Category: Devotional

Reading the Bible for the First Time

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Imagine that a friend of yours has just become a Christian. She knows of your faith and asks to meet with you.

Your friend knows the Bible is an important book for Christians, and she wants to read it. But she has no familiarity with the Bible at all.

What would you say to her?

Only the Essentials

This post isn’t an attempt to say everything about the Bible, just what would be most helpful to a person reading the Bible for the first time.

In what follows, I’ve collected some important facts and advice aimed at first-time Bible readers. If you have further additions or suggestions, I’d love to read them in the comments!

6 Facts About the Bible

Welcome to the Bible! As you begin, you should know some information about the book you’re about to read.

  1. The Bible is God’s word. Though the Bible was written in time and space by human authors, it is divinely inspired. God’s love and sovereignty are such that the words we have are exactly what he intended. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
  2. The Bible is true. If God is the ultimate author of the Bible then we will see his character throughout this book. Since he is perfect, pure, and unable to lie, the Bible is trustworthy and true.
  3. The Bible is important. A small number of questions in life have ultimate consequences. What is God like? What does he think of me? What does he want people to do? Because God wants to be known, he has answered these questions in the Bible.
  4. The Bible is concerned with God and his people. The relationship between God and his rebellious people—first the nation of Israel and then the church—is the focus of God’s word. Biblical teachings have massive implications for individuals, but they are primarily addressed to groups of people.
  5. The entire Bible is about Jesus. After Jesus rose from the dead, he explained to some of his disciples that every part of the Bible spoke of him. “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
  6. The Bible is clear. Though some parts of the Bible are difficult to understand, far more of the Bible is plain. After all, in several places, God commands his people to teach the Bible to their children. We must interpret the more challenging parts of Scripture in light of the portions that are clear. The Bible is not only for those with high IQs or advanced degrees; the Bible is knowable to everyone.

7 Suggestions for Reading the Bible

There is much more to say about the Bible, but for those just starting out, it is more important for you to start reading. Here are some suggestions for reading the Bible that apply just as much on Day 1 of your Bible-reading adventure as they will on Day 10,000.

  1. Pray before you read the Bible. Because the Bible is God’s word, we need his help to understand and benefit from reading it. God loves to answer this prayer!
  2. You don’t need to read the Bible from start to finish. Many Christians read the Bible from Genesis straight through to Revelation, but this is not necessary. I suggest starting with the Gospel of John, then Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Then move on to Genesis and Exodus. There’s no single correct way to read the Bible.
  3. You don’t need to read the entire Bible right away. Read-the-Bible-in-a-year plans are popular, but these are not mandated by God. You should eventually make your way through the whole Bible, but it is far more important to read carefully and slowly than to read quickly without understanding.
  4. Reread the Bible. Plan to read the Bible for as long as you live. We need to reread the Bible both because we forget what is true and because each reading of the Bible offers more riches than the last.
  5. Read the Bible with others. Christians are a part of God’s family and we are called into community with each other. This is important for many reasons, including understanding and applying the Bible. Seek out a Bible-believing church and some people within the church with whom to read and discuss the Bible.
  6. Establish a habit. The sooner you can make regular Bible intake a part of your life, the better. Find a good time and place for reading the Bible, and try to read regularly. A habit like this doesn’t make you more precious to God, but it could make God more precious to you.
  7. Study the Bible. While the Bible is knowable, sometimes it requires work to understand what it says. Older Christians in your church should be able to offer guidance, and there are lots of articles and resources on this web site to help.

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What We Miss When We Skip the Prophets

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

From what Biblical book is your pastor preaching? What are you reading in your devotional times? What book of the Bible are you studying in your small group?

Let me guess: An epistle? A gospel? An Old Testament historical book? Some of the Wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, etc.)?

I’d bet very few of you would answer Ezekiel, or Micah, or Zechariah.

The Forgotten Prophets

The prophetic books of the Old Testament make up 250 of the Bible’s 1189 chapters. That’s about 21% of the Bible! And I think those books are sorely neglected.

I don’t have any recent data or research to back me up. But when I talk to other Christians about what they’re reading, the prophets come up the least. If someone mentions the prophets, it’s usually because they’re following a read-through-the-Bible plan. (And they’re usually eager to get to Matthew!)

