If God didn’t put this in His Word, there’d be no real importance to it. He chose to put it there because it’s important. And here’s why it matters: if you don’t know what was done to you, not by you, then your assurance will often collapse into performance. You’ll think you performed something, and therefore your new-creature-ness is dependent on you. Self-effort and religion never understand this operation. It’s always what I do, where I go, what I give — Jesus thrown in the mix as just a help to what I ultimately do. That completely negates the work of the Spirit. It negates the convicting work of the Spirit, the role of the ambassador and the Gospel being shared, and the ministry of the Spirit in the circumcision made without hands, the sealing, the regeneration no man can perform on himself, and certainly not some other man with holy water or a prescription. Only the Spirit of God can do that. Understand what was actually done to you, and your assurance gets more settled, not less.

We’ll take this in four parts: the diagnosis, applied in the moment the gospel is heard; the operation itself, and what it cuts and gives; and the result — the new identification that comes out the other side.

The Diagnosis, Applied

Every operation starts with the diagnosis. Before the scalpel is lifted, that’s where we begin. And a good doctor doesn’t operate blind, and neither does God. Jesus tells His disciples in John 16:7-8 that it’s expedient for Him to go away, because if He doesn’t, the Comforter won’t come — but if He departs, He’ll send Him. And when the Spirit comes, “he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Of sin, verse 9, because they believe not on Him. Of righteousness, verse 10, because He goes to the Father and they see Him no more — He’s their righteousness, and now the Spirit reproves them concerning where righteousness actually is. Of judgment, verse 11, because the prince of this world is judged. Three things the Spirit reproves the whole world of — not just Israel — and this reproving is illumination. It’s enlightening.

Remember, darkness is the cloak for the unbeliever’s excuse to keep sinning. The light of the Gospel comes in, penetrates the darkness, and doesn’t just address the darkness — it goes right to the issue. That’s why I love the Gospel. It cuts straight to the point. It doesn’t deal with the slogans people use to cover up their sin. It just says, that thing is sin, and you’re a sinner, and you’re guilty before God.

2 Corinthians 4:6 says it plainly: “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.” The same God who spoke light into Genesis speaks light into a darkened heart. You don’t see it take place, but it happens. And what does that light do first? It reproves the heart of sin. It reproves of righteousness — you can’t bring your own. And of judgment, because the prince of this world has already been judged.

This is part of the Spirit’s diagnosing ministry, and the darkness doesn’t want it made manifest. It’s done some good work keeping itself hid, filling a life with slogans and sayings to make it all right. And when the light of the Gospel comes blazing forth into that, there’s often offense, often a reaction of the flesh — but that’s part of the diagnosing ministry too. Because the conscience, once seared, gets scraped by the scalpel of the Gospel, and it cuts. That’s what the Word of God does. It’s sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the spiritual level. To the unbeliever it’s applying pressure. But it’s just light. Conviction is a good thing.

The Operation

This brings us to Colossians 2, where Paul is dealing with a church being duped and spoiled by philosophy and vain deceit, chasing something they’ve already been given in Christ. Verse 10: “Ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power, 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. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

You want to subject yourself to an outward circumcision with hands, when you’ve already received the one made without hands. You want to engage in some outward washing of baptism, when you’ve already received the baptism of the Spirit into Christ. You want to engage in your own operation, when you’ve already participated in the operation of God.

There’s an acronym some use to help hold the pieces together — CRIBS: circumcision, regeneration, indwelling, baptism, and sealing. I don’t think these transpire in that particular order, but it’s a way to help remember what took place.

Circumcision without hands is spiritual surgery, cutting away the sins of the flesh. This is what happens in the mind of the one who believes: not just hearing the diagnosis as if it’s some kind of true thing out there, but believing it’s true of me. I have a body of sin. Sin dwells in me. I have sinned. I have the flesh. That’s fundamentally understood regarding my sin and the debt and penalty of it. The Spirit circumcises the heart, and now everyone who needs to be on the same page is on the same page.

Baptism here is not water — it’s the reality water baptism was always pointing to. It’s union with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 6:3-4: “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.” Baptism encompasses the total and complete identification with Christ in His work — His death, burial, and resurrection.

Regeneration is the issue of death to life, and then reigning in that life. Titus 3:5 calls it “the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” The Greek word is palingenesia — new genesis, new life. This answers directly what we already saw about being dead to God, alive to sin. Now, through the Gospel and the Spirit’s work, we’ve been identified as dead to sin and alive unto God. We’ve been quickened. We’ve been regenerated. And this life is eternal, not temporary. It’s fixed in Jesus Christ.

Indwelling is the Spirit now taking up residence. Romans 8:9: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Not a visit. A residence.

Sealing is the guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13-14, and 4:30 all use the language — sealed with the Spirit of promise, the earnest of our inheritance, sealed unto the day of redemption. He sutures us up, and that can never be changed. These are eternal sutures. You can never be opened up again. You don’t need to. The procedure was so precisely done, so accurate, that the only thing left waiting is for this same inner man, already made new, to put on a body that matches it — which hasn’t happened yet, but must happen, because of the work already done within.

So the Spirit isn’t merely the physician who diagnoses. He’s the surgeon who performs the exact procedure needed. His incision and His technique are impeccable. He’s a master. And the work is finished. He closes it all up. He seals it, not to be reopened — not even by us.

The Result: A New Creature

2 Corinthians 5:17 lands the whole thing in one sentence: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” And 1 Corinthians 1:30 shows exactly what answers what: “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” Righteousness — that’s your justification. Sanctification — that’s your sanctification, plainly. And redemption — that’s your glorification, the redemption of the body still to come. Instead of condemned in Adam, you are justified in Christ. Instead of abomination in Adam, you are sanctified in Christ. Instead of alienation in Adam, you are glorified in Christ. Your identity is total and complete, and He has the exact remedy for everywhere we needed salvation.

What This Means for You

These things transpire when the seed of the Gospel reaches the fertile soil of the believing heart — when the patient, having heard the grave diagnosis, willingly subjects himself to the hand of the operator, to the hand of the Physician. Many cuts, but one operation. Life given. A new resident received. A permanent seal set. An old identity buried and a new one raised. If you’ve never believed this Gospel, that’s the whole of it — not performing the surgery yourself, not bringing your own tools, just believing what’s true and letting Him do what only He can do. He’s already diagnosed exactly what’s wrong. He already knows exactly what needs to be cut away and exactly what needs to be given. The only question is whether you’ll let Him operate.

If you’re already in Christ, this is worth returning to whenever your assurance starts drifting toward performance. You didn’t do this to yourself. You couldn’t have. The circumcision, the baptism, the regeneration, the indwelling, the sealing — every one of them was done to you, by a Physician whose technique is impeccable and whose work, once finished, He closes up and doesn’t reopen. What’s left isn’t more surgery. It’s living like the operation actually happened — because it did, whether you feel the incision or not.

— Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

This is the fifth article in a ten-part study on Union in Christ at Twin Cities Grace Fellowship. Next up: what it means to be justified, sanctified, and glorified in Christ — more teaching like this at beholding-christ.com.

There’s a false assumption people carry, and it isn’t merely ignorance of God. It’s an embraced ignorance — very studious, very knowledgeable ignorance of God. So we’re going to take this in four parts: first, what alienation is, and then three features of it — under the power of darkness, led by the spirit of this world, and darkness itself.

What Alienation Is

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:17-19 that Gentiles walk “in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

We’re not left to speculation about how the world walks. We’re given a very precise diagnosis of the darkness that prevails — not physical darkness under the sun, but the darkness that dwells in the hearts and minds of men. He starts with the vanity of their mind. It’s not that they don’t have a mind, or that they don’t exercise it. Their mind dabbles in and engages in vanity. It’s useless. It’s empty. It’s purposeless. It has no value in how they exercise the very faculty God gave them.

Then he says, having the understanding darkened. They do not have the understanding of God. They do not have an understanding of themselves or of how God made them to operate. And why is the understanding darkened? Because they’re alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them — not ignorance God gave them, but ignorance they embrace. And why the ignorance and the alienation? Because of the blindness of their heart. Their heart, their affections, their desires, their pursuits — blinded. They don’t see what they ought to see.

He goes further in verse 19: past feeling. They’re blind, they’re darkened, it’s vain — and it’s not pretty. This is like going to a doctor, feeling a little sick, and being told you have stage-four cancer in your liver, your lungs, your heart, everywhere, and your brain is about to shut down. You have no hope. That is the spiritual reality every person is born into, and what the world at large is still a part of.

Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives alienation four senses: a legal transfer of title, the state of being estranged, a withdrawing of the heart’s affections, and — strikingly — delirium, derangement of the mental faculties, insanity. Paul’s language draws on nearly all four at once. This is biblical psychology. You don’t need to go to a psychologist about your individual spiritual problems. You need to go to the Word of God and learn what you were naturally a part of, and see how your inward faculties work, and how you’ve used them against yourself.

