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Big Bible Words: Justification

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I’ve had to ‘fess up to many things in my life, but few were as disgraceful as the photocopier incident.

The twilight of my teen years and the height of my vigor were upon me. I was a summer camp counselor for impressionable children. I built a reputation for loving fun and silliness. I would do anything for a laugh. I secretly wished my exploits would become the stuff of camp legend.

I would get my wish, but only when my unquenchable ambition drove me to epic failure.

TV Tropes Foundation, Creative Commons

TV Tropes Foundation, Creative Commons

In my folly, I neglected to treat my unpresentable parts with greater modesty (1 Cor 12:23). I believed a photocopy of my hindquarters would elevate my status. But wisdom was hindmost in my thinking, and hindsight confirms my terrible mistake.

I did not receive adulation that day. No, I reaped a few things that ended up being far more instructive to my soul. A broken glass tray. A huge gash on the back of my thigh. Unceasing ridicule.

And the opportunity to disclose to the camp director why the photocopier was out of commission. For some reason, no other counselor was willing to do it for me.

I had no justification for my actions. I couldn’t avoid blame.

So I manned up and took responsibility. What else could I do? My condemnation was just. With sparkling amusement, however, the Director’s first question offered me some slight consolation. “Pants up or down?”

Justification

According the Bible (Rev 20:12), God will not be amused by our rebellion against him. He’ll gather great and small before his throne. He’ll open books that recount their deeds. He’ll require justification for what’s written there.

Some will try to avoid blame by listing all their good deeds (Matt 7:22-23, Luke 18:9-14) in the hope that these good deeds outweigh the bad ones. Others think they’ll avoid blame by comparing themselves with worse sinners (Luke 18:11). Some will simply blame other people or circumstances instead of admitting any sort of blame themselves (Luke 16:19-31, especially Luke 16:30). None of these tactics will work (Luke 18:14).

A person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. (Gal 2:16, ESV)

There is only one justification that will effectively remove our blame. Jesus “loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). He “gave himself for our sins” (Gal 1:4). God “made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).

The only ones whose names are not written in the “book of life” are those who seek justification in anything but Jesus who is “the Life” (John 14:6, 1:4, 6:35).

How to Explain Justification

“Justification” is one of those big Bible words we often toss around. But can you explain the concept in plain language?

court-gavel_0Vindication. Acquittal. Declaring innocence. Removing blame. Providing evidence. Proving rightness (or simply “being right”). Take your pick, and use ordinary language when you lead others. Just because the word is in the Bible, don’t assume everyone knows what it means.

Remember, if you can’t explain it to a child, you might need to reconsider whether you really understand it yourself. Here’s how I might explain justification to my 6-year-old son:
Me: Did you finish cleaning your room?
Son: Yes!
Me: Ok, I want you to show me.  Let’s go check it out, and we’ll see if your confidence is justified.
And how would I explain “justification by faith in Christ”?
Son [struggling with something difficult]: Papa, I can’t do it.
Me: Why not?
Son: It’s too hard.
Me: You’re right, son. You can’t do it. But someone else can. Who do you think that is?
Son: Jesus?
Me: Yes! Let’s trust him and thank God for him.
Question: How would you explain justification?

Do Not Withhold Good Part 1: Principle

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Humility means putting other people first.  This discipline excludes a number of proud and self-protective behaviors.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
Tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you (Prov 3:27-28, ESV).

Adam Fagen (2010), Creative Commons

Adam Fagen (2010), Creative Commons

“Do not withhold good.”  Easy, right?  It means you get out of the way when other drivers want to merge into your lane.  At least if they’re not too aggressive about it.  But who are those “to whom it is due”?  Believe it or not, this question requires wisdom, as we can easily fall into several self-justifying errors.

The first error is to define “those to whom it is due” so broadly that you invest all your time and resources in the wrong people.  There will always be poor and needy among us who require assistance.  Christ’s followers should be known as those who give and serve as generously as their Lord did.  But there are certain kinds of people who won’t be helped by our charity.  We ought to exercise discernment in such cases.

To give a few examples: Proverbs warns against angry people whom we ought not rescue (Prov. 19:19), gossiping people whom we ought not associate with (Prov. 20:19), and foolish people whom we ought not even try to convince (Prov. 23:9).  Don’t err by expending the Lord’s resources on the wrong people in the hope of being the kind of savior that only Jesus can be for them.  Solomon will return to this point in Proverbs 6:1-5, so I’ll expand on it there.