Five Things We Lose When We Skip the Prophets

Aside from missing out on a fifth of God’s word, here are five specific treasures we miss when we consistently neglect the reading and study of the prophets. (These are not all features exclusive to the prophets, but they appear in most of the prophetic books.)

1. Background to the New Testament

If you want to know what the people of Jesus’s day were thinking about and expecting from God, you need to read the prophets. The prophets were the most recent revelation from God, and yet there had been no word from God for hundreds of years when Jesus was born. The people’s expectations were shaped by prophetic promises of rescue, deliverance, and victory over enemies.

2. References in the New Testament

The New Testament writers assumed a high level of Biblical literacy. They often made reference to portions of the Old Testament, either through allusion or explicit quotation. It seems likely that by referring to a verse New Testament writers assumed their hearers or readers would think of a much larger passage of Scripture. Especially when reading those authors who explain how Jesus fulfilled prophesy, it’s essential that we pay attention to the prophetic books.

3. The communal nature of God’s people

In the prophets, God gives a message to one person for broadcast to his people. There are collective accusations of rebellion and idolatry, collective threats of punishment and exile, and collective promises of salvation. In the modern West, we tend to read the Bible through an individualistic lens, but the Jewish people of the Old Testament were bound together in a way we must understand. While the Bible has plenty of implications for individuals, God frequently addresses us as his church, and we need the counter-balance of thinking collectively that the prophets provide.

4. Hope

Because disobedience has serious consequences, the future was bleak for many who heard the prophetic announcements. But God rarely left his people without hope. The exile would end. The oppressing nations would be defeated. Hearts would be changed and the people’s longing for God’s presence would finally be realized. God always sustains his people through a sure hope.

5. God’s omniscience and sovereignty

In the prophets, we read prediction after prediction about what will happen to God’s people and we see the extent of God’s knowledge. We read of God’s judgment against Israel’s sins and we recognize the extent of his authority and personal rule. Now as then, he is not a God to take lightly.

Start Reading

If you’ve been neglecting the prophets in your own Bible intake, the fix is easy. Start reading!

Here’s a concrete suggestion. Take an upcoming month and devote it to reading the prophets. Pick one major prophet (Isaiah, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel) and three minor prophets, and make yourself a reading plan.

Take a look at the historical background of each book before you begin. Most good study Bibles have this information (and many web sites do too).

Then read with purpose. If you get confused by the language or bored with what seems repetitive, push through. Write some notes on each chapter as you go to help you understand what you’re reading.

Let’s give our attention to the whole counsel of God, without consistently ignoring any of what he’s given us.

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Ask Questions to Expose Idols

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

What is an idol? I’ve addressed this at greater length elsewhere, but here’s a quick definition. An idol is anything we worship that is not the true God.

This definition of an idol includes the statues and poles shaped from wood and metal that we read of in the Old Testament. But it also includes more common things—even good things—we see and enjoy around us every day.

Family. Church. Reputation. Lack of conflict. Influence. Wealth. Knowledge. Success.

Because our hearts are expert in twisting and fashioning idols from good, God-given parts of our lives, identifying idols is a difficult task. In fact, it’s a task we cannot do on our own.

Idols Kill Relationships

Andy Crouch’s book Strong and Weak has some excellent advice for Christians who long to kill their idols.

The first things any idol takes from its worshipers are their relationships. Idols know and care nothing for the exchange of authority and vulnerability that happens in the context of love—and the demonic powers that lurk behind them, and lure us to them, despise love. So the best early warning sign […] is that your closest relationships begin to decay. It is those relationships, after all, that could grant you the greatest real capacity for meaningful action. But they also demand of you the greatest personal risk. — Andy Crouch, Strong and Weak, pp. 106–107

The more we give ourselves to an idol, with its false promise of success or peace or power or happiness, the more our closest relationships wither.

Exposing Idols

Relationships may be a casualty of idolatry, but they also offer a strong defense against the same. The strategy is as simple to state as it is difficult to implement.

Ask your friends, consistently, about their closest relationships.

By asking your friend about her relationships with her sister, her mother, her best friend at work, or her husband, you may help her identify some idol currently gaining a foothold in the dark.