Under the Power of Darkness

Colossians 1:13 says God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” We’ve already seen sin’s jurisdiction. But there’s a dominion within that jurisdiction. Not only do we, as servants of sin, commit those things — the power of darkness is the master’s own education, his teaching, for us to continue embracing sin. It’s the reason, the cause, the knowledge behind the obedience. It’s the same territory as sin’s jurisdiction, just looked at from a different angle — what makes the jurisdiction hostile to God in every particular aspect. It’s a governing force. It’s a mechanism. It’s the engine. It’s the weapon. It’s what makes this thing persist and gives it motion. And the one who reigns in this dominion, the prince of the power of the air, rules this territory and wields the sword of darkness over us so that we continue to cater to it — appealing to us, working to keep us content in it.

Ephesians 6:12 widens the scope: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 2:2 names a single individual — the prince of the power of the air. But here we see rulers, plural. It’s not just an individual. There’s a whole rank — principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world. It’s layered authority. It’s organized hierarchy.

Led by the Spirit of This World

This prince rules according to “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2) — a spirit that educates, that dabbles in everything, because God has thoughts about everything He’s instituted, and this spirit has to counter every one of them. Colossians 2:8 warns believers plainly: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” It comes out through philosophies — vain deceit, not after Jesus Christ, even when it borrows His name. The question is always whether it aligns with the Jesus Christ of the Bible and what He actually said.

The leading of this spirit doesn’t begin with an act. It’s a counterfeit of the Spirit of God. How does the Spirit of God work? He teaches, He gives us words. That’s exactly what the spirit of this world does too, which is why you have to be mindful of what you allow in — the things themselves often aren’t evil, it’s what’s on the airwaves, what’s being taught, how you’re being educated by the spirit of this world. And it works through deceit, which is deliberate. Not an honest mistake — a trick designed to make a lie pass for truth, made harder for the light to penetrate the longer it’s kept hidden instead of addressed.

The Puritan William Greenhill put the pull of it plainly: “there is a great suitableness between the world and our corrupt hearts and natures — its pleasures, profits, and honors suit our fancies and our dispositions exactly, because the world is the devil’s instrument for leading men and women captive, offering each one the particular bait suited to his own taste.” We don’t serve this prince in Adam because he’s strong. We serve him because he’s crafty, and because he’s generous in giving us exactly what we already wanted.

Loving the Darkness

John 3:18-20 puts the sharpest point on all of this. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” And then: “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Notice what it doesn’t say. It doesn’t say men love sin — though they do. It says they love darkness. Light has come into the world to address their sinfulness, but it also has to deal with the darkness they cloak themselves in concerning it. The condemnation isn’t only that you’re a sinner. It’s that you love the very thing that keeps you in it. “Neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” Pride would rather hold onto the deed than be corrected of it, even when the correction is the only door out.

“I’m Fine”

This is the objection every person still in Adam is quietly making, whether they say it out loud or not — I’m fine, it’s okay. It’s like someone shown a terminal diagnosis, stage four, two days to live, looking at the results and saying, I’m good, while they’re coughing up blood. That’s not confidence. It’s the darkness itself, functioning exactly as it’s designed to — convincing the patient there’s nothing to diagnose. But the doctor, Jesus Christ, doesn’t come along and say you’re fine. He says He came as the great physician to save sinners — to save you, from your terminal spiritual illness. He doesn’t just give the proper diagnosis. He gives the exact remedy.

To the One Still in Adam

Let me be plain about what a Christian actually is — not someone who attends church, or grew up around it, or found something appealing about it. A Christian is someone who believes this: that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, that He came and died not for the sins of the world in the abstract but for yours specifically, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day. And that He extends to you what He did on the cross — paying the debt and penalty of your sin — so that if it doesn’t get applied to you, you will pay for it yourself, for all eternity. You don’t have a righteousness before Him. The righteousness of God in Christ has to be given to you. And the only way you receive it — the only way — is not some pseudo-spirituality, not works you’ve conjured up because they once seemed practical. It’s by faith. I trust not myself. Not one iota. I abandon myself, I abandon all my own ways to God, and I only believe in Jesus Christ and what He has done for me. That’s the whole of it. And here’s the wonderful thing about it: it’s simple. It’s so simple. Because He did all the work. It only takes our own flesh and our own thinking to complicate it. A Christian isn’t defined by attending church or finding something appealing in it — it’s what you believe about Jesus Christ and what He’s done concerning your sin.

To the One Already in Christ

We don’t get to assume union with Christ makes us immune to this same darkness. We can still fall victim to the world’s alienation from God — still generate our own opinions and conclusions out of our own greediness rather than out of what God has said, still mistake a self-generated sense of pleasing God for actual faith in Him. What’s at stake in both cases is the same thing: the authority of Scripture, the authority of the Spirit, against a darkness that always insists it can see just fine.

We were sometimes darkness, Paul says — not merely once in darkness, but darkness, fully identified with it, the same way sin fully identified us as its servants. But now are we light in the Lord. Our whole identity has changed. Because of Jesus Christ we are light, led by the light so that we might be enlightened truly, and able to propagate that light inwardly in mind and heart and outwardly in works — the same way we once propagated darkness. Hold onto even a little of that light in a world this dark, and it will shine far brighter than you expect.

— Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

This is the fourth article in a ten-part study on Union in Christ at Twin Cities Grace Fellowship. Next up: the operation of God that moves a person out of Adam and into Christ — more teaching like this at beholding-christ.com.

Episode Description

Why does a loving God allow suffering in the lives of His people? And what is God doing in our trials that we might not see at the moment? These are not merely philosophical questions -- they are the questions every believer will face at some point in their life. The question is not whether we will suffer. It is how we will respond when we do.

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines the origin, purpose, and proper response to suffering and trials. Suffering entered the world through sin (Genesis 3) and comes to the believer through three channels: the general effects of the fallen world, the persecution that comes from living godly in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12), and the consequences of our own poor choices. But whatever the cause, God’s purpose remains the same: to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29), to chasten us for our profit that we might be partakers of His holiness (Hebrews 12), and to wean us from earthly comforts and fix our eyes on the eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). No suffering is wasted. The comfort we receive becomes the ministry we give. And we who are in Christ are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

Key Scriptures

Genesis 3:17-18 -- Cursed Is the Ground

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.

John 16:33 -- In the World Ye Shall Have Tribulation

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1 Peter 4:12 -- Think It Not Strange

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.

2 Timothy 3:12 -- All That Will Live Godly Shall Suffer Persecution

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Romans 8:18 -- Not Worthy to Be Compared

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:28-29 -- All Things Work Together for Good

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 -- An Eternal Weight of Glory

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Hebrews 12:10-11 -- Chastened for Our Profit

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 -- My Grace Is Sufficient

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Philippians 4:6-7 -- Be Careful for Nothing

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6-7 -- Cast All Your Care upon Him

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 -- Comfort Wherewith We Ourselves Are Comforted

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Romans 8:37 -- More Than Conquerors

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Episode Outline

1. The Origin of Suffering -- Sin, judgment, and the curse upon the earth (Genesis 3:17-18)

2. Three Sources of Suffering -- The fallen world; living godly in Christ Jesus; our own sin and its consequences

3. In the World Ye Shall Have Tribulation -- John 16:33 and the certainty of suffering for every believer

4. What God Is Doing -- Conforming us to Christ’s image; weaning from earthly comforts (Romans 8:28-29)

5. Chastening for Our Profit -- Hebrews 12:10-11 and partaking of His holiness

6. Light Affliction and Eternal Weight of Glory -- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 and the eternal perspective

7. My Grace Is Sufficient -- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; strength made perfect in weakness

8. The Believer’s Response -- Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7), casting care (1 Peter 5:7), worship not grumbling

9. Suffering as Ministry -- Comforted to comfort; our trials become testimonies (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

10. No Suffering Is Wasted -- More than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37)

Questions Discussed

1. Why does a loving God allow suffering in the lives of His people?

2. What is God doing in your trial that you might not be able to see at the moment?

3. How can suffering become a means of growth rather than despair?

4. What are the three sources of suffering -- and do you know which kind you are in?

5. How does the eternal weight of glory change your posture toward present suffering?

6. Are you clinging to God through your suffering -- or severing relationship because of it?

7. How has the comfort you have received in a trial prepared you to comfort someone else?

Episode Description

What does it truly mean to walk in the Spirit? And what fruit or evidence should show up in the life of someone who is Spirit-led? Walking in the Spirit is not a vague spiritual feeling or a heightened emotional state. It is the most precise and practical thing in the Christian life -- a continual dependency on a Person who dwells within, teaches through the Word, and leads through the mind.

