

That is the traditional, evangelical, largely Baptist understanding of baptism. Not every church shares it. Some understand baptism quite differently, while still affirming its necessity and importance — a position that can sound confusing at first. What follows aims to do two things: lay out clearly what Scripture actually teaches on the subject, and, to be forthright about it, make the case for it.

Why This Matters

This is not merely an academic question.

Picture a woman who wants to get involved in ministry at her church but doesn’t believe in water baptism the way that church defines it — so she’s barred from serving until she submits to it there. It’s a common story. Picture, too, a man baptized as a young believer in the church he grew up in, who later finds that neither a seminary discount nor membership in a new church is available to him unless he is baptized again, this time by their hands.

Scenarios like these have enormous practical bearing on service and fellowship in the church. Not to mention they can be extemely discouraging. This discouragement can even intensify when those same individuals go to scripture and see none of what some churches or seminaries even do or claim is in God’s Word. Too often it reduces to this: a congregation knows its numbers, knows its members, based on who has been water baptized by its own hands. That is a form of Corinthianism — the very pattern for which the believers at Corinth were corrected. The aim here is to leave the reader instead with what Paul sets forth in Ephesians 4 as the one baptism: to know what it is, to know when it takes place, and to let it be the ground of fellowship between believers — a ground that transcends local church membership and denominational lines. Imagine the local church as it ought to be - believers recognized by that which they profess as faith in Christ, His person, work, and merit - not an ordinance administered by man’s hands.

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:1–6:

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Paul is addressing unity — how to walk in it, how to forbear one another in love, how to keep it. He grounds that unity in a series of realities: one Spirit, because the Godhead is one; one Lord, the second Person of the Godhead; one God and Father; and one body, since there is one church, not two. But notice also: one baptism.

It is easy to read past that phrase, or to assume it simply means water baptism performed by human hands. Many assume baptism and water are synonymous — that there could be no baptism without water. But Scripture does not support that assumption nearly as firmly as tradition suggests. Water is a real and significant thing in biblical history, but as redemptive history advances, its role becomes increasingly symbolic, and eventually it recedes from the picture of baptism altogether. To see that clearly, it helps to work through Scripture in four stages: define baptism, survey the doctrine of baptisms (plural), trace water baptism as it is progressively revealed and progressively fades, and then arrive at what this one baptism actually is.

1. Defining Baptism

A working definition, gathered from a collection of passages, proves useful here: baptism is a purification or cleansing unto sanctification and a new identification. Some kind of washing takes place — not always by water — that results in a separation from what once was to what now is (sanctification), and issues in a new identity.

Scripture bears this out through numerous washings, not just one. Hebrews 9:7–10 describes the Levitical priesthood:

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people: the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing... which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Notice: divers washings — plural — and carnal ordinances, having to do with the flesh, the body, external things. And notice the timing word: until. These washings were time-stamped. There would come a time when they were done away.

The Old Testament confirms this plurality. In Leviticus 15, various uncleannesses — not necessarily sins, but ceremonial impurities — required washing with water before a person was pronounced clean (Leviticus 15:14, 25–27). In Numbers 31:22–23, purification came not only by water but by fire, depending on the material. In Exodus 29:4, Aaron and his sons were washed with water as part of their consecration to the priesthood. Cleansing, in that context, became the doorway to a new identity — the priest was set apart, washed, anointed, and given new standing in relationship to God.

The New Testament likewise identifies more than one agent of cleansing: the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7), the washing of water by the Word (Ephesians 5:26), and the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5). Paul tells the Corinthians plainly: “Ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Notice the agent there — the Spirit of God, not human hands, and not literal water.

2. The Doctrine of Baptisms

Hebrews 6:1–2 speaks of “the doctrine of baptisms” — plural — as part of the foundational principles the Hebrew believers were being urged to leave behind in order to go on to maturity. That single phrase should stop us: Scripture itself acknowledges more than one baptism, and instructs believers to move past them, not to keep re-administering them. Now, surely, we recognize in “The Great Commission” the Lord commands the nations to be “baptized” and whoever believes and is baptized is saved (Matt. 28:19; Mar. 16:16) but more on this in point 3.

Consider Matthew 3:11, where John the Baptist says of Christ: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me... he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” One verse. Three baptisms. Two baptizers. Water, fire, and the Holy Ghost are not the same element, and John and Christ are not the same baptizer. We learn later in the gospels that Christ didn’t baptize it was his disciples (Jn. 4:1-2).

Consider also 1 Corinthians 10:1–4, where Paul writes that “all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” Israel went through the Red Sea dry-shod — a dry baptism, yet a real one, marking their new identity as a nation separated from Egypt. When the word baptism appears in Scripture, water should not be assumed by default. The text itself will not permit it.

Two chapters later, Paul makes the connection explicit: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). If the baptism under Moses produced unity, equality, and shared provision among Israel, and if believers’ baptism into one body produces that same equality and fellowship in Christ, why does water baptism so often become a ground of division in the church at large?

That question was not hypothetical for the Corinthians. Paul had to address exactly this in 1 Corinthians 1:10–17, where factions had formed — “I am of Paul,” “I of Apollos,” “I of Cephas” — and Paul asks pointedly, “Were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” He goes on: “I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius, lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name... For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” Here is an apostle, writing after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, thankful he had done little water baptizing — precisely so no one could claim to belong to him by it. Alongside Hebrews 6, which tells believers to leave the doctrine of baptisms behind, and Hebrews 9, which time-stamps the diverse washings, this is not a favorable picture for making water baptism an ongoing church ordinance whether for church membership or not.

