The Scars of Jesus: 
What They Teach Us on Good Friday

In John 20:19-29, the risen Jesus appears to His disciples and invites the doubting Thomas to touch the scars in His hands and side. “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side,” Jesus says. Thomas believed and worshiped. Those scars were not hidden; they were displayed as powerful evidence of the resurrection—and as enduring reminders of what Jesus endured for us.

Scars always tell a story. As a boy, I once asked my father about a long scar on his back. He told me how, as a child, he disobeyed his own father by riding a dangerous horse alone. The horse threw him into a barbed-wire fence, leaving a permanent 5-inch mark. That scar reminded him of rebellion and its painful consequences.

In the same way, the scars on Jesus’ body tell a profound story. On this Good Friday, here are four important truths the scars of Jesus teach us:

1. God’s Wrath Against Sin
Jesus’ scars bear witness to the terrible reality of sin and God’s holy anger toward it. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). That “cup” symbolized the full measure of God’s wrath against sin—wrath that the Old Testament often pictured as a cup poured out (Isaiah 51:17, 22; Jeremiah 25:15-17).

On the cross, Jesus endured scourging, a crown of thorns, beatings, and nails driven through His hands and feet. At the height of His suffering He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Darkness covered the land as He bore the full weight of divine judgment against the sins of the world. The scars remind us that God does not treat sin lightly. As Exodus 34:7 declares, He “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.” Sin is an affront to a holy God, and it demanded payment.

2. God’s Plan for a Substitute
From the beginning, God pointed to substitution as the way sinners could be forgiven. In the Garden of Eden, an animal was slain to cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness and sin. Abraham’s son Isaac was spared when a ram took his place (Genesis 22). The Passover lamb’s blood protected Israel from judgment (Exodus 12), and the Day of Atonement involved a substitute sacrifice for the people’s sins (Leviticus 16).

Isaiah 53 foretold the ultimate Substitute: “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” John the Baptist recognized Jesus as this Lamb: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Jesus stood in our place. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18). “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The scars proclaim: *In my place condemned He stood.*

3. God’s Infinite Nature Requires an Infinite Sacrifice
Because God is infinite—eternal in power (Isaiah 40:28), wisdom, and holiness (Romans 11:33)—only an infinite sacrifice could atone for sin committed against Him. Finite creatures could never pay such a debt. That is why the incarnation was necessary: Jesus, fully God and fully man, in whom “all the fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9), could offer the perfect, infinite sacrifice that satisfied divine justice.

The scars Thomas touched were the marks of that complete, once-for-all atonement. Only the eternal Son of God could bear the full weight of infinite wrath and secure eternal redemption.

4. God’s Love for Sinners
Above all, Jesus’ scars reveal the depth of God’s love. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus Himself said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He laid down His life specifically for His own sheep, out of intimate, particular love.

Even in His risen body, Jesus tenderly invited Thomas to touch the wounds. Those scars are everlasting proof that the Savior loved us enough to suffer in our place so we could be reconciled to God.

This is why we call it Good Friday. Jesus took our punishment, paid our debt, and opened the way for forgiveness and eternal life. His scars still speak today—of wrath satisfied, substitution accepted, justice fulfilled, and love displayed.

May we never look lightly on the scars of Jesus. They tell the greatest story ever told: the story of our redemption.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope this message finds you well and that your hearts are fixed on our faithful God. This week, we continued our journey through Jeremiah 17, examining verses 9-11, and the Lord revealed some sobering yet essential truths about the human heart and our tendency to trust in ourselves rather than in Him.

The sermon explored the deceitful nature of the human heart and our constant temptation to rely on our own wisdom, strength, and plans instead of trusting God completely. We examined how Satan's oldest strategy is to lure us away from dependence on the Father—just as he tempted Jesus in the wilderness—by appealing to our flesh, our position, and our desire for control. The passage reminds us that while the human heart is desperately wicked and beyond our ability to fully know, God searches our hearts and knows our every motive. He judges us not merely by our outward actions, but by the intentions behind them. This has profound implications for how we live, work, spend, and make decisions in every area of life.

Beware of trusting in your heart. The human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9). We cannot follow our hearts as the world advises; instead, we must align our lives with God's Word, recognizing that our hearts will naturally lead us away from God's best for us.

Nothing is hidden from God. The Lord searches our hearts and tests our innermost being (Jeremiah 17:10). He knows our true motives behind every action, every word, and every decision. We will be rewarded or judged not just by what we do, but by why we do it. This should humble us and cause us to examine our own hearts rather than judging others.

Meet your needs God's way, not your own way. Like the partridge that sits on eggs not her own, ill-gotten gain will eventually abandon us (Jeremiah 17:11). God provides for our needs through ordinary means: honest work, faithful prayer, wise planning, and disciplined stewardship. When we try to meet our needs through ungodly shortcuts, manipulation, or greed, we forfeit God's blessing and end up empty-handed.

As we move forward this week, let's commit to examining our own hearts before the Lord, asking Him to reveal our true motives and align them with His will. Let's resist the temptation to operate in our own wisdom when facing challenges, and instead trust that God's ways—though they may require patience, discipline, and faith—always lead to blessing.

May the Lord give us grace to be like the tree planted by streams of water, drawing our strength and sustenance from Him alone.

In Christ,

Pastor Jason

The changes we long for in our lives start with how we think. The Bible tells us that we are to renew our minds with the Scriptures.

As believers, we win or lose battles with sin based on how much we are renewing our minds with the truth (Col. 3:1–5).

Before our salvation, we thought like the world and lived according to our flesh and its desires. All of this flowed from our sinful minds (Eph. 2:3).

But now we are saints with the power to change how we think. This power is not in ourselves, but in Christ in us. Being filled with the words of Christ transforms our thinking for the glory of God (Col. 3:16).

The pathway to transformation in our minds begins with God’s Word being planted deep within us. Consider these verses and their emphasis:

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:2–3).

The exhortation in each of these passages is to destroy, renew, or set our minds on what is true. The mind is the seedbed of our spiritual growth.