The second error, however, is to define “those to whom it is due” so narrowly that no mortal person could ever qualify.  In this case, we’re willing to help those who have real need; we just haven’t ever met any of them.  We’ll give money, as long as the person has a job, a history of successful financial management, and a foolproof system of accountability in place.  We act as though there is no room for mistakes with God’s resources.

Take note, however, that Solomon uses the word “neighbor” in Prov. 3:28, and the Bible suggests that “neighbor” is a pretty broad category.  (See Luke 10:25-37.)  We can’t justify our failure by obscuring what God has made clear.

Both errors result directly from pride.  The first one says “I can be Jesus for this person.”  The second one says, “Not even Jesus could help that person.”  In both, I put myself at the center, and I have not cultivated the fear of the Lord.

What Saving Private Ryan Taught Me about Bible Study

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Saving Private RyanIn Steven Spielberg’s World War II film Saving Private Ryan, a team of soldiers receives orders to penetrate Nazi lines, find an American paratrooper (Private James Ryan), and bring him out.  The team’s commander selects six men from his own company, and one from another company, for the mission.

The outsider is Corporal Upham, a clerk fluent in both French and German, who will help the team with communication along the way.  Upham initially resists the call because he has worked behind a desk for the entirety of the war.  He hasn’t fired a weapon since basic training.  He is not free to choose, however; he must join the team.

For skirmish after skirmish, Upham cowers behind boulders and trees until the fighting wanes.  He interacts freely with French civilians and Nazi prisoners of war, but he refuses to fight.  Fear crushes action, and despair dislodges duty.

Near the film’s climax, Upham comes face-to-face with a German warrior.  Ammunition belts hang from Upham’s shoulders like a priest’s vestments.  His loaded rifle is in hand.  His knife sits strapped to his hip.

Yet he falls to the ground in quailing terror.  He doesn’t even pull the trigger.

The German saunters past Upham, smirking, after killing Upham’s comrades.  The enemy proceeds, threatening, but leaves Upham to bathe in his filthy cowardice.

Caution: this clip has gruesome violence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx25WHe_KcE

While not necessarily sharing Upham’s spinelessness, many Christians share his inaction when it comes to firing their weapon.

The sword of the Spirit – the Word of God, the Bible – pierces hearts and slays sinners (Eph 6:17, Heb 4:12-13).  This divine scalpel cuts away cancerous thoughts and beliefs and transplants them with healthy ones (Rom 12:1-2).  This heavenly blowgun discharges profitable projectiles that not only penetrate but also persuade their victims to perform good works with complete competence (2 Tim 3:16-17).

This bloodstained blade strikes down nations and promotes the benevolent yet unyielding sovereignty of the one who is himself the Word of God (Rev 19:11-16).  His fury is unquenchable, but his salvation is unstoppable (Rom 1:16-17).

Fire your weapon, soldier.

The average American household has 4.4 Bibles within its walls.  More English translations exist than ever before.  The Internet and mobile devices make God’s Word far more accessible than a permit to carry a concealed weapon used to be.

Learn to use your Bible.  Learn to wield it with skill.  Don’t hang it around your neck.  Don’t mount it on the wall.  Don’t waste valuable space on your bookshelf with it.

Remember, workbooks or Bible study guides are like training wheels, helping you practice the basic mechanics.  But the time comes when you have to pop them off and let loose and just keep pedaling.  Are you ready?

Question: What prevents you from studying your Bible as much as you’d like?

You Can Trust the Text

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Knowable Word LogoCan you trust the text? Is the Bible you hold in front of you a reliable copy of what was written so many centuries ago?

Michael Kruger at the Gospel Coalition says YES! Even though we don’t have the autographs (original manuscripts of Bible books), we still have very good reason to believe that the copies we have are reliable. He says that:

When it comes to the quantity of manuscripts, the New Testament is in a class all its own. Although the exact count is always changing, currently we possess more than 5,500 manuscripts of the New Testament in Greek alone. No other document of antiquity even comes close.

Kruger explains the difference between “autograph” and “original text.” His article introduces the topic of manuscript evidence clearly and concisely.

If you’re interested in understanding this important topic better, then check it out!

Bible Study Leader Tip #13: Stay in the Text

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Lucius Beebe Memorial Library (2011), Creative Commons

Lucius Beebe Memorial Library (2011), Creative Commons

So you’re leading a Bible study on Galatians 1.  You know enough by now to make sure you use the text.

You begin with an observation question: “What sort of mood is Paul in as he writes this?”

You get the nose-dive reaction that is most desirable in a Bible study.  Everyone looks down at their Bibles, searching for the answers.

A few comments touch on how extreme Paul is (he must be pretty upset to wish eternal condemnation on anyone!), and the discussion stumbles along.