3. Water Baptism: Progressively Revealed, Progressively Fading

None of this denies that water baptism was real and significant in its time. But Scripture shows it receding as redemptive history advances.

At Pentecost, believers were water baptized, and shortly after, the Spirit came upon them — matching the pattern of Matthew 3:11. But the pattern is not uniform. In Acts 10, Cornelius and his household believed and received the Spirit before they were water baptized, catching Peter off guard. And in Acts 19:1–6, Paul meets disciples at Ephesus who had only known “John’s baptism.” When they heard about Jesus, “they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” — a text that does not mention water at all (typically the assumption is there was water involved which would mean that he most likely was dunked or sprinkled twice), only that they were baptized “when they heard this.”

From that point forward, water baptism largely disappears from the narrative. Even at the end of Acts, when Paul is under house arrest in Rome and people are believing his message, he is not found administering it. Romans through Revelation — the bulk of the church’s instructional letters — are nearly silent on water baptism. In the pastoral epistles, where Paul gives Timothy detailed instruction for ministry, he never once tells him to administer water baptism to new believers. An argument from silence isn’t the strongest argument, but that silence, set against a document that elsewhere speaks so specifically to church practice, is telling.

Even Peter’s later reference in 1 Peter 3:18–21 confirms the pattern rather than undermining it. Reflecting on Noah’s ark, Peter writes: “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” In the parenthesis there is clarity — almost certainly anticipating that his readers would assume he meant water — and explicitly rules it out. Peter’s parenthetical focus isn’t fleshly filth washing, but conscience filth washing. The baptism that saves is not an outward washing of the flesh; it is the answer of a good conscience toward God, now laid hold of by faith in the risen Christ.

4. The One Baptism

This brings us to Romans 6:3–4: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?... that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

This baptism is not performed by human hands. The baptizer is the Spirit of God; the element is the Person of Jesus Christ Himself — His death, burial, and resurrection. It happens the moment a person believes the gospel: that we are sinners, dead in trespasses, under wrath — and that Christ took our place, bore our sin, and rose again. When a person believes that, their relationship to sin changes — not because of an event on a certain day involving water, but because they were, by the Spirit, placed into Christ. There may be no felt emotional experience attached to it. But it happens, and it is settled.

This is the one baptism of Ephesians 4 — the baptism that grounds unity among believers, because every Christian (one that truly believes in Christ and His atoning and redemptive work for them), regardless of church membership or denomination, has been placed by the same Spirit into the same Christ. No one becomes part of the family of God by joining a local church. A person becomes a member of Christ’s body the moment they believe the gospel. A local church, at its best, is simply a local expression of people trying to live in accord with that truth.

A Gentle Appeal

Baptism, then, is not optional — Scripture is emphatic that it is necessary for eternal life. But it is the Spirit’s baptism into Christ, not an ordinance administered by hands, that saves and unites. Many believers hold both the one baptism and water baptism together without seeing any tension between them; the difficulty comes less from believing in water baptism itself than from what churches sometimes build on top of it — restricting service, fellowship, or membership to those baptized by their own hands, in their own name, and often times make the one baptism of none effect by their holding on to a principle Paul thanked He was sent to do, Hebrews says to leave in view of its time stamp, and Peter inserts such baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God by faith in the resurrected Lord.

For those who hold to the traditional view, none of this is meant to condemn, nor is the aim simply to win an argument. It is an invitation to consider these texts prayerfully. And for those who find this case something to study further, please do. For those that find it persuasive, the appeal remains the one Paul makes in Ephesians 4: walk worthy of your calling with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Don’t cause practical division by how to communicate truth. Have empathy. Have understanding. Be gentle. Be meek. Where there is opportunity, share this truth — but leave people where they are, and love them regardless. Remember they are not a part of the body of Christ because they believe in water baptism or that it has receded - they are part of the body of Christ because they believed the gospel of Christ and the Spirit baptized them in the same body you are in.

It is not being identified with a particular church, but with Jesus Christ, that makes believers one. That is the wisdom by which fellow believers ought to view one another — remembering what the Spirit of God did, once and for all, the moment each of them believed.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Episode Description

What is the church? Is it a denomination? A building? A Sunday gathering? Many are fleeing the local church today -- and yet many who stay have never stopped to ask what the church actually is, what it is for, and what God has called them to participate in as a member of it. Few questions are more foundational for the Christian life.

In this episode, Pastor Josh lays the doctrinal foundation for a multi-episode series on the church. He distinguishes the universal church -- the body of Christ, comprised of every believer across history and geography who has trusted in the gospel -- from the local church, the visible expression of that body gathered in a specific place. He examines how a person enters the body of Christ (by Spirit baptism, not water), what the church is for (the pillar and ground of the truth, the ambassador of reconciliation, the equipping of the saints), and how unity and diversity work together within the body. Every member has a role. No member is insignificant. And the gathering together of the local church is not optional -- it is the practical living out of an eternal identity.