When I was a young boy, I vividly remember my grandfather, every spring when the weather warmed, tilling the ground for his summer garden. This was his pride and joy—growing a garden that produced healthy vegetables. It all started with the right kind of soil and the right seeds.

Similarly, if we want to see healthy, Christlike actions in our lives, we must prepare the soil of our minds and plant the right seeds of truth.

Three Steps When Your Thoughts Go South

1. Stop Thinking in the Wrong Direction

As we live our daily lives and face negative thoughts, desires, or responses, we need to pause—halt—and ask ourselves an important question. What circumstances, conversations, or temptations have led to this pattern of thinking?

Stopping to identify the trigger helps us see where our thinking started to go in the wrong direction.

2. Balance our Response with the Truth

Ran than respond with raw emotions, we need to focus on our response to our circumstances, conversations, and temptations with biblical truth.

In this process, we must ask ourselves, “How did I respond? Did I respond with biblical truth or with my emotions?"

Our response reveals the truth about what we truly believe about God, ourselves, others, desires, lusts, hopes, and dreams.

3. Renew our Minds with the Truth

Finally, we must replace our sinful thoughts with Scriptural truth.

The best way to do this is by asking key questions such as:

Is it factual? (Phil. 4:8–9)
Is it good? (1 Cor. 13:5–7)
Is God in this thought? (1 Cor. 10:31).

Replacement is essential if we are to think in line with God’s truth and move toward actions that are in God’s will.

As God's Word takes root and grows in our hearts, our thoughts—and then our desires, words, and actions—are increasingly shaped by Christ, for the glory of God.

The more faithfully we follow this pattern, the greater our victory will be in our campaign against sin.

Striving with you,
Pastor Jason

Today marks the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by radical Muslims, which claimed the lives of over 3,000 Americans.

Do you remember where you were that day? Do you recall the shock and outrage we all felt?

I believe that yesterday, when we heard the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a similar sense of disbelief and sadness swept over us. What is happening to our nation? Why is our society in such turmoil?

Left on our own to process this evil culture, we may fall into fear, anxiety, or anger—and chase solutions that are not biblical. Yet, I see these events as wake-up calls. The veil is lifted, showing us glimpses of evil, confusion, and chaos in America.

Now is not the time to hide—we must act. I have a few suggestions for how we can respond.

First, we must think biblically, not emotionally.

Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

I need this truth now more than ever: Jesus has overcome the world system, all that opposes Christ and His truth.

The world system is under Satan’s influence. Let’s be clear: contemporary issues such as abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, and even so-called mental illness are works of the evil one—they are darkness. Satan is a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies. Much in our culture is a perversion of God’s truth, but Jesus has overcome the world.

Second, we need unprecedented boldness—the confidence to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).

One lesson from Charlie Kirk’s life is his unwavering confidence in God and His truth. As believers, we possess the truth of the gospel. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” My prayer is for us to have Paul’s boldness.

Third, in uncertain times we need clarity.

Consider today’s polarizing issues: There is only one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are only two genders. Life begins at conception, so abortion is murder. We must bring clarity, not to win arguments, but to shine God’s truth.

Like Stephen in Acts 7:51, we must speak with power and clarity, even if it costs us. Stephen was well-versed in the Scriptures and God’s redemptive plan, and his message had a profound impact on his listeners. We are called to be salt and light by speaking the truth about today’s issues.

Lastly, we need hope.

It’s easy to lose hope and think evil is winning (Ps. 73:1-16), but you are not alone; many of us feel the same. However, our hope rests not on circumstances, but on truth.

Our hope is in Christ (Rom. 8:25), and biblical hope is shown in action. Read Hebrews 11—the faith hall of fame. By faith, Noah preached; Abraham obeyed; Moses’ parents acted wisely; Moses led Israel; Gideon, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets conquered kingdoms.

Today, let’s live in hope and faith, and act on God’s truth. The world needs Christ—let’s live by faith and let God handle the results.

Despite the darkness and challenges that surround us, we can have unwavering hope because our foundation is secure in Christ.

Through every trial, God’s promises remain true—and His power is still at work in our lives and in our world.

Let us choose faith over fear, and let the light of Christ shine through our words and actions.

When we stand together in truth and love, strengthened by the hope we have in Jesus, we can make a real and lasting impact. No matter what comes, we know God is sovereign, and His purposes will prevail.

Be encouraged in the Lord and His mighty power! May God equip us with truth and spiritual power to tear down the lies of our time.

For His glory,
Pastor Jason

Over the years in ministry, I have seen many believers take an aversion to the topic of doctrine. They view it negatively. However, doctrine is essential. It provides an anchor for our souls, as Paul states in Ephesians 4:14, “We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.”

This verse is a call to grow spiritually, urging believers to avoid being tossed about by various teachings. The cure for spiritual immaturity is the study of doctrine.

Many believers attend church without learning doctrine, which leads to spiritual immaturity as they focus on emotional experiences rather than deepening their faith.

The lack of knowledge results in destruction, as highlighted in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

When we disregard the Lord's instruction, we forfeit true life and hope.

The purpose of doctrine is to mature believers. In Hebrews 5:12-6:2, the author outlines different levels of maturity. Paul refers to the Corinthians as infants in 1 Corinthians 3:1.

The antidote for spiritual immaturity is doctrine. Our understanding of truth enables us to live by faith and not by sight.

Equipping believers with sound doctrine fosters spiritual maturity and protects against erroneous teachings.

Doctrine anchors our souls and instills spiritual awareness that brings conviction, comfort, and contentment.

Ultimately, doctrine guides us from fear to faith, transitioning us from emotionally driven living to truth-based living. Doctrine is essential for spiritual maturity.

His for the Master,
Pastor Jason

Dear Grace Family,

This past Sunday, we celebrated the Lord’s table (i.e., communion), a moment in the local church's life that celebrates all that Christ did for the believer.

The Lord’s table is a look in three directions: at the past, present, and future.

When we take communion, this remembrance is a look to the past, namely, the life, death, and burial of Christ.

Also, when we partake of the Lord’s table, we are thinking about our present relationship with Christ, which is solely based on the grace and mercy of our Savior.

Lastly, communion is an act that prepares our hearts for the future consummation of our salvation, that where He is, we will be also (John 14:1-3).