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines what it means to walk in the Spirit day by day. The Spirit’s ministry is not merely influence; it is transformation -- teaching the mind of Christ, renewing the understanding, and producing fruit that the flesh could never manufacture (Galatians 5:22-23). Walking in the Spirit begins in the mind: filling it with the Word, meditating on what the Spirit teaches, and proving the will of God not as a formula but as a living, faith-driven outworking in the unique circumstances of each believer’s life (Romans 12:2). Sowing to the Spirit means engaging now with things that are eternal -- laying hold on eternal life while still in this body. The call is not to try harder, but to learn more and trust deeper.

Key Scriptures

Galatians 5:16-17 -- Walk in the Spirit and Ye Shall Not Fulfil the Lust of the Flesh

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Galatians 5:22-23 -- The Fruit of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Romans 8:5-6, 9 -- They That Are After the Spirit Mind the Things of the Spirit

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace... But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 -- We Have the Mind of Christ

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned... For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Ephesians 4:20-21 -- Taught by Him as the Truth Is in Jesus

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.

Philippians 2:3-5 -- Let This Mind Be in You Which Was Also in Christ Jesus

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:2 -- Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Galatians 6:8 -- He That Soweth to the Spirit Shall Reap Life Everlasting

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Proverbs 3:5-6 -- Acknowledge Him in All Thy Ways

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

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.

Episode Outline

1. The Spirit’s Indwelling vs. the Spirit’s Filling -- Having the Spirit and being filled are not the same (Galatians 5:16)

2. The Battle Within -- The flesh lusts against the Spirit; the new conflict of the believer (Galatians 5:17)

3. The Spirit Leads Through the Mind -- Not through the belly or emotions, but through renewed understanding (Romans 8:5-6)

4. The Mind of Christ -- The Spirit teaches us Jesus; 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, Ephesians 4:20-21, Philippians 2:5

5. Renewing the Mind and Proving the Will of God -- Romans 12:2 and the objective/subjective distinction

6. Sowing to the Spirit -- Engaging now with eternal things; Galatians 6:8 and laying hold on eternal life

7. Fill, Meditate, Pray -- The practical sequence: Word in the mind, rumination, prayer in conjunction

8. Trust Deeper, Not Try Harder -- The walk is by faith, not formula; Proverbs 3:5-6

Questions Discussed

1. What does it truly mean to walk in the Spirit -- and how is that different from trying harder?

2. Do you know you have the Spirit? Do you know the role of His ministry in your life?

3. Why does walking in the Spirit begin in the mind rather than in outward effort?

4. What is the difference between having the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit?

5. What does it mean to prove the will of God -- and how does the objective and subjective distinction help?

6. Are you sowing to the Spirit or to the flesh -- and what are you reaping?

7. Are you partaking in the Spirit’s ministry of learning, meditating, and praying in view of all things of life?

By definition, condemnation is the judicial act of declaring one guilty and dooming him to punishment. It’s the state of being condemned. You are tried, the verdict has been dealt, the sentence has been given, and there is a declaration of guilty appropriate to the crime. And yet condemnation is often treated by the one who is actually condemned as if it’s a neutral thing — not a verdict already rendered, already enforced, but just a risk maybe hanging over the head. That is not what Scripture says. It’s not what it says at all.

Paul isn’t describing a gradual accumulation of guilt through personal sins, even though there is that too. He’s describing a judicial verdict rendered through one man’s offense that extends to all men legally with him. So you don’t become condemned. You’re born it. That’s what you inherit from Adam. Condemnation is what you stand under. What you stand under is sin itself.

We first took a look at the issue of abomination, the issue of our uncleanness — that has to do with our identity being unclean, and therefore the works produced from that uncleanness being unclean too. Condemnation is the legal shape of that same identity. So we’re going to look at four things: what condemnation means, by definition, and then three features regarding our condemnation in Adam — what it means to be under sin, what the wages of sin are, and what it means to be guilty before God.

Under Sin

Come with me to Romans 3:9, a few chapters back. Are we better than they, Paul asks — Jew better than Gentile? "No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin." Under is the state of subjection, the state of being under control, governed and ruled by. Paul has spent two and a half chapters proving Jew and Gentile alike in this condition — not that individuals sin occasionally, but that both categories of humanity, without exception, live under sin's jurisdiction. Galatians 3:22 confirms it in sharper terms still: "The scripture hath concluded all under sin." Mankind confined, with no exit, no escape, no excuse. Every man in Adam already inside sin's jurisdiction, and therefore already inside its condemned state — not awaiting judgment, but already under it. Jurisdiction does not ask your opinion of its laws. It only asks whether you are standing inside its borders, and by birth you already are.

Grace Multiplies What Adam Multiplied

Here’s what makes this doctrine, grim as it is, precious rather than merely heavy. Romans 5:16 draws a contrast most people rush past: “The judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.” One offense brought condemnation. But the free gift addresses many offenses — not just Adam’s, but every one that followed him. Grace mathematics works this way: if Christ dies for Adam’s one sin, and one more, grace is already twice as powerful as what Adam brought in. If He dies for ten sins, it’s ten times as powerful. Do the math on a lifetime of sins and you start to see why this still brings me to tears every time I sit with it. It doesn’t mean He wants you to sin — God forbid. But when you start questioning your salvation over your own sin, remember the math. You never measured your standing by your record to begin with. Why start now?

The Wages of Sin

To add to all of that, you have the wages of sin. Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Sin’s payment isn’t a threat hanging over the guilty. It’s a wage already earned, the way any laborer is owed for service rendered. And a wage is not a one-time strike — it’s an ongoing payment for what’s been done, measured out, not just simply declared. Romans 2:5 shows the bill still growing: “After thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath.” Not freedom. Not grace. Not mercy. Not escape or excuse, leniency or clemency. Just wrath.

I was reading a book by a man named George Swinnock once, and in it he gave one of the most graphic descriptions I’ve found of the wages of sin. I remember reading it one night and it brought me to tears — Lord, don’t let me lose this sight of Your judgment, in which I would not open my mouth to proclaim the gospel as the remedy. He pictures a soul at the very moment of death, still reckoning, too late, with everything it had refused to reckon with before:

“Now your soul stands quivering upon your pale lips, ready to take its flight to its eternal home. You see devils, like so many ravening and roaring lions, looking and longing, for you—their prey. Your past sins trouble you. Oh, how you curse your pastimes and pleasures, your companions and possessions, which stole away your time and affections and hindered your preparation for such a dreadful hour! . . . Now, my day is past, my soul is lost, heaven’s gate is shut. Woe, it is too late! The blessed God, in whose favor is life, to whom I said, ‘Depart from me,’ has now fixed my doom to depart from Him forever.”1

Swinnock doesn't let the picture end there. He goes on to describe a misery with no end date to imagine, no arithmetic that makes it bearable — a mind still fully alive, but permanently cut off from anything that could be called living, endlessly arriving at a death it can never finish dying. That's what awaits man apart from Christ. And a wage is not a threat. It's a receipt that is already written, just waiting now to be collected. Every day one lives in Adam, unrepentant, treasures up more of it.

Guilty Before God

And finally, we're guilty before God. Romans 3:19: "That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." Guiltiness needs to be understood two ways. There's the feeling of guilt, which a person can have or not have. And there's the legal standing, which doesn't move either way. There might be someone before a judge who truly doesn't think what they did was wrong, and yet the verdict and the sentence have already been passed, whether they feel guilty or not. Guilt today in our world is a feeling that just needs to be managed, a mistake to be corrected. But it's a legal standing before God to be known, not something received because you feel guilty or not. The Word says it, and the law was given so that you would know that you are. And it isn't partial — one point of failure implicates you under the whole law, because the One who made all the laws is God, and if you offend Him at one point, you offend Him at every point. Every mouth may be stopped. Not a partial stop, and not only a select group. Every mouth stops.

Two Ways to Get This Wrong

Condemnation is a legal problem, but it's a legal problem before God that has a solution. When there's a misunderstanding of condemnation, it can produce one of two errors: a false security — I'm not that bad — or a crushing despair with no remedy in view — I could never be forgiven. But when it's rightly understood, it presses you toward the only place where grace and mercy and forgiveness can actually be found. As grim as it is, harsh as it is, once you can't take either of those two erroneous positions, you're left only with Jesus Christ.

To the One Still in Adam

Everything we've discussed — under sin, wages earned, guilty before God — traces back to one thread: Adam. You're not on trial. The trial is over. The verdict was rendered the moment you were born in Adam, and every day since has just been you adding to the bill. You have likely been treating your standing before God as an open question — something still to be decided, still up for negotiation, still dependent on how the rest of your life goes. And yet it isn't open. It's closed. The verdict is already in. The only remaining question is whether you'll hear it from God now, on the terms of mercy, or later, on the terms of justice. There's only one way this verdict changes — not by good behavior improving your case, not by time reducing the debt, but by believing on the One who already paid it in full. Jesus Christ bore the wages your sin earned, was condemned in your place, and rose again the third day so the verdict against you could be reversed, not ignored. If you have never believed on what Christ has done for you, today is the day to be saved.