Key Scriptures

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 -- One Body, Many Members

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:2 -- The Church of God Which Is at Corinth

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

1 Corinthians 4:17 -- My Ways Which Be in Christ, as I Teach in Every Church

For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Ephesians 1:22-23 -- The Fulness of Him That Filleth All in All

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Romans 12:4-5 -- Many Members in One Body

For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

1 Timothy 3:15 -- The Pillar and Ground of the Truth

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 -- Ambassadors for Christ

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Ephesians 4:11-12 -- Equipping the Saints for the Work of the Ministry

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:15-16 -- Speaking the Truth in Love

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Hebrews 10:24-25 -- Not Forsaking the Assembling Together

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Episode Outline

1. What Is the Church? -- Not a building, not a denomination, but God’s people in Christ

2. Two Senses in Scripture -- Universal and local

3. The Universal Church -- The body of Christ, across history and geography

4. The Local Church -- The visible expression of the body gathered in a specific place

5. How You Enter the Body of Christ -- Spirit baptism at the moment of faith in the gospel

6. How You Enter the Local Church -- No extra mandates beyond faith in Christ

7. The Purpose of the Church -- The pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15)

8. Ambassadors for Christ -- Entrusted with the word and ministry of reconciliation

9. Equipping the Saints -- Leaders equip; every member participates in the work of the ministry

10. Unity and Diversity -- One body, many members, each with a God-given role

11. Diversity That Produces Growth -- Every joint supplies; no member is insignificant

12. Do Not Forsake the Assembling -- Hebrews 10:24-25 and gathering for the better

13. Live in Both Realities -- Eternally part of the body, practically part of a local church

Questions Discussed

1. What is the church -- is it a denomination, a building, or something else entirely?

2. What is the difference between the universal church and the local church?

3. How does a person enter the body of Christ?

4. Should there be extra requirements beyond faith in Christ to be part of a local church?

5. What is the purpose God has given the church today?

6. How are unity and diversity meant to work together in the body of Christ?

7. Is your role in the local church significant -- even if it does not feel like it?

8. If you are a believer, are you living out your eternal identity practically in a local church?

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, paints a vivid picture of this spiritual enlightenment: "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" (Ephesians 5:8). This powerful statement encapsulates three fundamental truths – 1) that we are not merely in darkness, but were darkness itself before encountering the light of Christ, 2) now in Christ we are light, and 3) we are to walk as children of light.

Consider for a moment the implications of this. Prior to our spiritual awakening, we weren't just stumbling in the dark; we were the embodiment of spiritual darkness. Our understanding was clouded, our actions misguided, and our very nature opposed to the light of truth, opposed to Christ. This state of being isn't just about ignorance, but about an active embrace of falsehood and rejection of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of John further sheds light on this concept: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). Our natural inclination, tainted by sin, is to shy away from the light that exposes our flaws and wrongdoings. Like cockroaches scurrying from sudden brightness, we instinctively retreat from the revealing rays of truth. But the good news of the gospel of the kingdom during the Lord's earthly ministry, as well as, the gospel of grace today is that we don't have to remain in this state. Through Christ, we are not only brought into the light but become light ourselves. This alteration is not a mere change of location but a fundamental shift in our very nature. We are "translated into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Colossians 1:13), moving from a realm of spiritual darkness into one of divine light.

This new identity as "children of light" comes with a responsibility – to walk in a manner consistent with the light. Paul exhorts us to "walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8), emphasizing that our actions should reflect our transformed identity. This walk isn't about sinless perfection, but about spiritual progression – a continual movement towards greater alignment with the light we've received.

What does it mean to walk as children of light? Paul provides some insight: "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9). Our lives should be characterized by these qualities, as the light aids in the growth of the nature of the One who called us out of darkness. This isn't about adhering to a set of rules, but about allowing the light within us to spiritually produce this fruit in our lives. We foster this growth by renewing through hearing, learning, understanding, gaining knowledge, then taking that which has been planted, rooted, and grounded within us, that word of Christ which dwells in us and begin to prove it, use it, and do it.

Moreover, walking in the light involves actively engaging with the world around us. We're called to be "lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15), shining in the midst of a "crooked and perverse nation." This imagery reminds us that our role isn't to retreat from the world, but to influence it through our words, actions, and very presence as if His light as transformed us.

One practical way we manifest this light is through our attitude and demeanor. Paul encourages us to "do all things without murmurings and disputings" (Philippians 2:14). In a world often characterized by negativity and discord, our ability to maintain a positive, grateful attitude can be a powerful testimony to the kingdom of light and the power of Christ in our lives.

Walking in the light also involves a process of continual renewal and growth. Just as plants need light to grow and bear fruit, our spiritual lives require constant exposure to divine truth to flourish. This comes through regular engagement with Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. As we "live by the Spirit," we're encouraged to "walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25), allowing His influence to guide our paths and shape our character.

Importantly, walking in the light doesn't mean we're immune to struggles or temptations. The pull of darkness remains present in our fallen world, and even as believers, we can be influenced by its allure. Paul warns against having "fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11), reminding us to be vigilant in our spiritual walk in the midst of this world.

Yet, our role isn't just to avoid darkness, but to actively expose it. As light-bearers, we have the responsibility to "reprove" the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). This isn't about condemnation, but about bringing truth to bear on falsehood, allowing the light of Christ to reveal and transform areas of darkness in our own lives and in the world around us.

As we discern these theological truths of darkness and light and the change from darkness to light, we're reminded of the incredible grace that makes it possible. We didn't earn our place in the light, nor can we maintain it through our own efforts. It's a gift, freely given through Christ, that we're called to embrace and live out daily.

In conclusion, our identity as children of light is both a profound privilege and a weighty responsibility. We're invited to continually bask in the light of God's truth, allowing it to transform us from the inside out. As we do so, we become beacons of hope in a world often shrouded in darkness, pointing others to the source of true enlightenment.

May we embrace this calling, walking confidently as children of light, and shining brightly for the glory of the One who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Episode Description

Do you need to be water baptized to be saved? As a believer, should you be water baptized? What even is water baptism — and why does Matthew 3 mention three baptisms while Ephesians 4 declares there is only one? Few doctrines in Christianity have generated more controversy, more confusion, and more division than baptism. And yet the confusion may trace back to one assumption: that baptism always means water.