The worship of Christ in the elements of the bread and cup is an act of remembering a special time in redemption where all of history finds its apex. In the New Testament, it uses the language of time with two words: Kairos and Chronos.

Kairos deals with moments in time, and Chronos deals with time in a chronological sense.

Biblical history is marked by many Kairos moments like creation, fall, the Exodus, the cross, resurrection, and ascension. The Bible identifies many significant Kairos moments that are set apart from all other days.

Throughout a given calendar year, we have many days set apart from other normal days. For example, graduation day, New Year's Day, and wedding days are special moments in time that we look at with special reverence.

The work of Christ was not only a special God-ordained event in chronological time, but it was the event, a moment in Kairos, that God did His greatest work through His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16).

This holy event is remembered through the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42), just as in the Old Testament when the people of Israel celebrated the Passover.

The Passover time was a celebration of a Kairos event, a unique time in redemptive history when God saved His people from the grips of slavery to Pharaoh (Ex. 12).

The Passover was born to remember what God did for His people: “Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance” (Ex. 12:14). This unique and holy event (the tenth plague) led to a holy and divinely ordained act (the Passover).

Do you see the work of God in these events? God’s work in Old Testament history foreshadowed a greater moment in time (Kairos), where Christ, the Lamb of God, would come and give His perfect life to deliver us from the grips of slavery to sin.

Just as the Passover celebrated God’s deliverance from Egypt, today, we celebrate its fulfillment in Christ when we take communion. So, each time we gather around the Lord’s table, let us remember God’s work.

Blessings,
Pastor Jason

Dear Grace Family,

This semester, we are reading a timeless book that is a perfect fit for where we are as a local church. The Master’s Plan of the Church is a very biblical and challenging book for us as believers.

Last Home Groupa, we've read Chapter 2 & 3, which talked about proper spiritual attitudes. There were several Dr. MacArthur mentioned like obedience, humility, love, and unity.

I won't rehash all of them, but I do want to mention the importance of “unity” within the heart of the local church. The emphasis on how vital this attitude is found in how Satan attacks the unity of the church.

The Lord, through His grace, has brought us all into the family of God, but it's our responsibility to maintain this unity.

I loved this excerpt from page 37:

"No one is perfect—there are always going to be little things that people disagree about. Nevertheless, we should always get on our knees together and seek to maintain the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.”

I pray that GBC will fight for biblical unity and do all it takes to maintain the unity of the Spirit.

I hope you're looking forward to this week’s Home Group. As you prepare, please read Chapter 4, and make notes so that we can all grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ together.

In Love,
Pastor Jason

Recently, when one of my children needed a new car, we made a list of criteria: low mileage, one or two previous owners, and it must be clean and run well.

Similarly, finding a biblical church requires clear criteria. Whether you’re relocating for work or feel your current church isn’t biblical, it’s essential to know what to prioritize in your search.

The Bible outlines numerous criteria for selecting a church, but which are the most critical?

The first criterion for evaluating a church is how serious it takes God’s Word.

While one might assume that all churches respect the Bible, many only offer token platitudes. Most affirm the Scriptures yet fail to embody the Bible's teachings.

Paul’s exhortation in his letter to Timothy illustrates his deep convictions regarding the Word of God. These convictions led to biblical actions.

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:16-4:2).

Paul believed the Scriptures are powerful to save the sinner.

It was from the Bible that young Timothy came to faith. Through the sacred writings he learned he was a sinner and God was a great Savior.

This must be the conviction of every Christian—that God’s Word is what opens the sinner’s mind and leads to salvation.

Next, Paul’s convictions concerning the Word of God deal with the Bible’s origins.

Paul affirms, “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16).

This phrase reveals that God’s Word came to us from Him. The Greek word for "inspired" in this verse is to be understood as “breathed out by God.” The human authors of the Bible were divinely guided by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:2-12).

One’s views of the Holy Bible will determine one’s practice within the life of the local church. Paul’s conviction of the Scriptures drove his methods in ministry. Paul had high respect for the Bible.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness: so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Tim. 3:16–4:2).
Paul placed the Scriptures in their rightful place. Notice the language: “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.”

Paul viewed God’s Word as sufficient for all ministry within the local church. It was profitable—"helpful, useful”—for every ministry need.

Each one of these nouns—teaching, rebuke, correction, and training—reveals the Bible as an indispensable tool in the life of the church.

Paul’s view of the Bible’s ability, origin, and usefulness shaped his convictions and ministry efforts.

In summary, the search for a biblical church necessitates a deliberate approach rooted in a biblical foundation.

To navigate this journey, it's imperative we prioritize churches that hold God’s Word in high esteem and embody its teachings in their practices.

Evaluating a church through the lens of biblical convictions, as exemplified by Paul’s exhortations to Timothy, will guide you toward communities that not only affirm the Scriptures but also live by them.

By doing so, you can find a church that nurtures your faith, equips you for good works, and ultimately fosters in you a deeper relationship with God.

His for the Master,
Jason

The Scripture is clear that God has called us to reach others with the gospel's good news.

Jesus has left us with a straightforward task: “make disciples” (Matt. 28:19-20). This should be a part of every church’s DNA that longs to obey Christ. The dynamic of a local church should pulse with “life on life” discipleship.

How can we, as Grace Bible Church, be sure this remains our focus?

I want to remind us of three keys that will help us stay faithful.

1) We all play a part in God’s redemptive work.

God has saved you to play a specific role within His divine plan. Each believer has a part to play in this beautiful story of redemption (Eph. 2:10). This truth is painted all over the Scriptures.

Esther was God’s chosen vessel to save His people from total inhalation (Esther 4:14).

Jeremiah, as a young man, was called and commissioned to be a prophet to his nation (Jer. 1:10).

Paul is another good example. God called him before birth to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Gal.1: 15).

God has us all placed right where He wants us to be. There are no mistakes in God’s plans. He has placed you in the right job, city, school, and church to play a significant part in God’s redemptive plans.

2) We must see discipleship as a lifestyle and not an event.

What must never happen in the church is for discipleship to become a slogan or cliché, not something we live out.