Part of the beauty of the church of God is that we’re not alone in the battle against sin. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we have a valuable role to play in our friends’ spiritual lives. Having these conversations can be uncomfortable and awkward—they involve real risk!—but these interactions are a tangible way for us to “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess 5:11).

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Sorrow: An Engine of Christian Hope

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Hope may not be a fruit of the Spirit, but it is a Christian virtue. And the authors of the New Testament presume that those who are in Christ will grow in hope just as they grow in love and faith. (See Romans 15:13, 1 Peter 1:13, and Hebrews 6:11, for example.)

How therefore do we grow in hope?

The Christian life—and human life in general—offers scores of opportunities to increase our hope reflexes. In this post we’ll address the path to hope through sorrow.

Recognizing All That is Not Right

Here’s my definition of Christian hope: hope is the joyful expectation that God will keep his promises. Some events in our lives offer a brief taste of those kept promises, making us aware of the great fulfillment that is to come. (This will be the subject of a future post.) Yet some circumstances make us see just how far we are away from that fulfillment.

In a world marked by sin, we are bound to see misery and sadness all around us. God does not expect us to pretend that everything is fine; he has given us lament as a category of prayer for just these confusing, dispiriting, and gut-wrenching times.

However, properly understood, lament ends in hope. So, these times of great sadness can be opportunities to grow in this powerful Christian virtue.

Injustice

We do not need to search very hard for examples of injustice in the world. Many Christians have been the target of unjust actions or policies, and all of us have observed gross acts of injustice throughout the world.

We rightly cry out when the wicked flourish and the righteous are victims of hatred and violence.

God is just, and he promises that justice will rule one day. A key part of growing in hope is learning these promises, resting on them, and expecting God to keep them.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
    I have put my Spirit upon him;
    he will bring forth justice to the nations.
    He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
    or make it heard in the street;
    a bruised reed he will not break,
    and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
    he will faithfully bring forth justice.
    He will not grow faint or be discouraged
    till he has established justice in the earth;
    and the coastlands wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:1–4)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23:5–6)

Additionally, the notion of hell depends in part on God’s justice. Because God is holy and humans sin against him, these offenses must be dealt with. For Christians, the wrath of God was satisfied at the cross (1 Peter 2:24), and for unbelievers, God will be vindicated in hell (see Matthew 25:31–46, Revelation 21:8).

Sickness and Death

Sickness and death are one of the greatest causes of our sorrow. And we rightly lament this reality because this is not the way things should be. And, of course, this is not the way things will be!

Jesus’s resurrection is the sure sign that resurrection is to come for those united to him. We have these sure promises.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:50–53)

The promise of bodily resurrection from the dead is fundamental to Christian hope. But we must not let familiarity with this promise dull its extravagant audacity. Raised from the dead! New bodies!

Loneliness

Many commenters have written about a modern epidemic of loneliness, but a sorrowful aloneness has been a part of the human experience for millennia. We rightly mourn the loss of relationships and the absence or coolness of friends, but our mourning can point us to a better day on the horizon.

Yes, God is present with his people now and has promised not to forsake them (Hebrews 13:5). But a greater sense of God’s presence awaits us.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Revelation 21:1–3)

God will be with us as our God; he will dwell with us—in fact, that will be his dwelling place.

For those in Christ, all loneliness has an expiration date. God has promised.

From Sadness to Hope

Sorrow is nothing to seek out, but rightly understood it is an opportunity to grow.

Our prayers of lament begin with complaint but they end in hope. We realize that our aching and sadness is a longing for something God has promised. We can build a solid foundation on God’s promises, joyfully anticipating the way he will keep them and turn our sadness on its head.

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Why Isn’t Hope a Fruit of the Spirit?

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

The fruit of the Spirit are familiar: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22–23). I doubt Paul intended this list to be exhaustive, but at least two Christian virtues are conspicuous in their absence from this hallowed group: faith and hope.

Given that faith and hope are both brought about by the Spirit and that Paul writes much about these qualities elsewhere, their absence from this list may surprising. In this short post, we’ll explore this mystery.

Looking to Calvin and 1 Corinthians 13

Allow me a slight detour. Most know 1 Corinthians 13 as “the love chapter” from its presence at wedding ceremonies. This chapter ends with sweet words that raise an obvious question.‏

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Why exactly is love greater than faith and hope? The answer can be found in the text, but it is nicely summarized by John Calvin.