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines the doctrine of baptism from the ground up. He traces water baptism to its origins as a carnal ordinance under the law — an outward washing that pointed to an inward spiritual reality it could never itself produce. He shows from Hebrews 9 that those carnal ordinances had a timeline and an ending point. He walks through the many baptisms of Scripture — the dry baptism unto Moses, John’s water baptism, Christ’s baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire — and asks: which one is the one baptism of Ephesians 4? The answer is found in Romans 6 and Colossians 2: the operation of God by the Spirit, without hands, identifying the believer in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ the moment they believe the gospel. No water. No ceremony. No event on a Sunday. The Spirit of God does it — completely, permanently, and without any human hand.

Key Scriptures

Hebrews 9:8–10 — Carnal Ordinances Imposed Until the Time of Reformation

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Hebrews 9:13–14 — The Blood of Christ Purges the Conscience

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 6:1–2 — The Doctrine of Baptisms

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Matthew 3:11 — Three Baptisms, Two Baptizers, One Verse

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

1 Corinthians 10:2 — Baptized unto Moses

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

1 Corinthians 1:17 — Christ Sent Me Not to Baptize, but to Preach the Gospel

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Ephesians 4:4–5 — One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

Romans 6:1–4 — Baptized into His Death

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Colossians 2:11–12 — The Operation of God Without Hands

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

1 Corinthians 12:13 — By One Spirit Baptized into One Body

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Episode Outline

1. Why Do You Automatically Think Water? — The unexamined assumption behind most baptism teaching

2. What Water Baptism Was — A carnal ordinance, an outward washing pointing to an inward spiritual reality

3. The Old Testament Background — Diverse washings, purifications, and the first sanctuary (Hebrews 9)

4. A Timeline and an Ending Point — Carnal ordinances imposed until the time of reformation

5. The Shift in Acts 10 — The Spirit falling before water baptism; the order begins to change

6. Paul Sent Not to Baptize — Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:17)

7. The Doctrine of Baptisms — Scripture acknowledges more than one (Hebrews 6:1–2)

8. Three Baptisms in One Verse — Matthew 3:11 and the two baptizers

9. The Baptism unto Moses — 1 Corinthians 10 and the dry passage through the Red Sea

10. The One Baptism of Ephesians 4 — Which one of the many is it?

11. Romans 6 — Baptized into Christ’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection

12. The Operation of God Without Hands — Colossians 2 and what no pastor or priest can do

13. One Spirit, One Body — 1 Corinthians 12:13 and the baptism of baptisms

14. What the Believer Needs to Know — Not water, not an event, but the Spirit’s work at the moment of faith

Questions Discussed

1. Why do you automatically think water when you hear the word baptism?

2. Do you need to be water baptized to be saved?

3. As a believer, should you be water baptized?

4. What is water baptism — and where does it come from?

5. Why does Matthew 3 mention three baptisms while Ephesians 4 declares there is only one?

6. When did carnal ordinances reach their ending point — and has the church recognized that?

7. If the Spirit of God has already identified you in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, what does water add?

8. Which baptism is the one baptism of Ephesians 4?

9. What did the Spirit of God do for you the moment you believed the gospel?

%%first_note_embed%%

Notes is a new space on Substack for us to share links, short posts, quotes, photos, and more. I plan to use it for things that don’t fit in the newsletter, like behind the scenes, work-in-progress, spiritual thoughts or quick questions.

Go to Notes

How to join

Head to substack.com/notes or find the “Notes” tab in the Substack app. As a subscriber to Beholding Christ, you’ll automatically see my notes. Feel free to like, reply, or share them around!

You can also share notes of your own. I hope this becomes a space where every reader of Beholding Christ can share thoughts, ideas, or new things learned from the things we're reading on Beholding Christ and beyond.

If you encounter any issues, you can always refer to the Notes FAQ for assistance. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Go to Notes

Our identity as God's "dear children" (Ephesians 5:1) is not just a theological concept - it's meant to give us understanding, to know how we are known of Him, and to give us wisdom to transform every aspect of our lives. We are called to be "followers of God," reflecting His character and His love. This identity isn't something we achieve; it's something we've been given. The challenge lies in living it out.

Paul paints a vivid picture of what this worthy walk looks like. He exhorts us to "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor" (Ephesians 5:2). This sacrificial love of Christ becomes our pattern and motivation. When we truly grasp the depth of Christ's love for us, it constrains us to love others in the same selfless manner.

However, Paul doesn't stop at the positive exhortations. He also provides a stark contrast, listing behaviors that are incompatible with our new identity: "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints" (Ephesians 5:3). These aren't arbitrary rules; they're indicators of what doesn't belong in the life of someone created for righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore, we are charged to "perfect holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1) - thus our walk isn't only in righteous love, but in holiness.

The apostle goes further, addressing not just actions but also our speech: "Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks" (Ephesians 5:4). Our words matter. They have the power to build up or tear down, to reflect the new creature we are still veiled in this flesh or contradict it and manifest that which naturally appears. The call here is to replace harmful, empty talk with words of gratitude and edification.

It's crucial to understand that Paul isn't teaching that believers can lose their salvation if they partake in these areas. Instead, he's emphasizing that our behavior should align with our identity. We are saints - set apart for God's purposes. Therefore, certain actions and attitudes are simply not "becoming" or fitting for who we are in Christ.