Grace Bible Church’s ministries are geared to facilitating “life-on-life” relationships through Home Groups, seasonal fellowship times, and evangelism and outreach events. These ministries will spawn personal relationships and move us all to loving, caring friendships that move us closer to Christ.

3) We must not get too comfortable.

The culture we live in today makes us all way too comfortable. When we become comfortable, this leads to complacency.

Jesus never said that following Him would be easy and not require sacrifice (Mark 8:34).

If we remain faithful to Christ, it means getting in the game. For many of us, this will mean getting dirty, sweaty, and maybe hurt.

Right now, the Lord is blessing our church with more impact by bringing new people to Grace every week, and this means we must be ready to be stretched and look to serving others (Phil. 2:3-6).

I know our church family (you and I) are happy to serve at church even as our current season of growth makes our church space feel smaller week by week. I praise God for this mutual joy in service, knowing His truth is impacting hearts.

All Glory to God,
Pastor Jason

Without a doubt, every church is known by its culture. Culture is the atmosphere of a church.

We can all recall a moment in our lives when we visited a new church, and one thing we all noticed was the culture. Were they warm and friendly? Or cold and indifferent?

All churches are shaped by their culture. A church’s culture is a significant part of ministry because it says so much about who you are as a church.

Two childhood memories remain forever in my head—the aroma of my grandmother's cooking and the warm atmosphere my sweet grandparents created in their home. This is a great example of culture—and it's awesome.

Here at Grace Bible Church, we want to maintain a culture that creates an atmosphere where others feel at home and loved.

So what shapes a church’s culture? I'm glad you asked.

To answer the question, let’s look at Paul’s words in 1 Tim. 1:15, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am the foremost of all.”

The attitude that Paul displayed in this passage is one of gratitude and a sense of overwhelming love. The aroma of our lives should be that of gratitude and humility that God would save sinners like us. The culture of a church comes from drinking deeply from the well of the gospel.

Just as Paul realized that Christ came into this world to save him and this truth radically transformed his life and thinking, it should equally affect our lives.

The gospel is the shaping element of the church’s culture.

A church with a gospel culture will manifest four attributes. This is not an exhaustive list but a list that focuses on what God has done for us.

Hospitality — The first attribute of a gospel culture is hospitality. If there's one truth about God, it's that He is the great host of all time. The meaning of hospitality is to show love toward strangers. God has done this for us in the gospel.

Romans 5:8 states, “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Did you hear that? While we were sinners, strangers, and enemies of God, He still showed us love.

If we truly grasp this truth it should impact our actions in the church. It should always motivate us to reach out to those visiting our church and to care for the needs of those we know well.

Grace — The second attribute of a gospel culture is exhibiting grace. The most gracious people on the earth ought to be the church.

What is grace? Grace is God’s giving to us what we do not deserve. Grace is the sum total of all we gain in Christ at salvation: adoption, justification, mercy, love, etc. This grace impacts our lives in such a way that we desire to show others the same grace God has shown us.

Truth — The third attribute of a gospel culture is truth. Truth is the status quo of the church from the truth of the Bible to speaking the truth in love. John 1:14 states that Jesus was full of grace and truth.

We fight to keep the the truth of the gospel pure so that we're maintaining an accurate gospel.

We're also to be a people who long to speak truth to each other. Part of being a member of Christ's body is that we're in relationship with each other where we give one another the right to speak truth into our lives.

Love — The final attribute of a gospel culture is love. The reason love is so vital is because truth without love is just a noisy gong. We don’t need a church filled with a bunch of truth tellers who aren't soaking and baking their truth in an attitude of love.

Paul in 1 Cor. 13:1-3 states clearly that if we can speak the truth, give prophecy, unveil all mysteries, and even give our bodies to be burned, but do not have love we are nothing.
If there's one thing GBC does well it's beautifully bearing these four attributes.

May we, by God’s grace, increase in living these out.

Glory to God,
Pastor Jason

In this post-Christian culture, we have traded in biblical standards for a consumer mentality when looking for a church. We are not asking the critical questions like, “What does this church believe?” but asking, “Does this church make me feel good?"
Many well-meaning believers have been untrained in what to look for in a local church. From his contribution to the book Worship by the Book, Mark Ashton's quote nails the biblical apex of what to look for in a church, namely the preaching of God’s Word:

- excerpt from Worship by the Book by D.A. Carson, M. Ashton and R.K. Hughes

I remember growing up in Mississippi and seeing churches on every corner, and on any given Sunday, you could attend just about any of them, and you’ll find a common schedule: Sunday school, fellowship, worship, and children's and youth ministries. This trend has even continued into our day and time, but with a consumer’s mentality.
Are structure of ministries and programs and how a church makes me feel the litmus test to whether we attend or commit ourselves to a local assembly?
If we look to the Bible as our guide, we’d be shocked to see where it places the emphasis. This again shows us the Bible is enough for us as we measure what it is to do church and what worship is to be. Here are three brief points to consider:

In Acts 2:42, we are given the components of their worship: devotion to the Word of God, teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. They had a great sense of community and belonging, which centered on the Word of God.
Then, in Acts 4:31, we find the early church filled with power by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness. This church was not only edified by the Word of God but was filled with the power to spread the Word of God.

The Pastoral Epistles give us clear instructions about what is to take priority in the Church.
Paul states in 1 Tim. 4:13, “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and to teaching.” Paul’s greatest concern here is that they keep God’s truth as the focal point through reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Jesus Christ as the head of the church governs leads and loves the church only when the Bible is faithfully followed.

Our views of the Scriptures will determine the type of discipleship we will participate in.
If we believe the Bible is sufficient for life and godliness, we will use God's Word to shape our discipleship. Jesus, in Matt 28:19-20, calls us to “make disciples,” which includes teaching others to observe all Christ has commanded.
Where do we find all that Christ commanded? Well, it is in the Bible!
As believers, we need to understand that the Bible is sufficient for the Church.