To the One Already in Christ

This was our verdict too. It wasn't hypothetical — it was the one we actually stood under before the grace of God appeared and we believed. The condemnation was real, the debt was real, the guilt was real, and every bit of it was paid — not waived, paid by Jesus Christ. So may we never let familiarity with the doctrine of justification dull the size of what it actually addressed. If looking at these things has only produced relief that you're no longer under this verdict, it has only done half of its work. It should also produce a genuine, trembling gratitude. We were not almost condemned, not partially guilty. We were under the full weight of everything looked at here — and Christ absorbed it. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). I pray that the weight of this would have its ongoing work in us — not just a fear, but something that leads us to worship. Not worship only in the sense of singing songs, but the kind that transforms you, that changes your thinking, that begins to educate you and change your life.

— Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

This is the third article in a ten-part study on Union in Christ at Twin Cities Grace Fellowship. Next up: alienation — more teaching like this at beholding-christ.com.

Episode Description

Where does the Christian walk begin? Is it with willpower, religious discipline, or moral effort? And what is the difference between a believer striving in the flesh and a believer walking after the Spirit? The question is not whether to have activity -- Scripture calls the believer to good works. The question is where that activity comes from.

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines the two operating systems available to the Christian: flesh and Spirit. The flesh cannot produce what pleases God, even when pointed at good things like the law. Romans 7 exposes this failure; Romans 8 provides the alternative. Walking after the Spirit means the Spirit becomes the source, the Word becomes the instruction, and the inner man becomes the dwelling place from which true fruit flows outward. Two pitfalls threaten this walk: Galatianism -- the tendency to return to law-keeping as the path to spiritual growth (Galatians 3:3) -- and Corinthianism -- the drift toward the world’s wisdom as a substitute for God’s. The alternative to both is 2 Corinthians 9:8: God’s grace is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you may abound in every good work.

Key Scriptures

Ephesians 2:10 -- Created unto Good Works

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

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 7:7, 14-15 -- The Struggle of the Flesh Under the Law

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law... For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Romans 8:1, 4-5 -- Walking After the Spirit

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit... That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

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.

Galatians 2:20 -- Christ Liveth in Me

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 3:3 -- Having Begun in the Spirit

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

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.

2 Corinthians 9:8 -- All Grace Abound Toward You

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

1 Corinthians 2:9-12 -- Revealed unto Us by His Spirit

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God... Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Romans 12:1-2 -- Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind

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. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Episode Outline

1. Where the Christian Walk Begins -- Not in willpower or effort, but in God’s grace (Ephesians 2:10, Romans 6:14)

2. The Flesh Defined -- Our natural infirmity, insufficiency, and inability to please God

3. The Law and the Flesh -- Romans 7 and why the law is holy yet weak through the flesh (Romans 8:3)

4. Walking After the Spirit -- Spirit as source, Word as instruction, inner man as dwelling place (Romans 8:1-5)

5. It Is No Longer I but Christ -- Galatians 2:20 and the grace that produces what flesh cannot

6. Pitfall One: Galatianism -- Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3)

7. Pitfall Two: Corinthianism -- The drift toward the world’s wisdom in place of God’s (1 Corinthians 2:9-12)

8. Grace Sufficient for Every Good Work -- 2 Corinthians 9:8 as the operating principle of the Christian walk

9. Flesh-Driven vs. Spirit-Led -- Outward vanity and emptiness vs. inward transformation producing outward fruit

Questions Discussed

1. Where does the Christian walk begin -- and what is actually powering your walk?

2. What is the flesh -- and why can it not please God even when directed at good things?

3. What is the difference between walking after the flesh and walking after the Spirit?

4. What is Galatianism -- and are you susceptible to it?

5. What is Corinthianism -- and how does the world’s wisdom creep into the Christian life?

6. Are you striving in your own strength, or by His mighty power that effectually works in those who believe?

7. Is your Christianity outward effort with inward emptiness -- or inward transformation producing outward fruit?

This is the second lesson in a ten-lesson series on our identity in Christ. The first lesson laid the groundwork. This lesson, along with the next two, examines our identity in Adam before we turn to the mechanism by which that identity changes, and then to our identity in Christ itself. These next three lessons will be grim. But the doctrine of our union in Christ shines brightly only against the backdrop of who we are by nature.

The goal here is not to consider how you view yourself, how the world views you, or what your own heart or reputation might suggest. What matters is what God says. What is His verdict? Scripture is not vague on this point — and it is, in one sense, the offense of the cross. The cross says: I need to die for you, because you are so vile, so wretched, so wicked, from head to toe, inside and outside, that everything you touch becomes unclean because you are unclean. Christ has to come and do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. People do not like to hear this. They do not want to admit how wretched they are.

Abomination in Adam

Titus 1:15–16 sets the starting point: “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

Paul is writing to Titus about the believers on Crete. He notes that they profess to know God — but a verbal profession doesn’t always mean something. “In works they deny him.” That is their behavior, their conduct, their manner of life. And Paul doesn’t prescribe behavior modification as the remedy. He goes to the root: being abominable. Not merely what they do, but the essence of their being — the core of who they are — is abominable, and so their works deny Him. They are disobedient “unto every good work.” Every good work. Not “over here I need help, but over here I’m good.” As one in Adam, there is abomination — full stop.

There are only two places of union available from God’s perspective: union with Adam (Romans 5) or union with Christ. We are born in Adam by natural birth and natural inheritance. What Adam did gets passed on to us. We inherit it.

Three things are worth seeing here: God’s reckoning of us prior to anything we do is that we are detestable, unclean, profane — biblical words — with an identity with sin so total and so inherent that nothing less than justification, sanctification, and glorification in Christ can meet it.

This matters because most people carry a settled verdict of themselves: not perfect, but decent. “I’m good enough.” How many times has someone responded to the gospel by saying they’re good enough, or better than the next person? That itself is a self-verdict that concedes sin — “I’m better than this person, but I’m not perfect” still means you need forgiveness, a righteousness you don’t possess. And people assume that verdict is shared by God.

Psalm 50:16–17 exposes this: “But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes...? Seeing thou hatest instruction... when thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him... thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit... these things hast thou done, and I kept silence.” Verse 21 gives their interpretation of that silence: “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself.” That’s man making God in his own image — not some equal image, but a sinful one, so that adultery and theft become things God is supposedly fine with, simply because He hasn’t directly spoken. Yet these people had the law. They had the Ten Commandments. They knew what sin was.

If a person never faces God’s actual verdict on them, they will settle for a false one of their own making — and trade Christ’s remedy for religion. This shows up even now: a resurgence of interest in religion, in behavior modification, in self-improvement — anything that doesn’t require being saved, because in their own estimate, they were never that far gone in the first place. But a false self-assessment cannot bear the weight of what the gospel actually cost: a Son crucified, penalty-bearing, substitutionary, on the cross under the wages of sin. None of that makes sense for someone who only needed a little correcting. They don’t need a raising from the dead.

Rightly grasping this is also what produces good works. Ephesians 2 says believers in Christ are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works — but those works don’t close a gap we’ve invented. They flow from knowing Him and what He has provided. Get the verdict about Adam wrong, and even good works become something we’ve done, something we can take credit for, rather than fruit that stems only from His grace, from beholding Him and being changed. The clear verdict doesn’t just tell us we need forgiveness — it tells us we need a radically new identity, and it becomes the basis of ongoing humility. God is not merely a one-time rescue out of Adam; He is our continual strength and refuge every day we remain in Christ.

Three Features: Dead to God, Alive to Sin, Enemies of God

Ephesians 2:1–3 lays these out together: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world... and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Here is a deadness that is nonetheless active — dead in trespasses and sins, yet walking (v. 2). That’s the abomination. Verse 3 adds God’s judicial verdict — condemnation — “children of wrath.” And there is alienation: separation, estrangement, no access to God.

Ephesians 4:17–18 develops the alienation: “That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” Their heart blinds them, so they are ignorant of their own alienation — and they mistake that alienation for life itself, because they have pleasure in sin.

Isaiah 1:4–6 gives the illustration of sickness: “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” This is why, when the Lord comes to earth healing the sick and the blind left and right, it is a teaching and an illustration — real events that also point to His power to address the spiritual sickness of the inner man. He comes not for those who are healthy, but those who are sick — those who understand there is a problem.

Romans 5:16 distinguishes condemnation from the gift: “The judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.” The gift is greater — it deals not only with Adam’s offense but with our own offenses in Adam. Abomination is highlighted before condemnation because Scripture typically presents the identity and its fruit before the judicial verdict against it.