This teaching challenges us to examine our lives. Are there areas where we've become complacent, justifying behaviors or speech that don't reflect our true identity? The grace that saved us is the same grace that teaches us to "deny" ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

Paul warns against being deceived by "vain words" that downplay the seriousness of sin (Ephesians 5:6). In our culture, it's easy to rationalize behaviors that God clearly identifies as incompatible with the inheritance of the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Ephesians 5:6). But we're called to a higher standard - not out of legalism, but out of love for the One who redeemed us.

The beautiful truth is that our identity in Christ isn't just about what we don't do; it's about who we are becoming. We are being transformed into the image of Christ, from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). This transformation affects every aspect of our lives - our actions, our speech, our thoughts, and our relationships.

As we embrace our identity as God's beloved children, we find that obedience flows not from obligation, but from love and gratitude. We pursue holiness not to earn God's favor, but because we already have it in Christ. Our worthy walk becomes a response to grace, not an attempt to earn it. The development of a proper understanding our identity and walk is essential to grasp how we are to walk worthy.

In conclusion, walking worthy of our calling is about living in the tension of "already but not yet." We are known of God as if we are seated in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:4-6); however, our members are still on the earth and our soul currently clothed with skin and flesh fenced in with bones and sinews (Job 10:11). Therefore, we still fight, contend, mortify, take captive, cast off, and not partake in sin and worldliness. We are already declared righteous in Christ, yet we're still being sanctified. We're already God's children, yet we're growing in our understanding and expression of that identity. What sweet growth to be had now is preparation for the life to come! This isn't about perfection; it's about spiritual deepening - being filled more and more with the fulness of God in Christ.

As we navigate this path, let's hold fast to the truth of who we are in Christ. Let's embrace the high calling we've received, not as a burden, but as a privilege. And let's encourage one another in this worthy walk, remembering that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). May our lives increasingly reflect the reality of our identity in Christ - as beloved children, walking in love, and shining as lights in a world that desperately needs to see the testimony of the power of the gospel of Christ.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacer

Now we descend. The depth of the love of Christ is the most personal of the four dimensions — it is the measure of how low He went, and what He found when He arrived. And the depth, like the breadth and the length, begins not with us but with Him.

Read more

The Call to Follow God
The passage begins with an imperative: “Be ye therefore followers of God.” The word “followers” suggests a life of imitation, where we are called not merely to admire God from a distance but to actively pursue His character and ways. But what does it mean to follow God? Ephesians 4 provides the foundation for this command. We have been made new in Christ, created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24). The previous chapter urges believers to put away lying, anger, and corrupt communication, replacing them with truth, kindness, and forgiveness. Being a follower of God means embodying these attributes in our daily interactions.

As Dear Children
The phrase “as dear children” adds another layer of significance. It is not merely about following commands but about embracing an identity—we are God’s beloved children. This identity should shape our response to Him. Just as children naturally mimic their parents, we are to reflect the character of our Heavenly Father. This is not a distant, cold obedience, but one that stems from love, security, and a desire to honor the One who has called us His own.

Walking in Love
Paul then shifts from identity to action: “Walk in love.” Walking signifies an continual progression, a consistent way of life. Love is not just an emotion; it is the defining mark of the Christian walk rooted in God Himself. Jesus Himself affirmed that His disciples would be known by their love (John 13:35). But Paul does not leave the command open-ended; he provides the ultimate example: “As Christ also hath loved us.”

Christ’s love was sacrificial. He gave Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God. His love was not based on our worthiness but on His grace. Romans 5:8 reminds us, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” This is the standard of love we are called to walk in—a love that forgives, serves, and gives without expectation of return.

Practical Applications of Walking in Love
How do we live out this calling in our daily lives?

1. Speaking Truth in Love – Ephesians 4:25 instructs us to speak truth with our neighbors. Love does not mean avoiding hard conversations, but it does mean approaching them with grace and kindness.

2. Practicing Forgiveness – Just as God forgave us for Christ’s sake (Eph. 4:32), we are to extend forgiveness to others. This reflects God’s character and frees us from the burden of resentment, bitterness, and clamour.

3. Serving Others – Christ’s love was demonstrated in action. Whether through acts of kindness, generosity, or simply being present for someone in need, our love ought to be tangible.

4. Resisting Worldly Influences – Ephesians 5:3-7 warns against impurity, covetousness, and deceitful speech. Walking in love means rejecting these behaviors and embracing a life of holiness.

A Fragrant Offering to God
Paul concludes verse 2 with a beautiful image: Christ’s sacrifice was a “sweetsmelling savour” to God. This language, rooted in Old Testament sacrificial practices, signifies God’s pleasure and acceptance. When we walk in love, we too become a pleasing offering to God. Our lives, shaped by His love, bring Him glory and testify to the changing power of the image of Christ.

Walking in love is the heartbeat of the Christian life. It is not an abstract concept but daily action to reflect Christ’s love in our thoughts, words, and actions. As we follow God as dear children, we embrace the incredible privilege of being His representatives in a world desperate for Jesus Christ and true love. Let us strive to walk in love, just as Christ loved us, that our lives may be a sweet fragrance to our Heavenly Father.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Episode Description

Does the law play any role in making a believer holy? What changes when a Christian fully lives under grace instead of the law? Few questions cause more confusion in Christianity than these — and few are more urgent to answer rightly. Many would say they are saved by keeping the law. Many believers still treat the law as their daily power source. But what does Scripture actually say?