One of the primary ways we follow Christ is by obeying His command to make disciples, as outlined in Matt 28:20,

I love this verse because of the emphasis on teaching that leads to obedience. We spend our entire Christian life in this text, and we don’t even realize it. The believer is always to be learning and growing in their obedience to Christ.
If you notice closely what Jesus says, you’ll see the point: "Teaching them.” This is an ongoing action. What are they to teach? "All that I have commanded you.”
So, Jesus is outlining a certain type of relationship with life-on-life implications, namely a relationship where one is teaching the other to obey Jesus’ commands more and more.
Each believer needs this type of relationship within the local church. No believer has matured to the point where they don’t need more prayer with other believers, admonishment, and encouragement to follow Jesus faithfully.

Here at GBC, we have a great catalyst for these types of relationships. Our Home Group ministry is designed to create a culture of discipleship within the four walls of our sweet community of believers. The goal of Home Groups is to cultivate fellowship that might lead to organic discipleship relationships.
Home Groups meet twice a month in homes across the area during the typical ‘school year’— the months of August through the end of May.
This semester, we have four Home Groups: Lexington, Mineral Springs, Red Bank, and Leesville.
By God's grace, the elders have put together a wonderful team of HG leaders who want nothing more than to serve Christ and His church. Each HG has a host home, facilitator, and teacher. These three serve as a unit to ensure this ministry meets its intended goal.
We desire the whole body of GBC to attend these groups. Nothing is more important in our lives than our relationship with Christ. Our relationship together is a key part of our love for Christ. As we move toward the fall, please be in prayer for these wonderful times together.

It is our prayer that God will use these times to strengthen our unity and deepen our love for Jesus Christ. If you have any questions or are curious about which HG to attend, please contact me at jason@gbclexington.net.

The author of Hebrews writes in Heb. 10:24, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” This is a profound passage with a significant message—one of the essential components of our weekly collective worship.

Our worship services collectively aim to stimulate one another to Christ’s likeness through our Sunday morning fellowship, worship, and home groups. The end goal of all we do is to be aimed at what God is saying in Hebrews 10:24, which is to stimulate each other to godliness.
The word “stimulate,” as the NASB translation puts it, is a unique word that means “to spur” or “to irritate.” In this present context, this word has a positive meaning, but in other places, this same word might be used as a negative.
For example, as parents, we're told by God not to “irritate” or “exasperate” our children. But God uses this word in Hebrews 10:24 as a helpful action. So, what's being stated is that the churches—God’s people—are to be irritators. Yes, irritators! We're to be people who stimulate (or irritate) one another to love and good deeds.
Hebrews 10:25, which says, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some,” is often quoted to promote church attendance. But if we leave out verse 24 and don’t take 24 and 25 together, the force of this passage is lost.
The reason we don’t forsake meeting together is so that we can irritate one another to be more like Christ. Could you imagine how God would mature us if we saw our roles as godly irritants?

This is a real call to be our brother’s keeper, to look out for one another, address sin, be a positive influence on one another, and edify each other with timely and grace-filled words that build up rather than tear down. We're to exhort one another with Scripture and remain humble even during difficult times when we need to rebuke—and receive rebuke. This is what it means to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
However, this call can only happen if we are faithfully living in fellowship together. What can be more important than our spiritual growth? The answer to this is simple. Since Christ gave His precious life for us, we must take our spiritual growth serious.
This is what Peter states in 1:18-19:

Since we have been bought with the precious blood of Christ, shouldn’t this truth motivate us to take our salvation seriously (Eph. 4:1)? One commentator states, “The high cost of salvation—the beloved Son’s precious blood—calls for believers to live in reverent fear before God. Holy living is motivated by a God-fearing faith which does not take lightly what was purchased at so great a cost.”

The author of Hebrews is encouraging us to take our walk with Christ seriously by stimulating one another to love and good deeds. May we all see ourselves as godly irritants.

Many years ago, when I worked as a paramedic, I treated a patient with a dislocated joint. As we arrived at the house, we found the patient sitting on the floor, in real pain, holding their right arm.
On initial assessment, it was clear that the patient had a dislocated wrist. The rest of the arm was normal, but the dislocation was visible, and the patient was clearly in pain.
If you’ve ever experienced this type of injury, you know the excruciating pain and the potentially serious nature of a dislocated joint.

In his writings, the Apostle Paul likened the local church to the human body, particularly in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4:15-16, where he uses the human body as a metaphor for the church.
Paul emphasizes the importance of the growth and unity of the church in these letters. He stresses that the church, much like the human body, will not be healthy if all its parts do not work together.
Unity within the body is crucial, and it is built upon Christ and the gospel.
Maintaining biblical unity requires following Jesus Christ.
The Bible serves as the only standard for our obedience to Him. Departing from this normal pattern puts the church at risk of dislocation.
There are several types of dislocations that can occur within a church.

First, there is the danger of an insubordinate spirit. In the Apostle John’s third letter to the church in Ephesus, he addresses this issue. A man named Diotrephes (3 John 1:9-10) displayed an insubordinate spirit.
When a church member does not submit to Christ’s headship in the local church, they're at risk of falling into this trap.
Those who exhibit this behavior believe they know better than the leadership or have a clearer understanding than God’s appointed leaders.
Similar to Diotrephes, they justify their actions using biblical language but are deviating from Christ's pattern for biblical unity.
Additionally, dislocation can occur when disagreements arise. While there is always room for growth and constructive criticism in line with biblical principles, some within the church may seek to cause dissension.
Paul addresses this in Romans 16:17, urging the believers in Rome to be wary of those who “cause dissension.”
Some individuals are always drawn to drama, while others inadvertently find themselves embroiled in it due to their nature.
However, Paul directly speaks of those who spread untruths within the church, emphasizing that the greatest cause of disunity is false doctrine. It is the duty of all believers to eradicate errors from the church. There is no room for the tolerance of false teaching (Romans 16:17-18).

Finally, selfishness can cause serious harm to the body of Christ. Paul also warns of this in Philippians 2:3-4, emphasizing that everything believers do must be done with others in mind.
Self-interest can disrupt a church. Pursuing unity entails putting others before oneself, specifically prioritizing the glory of Christ over personal desires.
Embracing the old acronym J.O.Y (Jesus, Others, and You) helps eliminate this potential dislocation.
I pray this week’s Pastor’s Pen can help us all pursue unity within the body of Jesus Christ so that we never have any dislocated members.