For faith does not remain after death, inasmuch as the Apostle elsewhere contrasts it with sight, (2 Corinthians 5:7,) and declares that it remains only so long as we are absent from the Lord. We are now in possession of what is meant by faith in this passage—that knowledge of God and of the divine will, which we obtain by the ministry of the Church; or, if you prefer it, faith universal, and taken in its proper acceptation. Hope is nothing else than perseverance in faith. For when we have once believed the word of God, it remains that we persevere until the accomplishment of these things. Hence, as faith is the mother of hope, so it is kept up by it, so as not to give way. […] Faith and hope belong to a state of imperfection: love will remain even in a state of perfection.

In other words, love is the greatest of this trio because it remains into the fulness of the new creation. We have no need for faith or hope in heaven—these are virtues we need only in anticipation of our future home. (Calvin is on solid footing, as 1 Cor 13:8 asserts that “love never ends,” and then the rest of verses 8–12 discuss what will and will not pass away.)

Not Needed in the New Creation

In light of this argument, we see that faith and hope do not belong among the fruit of the Spirit. Perhaps the fruit of the Spirit are those qualities the Spirit grows within believers that will be needed for our new-creation lives.

There is some evidence for this argument within Galatians 5. After listing the “works of the flesh” in Gal 5:19–21, Paul writes, “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:21). There is a link between life in the future kingdom of God and these works of the flesh/fruit of the Spirit.

Love One Another

There is another explanation for the absence of faith and hope from the list of the fruit of the Spirit. Interestingly, Calvin also touches on this in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 13.

For every one derives advantage from his own faith and hope, but love extends its benefits to others.

Paul is relentless in Galatians to show that embracing the true gospel of Christ leads away from slavery toward freedom—the freedom to serve one another through love. (See my fuller discussion here.) The entire earlier paragraph of Gal 5:13–15 is about loving neighbor as self.

While faith and hope affect the way we interact with others, they are called “theological virtues” because they primarily involve our orientation toward God. The fruit of the Spirit are mostly needed for our relationships with others.

Convergence

In the end, these explanations converge. Faith and hope are not properly considered fruits of the Spirit because they aren’t necessary for our interaction with others, either now or in the age to come.

Faith and hope are gifts of the Spirit and they are essential to get to that new age! But they are the ship which takes us across the river and drops us on the far shore. We no longer need the boat for the singing and dancing and living to come.

(Note: I focused on hope instead of both faith and hope in the title of this post because so much of my recent writing has focused on hope.)

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Giving Detailed Thanks for Coffee

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

On one level, God’s will for us is plain.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess 5:16–18)

Putting aside the complex issue of God’s will, Paul’s exhortation makes it clear that thanksgiving must be a central part of the Christian life. Paul also writes that we should be “…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father…” (Eph 5:20).

What does this sort of universal, always-on thanksgiving look like?

Give Thanks to God

Principally, God’s people should be thankful to be God’s people, because this is a gift. Just look at Exodus 15:1–18 where Moses sings and exults in God’s Red Sea deliverance.

For the Christian, all of God’s gifts flow from the supreme gift of salvation, and we should thank him for every one.

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. (1 Tim 4:4–5)

Moses’s song in Exodus 15 is a model of thanksgiving for us. Our modern ears might find it repetitive, but Moses is slowly rehearsing every powerful, saving work. Every detail is important, because God is in all of the details.

We glorify God when we thank him specifically. In particular, we draw attention to his generosity, power, and love when we delight in all the blessings that come from a particular gift. After all, God foreknew and planned every last blessing we experience!

Specific, Exuberant Thanksgiving

My aim is to model this type of thanksgiving.

I love coffee. This isn’t exactly a controversial opinion on the internet, since roughly 114% of Twitter bios mention it. But I’ve been reading and thinking a lot about coffee recently. (I’m teaching a class on it in the fall.)

This is just a case study; coffee isn’t the point. My aim is thanking God everywhere, at all times, for all things. I’m just getting started; how about you?

Thank You, God, for Coffee

God, thank you for coffee. What a good, pleasurable gift you’ve given!