One person screws up his face, deep in thought.  You’re not sure if he wants to speak or not, so you politely keep moving forward, asking about repeated words, and main points.

Eventually, the thinker blurts out, “Do you think angels still speak to people?  Paul’s worried about angels preaching false gospels in verse 8.  Is that something for us to watch out for?”

You’re not exactly sure where to go.  Before you know it, one person asks about Joseph Smith and the Mormons, another person quotes some famous preacher on the topic, and a third connects the discussion to Dante, Descartes, and John Milton.  A fourth person starts recounting his own experience with an angel, while a fifth just sits there communicating with groans too deep for words.

You know it’s a rabbit trail, but you’re not sure how to bring it back.  What should you do?

No matter what your situation, there is one question you can always ask to bring the discussion back on track.

“So how are you seeing that in the text?”

That’s it.  You don’t have to know the answer to every question.  You don’t have to be the best conversationalist in the world.

All you have to do is bring people back to the text.

Sometimes I’m surprised.  What I thought was a rabbit trail might be connected to the passage.  Perhaps this person sees something I don’t yet see.  This question enables me to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Other times, the question lands as a gentle rebuke.  It’s much more gracious than saying, “we’re not here to discuss your personal philosophy or stream of consciousness.  We’re here to be changed by God’s Word.”  You can be firm, while still leading with the expectation that we’re here to learn from the Bible.

I find this question particularly helpful when studying the Bible with non-Christians.  It helps to focus the discussion.  Sometimes I add, “You don’t have to believe it [in order to attend this discussion group], but you do have to be honest about what it’s saying.  So, what does the passage say?”

Next time you lead a Bible study and the discussion meanders from topic to topic, try this question out.

Question: what have you found most helpful when it seems the discussion is getting off track?

Don’t Defend Yourself or Encourage Gossip

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ThemeliosThe Gospel Coalition recently published a new volume of its Themelios journal.  Within there lies a fantastic article by Eric Ortlund about “The Pastoral Implications of Wise and Foolish Speech in the Book of Proverbs.”

Now don’t get discouraged by the long title.  The article is great.  It quotes a little Hebrew, but always translates it for you.

Here’s his point:

I would like to argue that, in the book of Proverbs, one cannot argue with a fool without making things worse. The wise person instead trusts the Lord to intervene by silencing and stopping foolish speech and vindicating those who trust him.

And from his conclusion:

We must scour our hearts, with the help of the Spirit, for foolish tendencies in ourselves. For instance, if I have something negative to say about another Christian, have I said it to anyone else? While there are a few situations in which one might have to do this (if one is asked, for example, to recommend another Christian for a ministry position), it is extremely easy to point out the faults of other Christians to third parties. This is foolish because Jesus, our wisdom and our great high priest, is interceding for all Christians, speaking the best of them before the Father. Why would we speak any differently? To give another example: in a disagreement, do I spin things in my favor? Do I believe all things and hope all things for the other Christian (1 Cor 13:7)? Or do I assume the worst about them?

Ortlund expands on ideas I’ve written about the three kinds of people in Proverbs, and he beautifully applies the teaching of Proverbs to this difficult area of criticism, attacks, and gossip.

I highly recommend you check it out!

Big Bible Words: Propitiation

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KlingonsI once heard Mark Driscoll ask ministry leaders to stop speaking “Christian Klingon.” I appreciate the image of “Christian Klingon,” because some people don’t even know what Klingon is – which makes the point. Driscoll’s counsel applies not only to church and ministry leaders but also to anyone who speaks to others about Christianity.

The Bible uses some big words, but most of these words were part of the regular vocabulary of the time. Certainly, some authors made up words or specialized them to fit their purposes. But the New Testament authors wrote in the everyday language of the people. It’s called “Koine” (which means “common”) Greek.

Here’s my point:

We should be able to speak of the Bible and Christianity in ordinary language.

In fact, we should be able to explain it to a two-year-old. If we can’t, we probably don’t understand what we’re talking about.

For example, 1 John uses a big word: propitiation.

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2, ESV).

Can you explain the concept in plain language?

 What does “propitiation” mean?

Crossway’s blog has the following definition of propitiation:

God averting his wrath toward man through the death of His Son.

Wikipedia puts it this way:

Propitiation is the act of appeasing or making well disposed, especially a deity, thus incurring divine favor to avoid divine retribution.

Biblicaltraining.org simply puts it this way:

The turning aside of divine wrath against sinful man.

These definitions are pretty good, but I think they miss a key component.

Jesus is a person, not an action.  John doesn’t say that Jesus is the act of turning aside God’s anger.  John says he is the thing that turns aside God’s anger.