Last week, we began a discussion about God's common graces. The first is the common grace of the family. The next significant common grace God created is the government.
God created the institution of government to bless all of society. Government is given for the welfare of all mankind.
In Genesis 9:6, God establishes the seedbed of government. “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”

In the beginning, God did not establish civil government, and evil prevailed across the world. In flooding the earth, God destroyed all those on the earth but preserved Noah and his family in the ark.
Once the waters receded, God made Noah a promise by placing a rainbow in the sky that He'd never again flood the earth.
God's Noahic covenant embodies two ideas: first, never to destroy the earth again by water, and second, to preserve man. This covenant ensures the earth’s preservation and the preservation of mankind.
In addition to this covenant promise, God established the first government. Its sole purpose was to subdue evil. This new law would attempt to establish fear in the heart of the sinner so that he would not shed innocent blood.

The language in Genesis 9:6 indicates the murder of another human being. “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed." The reason the penalty for murder is so high is embedded within the rest of the text. “For in the image of God, He made man.”
Since all people are created in God’s image, the murder of another human being is to murder someone who is more like God than any other creature on the earth. In this brief text, we find that God established the government for the good of humanity.

What the government can’t do is also implied. Human government, even though ordained by God, can’t save man from God’s wrath upon sin. Neither can it change the human heart.
God has not designed the government to impose religion or legislate morality, but to protect society from evil. Paul, in Romans 13, seems to pull his theology from Genesis, as he points out the role and responsibility of government:

Paul clearly says in this passage that government is accountable to God. It is a servant of God, a protector of the innocent, and the punisher of those that do evil. In short, the government was created to “protect and to serve.”
When a government fails to operate within this paradigm, we know it is no longer a government that is a common grace to society as God designed.
I pray this helps us see more clearly another of the common graces of God.

In my view, one of the most significant manifestations of God's common grace is the institution of marriage.
In Genesis 1:27-28, God establishes the marriage covenant with a unique make-up and function. This union between a man and a woman is the source of the family and society.
While all marriages are not distinctly Christian, they're all part of God's plan for humanity, demonstrating His common grace (1 Pet 3:7). Any divergence from this pattern is of satanic origins.
The family is the bedrock of human society. This simple truth is the primary target of the world and Satan. When a people turn away from the common grace of God, i.e. the family unit, we can only expect to reap a terrible price.
God created the family for his glory, and when people move away from this created purpose, we can expect to find confusion and chaos.
When God created the family, he created it with purpose. God’s common grace in a marriage is demonstrated in its four purposes.

The first purpose of marriage is companionship. This purpose is linked to the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Spirit all share an intimate relationship with one another. Since humanity is created in God’s likeness, it's natural that we all long for intimate companionship (Gen. 1:27-28).
Marriage is a partnership in every area of life. There are no divisions in marriage. It is a one-flesh partnership where all life is shared: money, thoughts, dreams, actions, and spiritual life.
In addition to companionship, God created marriage for the purpose of support. In the Garden of Eden, God placed Adam in the garden to cultivate and maintain it. So, God gave Adam a job, a mission, and a life calling before he gave Adam a wife. Then, in verse 18, God said, “It was not good for man to be alone.” He needed a helper. This is when God gave Adam an excellent helper in life.
As God so designed, the marriage covenant is to be a relationship where support is the chief concern. God gave men the design to support the family through protection, provision, and leadership (Gen 2:15, Eph. 5:25). God gave the wife the unique and special design to support the home by nurturing and raising children (Gen. 2:18, 1 Tim. 2:15, Tit. 2:3-5). So, the marriage relationship is one of support.
Next, the purpose of marriage—yes, even marriage between unbelievers—symbolizes a beautiful redemptive picture. The union of a man and a woman symbolizes a more significant and glorious relationship. Paul in Ephesians makes this picture very clear:

The Church is the bride, Christ is the Groom, and marriage is a symbol of this spiritual union between Jesus and those whom He’s saved (1 Cor. 11:1-2, Rev. 19:9). This earthly union is a picture of a heavenly union between all those who repent and believe in Christ.
Christian marriage—and to a lesser degree, non-Christian marriages—serve a very distinct purpose on this earth. It is a living testimony of the gospel. Not just how two sinners can come together and live in holy matrimony, but a testimony that God is a saving God. The covenant relationship between a man and a woman is only something we will enjoy in this life alone. Jesus says this sacred union has only a temporary shelf life, but it points to a greater union, Christ and His bride (Matt. 22:30).

The fourth purpose for marriage is sexual fulfillment. Sex is a big part of the marriage relationship, but it is not the only part of the relationship. Paul gives us some good words about this aspect of marriage in 1 Cor. 7:2-5. Paul understands marriage exists to fulfill the sexual impulses of both men and women. Paul does not see sex in marriage just as a means to procreate. Instead, intimacy is an integral part of marriage. Paul makes several points concerning this aspect of marriage. Intimacy is reserved for marriage (vv. 1-2), intimacy is a gift (vv. 2-3), intimacy is for mutual enjoyment (vv. 3-4), intimacy is to be selfless (vv. 4-5), intimacy is to be practiced frequently (v. 5).

In this brief section, we have discussed the significance of marriage as a manifestation of God's common grace. The marriage covenant, as established by God, serves humanity by providing meaningful companionship, support, symbolism, and sexual fulfillment. Obviously, there are more we could add to this list, but for our purposes here, these help reveal that marriage is one of God’s greatest blessings to humanity.

There is nothing in this life or the life to come that is not established by God.
Paul puts it this way, “For by Him all things were created” (Col. 1:16). This fact is not disputed among believers. We gloriously celebrate this reality.
In addition, we gladly affirm that all God has created has been created for a divine purpose. This is seen in the three institutions He created: the family, government, and the church.
Each of these bodies is created for a divine purpose. God gives life and meaning to each (Gen. 1:26-27, Gen. 9:5). For example, the family was created to populate the earth, the government was created to govern humanity, and the church was created to testify to the truth.
Obviously, there's more that could be said, but what is asserted by the Scripture and often forgotten by the church is that each one of these created bodies is given by God for His purpose and glory. There needs to be a fresh reminder concerning these three so that we can have a biblical view of each and, therefore, live our lives for God’s glory in each.
As we open this subject matter, I believe the Bible talks of these within the scope of God’s common grace and God’s special grace.