Thank you for the way coffee tastes. I love the way the flavor varies by the origin and roast of the bean; from nutty to fruity to chocolaty, the differences are delightful. Thank you for the unmistakable jolt to my tongue when I take my first morning sip.

Thank you for the smell of coffee. You’ve created such a warm, enticing smell with this drink that many who don’t enjoy the drink welcome the smell. The intensity of the aroma over freshly-ground beans is arresting and invigorating. Thank you for the way the smell of the grounds is released by the water, pulling me like a tractor beam to the mug.

Thank you for the stimulation coffee provides. You created caffeine, and like everything you created it is good. How generous you are to give a safe chemical in a delicious form that helps so many focus, think, and create.

Thank you for the ritual that goes along with coffee. You’ve given us a welcome, peaceful process to create this great drink. From boiling to scooping to grinding to pouring, the predictable rhythm of those ten minutes is a respite from the rest of the day. Thank you for the opportunity to breathe and rest while the coffee brews.

Thank you for the beauty of coffee. Though I make it much more for its taste than its appearance, in the right hands coffee is gorgeous. You’ve created so many different shades of brown that complement and accent each other so perfectly.

Thank you for the availability of coffee. The bean is grown in limited parts of the world, but you’ve blessed the farming, processing, and distribution of coffee so that most countries have easy access.

Thank you for the conversations that coffee inspires. You’ve made it natural, at least in the States, to build friendships over this drink. So many people meet to plan, pray, study the Bible, or ponder your world while drinking coffee.

Thank you for the food that goes so well with coffee. Donuts, bagels, eggs—these all pair perfectly with coffee. This drink you’ve created is wonderful by itself, but it shines in harmony with every cake, pie, and pastry around. What delicious combinations you’ve made for us to enjoy!

God, we see your goodness and overflowing generosity in coffee. It points us to your character, your love, and the gift of your Son for us. Thank you!

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Reading the Bible for the Ten Thousandth Time

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

We’re good at learning our surroundings, aren’t we? After living in one place for many years, we know every last detail. We know which noises are normal and which drips and knocks require a phone call. We know the cold spots of each room, the number of stairs between floors, and which floorboards squeak the loudest. If necessary, we could find our bed in the deepest darkness, because we know our place. It’s home.

For some people, this familiarity is comforting. They like the warmth and security that comes from knowing a place inside and out. But for others, the comfort makes them uneasy. It seems boring and dry, like a mouth full of uncooked oats. They start to look for something new.

Some might think of the Bible as predictable and stuffy, especially those who have been reading it for years. They know every beat of every story. There are no more surprises; the excitement is gone.

By instinct we know that first-time readers of the Bible need guidance. But long-time readers need help too. In this article we’ll explore some of the ways to combat boredom and lethargy for experienced Bible readers.

Five Ways to Fight Bible Weariness

There are many ways to guard against the boredom that can come with age and familiarity. Here are five of the best.

Remember why you’re reading. The Bible is not boring because it has a grand, explosive, eternal purpose. We read the Bible in order to know the God of the universe! We wouldn’t know him, or know how to approach him, if he didn’t tell us. And because God is infinite, we cannot exhaust our understanding of him. So, while you might know all the stories in the Bible, you can always know and worship the God behind those stories better. And here’s a glorious follow-up: This is exactly what God wants!

Adjust your routine. There are lots of different ways to take in the Bible. If you’ve been reading a lot, try listening. Read through the Bible as quickly as you can. Or take six months, read one book as many times as possible, and let it sink into your bones. Study the Bible, memorize it, sing it. A different translation or a different physical Bible might offer the fresh perspective you need.

Teach the Bible. Most Bible teachers will tell you they learn far more during their teaching than any of their students. Most churches and ministries often need Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, and volunteers at the local nursing home. Don’t shy away from children’s ministries either—you really have to know and believe the Bible to explain it to kids! If your Bible intake is not just for yourself, you may find it more challenging, comforting, and life-giving.

Apply the Bible. Though the Bible’s text and truths don’t change, we do. This means that the same accurate interpretation of a passage at age 25 has massively different implications when we’re 55. Application is the most difficult step of Bible study, so we often skip it, but application is precisely where we are forced to trust in God. Our faith grows the most when we take steps of obedience and witness God supporting our feet. To fight disinterest in the Bible, push your Bible study from observation and interpretation all the way to application.