Let me illustrate.  A friend of mine used to work for a company that made the mixer drums on the back of cement trucks (the big container that spins and holds the cement).

Because of their expertise in engineering incredibly strong and durable materials, they received a contract from the US government to design a concrete barrier (a wall about 3 feet high) to protect important buildings.  My friend was chief engineer for the project, and his job for a time was to sit at a computer and smash virtual pickup trucks (armed with virtual explosives) into various prototypes of the barrier.

Those defense barriers were the propitiation for the government buildings.  In fact, “defense barrier” is a pretty good plain-language definition for propitiation.

Tomahawk missilePicture God’s anger at your sin, racing toward you like a Tomahawk missile.  At the last moment, Jesus jumps in front of you and absorbs the blast.  That’s what propitiation means.

Could you explain this concept to children?  They see propitiation happening all around them (toy armor, kid forts, and baseball gloves immediately come to mind), and we just have to draw the connection to Jesus for them.

Questions: How else might you explain “propitiation” to someone unfamiliar with the Bible?  What big Bible words would you like to see addressed in a future post?

Update

My engineer friend wrote to correct a few details from the anecdote above.

First, the barriers we made were steel, not concrete.  The steel used to make the concrete mixer drums is hardened for abrasion resistance, which also means it is better able to stop armor-piercing rounds.

This leads to a second correction, which is that the barriers we made were shot with armor piercing AR-15 rounds.  I never modelled trucks driving into the barrier, and I don’t believe the inventor ever tested vehicle impact of the barrier.  Other companies have done such tests though, and I might have shown you a video once of a competitor’s barrier stopping a truck.

Finally, the inventor was a local corrections officer hoping to make sales to the government.  We didn’t have a government contract.

Apparently, my memory failed me in these details, and I offer my humblest apologies.  But many thanks to my friend, who is the propitiation for my failure against the mistrust of informed readers.

10 NT Books that Don’t Quote the OT

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I recently finished a read-through of the Bible, during which I kept track of every instance the New Testament quotes an Old Testament passage.

Photo Credit: Kladcat (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Photo Credit: Kladcat (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License

I counted only direct, explicit quotations, such as those introduced with “it is written,” or “as it says in the Law of Moses.”  I gave some leniency, allowing clear quotations on the list even if introduced by a mere “for.”

I did not include any mere allusions or references to people or events in the Old Testament.  I don’t think such allusions are unimportant; I just think they can be difficult to measure.  For example, Matthew 2:23, NASB looks, smells, and tastes like a quote.  It has quotation marks (at least in most English versions other than the ESV).  It even references “what was spoken through the prophets.”  You can’t really get a better introductory formula than that.  But which passage is Matthew quoting?  Search me.  No-one seems to know.  It’s more likely that Matthew is referring to the principle of a low-born, humble Messiah than to any specific passage.  So, I excluded Matt 2:23 from the list.  One unfortunate result is that books like 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, which contain Old Testament allusions in almost every verse, are almost completely absent from the list.

This list has 10 NT books that don’t ever explicitly quote the OT.  I’m not suggesting that these books don’t reference the OT or care about it.  I’m not suggesting that you can understand these books without understanding the OT.  I’m simply observing that the authors of these books didn’t explicitly quote specific verses to support their points.

Of all the lists I’ve posted so far, I’m least convinced that this one has much practical usefulness.  These books are full of allusions to the OT, even though they don’t explicitly quote it.  But, I’m giving you the list more for the sake of closure than anything else.

  1. Philippians

  2. Colossians

  3. 1 Thessalonians

  4. 2 Thessalonians

  5. Titus

  6. Philemon

  7. 1 John

  8. 2 John

  9. 3 John

  10. Revelation

Now you can’t accuse me of ever withholding information. For the raw data listing every quotation, see the resources page.

Update February 2019: I removed 2 Timothy from this list and changed the title of the post from “11 Books” to “10 Books,” because I’ve become convinced that, in 2 Timothy 2:19, Paul is quoting, albeit loosely, not from some early Christian sayings but from Numbers 16:5 and Numbers 16:26. I’ve also made the addition to the master spreadsheet.

Jesus is Your Resume

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This is a guest post by my friend and co-worker Dan Miller, who has a video blog at Video Verses.  You can follow him on Facebook.

 

suitAs a Christian, the best work you’ll ever do for God’s kingdom is believe in the work of Jesus.

Do you agree with that?  Or do you work under the assumption that child-like faith in Jesus is a good thing…but it belongs on your résumé somewhere below the great number of people you’ve managed?

If that is what your résumé looks like, Jesus is not hiring.