When God saves, He first judicially declares us righteous in Christ, then gives us a whole new identity: instead of abomination, sanctification; instead of condemnation, justification; instead of alienation, glorification — instead of eternal estrangement, immediate access, and one day, a glorified body before Him in love.

Dead to God

The word abomination carries the sense of extreme hatred, detestation, defilement, pollution — evil doctrines and practices that are moral defilements. In Titus 1, Paul describes those who profess to know God while their works deny Him: the profession is intact, but the mind and conscience are defiled, so nothing that follows from that root — however religious it looks — is actually pure. Abomination isn’t a verdict on isolated bad acts. It’s a verdict on the root.

Romans 6:11 states the positive, from which we deduce the prior condition: “Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Before that “through Jesus Christ our Lord,” the reality was reversed — dead to God, alive to sin.

Man is not merely flawed toward God. He is dead toward Him. But this deadness is not inactivity — Scripture says he is “dead in his trespasses and sins,” which means he is doing a great deal of trespassing and sinning. The issue isn’t a cessation of activity; it’s the continuation of activity from a dead root — activity that can’t produce anything unto God. And men at large don’t even know they’re dead. They’re hourly active and unaware of their own plight.

Sin does what death cannot: it separates a man, while he is still very much alive, from God, who is the light and life of our lives. Nothing can separate a believer from the love of God — but sin severs relation to God in a man who is not yet in Christ.

James 2:26 defines physical death by comparison: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.” Death is separation — of spirit from body. In the same way, to be dead to God is to be wholly separated from Him — spirit, soul, and body (echoing 1 Thessalonians 5’s language of being “wholly” sanctified).

Paul himself is the case study: a religious man, certain of his own righteousness, persecuting the church while believing he was defending God. What he needed wasn’t more religious achievement — he needed to recognize he was a sinner like anyone else, needing to be quickened just as much as everyone else.

Romans 3:9–12 drives this home: “Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin... There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that seeketh after God... there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Dead men don’t know they are dead — that is precisely what makes them dead, not merely dying. You don’t ask a corpse whether it is a corpse.

Alive to Sin

Being dead to God is only half the diagnosis. The other half is that we are alive to sin. Man isn’t merely capable of sin — he pursues it, runs after it, the way a man runs after what he loves. Sin isn’t merely present in the unregenerate heart; it’s craved, loved, pursued with the passion a starving man brings to food — because to that heart, sin is food.

Romans 6 uses the language of servanthood, and it’s not a servant dragged unwillingly to his master — it’s a servant who loves his master, who runs to sin and calls that running freedom, liberty, progression. Job 15:16 pictures it starkly: “How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water” — the way water is a necessity of life. Proverbs 4:16–17 adds: “They sleep not, except they have done mischief... they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.”

Romans 6:14–19 develops the servant theme. Verse 16: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Verse 18: “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” — meaning that before, we were servants of sin. Jesus makes the same point in John 8:34: “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Verse 20: “When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness... the end of those things is death.”

Consider the Old Testament picture of the bondservant who, given the chance to walk free, instead says, “I love my master, I don’t want to go out free, I want to live with him the rest of my life” — and has his ear bored through as a mark of devotion. That posture is usually preached toward those who love Christ. But it is the same posture the natural man holds toward sin. Not compelled — consenting. Not merely obeying — loving the one he obeys. It isn’t reluctant compliance; it’s approval, pleasure taken in the very things a man knows condemn him.

Romans 1:32 confirms this: “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.” They know the verdict and delight in it anyway — and delight in others who do likewise, because misery loves company.

Where does this servanthood operate? Romans 7:5 answers: “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.” It operates first in the body itself — sin’s motions stirring before a single outward act takes shape. Romans 6:13 calls the members “instruments of unrighteousness” — the same word used of weapons of warfare in Ephesians 6. What should have been offered to God is offered instead to self — to self-service, self-preservation, self-satisfaction. It is, in fact, warfare against God.

Paul calls this “the body of sin,” and two chapters later, “the body of this death.” This is the whole-scope wound pictured in Isaiah 1 — “the whole head... sick... the whole heart faint... no soundness in it.” And because the wound is total, the remedy must match its scope: not partial sanctification, but whole sanctification — spirit, soul, and body. Salvation operates in three tenses: saved from the debt and penalty of sin (dealing with condemnation), saved from the power of sin (dealing with abomination), and saved from the presence of sin (glorification).

The one in Adam is not merely sick with sin — he’s in love with it, even though it’s killing him, even though he’s dead. This isn’t a man merely infected with sin; sin has made him alive to it, and he calls it life. The exact things Scripture condemns, our culture now glorifies openly — nothing new, only unveiled. The one in Adam doesn’t serve sin because he must. He serves it because he loves its wages, even without having tasted them — every appetite fed is a debt collected, and what feels like life is truly death, taking its payment in installments.

Enemies of God

This is the stamp on it all. Romans 5:10 speaks of being “reconciled to God by the death of his Son” — implying the prior state was not merely sin committed and loved, but enmity: identification with sin so complete that our master has named us after his own works. We’re not merely those who commit idolatry — we become idolaters. Not merely those who commit adultery — we’re named adulterers.

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 lists the names: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers... nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” Romans 8:7 sharpens it further: “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” An enemy is one who is unfriendly, who hates and desires to injure another — a foe, an adversary — which is the very meaning of the name Satan.

Iniquity was first found not in Adam, but in Lucifer — lifted in pride, and rather than taking that iniquity to his Father, he cultivated it, increased it, trafficked it, until it reached Adam and Eve. That which originated in him — the “seed of evildoers” of Isaiah 1 — is now in Adam and passed to everyone after him. Our father, apart from Christ, is not God the Father but the father of the lie. And the servant of sin embraces the name given him: “I’m an adulterer, I’m a fornicator, and there’s nothing you can do about it” — loving the wages of sin without tasting them.

This adversarial posture is not confined to the mind. Genesis says every imagination of the heart was only evil continually. Colossians 1:21 speaks of being “alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works.” Psalm 10:4 notes it even in outward bearing: “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.” And in activity — “none righteous... none doeth good” — they earn the name: enemies, fornicators, the covetous, the whoremonger, and they forfeit the inheritance of the kingdom of God’s dear Son.

Psalm 51:5 completes the picture: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Job asks, “How can a man who is born of a woman be clean?” We are born in Adam, servants to the sin whose name follows us, children of the father the Scriptures identify with sin and iniquity.

The Remedy

These are the three features of abomination in Adam: dead to God, alive to sin, enemies of God. Grim — but useful. Paul later reminds believers in Titus 3 not to forget what they once were, hateful and hating one another, until the grace and love of God appeared and changed that. It’s only by that same grace that it changes now, and believers become the lens and the manifestation of it to those around them.

Consider the Old Testament leper — unclean, unable to approach God, required to call out “unclean, unclean” and keep his distance, with the priest able only to identify the disease, not heal it. In the same way, sin leaves us with no one able to take it away — until the Lord Jesus Christ comes. And unlike the priest, when He touches the leper, He does not become unclean; He cleanses the leper. He is the way, the truth, and the life — there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved.

If the clarity of your predicament in Adam is not yet apparent, believe what Scripture makes plain: it is all there, and it is not a diagnosis without a remedy. He will not take you as you are — you are an abomination to Him, condemned, alienated — but He comes to you, and provides the way for you to come to Him. Give up your own righteousness; Scripture calls it filthy rags. Whatever you might bring to Him as though it could save you, He strikes down and replaces with the true remedy.

There is no promise of another day. The hope found in Jesus Christ, grounded in His resurrection from the dead, stands unlike anything any other religion offers — a hope that stabilizes, strengthens, and comforts through every trial, until sorrow and tears are wiped away and swallowed up in victory, and joy and true pleasures remain forevermore in the presence of our God and King.

Look Up,

—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Walking Circumspectly by Redeeming the Time in Our Walk

In Ephesians, it was only a matter of time (all pun intended) before Paul would address the matter of time in the believers walk. Whether physically walking or spiritually walking time is to be considered in one way or another. All is being drawn to the dispensation of the fulness of times (Ephesians 1:10) that the fulness of His purpose in Christ would be realized (Ephesians 1:9).

In Ephesians chapter 5, we are called to “redeem the time,” a concept that resonates deeply when we consider its context. As believers, interconnected with Paul’s imperatives and rooted identity in Christ, we are not just to see ourselves justified and sanctified in God’s sight, but to actively engage in the transforming of our mind. Walking circumspectly, not as fools but wise, we recognize the fleeting nature of time amid evil days. Paul illuminates our journey by contrasting darkness and light, urging us not only to distance ourselves from the unfruitful works of darkness but to manifest light and truth in these evil days. This duality between our past blindness and our current enlightenment in Christ motivates our every step. As we embrace who we are in Him, each moment becomes a divine opportunity to bring forth God’s wisdom and goodness into the world. Let us, therefore, meditate upon the glory and urgency of this exhortation, living with purposeful intent, redeeming each precious moment given to us.