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines law and grace as two ministrations and two operating systems. The law is holy, just, and good — Romans 7 will not let us say otherwise. But the law cannot justify the sinner, because it demands the flesh to perform what the flesh cannot do. And the law cannot sanctify the believer, because it functions as the strength of sin rather than the source of righteousness. Pastor Josh walks through Romans 3, Romans 6, Romans 7, 1 Corinthians 15, and 2 Corinthians 3, distinguishes the ministration of death from the ministration of the Spirit, and lands where the Apostle Paul lands — beholding the glory of the Lord, and being changed from glory to glory by the Spirit. The law shows us what we cannot do. Grace gives us what we could never earn.

Key Scriptures

Romans 3:19–22 — By the Law Is the Knowledge of Sin

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.

Romans 3:24 — Justified Freely by His Grace

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 5:20 — Where Sin Abounded, Grace Did Much More Abound

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

Romans 6:14 — Not Under the Law, but Under Grace

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 7:5–7 — The Motions of Sins Which Were by the Law

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Romans 8:3 — What the Law Could Not Do

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

1 Corinthians 15:55–56 — The Strength of Sin Is the Law

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

Galatians 3:24 — The Law as Schoolmaster

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

2 Corinthians 3:7–9 — Two Ministrations

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

2 Corinthians 3:17–18 — Changed from Glory to Glory

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

James 2:10 — Guilty of All

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Galatians 5:1 — Stand Fast in the Liberty

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Episode Outline

1. The Opening Questions — Does the law make a believer holy? What changes under grace?

2. Why So Much Confusion — The widespread misunderstanding of the law

3. The Law Is Holy, Just, and Good — Romans 7 will not let us say otherwise

4. The Three Parts of the Law — Moral, ceremonial, and civil

5. The Law Exposes Sin — Romans 3 and the knowledge of sin

6. The Strength of Sin — 1 Corinthians 15 and how the law arms sin against us

7. The Law Cannot Justify — No flesh shall be justified by the deeds of the law

8. The Law Cannot Sanctify — Romans 7 and 8 on the weakness of the flesh

9. Two Ministrations — Death and condemnation, or Spirit and righteousness (2 Corinthians 3)

10. Grace Gives What the Law Could Only Show — The righteousness of God without the law

11. Under Grace, Not Under the Law — Romans 6:14 as the believer’s position

12. Two Operating Systems — Law and flesh, or grace and the Spirit

13. Stand Fast in the Liberty — Don’t go back to the yoke of bondage (Galatians 5)

14. Behold and Be Changed — From glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Questions Discussed

1. Does the law play any role in making a believer holy?

2. What changes when a Christian fully lives under grace instead of the law?

3. If the law is wholly just and good, why is it called the ministration of death?

4. Why is the law called the strength of sin?

5. How can the law be holy, just, and good — and yet no one be justified by it?

6. What is the difference between the ministration of death and the ministration of the Spirit?

7. Are you a believer who thinks the way to please God is by living under the law?

8. What does it mean to behold the glory of the Lord and be changed from glory to glory?

The length asks a different question entirely. Not how wide, but how long. And the answer Ephesians gives — reaching beyond Ephesians into Hebrews and the Psalms and the counsel of the eternal God — is not measured in years. The length of the love of Christ is the length of the One whose love it is.

Before the Foundation of the World: The Eternal Counsel

When Paul wants to establish the length of the love of Christ, he does not begin with history. He begins before it.

Read more

Most people have never thought about their condition in those terms. We think of freedom as a natural state, something we possess by default. The Bible thinks otherwise. According to Scripture, every man and woman outside of Jesus Christ is not free — they are bound. They are in a slave market, held by a debt they did not choose and cannot pay, under a sentence they cannot overturn.

Redemption is one of the major themes in all of Scripture. It runs from Genesis to the Lord Jesus Christ and beyond. It is not a theological abstraction. It is a transaction — a real purchase, a real price, a real deliverance. And to understand it is to understand why the gospel is not merely good advice, but the only rescue available to man.

What Redemption Means

Redemption means to purchase something back. There is a transaction involved — a price paid in order to deliver something or someone from one condition and bring them to another. Scripture calls this price a ransom.

In the Old Testament, almost anything could be redeemed. Land, animals, even a person. The context of slavery was one of the primary settings in which the concept was established. Leviticus 25:25 shows a man who has sold his possession out of poverty, and his kinsman coming to purchase it back for him. The law made provision for it. The mechanism was real.

But those redemptions in the Old Testament — the land, the slave, the possession — were real redemptions that pointed to something greater. They were figures and shadows of the redemption that concerned man’s relationship to God.

The Old Testament Pictures

God declared to Israel in Exodus 6:6, “I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgments.” The final of those great judgments was the blood of the Passover lamb. Every firstborn in Egypt died that night — except where the blood had been applied to the door. The angel of death passed over those covered by the blood. This was not incidental. It was a picture, painted centuries before the cross, of what a greater sacrifice would accomplish.

Exodus 15:13 records the song of the redeemed: “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed.” The pattern is clear — bondage, blood, deliverance. The same pattern that would appear, in full and final form, at Calvary.

There is another picture, a quieter one, in the small book of Ruth. Boaz is called a kinsman redeemer. He is related by blood to Ruth’s family, and he is both willing and able to redeem. Ruth 4:14 says, “Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman.”

The law of redemption required the nearest kinsman. And there was a nearer kinsman in the story — but he was unwilling. He could not redeem without compromising himself, so he stepped aside. Boaz took his place. He was the nearest kinsman who was both willing and able, without compromise. He redeemed what could not redeem itself.

Boaz is a type of Christ. The picture is unmistakable.

Our Nearest Kinsman

Adam was a figure of him that was to come. The Lord Jesus Christ, by taking on flesh, became our nearest kinsman. He was identified with man — born of a woman, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh. And He was both willing and able to redeem, without compromise.