That’s been His policy all along, and yet there’s hope.  Just look at the Bible’s most capable manager.

Joseph.  A man who, no matter what life threw at him, seemed unstoppable.  Sold into slavery as a teenager in a foreign land, he rose to manage the estate of a powerful man.  Then after being framed and losing everything, he rose from “neglected prisoner” to “essentially the most powerful man in Egypt.”  His rise came during a devastating time: a famine that could have leveled the entire world.

Fortunately for the world, Joseph was the right man for the job.

Joseph led Egypt to store their abundance before the famine hit, so they could feed themselves, the nations, and the world.  Including the brothers who were so unkind to him and the person who had framed him.

In a nutshell, Joseph rose from convict to savior of the world.  How would you like that on your résumé?

Now, stop planning your financial future for a moment, and consider Hebrews 11, the “who’s who” of the Old Testament.  To no one’s surprise, Joseph made it in there.  What do you think was on his résumé?

By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. (Hebrews 11:22, ESV)

That’s it?

Yes.  According to the writer of Hebrews, this is the most important thing to know about Joseph’s life’s work.  Back in Genesis 12, God made a promise to Joseph’s great-grandpa Abraham.  This promise continued through the line, but as awesome as Joseph’s life was, the promise didn’t come true during his lifetime.  Rather than questioning God and dying a bitter old man, Joseph believed God.  He believed so strongly, in fact, that he denied himself a prominent burial, instead saying, “Descendents, take my bones to the Promised Land yourself.”  About 500 years later, they did.

God always keeps His promises.

But God had a bigger, better promise, and the name of that promise is Jesus.  In John 3:16, Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me will not perish, but have eternal life.”  The real goal for God’s people was not land acquisition, but restoration to the holy God who made us, whom we betrayed.  This restoration came totally through Jesus, who is alive and well, interceding for us despite our best efforts to stop Him.  He has given us new life and a glorious new mission – to proclaim HIS name.  He’s also given us the strength for the mission.

That’s the point: your belief in Jesus’ work is the greatest work you will ever offer the world.  In other words, it’s not just at the top of your résumé, it is your résumé.

So as you live the rest of your life, remember that faith in Jesus is your greatest weapon, and your greatest danger is faith in anything else.

Top 10 NT Books that Quote OT Passages

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I recently finished a read-through of the Bible, during which I kept track of every instance the New Testament quotes an Old Testament passage.

I counted only direct, explicit quotations, such as those introduced with “it is written,” or “as it says in the Law of Moses.” I gave some leniency, allowing clear quotations on the list even if introduced by a mere “for.”

I did not include any mere allusions or references to people or events in the Old Testament. I don’t think such allusions are unimportant; I just think they can be difficult to measure. For example, when Jesus is called “Son of Man,” is that an allusion to Daniel 7:13, to Psalm 8:4, or to Ezekiel 2:1, 3, 6, 8, etc? Most likely, the answer is “all of them,” but Bible interpreters disagree. Therefore, I left such unclear examples off the list altogether. One unfortunate result is that books like 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, which contain Old Testament allusions in almost every verse, are almost completely absent from the list.

This list has the top 10 NT books that quote the OT (click here for other lists). Which books assume or expect a greater knowledge of the Old Testament? Which books require much more flipping back and forth to make sure we get the point? Which books had in mind an audience that would be comfortable with such use of the Old Testament?

After each entry, I include the number of times that book quotes an OT passage.

  1. Romans (58 quotes)

  2. Matthew (45)

  3. Hebrews (42)

  4. Acts (27)

  5. Galatians (20)

  6. 1 Corinthians (20)

  7. Luke (19)

  8. Mark (18)

  9. John (17)

  10. 1 Peter (8)

If a passage quotes two parallel Old Testament passages simultaneously, I counted it as two quotes. For example, Hebrews 1:5b simultaneously quotes 2 Samuel 7:14 and 1 Chronicles 17:13.

Frankly, I’m astonished that Romans, a book with only 16 chapters, tops the list. I don’t think I would have guessed it before I counted up the references.

Matthew and Hebrews are not much of a surprise, as they are considered some of the most “Jewish” books of the New Testament (along with James, which is too short to have many quotes). You can see there’s a large reduction in the number of references after those top three books.

All four Gospels are on this top 10 list. It’s possible that it’s mostly because they’re some of the longest books in the NT. But I think it’s also true that we simply will not understand Jesus’ person and work unless we understand him in light of the Old Testament. God has spoken in the whole Bible, and Jesus is the climax (Heb 1:1-4). For the raw data listing every quotation, see the resources page.

What else strikes you about this list?