Walking circumspectly involves more than just cautious living; it requires us to actively reprove and expose the unfruitful works of darkness that pervade our world. Our life is not just about avoidance of sin but about manifesting the light that now dwells within us. Redeeming the time calls for us to make wise decisions, aligning our daily lives with the purpose and identity we have in Christ. Inherent in this call is the recognition that the days are filled with evil, yet in this bleak landscape, we are called to be beacons of light, offering something uniquely different—a life infused with God’s wisdom and goodness. The concept of a “circumspect walk” is intricately connected with “redeeming the time” as it instructs believers to approach their daily lives with careful consideration amidst a world characterized by evil days. A circumspect walk involves looking around with spiritual awareness, being mindful of one’s actions and decisions in light of biblical truth, and aligning one’s life with the wisdom and righteousness that God provides. This approach to life encourages believers to be intentional about utilizing every opportunity, ensuring that their time is spent in ways that honor God and reflect their identity in Christ. By walking circumspectly, believers are equipped to redeem the time by bringing light into darkness and demonstrating the goodness, righteousness, and truth of the Spirit, thereby transforming mundane moments into spiritually fruitful ones.

Perspective of Time

When examining the concept of time, we observe two distinct perspectives that shape our understanding and utilization of it. The first perspective views time as a linear progression, a constant, unwavering march from past to present, and onto the future. From the beginning unto the end. This viewpoint often encapsulates the reality that our lives are bound by the constraints of minutes, hours, days, and years, each moment fleeting and irretrievable. This view inherently acknowledges the temporality of our earthly existence and implores us to make the most of the time allotted, consciously discerning how we, as believers in Christ, might align our walk with His will, redeeming every moment in these evil days.

Another perspective of time is akin to viewing it through the lens of opportunities and seasons rather than a mere succession of identical units. It recognizes the seasons as “splits” of time within this flow of time to be most fruitful and impactful. This view values the significance of moments—the appointed times ordained by God where His divine purpose unfolds in our lives. It suggests a qualitative rather than a quantitative examination of our temporal pilgrimage, understanding that in redeeming the time, we aren’t merely counting the hours but are earnestly seeking the God-given opportunities that each moment presents. Through this lens, time is not just a linear sequence but a tapestry of divine appointments entrusted to us, a chance to manifest the fruit of the Spirit and to reflect the light of Christ in a world shrouded in darkness. With such an understanding, we recognize the scarcity and transient nature of these opportunities, propelling us to utilize each season with wisdom to bear good fruit, unveiling the eternal amid the temporal.

The dispensation of the grace of God, the institutions of God, the seasons of age are God given, yet temporal and all contribute to these divine appointments. Each possess their own ordinances, consist of their own flow, integrated together, worked out, and experienced by those under them and fruitful in those exercised by them. Thus, we don’t wait for opportunity – we have therefore opportunity.

The Redemption in Redeeming the Time

As we delve into the phrase “redeeming the time,” one of the initial observations we make is the profound implication of the word “redeeming” itself. Inherent in this term is the concept of purchase, value, and even recovery. Redemption, both in the Old Testament context and throughout Scripture, involves buying back or purchasing for a purpose, be it people, lands, or even our own souls through the work of Christ. Therefore, when Paul speaks of “redeeming the time,” he presents us with the task of purchasing time as if it were a precious commodity—something inherently valuable that requires intentional action to use wisely. It challenges us to consider our daily walk, not just observing the passage of hours and days, but engaging actively with the time we have. It becomes an honor and privilege, unique to those in Christ, to view time not as a burden, but as an opportunity to reflect God’s will in a world marred by darkness.

Furthermore, “redeeming the time” is couched within the framework of recognizing that “the days are evil,” offering a dual motivation for this redemptive work. This observation underscores the urgency of our call as believers to perceive and react to the spiritual climate around us. Evil days signal an environment fraught with unfruitful works of darkness—a stark contrast to the light and goodness we have and are called to embody. The phrase thus demands that we appraise not only the quantity of time we possess but also the quality of our engagement with it. We are urged to discern the fleeting nature of each moment, recognizing opportunities to infuse God’s truth and light in every encounter and action. It is a call to influence and recover (from the evil) these precious instances—not through our power, but through the wisdom granted by the Spirit—to actively participate in God’s redemptive work against the backdrop of a world that often remains indifferent to the ticking clock.

Privilege of the Believer

The notion of “redeeming the time” inherently suggests a spiritual dimension that unbelievers, lacking an identity rooted in Christ, cannot fully embrace. The reason lies in the transformative redemption that believers have experienced through Jesus Christ—a redemption that renews our mind of how time is perceived and utilized. Unbelievers, still entangled in the works of darkness and without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, are bound by a worldview that does not recognize the eternal significance of their temporal actions; their engagement with time is often limited to self-fulfillment or worldly pursuits. In contrast, believers are uniquely empowered to redeem the time because they possess the light of Christ within them, having been enlightened and sanctified through faith, created in righteousness and true holiness in contrast to unrighteousness and uncleanness. This spiritual enlightenment grants them the wisdom to discern not only the urgency of acting in a world characterized by evil days but also the capacity to fill their daily lives with eternal significance – to lay hold on eternal life now. Through the lens of their new identity in Christ, believers are able to engage in actions that transcend the temporal, using each moment as an opportunity to reflect God’s truth, grace, and love in a manner that glorifies Him and edifies others.

Redeeming the Time: A Biblical Call to a Purposeful Walk

Brethren, we must consider the days in which we live, for the Word of God declares in Ephesians 5:15-16, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” The Scriptures are plain—time is not ours to waste. Every moment we have is given by the Lord, and we are called to use it wisely. Many live as though they have an endless supply of days, yet the Bible warns us, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). If we are to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us, we must redeem the time, for the opportunities given to us will not last forever. Consider what God our Father grants in His Word to aid in impressing upon us to hearken to this instruction: 1) the value of time, 2) the motivations of redeeming the time, 3) the mechanics of redeeming the time, and 4) how to handle grief from wasted time.

The Value of Time

Time is one of the most valuable resources we possess because it cannot be reclaimed once lost. The psalmist wisely prayed, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Numbering our days is not simply acknowledging their brevity but recognizing their worth. Every second, every hour, every day is an opportunity to glorify God.

The enemy desires to rob us of our time. Satan may not always tempt with overt sin, but he will gladly lull believers into complacency, filling their days with distractions that bear no eternal fruit. Satan holds the masterclass for spiritual slumber and slothfulness. Proverbs 24:30-31 warns, “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.” Time wasted leads to spiritual barrenness.

Thus our Father is desirous we would consider a few things that we may value time and thus redeem it:

1. It belongs to God – Our time is not our own; we are stewards (Psalm 31:15).

2. It is short – Our days on earth are few and fleeting (James 4:14; Psalm 39:4-5, 90:12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31).

3. It is uncertain, but death is – We do not know what tomorrow holds (Proverbs 27:1).

4. It is irreversible – Once gone, it cannot be redeemed (Luke 16:25-26).

5. It determines eternity – How we use our time here impacts our eternal state (not life, but estate) (Galatians 6:7-8).

6. It is to be used wisely – We are commanded to redeem the time and walk in wisdom (Ephesians 5:16).

Our Lord Jesus understood the value of time. He declared in John 9:4, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” If Christ, who was without sin, felt the urgency of using His time wisely, how much more should we who are but dust?

The Motivations of Redeeming Time

Redeeming the time requires both motivation and action. The motivation is clear: the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16). We live in a fallen world where sin abounds, and we must use our time to stand for righteousness. We are called to be “steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58), knowing that our labor is not in vain.

The Father grants us ample motivation to hearken to His instruction – here are a few:

1. Because We Can: As believers, we have the ability to redeem the time through the wisdom given to us in Christ (Ephesians 5:15-16).

2. Because It Is Wise: Redeeming the time involves walking in wisdom, which is valuable and profitable (Ephesians 5:15).

3. Few Days to Redeem Opportunities: Our days are limited, and we should use them wisely to apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

4. Bearing Upon the Life to Come: Redeeming the time has eternal significance and impacts the life that is to come (1 Timothy 6:19).

5. Because the Days Are Evil: The evil nature of the days we live in should motivate us to redeem the time and overcome evil with good (Ephesians 5:16).

6. We Will Give an Account: We will be judged on how we utilized our time, making it important to redeem it wisely (Romans 14:12).

7. Fruit in Due Season: Redeeming the time leads to spiritual fruit that will be reaped in due season, reflecting the eternal value of our actions (Galatians 6:9).