That last word matters enormously. The nearer kinsman in Ruth could not redeem because it would have compromised him. Christ was not compromised with the very thing from which we needed to be redeemed. 2 Corinthians 5 says He “was made sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” He was not tainted by sin. He did not share our guilt. He could stand in our place precisely because He had no debt of His own to pay.

He willingly gave up the ghost on the cross. No one took His life — He laid it down. He was able, and He was willing, and He was uncompromised. That is the portrait of our kinsman redeemer.

The Bondage, the Price, the Deliverance

Every redemption has three features: the bondage, the price, and the deliverance. In the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, all three are defined by Scripture.

The bondage is sin. Romans 3:23 declares that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 6:17 speaks of men as servants of sin. That is not merely a description of bad behavior — it is a description of a condition. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners by nature, by birthright, from Adam. We are carnal, not spiritual. We are not holy, not just, not righteous in the eyes of God. And so the law of God — which is holy, just, and good — does not help us. It condemns us. It shows us how exceeding sinful we are by the very fact that we cannot keep it. All men are in spiritual bondage to sin, and the law proves it.

Galatians 4:3-5 captures it plainly: “When we were children, we were in bondage… But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, to redeem them that were under the law.” The law was not made for a righteous man — it was made for sinners, to show sinners what they are.

The price is the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things… but with the precious blood of Christ.” Not your riches. Not your sincerity. Not your Christian heritage, your tears of sorrow, your prayers, your church attendance. None of those can pay the wages of sin, which is death. There is nothing you can do, nothing you possess, nothing and no one you belong to naturally that can deal with your sin debt. The price had to come from outside of you, and it had to be of infinite worth. The blood of Christ is that price.

Galatians 3:13 states it with striking directness: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” He bought us out of the slave market of sin. Titus 2:14 says He “gave himself… that he might redeem us from all iniquity.” The cross was the payment. His blood was the price.

The deliverance is unto God Himself. We are not merely freed from something — we are brought to Someone. Colossians 1:13-14 says we are “translated into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Past sins, present sins, future sins — all of them. We were servants of sin; we become servants of righteousness, servants of God.

Present and Future

The redemption that is in Christ Jesus is not only present — it is also future. He purchases us now through the redemption of our souls. But He has given us the promise of a future redemption that is the redemption of our body. Romans 8:23 speaks of believers waiting for “the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” What Christ has begun in the soul, He will complete in the resurrection. Redemption looks forward to glory.

What You Cannot Do

Redemption is necessary because we cannot free ourselves. We cannot save ourselves. We can never do enough good to pay for our sin debt. How can you both live and die? The wages of sin is death — and you would have to die to pay it. We can only do that in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, as Romans 3 declares, we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Not your redemption. Not religion. Not your acts and service and works — all of it is tainted with sin. We need a price to be paid for us outside of ourselves, and outside of those that are closest to us. Yet we need someone close to us. That is the wonder of the incarnation: the Son of God became man, became our near kinsman, so that He could legally, righteously, and willingly pay what we could not.

A Personal Provision

Redemption is not a mere theological concept. It is a personal provision of Jesus Christ for the world. It is life-transforming, and it is only by Jesus Christ.

The provision of freedom is the result of the cross. And He offers that to you as a free gift of His grace — Him doing the work, Him providing what you cannot provide, Him paying the ransom price. He does not ask you to work for it. He asks you to believe it. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the cross, and the redemption that is in Christ Jesus becomes yours.

If you have believed, remember Him. Hold Him in your knowledge. Remember that His body was broken for you and His blood was shed for you. Trust in Jesus Christ who paid the full price for your soul, and who will one day redeem your body in the life that is to come.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Episode Description

Have you ever wondered why so much space in the Bible is given to the nation of Israel? Why most of the Bible is not written directly to you? What is Israel’s purpose, and how is that distinct from what God is doing today? And what does any of this have to do with how you live as a Christian?

In this episode, Pastor Josh continues the series on rightly handling the Word of God by examining the two great peoples in Scripture — Israel and the church — and the futures God has appointed for each. Israel was promised by God to be a great nation, the head of the nations, with an earthly kingdom established through the seed of the woman, the Lord Jesus Christ. The church, by contrast, was a mystery hid in God and revealed to the Apostle Paul — a body comprised of Jew and Gentile alike, no longer under the law but under grace, with a heavenly rather than earthly calling. Pastor Josh walks from Genesis 12 through Daniel 2 and into Ephesians 3, distinguishes Peter’s apostleship from Paul’s, and shows why this distinction matters profoundly for daily Christian living: you don’t want to apply to yourself what was revealed for a different people in a different time.

Key Scriptures

Genesis 12:1–3 — The Promise to Abram

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Deuteronomy 28:13 — The Head, and Not the Tail

And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them.

Deuteronomy 4:5–8 — Your Wisdom in the Sight of the Nations

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

Genesis 3:15 — The Seed of the Woman

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Daniel 2:44 — A Kingdom That Shall Stand For Ever

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Ephesians 3:1–7 — The Mystery Revealed to Paul

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Ephesians 1:22–23 — Christ the Head of the Church

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Romans 6:14 — Not Under the Law, but Under Grace

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Ephesians 2:14–15 — The Middle Wall of Partition Broken Down

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

Ephesians 1:10 — The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.