Share the gospel. It’s tempting to think the Bible is dusty and anemic when we never witness the power of God through its words. In addition to applying the Bible to ourselves, we can see this power as we tell others about Jesus. The Holy Spirit most often uses the words of the Bible to awaken the dead and grant faith in Christ, and we can be a part of this! If you want to see just how powerful the Bible is, pray for opportunities to talk to others about Jesus, and then rejoice and obey when those opportunities arise. (God loves to answer this prayer!)

Ask and You Shall Receive

When we feel fatigue with the Bible, the problem is not with the book. The problem is with us.

But remember—God is a compassionate father who loves his children. At the bottom of every strategy given above is this encouragement: Talk honestly with God about your struggles. Confess your sin, your apathy, your lack of love. Ask him to be merciful, to change you from the inside out.

Don’t let your boredom with the Bible lead you away from God. Take it to him; he already knows and is eager and able to help.

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How Idols Hijack Our Hearts

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Idols are ridiculous. They are embarrassing. Believing and trusting idols is not just sinful, it’s moronic. For those who acknowledge God as good and sovereign, trusting ourselves to anything or anyone else is utterly foolish.

And yet, we’re all morons and fools in this regard, aren’t we?

In the moment, we don’t usually recognize our idolatrous motivations. And since our idols are less noticeable than statues and figurines, it’s easy to miss when our loyalties are bent in the wrong direction.

Idols Work

The main reason we are tempted to trust in idols, is that they work—at least for a time and in a meager way.[1] Christians may protest that this admission grants idols too much power, but the alternative grants idols far more influence. It’s better to drag the tyrant out into the town square than to let him bully from the shadows.

We see a silly example of this in the realm of sports superstitions. A player who wears a mismatched pair of socks in a standout game is compelled to wear those same socks for weeks. A fan accidentally mutes the television while her favorite team completes a stunning comeback and then won’t think of turning the volume up for the rest of the season. These small actions coincide with success, so we repeat the actions with hope of repeated outcomes.

Something similar likely happened with some ancient idolatries. A rain dance or a sacrifice coincided with healthier crops, so the practices and devotion continued.

This is more evident with our modern idolatries. We trust in modern medicine because it is so often able to make us feel better. We depend on our finances because we are able to make ourselves comfortable and happy by withdrawing funds from our accounts. Our good reputation gives us a connection for a job or promotion or favor, so we give undue energy to persuading other people to think well of us.

If what we ultimately seek is health or comfort or material happiness, then we have to admit that these idols are doing a decent job. From one perspective, it makes sense that we continue to rely on them.

Idols Make Promises

Our idols don’t make promises explicitly because they rarely speak. But we attribute promises to them—primarily that they would continue to deliver in the ways they have delivered in the past.

I started writing this post a number of weeks ago. Since then, Brad East has written a terrific post which is a better and more thoughtful version of what I wanted to say in this section. Please read it: What does an idol promise?

An idol promises its petitioners safety, power, a future, and/or a name. Unsurprisingly, these are echoes of God’s promises to Abraham and to his seed, the Messiah, and their fulfillment in Him and extension to all are in Him.

The promises our idols make are attractive because they are counterfeit versions of the promises we were made to need and believe. By virtue of a Christian’s union with Jesus, we are given the greatest promises by the most trustworthy person in the universe. Yet, we often ignore God’s engraved, golden promises in favor of fraudulent guarantees scribbled in canary-colored crayon.

Detection Within Community

We are almost helpless to identify, dethrone, and resist idols on our own. They are too powerful, deceptive, and effective. We need the communion of saints for this and every aspect of the Christian life. We need the church.

To be clear, the conversations we must have to detect our idols are uncomfortable. They are painful in the way that removing chewing gum from one’s hair is painful—wretched in the short term but wonderful in the long term. And it may take a while for the hair to grow back and cover that bald spot.

A small number of friends in my life have loved me enough to keep asking these important “why” questions. Thoughtful conversations like these have helped me see exactly what I was believing and on what I was relying.

Whether you pursue these discussions in a small group or one-on-one, please don’t resist the inquiries of those who care about you. This is one way the Spirit of God corrects us and turns our worship back to the Lord Jesus.