God’s common grace is what’s given to all of humanity. In Matt 5:44-45, Jesus tells believers to love their enemies, and then He says, “Be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Jesus speaks of the weather as a common grace to all men (i.e., the saved and unsaved).
In the Old Testament, Psalm 19 is divided into halves by common grace (vs.1-6) and special grace (vs. 7-10). The psalmist says all creation is a common grace, and it functions as a grace through what it declares. “The heavens are telling the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1)
This grace of God is common, not because of its quality, but because of its extent.
The scope of common grace is limited but nonetheless powerful and needed. Paul pointed to God’s common grace in Acts 17:24-25. “He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.”

God’s common grace to the world is a blessing. Food, weather, health, His patience, and a host of other things God has given fall directly into this category of grace. This would include two entities God created: the family and government.
In the next Pastor’s Pen, we'll look at how these are part of God’s common grace.

As believers, we strive for spiritual growth and maturity in our faith. One key element in achieving this maturity is studying theology.
What is theology? It is the study of God. We are confined to studying theology within God's Word. God's special revelation, the Bible, gives us everything we need to know about Him.
In this week's Pastor’s Pen, I'll explore the significance of studying theology and how it can help us in our journey toward becoming mature believers.

The purpose of theology as a church and as an individual is to keep our feet firmly planted in the truth and protected from error. The Apostle Paul knew this was a current and potential problem within the church.
Paul's young protégé, Timothy, was facing such problems with individuals who didn't adhere to sound doctrine. This is why Paul gave Timothy the charge in 2 Timothy 4:2, to preach the word "in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching." His charge to Timothy was a call to stand firm in the truth.
In 2 Timothy 4:3–4, Paul reminds Timothy that there will be a time when men will not hold fast to sound teaching and will want teachers for themselves and will turn away from the truth. This command from Paul is a call to hold fast to the truth, because it's what will build up the true church.

Holding fast to the truth is a recurring theme within the Scriptures. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesian churches, he focuses on strengthening the church.
Notice the phrases in Ephesians 4:13-16: "the unity of the faith," "we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ," and "causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." All of this language has at its core the strengthening of the church.
In Ephesians 4:11-12, the verses prior to these phrases, we see how this is done. God has given to the church pastors and teachers for the work of the ministry for the purpose of building up of the body of Christ to do the work of the ministry.
If we understand the letter of Ephesians, we know that this can only be accomplished if we understand right theology, which is what Ephesians is all about.
The strengthening of the body of Christ can only happen when it is saturated with biblical teaching. Therefore, studying and living out sound theology is vital to the church. Not only is the church strengthened, but it is purified.

I know in my life that it takes the spiritual truths of the Bible to sanctify my life and help me fight sin that is still remaining. As David prayed in Psalm 19:13, “Also keep your servant back from presumptuous sins.” In this context, the Word of God is the key to this request.
The importance of theology in the everyday life is to draw us closer to an understanding of God so that we might become more like Christ and purified through a proper understanding of God.
We’re all aware that if each member of Christ’s body pursues this end by the work of the Holy Spirit through God's Word, we as the corporate body will become fit vessels for service unto God.
As individual believers and the corporate church, we need to use the purifying work of God’s Word in our lives. Jesus’ high priestly prayer was aimed at this end. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

If we understand the theology behind all these verses, that God’s word transforms, convicts, and moves us to become mature believers, it will be obvious to us how sound biblical theology purifies the church.

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus often spoke in parables to convey profound truths to His followers. One of the most well-known is “The Parable of the Soils” which is recorded in all three synoptic Gospels (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15).
The parable conveys how the seed of the Gospel message takes root in some lives and, in some, it does not. Ultimately, we know that the soil which represents the receptiveness to the Gospel message is under the care of our sovereign God. Apart from His planting and watering, no seed would ever come to fruition.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all include explanations at the end their account of the parable. When giving some of the reasons that the seed of the Gospel did not flourish, the authors say that the “worry of the world” has a great deal to do with the unfruitful result.

As believers—those whose lives are bearing the fruit of the gospel—we too can go through seasons when we allow the worry of the world to rob us of joy, peace, and spiritual maturity. We often need to be reminded that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20), and we are but strangers and exiles on this earth (Heb 11:13).

Sure, we're to give ourselves to various responsibilities here in this life—all of which can be used to glorify God. However, let's be sure to prioritize the things that have eternal value. Only what's done for Christ will last.

In our recent Pastor's Pens, we've probed into the culture's anti-authority attitude that's prevalent in today's society. This topic is particularly crucial because it has had an adverse impact on the church.
The Apostle Paul discusses the spirit of those in the last days in 2 Timothy 3:1-3, describing them as people who love themselves above all else. “For men will be lovers of self.”
This accurately describes our culture, where self-love is rampant. It sometimes appears as if God issued three commandments instead of two, with the third being "Love yourself above all else," instead of the traditional two, which are "Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength" and "Love your neighbor as yourself."
I do not need to diagnose this problem. We see it every day in our culture with the invention of the selfie and social media. Even the marketing world has grabbed this concept of self with the slogan, “Have it your way” in an attempt to sell your something as simple as a hamburger.