Colossians 1:20 — Reconciling All Things Through the Blood of His Cross

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Galatians 2:7–9 — Two Apostleships, Two Ministries

But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave me the right hand of fellowship; that we might go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

Episode Outline

1. The Opening Questions — Why so much of the Bible is about Israel, and why most of it is not written to you

2. Israel’s Heritage — From Abram in Genesis 12 to Jacob to the twelve tribes

3. A Great Nation and a Blessing — The promise that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham

4. The Head, Not the Tail — Israel’s greatness conditioned upon obedience to the law

5. A Sliver of Grace — David and Solomon as the one window of Israel’s glory, given by grace and not performance

6. Daniel 2 and the Kingdom — The God of heaven sets up a kingdom that shall stand for ever

7. The Seed of the Woman — Genesis 3:15 traced through Noah, Abraham, Judah, David, to Christ

8. Ephesians 3 and the Mystery — A revelation given to Paul that was not made known in other ages

9. The Church — Jew and Gentile in one body, Christ the head, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all

10. Under Grace, Not Under the Law — Romans 6:14 and the believer’s daily walk

11. A Heavenly Calling — Distinct from Israel’s promises concerning this earth

12. The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times — All things gathered together in Christ

13. Peter’s Apostleship and Paul’s — Galatians 2 on the two ministries

14. Why This Matters — Don’t apply to yourself what was revealed for another people in another time

Questions Discussed

1. Have you ever wondered why so much space in the Bible is given to the nation of Israel?

2. Have you ever wondered why most of the Bible is not written to you?

3. Why is Israel in the Bible — what is their purpose?

4. How is what God is doing today distinct from what He was doing with Israel?

5. Do I even have a role to play?

6. If Israel was promised to be the head of the nations, what changed with the revelation of the mystery to Paul?

7. What is the difference between being under the law and being under grace?

8. What is the difference between Israel’s earthly calling and the church’s heavenly calling?

9. Why does it matter that Peter and Paul were given two different apostleships?

We begin where Paul’s prayer begins: with breadth.

It would be easy to treat breadth as the most obvious of the four — the widest, the easiest to be understood. Surely breadth just means the love of Christ is very wide, that it reaches many people. But Ephesians does not let stay there. The epistle has its own account of what the breadth of Christ’s love means, and it is far more architecturally precise than a general statement about reach. Breadth in

Read more

Episode Description

Why does Leviticus 11 forbid the eating of certain meats while Paul calls that very prohibition a doctrine of devils in 1 Timothy 4? Why does Matthew 3 speak of three baptisms while Ephesians 4 declares there is only one? Are there contradictions in the Bible — or are we just seeing things? Few questions trip up serious Bible students more than these, and few are more important to answer rightly.

In this episode, Pastor Josh introduces two of the most important categories for understanding Scripture: prophecy and mystery. Prophecy is what God made known by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21). Mystery is what was kept secret from the foundation of the world but is now made manifest (Romans 16:25). And mystery itself comes in two forms — that which was witnessed in the Old Testament but not fully revealed, and that which was completely hid in God until the Apostle Paul. Recognize these categories, and apparent contradictions resolve. Miss them, and the Bible becomes a book of confusion — which the God of order is not the author of. This is the first in a series of episodes on rightly handling the Word of God.

Key Scriptures

1 Corinthians 14:33 — God Is Not the Author of Confusion

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Acts 3:19–21 — Spoken by the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Romans 16:25 — The Revelation of the Mystery

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.

Ephesians 3:1–6 — The Mystery Made Known by Revelation

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.

Ephesians 3:8–9 — The Fellowship of the Mystery

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:19–21 — Witnessed by the Law and the Prophets

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

Ephesians 2:11–13 — Time Past and But Now

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Leviticus 11:3–4 — Dietary Restrictions Under the Law

Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

1 Timothy 4:1–4 — Commanding to Abstain from Meats

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.

Matthew 3:11 — Three Baptisms in One Verse

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

Ephesians 4:4–5 — One Baptism

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

1 Corinthians 12:13 — Baptized by One Spirit into One Body

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Episode Outline

1. The Question — Are there contradictions in the Bible, or are we just seeing things?

2. God Is the God of Order — He is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33)

3. Progressive Revelation — God reveals Himself and His Son over time, not all at once

4. Defining Prophecy — What God spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21)

5. Defining Mystery — What was kept secret since the world began and is now made manifest (Romans 16:25)

6. Two Kinds of Mystery — Witnessed but not fully revealed, and completely hid in God

7. Manifest in Two Ways — A fuller revealing of what was witnessed, and the unveiling of what was hid

8. Time Past and But Now — Ephesians 2 and the shift from Gentile separation to “in Christ Jesus”

9. Paul’s Twofold Ministry — To fully reveal what was witnessed and to manifest what was hid

10. Apparent Contradiction One — Leviticus 11 dietary law vs. 1 Timothy 4 on meats

11. Apparent Contradiction Two — Three baptisms in Matthew 3 vs. one baptism in Ephesians 4

12. Which Baptism Is It? — The Spirit baptizing the believer into Christ the moment we believe the gospel

13. Reading God’s Word Rightly — Time past, but now, and the ages to come

Questions Discussed

1. Are there contradictions in the Bible — or are we just seeing things?

2. Why does Leviticus 11 forbid certain meats while 1 Timothy 4 calls that prohibition a doctrine of devils?

3. Why does Matthew 3 speak of three baptisms while Ephesians 4 declares there is only one?

4. What is the difference between prophecy and mystery?

5. What are the two kinds of mystery — and why does the distinction matter?

6. Why does the Apostle Paul function as a “monkey wrench” in our study of Scripture?

7. How does understanding “time past” and “but now” change the way we read the Bible?

8. Which baptism is the one baptism of Ephesians 4?