[1] The idea of idol worship “working” in the short term is something I am borrowing from Andy Crouch as he explained it on this episode of the Mere Fidelity podcast.

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No Good Tree Bears Bad Fruit

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Jesus was a master of metaphor and illustration. Camels fitting through the eye of a needle! A woman turning her house upside down because of a lost coin!

He also spoke of trees and fruit. If you’ve been around the church, you’ve probably heard the saying, “no good tree bears bad fruit.”

So, what does this phrase mean?

Jesus the Preacher

While we hear much from Jesus in the Gospels, we must concede that Jesus preached far more sermons than the Gospel writers recorded. He likely talked with his disciples, preached to the crowds, or taught in the synagogues most every day of his adult ministry.

“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

The phrase “no good tree bears bad fruit” shows up twice in the Gospels, in Matthew 7:18 and Luke 6:43. (The ESV translates the phrase in Matthew as “a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit.”) This is one of several similarities between Jesus’s sermons in Matthew 5:2–7:27 and Luke 6:20–49. Matthew’s account has been called the “Sermon on the Mount,” and many have assumed that Luke’s version is an excerpt from the same sermon.

But a closer look calls this assumption into question. Not all of Jesus’s sermon in Luke appears in Matthew. (The “woe” pronouncements in Luke 6:24–26 are a prime example.) Also, where the sermons overlap in content they differ in important specifics. (In Luke’s Beatitudes, Jesus blesses the “poor” and the “hungry,” while in Matthew Jesus blesses the “poor in spirit” and those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness.”)

The most straightforward conclusion is that these are different sermons. Anyone who has spent time around a preacher knows that favorite phrases and illustrations show up in different settings for different purposes.

Matthew 7

In Matthew 7, Jesus uses the tree/fruit illustration to help his disciples spot false prophets.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15–20)

Consider the larger passage. In Matt 7:13–14 Jesus speaks about the wide and narrow gates leading (respectively) to destruction and life. In Matt 7:21–23 Jesus warns that not everyone who calls him “Lord” and claims to have worked in his name will enter the kingdom of heaven. Some he will throw out as “workers of lawlessness.” Jesus is teaching about the way to life—who’s in and who’s out?

Jesus wants his disciples to identify those who do not bear good fruit, especially when they claim to follow him. And what fruit did Jesus have in mind? “Judge not” (Matt 7:1). “Take the log out of your own eye” (Matt 7:5). Ask the Father for good things (Matt 7:7–11). Treat others the same way you want them to treat you (Matt 7:12). In summary, build a solid house by hearing and obeying Jesus (Matt 7:24–27).

Luke 6

Let’s take a look at the tree/fruit illustration in Luke.

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:43–45)

The word “for” at the beginning of verse 43 points to the previous section, where Jesus commands his disciples not to be hypocrites, but to remove the log from their own eyes before taking a speck out of a brother’s eye (Luke 6:41–42). This caution flows from Jesus’s warning not to judge others (Luke 6:37–38).

Significantly, there is no mention of false prophets in this section of the sermon. Instead, Jesus speaks of fruit as the overflow of the heart.

Coming on the heels of the exhortation to “take the log out of your own eye,” the implication is clear. Jesus’s disciples must examine their own hearts. When they see bad fruit, it is the result of lingering evil in their hearts.

Context!

Back to our original question. What does the phrase “no good tree bears bad fruit” mean? I hope by now the answer is clear. It depends!

Words and phrases have little to no meaning when lifted from their context. This is true for our own words; how much more is it true of Holy Scripture!?

So, when reading Jesus’s sermons, or any part of the Bible, pay attention to the context. Observe and interpret accordingly. And as you apply the truths of the Bible, you also will bear much fruit.

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God Gives Us Himself

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Several years ago, I missed my oldest daughter’s birthday. A conference for work overlapped with her big day.

My wife made it special for her, and I called to chat. My daughter enjoyed the gifts and food and celebration. But when a loved one is absent, it’s just not the same.

A Rebellious People

In the book of Exodus, after rescuing his people and bringing them near, God is closer than ever before to Israel. He designs the tabernacle so he can dwell with them (Exodus 25:8).