Self-autonomy and self-glorification pose a significant threat to all forms of authority.
Listen, dear saint, you and I are not immune to this self-autocratic outlook. The New Testament Scriptures command believers to die to themselves. Jesus said it would take denial of self even to follow him. However, modern believers today seem to have forgotten that biblical Christianity is the crucifixion of self (Gal. 2:20).
Why is this so important to remember?
The answer to this question is twofold.
First, Christians were meant to live within a community of believers serving one another. Not in communes but rather in real life, together within the context of the local church. The over-arching theme of the NT is the commands oriented to serving in the body of Christ. The service we are to render is to those in the household of faith (Gal. 6:10).
You and I were saved for good works, and those good works find their expression in the local church. For example, Paul in Eph. 4:16 says,

 Every believer plays a role in another believer’s life.
We have been saved to serve in the maturation of another saint’s life, and if we allow self-will, self-comfort, and self-abortion to creep in, then we are not living for the good of others. The believer needs to live for the good of others, setting aside self-will, self-comfort, and self-abortion.
Secondly, self-autonomy is dangerous because it subverts the shepherd’s biblical role of oversight. The spiritual health of believers is the task of the local pastor (1 Thess. 5:12, Heb. 13:17, 1 Pet. 5:1-3).
One great threat to this work is an attitude that believes it does not need direct, intimate spiritual oversight (3 John 1:9,10). Paul, in 1 Thess. 5:12, makes it clear we are to appreciate elders for their oversight:

The pastor-elders (i.e., under-shepherds) have charge over you in the Lord. Paul’s point is clear: shepherds do have authority over you, but it is a limited authority, namely, “in the Lord.” The scope of biblical oversight is within the Lord, which would be all things spiritual.
This oversight comes through biblical instruction. This instruction takes on different forms, whether through formal ministry or informal ministry (1 Cor. 1:17, Acts 2:20). Spiritual leaders have the biblical authority to teach, reprove, correct, and train according to sound doctrine (2 Tim 3:16).

The spirit of selfism is a real danger to the believer’s life. These threats from our culture are real, and may we, as believers here at GBC, ever be vigilant to fight against anything that undermines God’s work in our lives.

There is little in this world that does not affect us all in some way. As believers, we are commanded to be in the world but not of the world (1 John 2:15). This is especially true concerning this topic of anti-authority.
The danger of this anti-authoritarian age has found its way into the local church. The side effects of this spirit of the age are reflected in a few ways. I'll tackle one of these side effects in this week's Pastor's Pen.

Many believers are becoming increasingly independent and autonomous in their spiritual lives, which can be attributed to the prevailing anti-authority culture.
While painting with a broad brush is not always the best approach, the concern over this sub-culture of evangelical believers is legitimate. This attitude stems from a growing suspicion that many believers have towards the universal church.
This suspicion results from the natural imperfections of the body of Christ, but the various controversies within the broader evangelical world also fuel it. As a result, some have developed resistance to the church, its leaders, and its message. More could be said, but I trust you get this point.
This independent spirit within many believers results from poor theology or a lack of theology (Eph 4:14).
When we are not given biblical truth, as it pertains to the church, her role in our lives, and how God has ordained the local church's ministry to be those that watch over our souls, we tend to fly solo outside of God’s blessing.

However, when we are taught to love the church and to see the church as God’s program in this world (Eph. 2:11-22), it reshapes our hearts to see the local church as an essential part of our lives. I did a series of messages on this subject, which you can listen to here:

Over the last twenty years, with the rise of the internet, we’ve seen the church expand its ministry within the world for the glory of God. There are numerous positives and negatives to the internet and the church.
One serious negative of the internet that feeds this autonomous spirit are the endless sermons, livestreams, and podcasts that give the believer a false notion they do not need the church. Digital ministry cannot replace the real face-to-face accountability of the local church.
I believe digital ministry has its place, but a podcast or a sermon on YouTube is not God’s ordained means of grace. I enjoy listening to sermons while running or working in my yard, but I don't believe it can replace the experience of church.
A great way to explain this is through sports. Nobody wants to play on the junior varsity team. We all aspire to play on the varsity team. This is how I would compare digital ministry (junior varsity) to the life-changing ministry of the local church (varsity).
Next week, we're going to dive into another side effect of this anti-authority age on the church.

The clearest sign of human depravity is rebellion. The height of sin can be summed up in rebellion against God. We find this reality alive and well in all children. If you have a toddler, just tell them, “Do not touch the iPhone,” or “Go pick up your toys,” and you will see this reality alive and well in the little hearts of our children.
The sin of rebellion is what plunged the human race into the fallen state we are all currently living in. God told Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and what did they do? They ate. Ever since that day, humanity has been rebelling against God.
In the current climate in our world, we find the expansion of this anti-authoritarian spirit alive and well. The riots in 2020 are some of the clearest and most alarming symptoms of this cultural problem. The campaign to defund the police and efforts to revoke parental rights from parents with children seeking gender-affirming surgery embody the anti-authority age.
The lack of respect for law enforcement, teachers, and anyone in positions of authority is detrimental to our society. This evil spirit of rebellion is easy to see within our culture, but it's not so easy to see how it has affected many of our lives as well.

We, as Christians, are not immune to this sin. Our rebellious spirit raises its ugly head when we're asked to do something that we don't understand or maybe agree with. I'm not suggesting we don’t examine things carefully and make good and right judgments. What I'm pointing out is how easy it is for us to have a seed of rebellion bloom within our own hearts.
I do agree that there is a time when we must push against authority. When earthly authorities ask us to violate Scripture or go against our conscience, at this point, discernment must be applied to those situations. No matter what form of authority it is—government, employers, elders, teachers, any authority over us (Acts 4:19, 5:29)—it is always better to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29).

However, on all other matters, it is right to obey authority because when we obey authority, we're obeying God (Rom 13:1–2). Peter clearly points this out to wives married to unbelieving husbands. In 1 Pet. 3:1–4, Peter instructs believing wives to submit to their non-Christian husbands. The goal of Peter’s exhortation is gospel-oriented. Just remember, God would never sanction sin under the guise of submission to any person in authority. In such cases, God always provides the believer with a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13).
Obedience to authority is a God-ordained action. Several texts support this: Romans 13:1–3, 1 Pet 2:13–14, Eph. 6:1–5, and Jesus in Mark 12:17,

Submission to authority is not evil nor sinful, and it is even to be viewed as a grace of God. Submission to rules, laws, and authorities are all placed biblically to protect and safeguard society. For example, in the Decalogue (i.e., Ten Commandments), there are social safeguards: do not murder, do not lie, do not steal. These laws are commanded for the greater good. If humanity had not fallen, there would be no need for these types of controls.

The danger of this anti-authoritarian age is felt in the four walls of the church. Over the next few weeks, we'll address how it's affecting our own submission.