Because the Days Are Evil

The immediate cause in Ephesians 5:17 to redeem the time is “because the days are evil”. Thus, the purchasing power of wisdom grants the believer to not squander this time, nor succomb to the vain pressures of the world, but to recover it from the grips of darkness, transform it for profit, and have it abound unto an eternal account of merchandise.
“Redeeming the time” serves as a powerful counteraction to the evil days by transforming opportunities typically wasted in vanity into moments of purpose aligned with God’s will. By applying the wisdom found in God’s word, believers can intentionally utilize their time for good, rather than allowing it to be consumed by the prevailing evil influences. This involves, but is not limited to, making deliberate choices that reflect God’s righteousness, showcasing His light and grace in contrast to the surrounding darkness.

The Mechanics of Redeeming the Time

Shining as lights as we walk in wisdom is the oversimplication of the mechanics of redeeming the time. Mechanics involve detail, the nitty-gritty, the operations of numerous parts. A watch much like the spiritual walk contains numerous component parts compressed into a small compartment but that functions for its purpose. We seek not to obtain the wisdom to be employed within each moment of each person in each place; however, we ought not divest ourselves from that which God has given us in Christ as the objective source of wisdom for every believer to effectuate. Wherefore, may these simply items suffice and encourage further study:

1. Remember the Value of Time: Recognize the importance and fleeting nature of time (Psalm 90:12; Luke 12:20).

2. Spend Time in God’s Word: Invest time in reading, studying, praying, and meditating on Scripture to gain wisdom which is the purchasing power to redeem the time (1 Timothy 4:15-16).

3. Take Heed of What Robs Your Time: Be aware of and avoid things that waste your time, such as slothfulness and worldly distractions (Ephesians 5:15-16).

4. Walk in Wisdom: Apply the knowledge and wisdom gained from God’s Word in your daily life and interactions (Colossians 4:5).

Handling Grief Over Wasted Time

Perhaps as you reflect on your life, you feel the weight of wasted time. Many look back with sorrow, seeing years lost to sin, apathy, or worldly pursuits. But take heart—God is merciful, and He forgives waste, and can restore hundredfold of what was lost. We know this concerning eternity, we read of it with Job, Joel 2:25 gives Israel this promise that we can learn from: “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten”, and ultimately, the resurrection in Christ is the modus operandi of God to redeem that which was once spent, wasted, or lost. Nonetheless, regret can be paralyzing, but it should instead drive us to repentance and renewal. The enemy wants to keep us bound in grief over the past, but God calls us forward. Philippians 3:13-14 urges, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark.” While we cannot change the past, we can cede our future to God and walk in obedience today. What ought to be your response to wasted time? How are you do handle grief for such forfeiture:

1. Sorrow to Repentance: Allow godly sorrow to lead you to repentance and a change of mind (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

2. Forget What Is Behind: Forget past failures and press toward future goals in Christ (Philippians 3:13-14).

3. Labor by God’s Grace: Recognize the grace of God and let it motivate you to labor more abundantly (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).

4. Speak Truth to Yourself: Take yourself in hand and speak the truth of God’s grace to your soul (Psalm 42:11).

Consider Paul

The apostle Paul is an example of dealing with the grief of wasted time through his own experience and response described in 1 Corinthians 15. Paul acknowledges his past as a persecutor of the church. Undoubtedly, his past hatred and malice, now contrary to love and wisdom in Christ, would fill Paul with regret and an overwhelming and debilitating guilt – a spiritual depression.

However, Paul emphasizes the transformative power of God’s grace in his life, which allowed him to move beyond his past. He states, “But by the grace of God, I am what I am,” acknowledging that despite his past actions, God’s grace has defined his identity and empowered him to work abundantly in service to the gospel. Paul’s response to his past mistakes is not to dwell in guilt or sorrow but to let the grace that was bestowed upon him become a motivation to labor even more for the Lord. Paul did not let his past failures paralyze him. Instead, he used the grace he received as a means to labor abundantly, thus redeeming the time in the present. His example teaches that accepting and embracing God’s grace enables believers to overcome their past, focus on the present, and strive toward fruitful service in the future, turning regret into a motivational force for spiritual growth and service.

Now Go!

Brethren, how will you buy the time that remains? Will you continue as before, letting the days slip through your fingers, or will you redeem the time? The Word of God calls us to wisdom: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).

What changes must be made? What pursuits must be laid aside? What priorities need to shift? Reflect upon your days and ask, “Am I using my time for the glory of God?” If the answer is uncertain, let today be the day of change.

The appearing of Christ is near, the day is at hand, and so is our Lord. The opportunities before us will not last forever. Do you count your steps? Do you mark your splits? Do you press toward the mark? Let us be faithful stewards of our time, so that when we stand before Him we will be neither barren nor unfruitful. Let us not delay, but redeem the time while it is still called today. Amen.

Look Up,
—Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

Quotes on Redeeming the Time

• “Kill time and you murder opportunity.”

• “Lost time is never found.”

• “To waste time is to squander a gift from God.” – John Blanchard

• “Give me a Christian that counts his time more precious than gold.” – Joseph Alleine

• “Life is too short for us to do everything we want to do, but it is long enough for us to do everything God wants us to do.”

• “We speak of spending time; the Bible speaks of buying it.” – John Blanchard”

• “There is nothing puts a more serious frame into a man’s spirit than to know the worth of his time.” – Thomas Brooks

• “Time is not yours to dispose of as you please; it is a glorious talen that men must be accountable for as well as any other talent.” – Thomas Brooks

Thankfully, God’s Word will not leave you there.

The Bible does not describe your identity in vague or borrowed terms. It reduces every person to one of two unions — in Adam, or in Christ — and if you are in Christ, that position is not something you are growing into. It is something you were put into, and it is fixed.

Four things will show us this, and they’re worth walking through slowly instead of taking my word for it. Your identity is declared, not discovered — you don’t dig it up, God says it. It’s defended, not doubted — there’s an accuser, and there’s an answer. It’s traced to a person, not a performance — one man’s act, not your own effort, decides it. And it’s anchored, not adrift — it holds when everything else in your life is shaking. Then we’ll deal honestly with the objection this doctrine always raises, before we land on what all of this actually means for you, this week, in your own skin.

In Adam, that’s what you’re born into. In Christ, that’s what you’re put into — and it isn’t a matter of degree. Just as at the moment of conception your DNA is already complete, though you’ll spend years growing into what your body will look like, so at the moment of faith your union with Christ is already complete, though you’ll spend a lifetime growing into what that union means. The union is fixed. The walk is lifelong. Don’t confuse the two, and don’t let go of either one.

Declared, Not Discovered

Look at Galatians 3:26-27: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Not may be. Not hope to be. Paul writes this to believers at Galatia who were flirting with the law and walking carnally — and he still says of them, plainly, ye are. What made them children of God wasn’t their performance. It was faith in Christ Jesus.

And notice who does the baptizing. Not a man, not water, not a ritual you could later second-guess. Ye have been baptized into Christ. No man can put you there. Only He can. If a man could do it, you’d have every right to question whether he did it right — was it the right water, the right formula, the right moment. But this baptism isn’t performed by hands. It’s performed by God, and it cannot be undone by asking whether it worked.

This is the difference between an identity you assemble and an identity you’re given. You didn’t build this one. You received it. That’s not a small distinction — it’s the whole reason it can hold.

Defended, Not Doubted

Romans 8 pushes the same truth further, into the place where it actually gets tested — under accusation. Verse 16: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Verse 17 follows the logic out: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” Then, later in the chapter, verse 33: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”

I’ve sat with believers who told me, through tears, I know I’m forgiven, but I don’t feel it. I’ve felt that myself — I spent years in a system that taught if you sinned a hundred times, you had reason to question whether you were saved at all. And I knew in my heart I had sinned a hundred times. But here’s what I’ve learned to say, to them and to myself: get over the feeling and believe the verse. The accuser will bring up your sin — the same sin, over and over — and God’s answer has never changed from one time to the next. “I justified them.” Not I’m working on it. Not we’ll see how this goes. Justified. Your accusations once had ground. They don’t anymore.

Traced to a Person, Not a Performance

Romans 5 traces the whole question back to its source, and it’s not a source most people expect. Verse 12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” And verse 15: “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

Everything Adam did gets applied to everyone in Adam — and you didn’t earn that, you inherited it. Everything Christ did gets applied to everyone in Christ — through a condition, yes, but a condition that isn’t merit. Faith. Nobody stands before God arguing they built their own identity out of good behavior, on either side of the ledger. You didn’t earn your place in Adam and you don’t earn your place in Christ. Both are given. Only one of them is good news.

Anchored, Not Adrift

This is where the doctrine stops being merely comforting and starts being useful, because none of us live in a controlled environment. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” Notice the difference between the pressure and the outcome. The pressure is real — troubled, perplexed, persecuted, cast down. But the outcome doesn’t follow from the pressure. It follows from the identity.