But in a single act of rebellion, the covenant bond of peace between God and his people explodes like a light bulb.

While Moses is on the mountain, the people hunt for something – anything – to worship. They forget their Savior (Psalm 106:21), they disregard Moses, and they beg Aaron to make a god for them (Exodus 32:1). Don’t miss this—in this treacherous act, the Israelites are turning their back on the God who brought them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and to this holy, smoking mountain. The golden calf is not a slip of the tongue or an accidental offense; these people are rejecting God with a stiff arm and stiff necks.

Moses begs God not to destroy the entire nation (32:11–13), and though God relents (32:14), there are still consequences. Three thousand people die (32:28). The stone tablets – on which God wrote the ten commandments – lay in pieces. And Moses has to plead for Aaron’s life (Deuteronomy 9:20).

Would God forgive the people? Could he, after the people trashed his reputation and spit on his awesome deeds?

A Gracious Consequence

The drama reaches a climax in Exodus 33. God tells the people to go to the land of Canaan. This is the land promised not only to Abraham (Genesis 12:7) but also to Moses and Israel (Exodus 6:8). God told them that they would enter a lush, bountiful land, and now he sends them off to do just that. But, there’s a caveat.

God won’t go with them (Exodus 33:3). He can’t. The people are “stiff-necked.” Their sin is so odious that God says he would “consume them on the way.”

By his angel he will drive out the inhabitants (33:2). He’ll keep his promise. But God himself cannot go.

A Disastrous Word

To the Israelites, this is a “disastrous word” (33:4). Moses understands how empty the promised land would be without God. He declares, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here” (33:15).

Think about this! The Israelites have never had their own land. But for Moses, having land is worth nothing if God’s not there.

God isn’t withholding all his blessings. The land will still flow with milk and honey (33:3); the tribes will still be defeated (33:2).

But Moses wants God. And if God won’t give himself, none of his lesser blessings will do.

John Piper frames this issue for modern Christians:

The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there? — John Piper (God is the Gospel, p.15)

A Steep Price

In my honest moments, Piper’s question makes me squirm. Far too often I’d be satisfied without Christ himself. I’d take the blessings without the Blessed One.

Thank God my destiny is not determined by my desires! Our future is bright with the promise of God’s presence—in the new heavens and new earth, “the dwelling place of God is with man” (Revelation 21:3).

This presence of God – God with us for eternity – comes at a steep price. In our natural state, God’s presence would consume us.

But Jesus, the perfect son of God, is our shield. In our place, he felt the consuming fire of God’s wrath on the cross. For a brief time, Jesus experienced the absence of God (“Why have you forsaken me?”) so we could enjoy his presence forever. Jesus suffered so “he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

The Eternal Treasure

Moses clearly saw what we catch in glimpses: God’s gifts are wonderful, but they are nothing without God himself.

And we have God himself! Not just in the future, but right now. Because Jesus Christ reconciled us to God, he then gave the Holy Spirit to dwell in each Christian (Acts 2:38).

What does God’s presence mean for us? Exodus offers some answers.

  1. God’s presence means we can rest. We aren’t on a journey to find, achieve, or conquer a land like Israel. But we still go about our lives striving for blessings. We can be still and know that he is God, God with us. Because he has promised never to leave, we can cease our restless striving knowing God will provide (Exodus 33:14). This means we can sleep, we can worship, we can observe the one-day-in-seven pattern that God established for our good.
  2. God’s presence means he loves us. For Moses, God’s presence signified his favor (33:16). Because of Christ’s obedience, we have the perfect approval of our Father. The Spirit in us is the spirit of adoption by which we cry out, “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:15). When we feel lonely, lost, or abandoned, we replace the whispers of Satan with the clear truth of Scripture.
  3. God’s presence means he has called us. Moses tells us that God’s presence with the Israelites would make them distinct “from every other people on the face of the earth” (Exodus 33:16). In other words, God sets his people apart by his presence. The Holy Spirit now marks us as holy people, called for a purpose.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9–10)

God goes with us and trains us to talk to our friends and family. He sends us as the recipients of mercy to proclaim his free offer of mercy. In the midst of many blessings, God has given the gift of himself. He is our eternal treasure! And he equips us to declare God’s excellencies to a dark world that needs light.

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