Suffering has a way of making people ask what they did wrong, as though pain were always evidence of God’s absence. An unbeliever going through hardship has no anchor for that question — nothing underneath the suffering except the suffering itself. But if you are in Christ, the pressure is not the last word on who you are or where you stand, because that was settled before the pressure arrived. You can be cast down without being forsaken, because those two things are not the same thing under God’s grace today - sure, under the law to chastise his people for their disobedience - but not today. You may reap what you sow, but the persecution is not God’s forsaking of you.

The Fair Question

Someone will say — fine, but if my identity is already fixed, what’s stopping me from doing whatever I want? It’s a fair question, the kind worth naming honestly instead of neglecting it. And Paul never leaves it unanswered.

He doesn’t say, you are, therefore do as you please. He says, you are, therefore walk like it. Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The union is the foundation. The good works are what gets built on it. Take away the identity and you’re left trying to manufacture righteousness out of nothing — that’s legalism. Take away the walk and you’ve turned a settled truth into a license — that’s licentiousness. Paul holds both, refusing either error, and so should we. Identity isn’t the excuse for the walk. It’s the reason the walk is even possible.

What This Means for You

So which one are you in? Not which one do you feel like you’re in on your best day, or your worst — which one are you actually in. If you have never trusted Christ, Scripture doesn’t leave that vague either: you are in Adam, still under the sentence of wrath, still carrying a debt you cannot pay. But the offer stands. Trust in what He did — died for your sins, buried, and raised again — and everything changes, not because you feel different, but because He has said so.

And if you are already in Christ, this week is a good week to stop consulting your feelings for a verdict God already delivered. Stop letting a bad day reopen a settled case. When the accusation comes — and it will come, because it always does — you don’t need a better feeling to answer it. You need a better memory. You need faith. Don’t soon forget. You are not what you were on your worst day this week. You are not what the accuser whispers at midnight. You are what your Father has declared you to be, in His Son, settled once, and never up for renegotiation again.

Look Up,

— Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher

• Adapted from the sermon "Union in Christ" (Lesson 1), preached by Josh Strelecki at Twin Cities Grace Fellowship. Listen to the full message here: https://twincitiesgracefellowshi.subspla.sh/8xwkj2r

Episode Description

When the Bible speaks of the world, it means more than geography. Often it describes a system actively opposed to God -- marked by vanity, energized by the god of this world, and characterized by everything Paul catalogs in 2 Timothy 3. How should a Christian understand this system? And how should that understanding shape the way we live in it?

In this episode, Pastor Josh examines the Christian’s understanding of the world across four movements. First, the world’s nature: everything under the sun is vanity and passing away (Ecclesiastes 2:11, Psalm 39:5-6). Second, the world’s opposition: it is at enmity with God, blinded by the god of this world, and producing the perilous times of 2 Timothy 3. Third, the Christian’s response: not withdrawal, but love -- entering the system as Christ did, wielding the sword of the Spirit, transformed by the renewing of the mind, in the world but not of it. Fourth, the eternal contrast: the world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever (1 John 2:17). The world is loud, flashy, and temporary. Christ is eternal, faithful, and unshakable.

Key Scriptures

Ecclesiastes 2:11 -- All Is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Psalm 39:5-6 -- Every Man at His Best State Is Altogether Vanity

Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Psalm 49:10-12 -- Man Abideth Not

For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

1 Corinthians 7:31 -- The Fashion of This World Passeth Away

And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

1 John 2:15-17 -- Love Not the World

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Romans 12:2 -- Be Not Conformed to This World

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

James 4:4 -- Friendship with the World Is Enmity with God

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 5:19 -- The Whole World Lieth in Wickedness

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

2 Corinthians 4:4 -- The God of This World

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.

2 Corinthians 10:5 -- Taking Every Thought Captive

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Colossians 3:2 -- Set Your Affection on Things Above

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 -- Glory in Knowing the Lord

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Proverbs 11:7 -- The Hope of the Wicked Perisheth

When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

1 Corinthians 10:31 -- Do All to the Glory of God

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Episode Outline

1. The World Defined -- Not just geography; a system opposed to God, marked by sin (1 John 5:19)

2. The World’s Nature -- Vanity, perishing, and passing away (Ecclesiastes 2:11, Psalm 39:5-6, 1 Corinthians 7:31)

3. Man’s Folly -- Heaping up riches and calling lands after his name; like the beasts that perish (Psalm 49:10-12)

4. The World’s Opposition -- Enmity with God, friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17)

5. The God of This World -- Blinding the minds of them that believe not (2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:2)

6. The Christian’s Response -- Love, not withdrawal; entering the system as Christ did with the light of the gospel

7. Transformed by the Renewing of the Mind -- Romans 12:2 and taking every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)

8. In the World but Not of It -- Using the world without abusing it; affections set above (Colossians 3:2)

9. The Eternal Contrast -- The world and its lusts pass away; he that doeth the will of God abideth forever (1 John 2:17)

Questions Discussed

1. When the Bible speaks of the world, what does it mean -- and how should a Christian think about it differently?

2. If the world is passing away, why are so many Christians tempted to live as if it will last forever?

3. What does it mean that the whole world lies in wickedness -- and who is the god of this world?

4. What is the Christian’s response to a system actively opposed to God?

5. What does it mean to be in the world but not of it?

6. Are your affections set on things above, or on the things of this world that are passing away?

7. What is the difference between the hope of the wicked when he dies and the blessed hope of the believer?

Episode Description

What are we to think when wickedness strikes? How are we to respond in the face of shocking tragedy, grief, and anger -- whether it has happened to us, to someone close to us, or to a brother and sister in Christ? The natural response is to marvel, to fret, to recompense evil for evil. But none of those are the Christian response. God’s Word equips the believer for exactly this moment.

In this episode, Pastor Josh works through five biblical responses to wickedness in the world. Lament is biblical -- but it is to be tempered and comforted by the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). Discernment is essential -- the believer who is tossed by social media and conspiracy theories has abandoned the truth belt of the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:14). Justice belongs to God -- vengeance is His, and it is a righteous thing for Him to recompense tribulation to those who trouble His own (2 Thessalonians 1:6). Strength is in the Lord, not the flesh (Ephesians 6:10). And hope is eternal -- the ultimate answer to violence, death, and injustice is not found in this world but in the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ.

Key Scriptures

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 -- The God of All Comfort

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Psalm 34:18 -- Nigh unto the Broken Heart

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Matthew 5:4 -- Blessed Are They That Mourn

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Prove All Things

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Ephesians 6:14 -- Loins Girt About with Truth

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 -- Perilous Times

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Ecclesiastes 5:8 -- Marvel Not at the Matter

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

Proverbs 29:16 -- The Righteous Shall See Their Fall

When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

Psalm 37:1-2 -- Fret Not Thyself

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

Isaiah 5:20 -- Woe unto Them That Call Evil Good

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Romans 12:19 -- Vengeance Is Mine

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 -- A Righteous Thing with God

Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.

1 Peter 2:20-23 -- Committed to Him That Judgeth Righteously

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

Ephesians 6:10 -- Be Strong in the Lord

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

2 Timothy 1:7 -- A Sound Mind

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Hebrews 9:27 -- After This the Judgment

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

Episode Outline

1. Lament and Comfort -- Mourning is biblical; God is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3, Psalm 34:18)

2. Discernment -- Prove all things; truth, not social media, is the belt that holds the armor together (1 Thessalonians 5:21, Ephesians 6:14)

3. Marvel Not -- God sees all; the righteous shall see the fall of the wicked (Ecclesiastes 5:8, Proverbs 29:16)

4. Perilous Times and Inverted Truth -- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and Isaiah 5:20 on calling evil good

5. Justice Belongs to God -- Vengeance is His; we give place to wrath (Romans 12:19, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10)

6. Christ’s Example Under Suffering -- Committed to Him that judgeth righteously (1 Peter 2:20-23)

7. Strength in the Lord -- Power, love, and a sound mind; not the spirit of fear (Ephesians 6:10, 2 Timothy 1:7)

8. Eternal Perspective -- The glorious appearing as the ultimate answer to violence and injustice

Questions Discussed

1. What are we to think and how are we to respond when wickedness strikes?

2. Is it biblical to lament and mourn -- and what is supposed to temper that grief?

3. How does the Christian avoid being tossed to and fro by social media, misinformation, and conspiracy theories?

4. If vengeance belongs to God, what is the Christian’s posture toward those who do evil?

5. How does the certainty of God’s future judgment change how we endure injustice today?

6. What does it mean to be strong in the Lord rather than in your own strength?

7. Why is the glorious appearing of Christ the ultimate answer to violence, death, and injustice?

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