The Spirit as Seal and Pledge

By | July 6, 2026
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The Father sealed us in the Son with the Holy Spirit. The indwelling Spirit is a pledge of greater things to come. This is Ephesians 1:13–14 in a nutshell. But what exactly is this sealing, and how is the Spirit a pledge?

Sealed with the Spirit

Sealing something in the Old or New Testament has a number of emphases. One is security. As the king sealed and secured the stone over Daniel in the lion’s den (Dan 6:17), so also Rome’s seal secured (they thought) the stone in front of Christ’s tomb (Matt 27:66). Another emphasis is authenticity. As Ahab and Ahasuerus sealed and authenticated letters as their own (1 Kgs 21:8; Est 8:10), so also the Father authenticated the Son of man (John 6:27). Yet another is ownership. As men would buy fields and seal deeds to claim them as their own (Jer 32:44), so also angels will seal the foreheads of 144,000 future Jews to mark them as God’s servants (Rev 7:3–5, 8).

In Eph 1:13, the ownership emphasis is in view. Having listened to the gospel and believed, we were sealed by God as His own in Christ with the indwelling Spirit. The Spirit within us means that we belong to God. Moreover, this sealing secured us for our glorification. Ephesians 4:30 reminds us that “the Holy Spirit of God” is the One “by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

2 Corinthians 1:21–22 echoes these thoughts. To be established in Christ and anointed by God comes with being sealed with the Holy Spirit. In this same passage, as Paul speaks of anointing and sealing, he also identifies “the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” But what does that mean?

The Spirit as Pledge

Translations vary in how to take the Greek word arrabōn in Eph 1:14: pledge (NASB), earnest (KJV), guarantee (NKJV, ESV), down payment (NET), or deposit (NIV). The similarity between all of these translations is that something is given in advance with a promise of more to come. So, perhaps earnest, down payment, or deposit best captures this idea. In context, whatever word we use, the Holy Spirit is the first part of all that God gives us as our inheritance, a down deposit of amazing blessings to come. Most specifically in view is “the redemption of God’s own possession”­—us—to Himself as His glorified people.

2 Corinthians 5:5 echoes this thought. For four verses, Paul explains that we groan in our earthly bodies for our immortal, glorified body (2 Cor 5:1–4). With “this very purpose” in mind, not only has God “prepared us for this purpose,” but He has also given “to us the Spirit as a pledge” of this future blessing.

So, whereas Ephesians 1:14 looks more broadly at our inheritance as a whole and our full redemption, 2 Corinthians 5:5 looks more narrowly at our glorification to come. Either way, the indwelling Spirit in us is the earnest and promise that all these things will be ours.

As we are filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25), put sin to death by the Spirit (Rom 8:13), and show the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23), we can be assured by God that the Spirit lives savingly within us now and is our seal and pledge of greater things to come. What encouraging truths these are!

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God Wants Us for Himself (Ephesians 1)

By | July 2, 2026
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The riches that we have in Christ are too many to count, but God is pleased to list out a few of them for us in Ephesians 1. Paul calls them “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3).

One such blessing that Paul emphasizes five times is that God wants us as Christians for Himself, all for the praise of His glorious grace (cf. Eph 1:6, 12, 14). This concept comes up four times in Paul’s doxology in Eph 1:3–14 (Eph 1:4, 5, 11, 14) and again in his prayer in Eph 1:15–23 (Eph 1:18).

What follows below is a simple run through each of these instances to encourage us with how God wants us for Himself, both now and especially in the future. What an encouraging thought!

Ephesians 1:4

God’s choice of us in Him has as its goal for us to “be holy and blameless before Him.” Many verses in Eph 1:3–14 jump from God’s role in eternity past to encourage us further with what is in store for our future. Thanks to faith in Christ, God has presently declared us holy, and one day, as we see in this verse, we will be perfectly “holy and blameless”—not just for us to see, but “before Him.” He will make us stand before His presence blameless and with great joy (cf. Jude 24)!

Ephesians 1:5

God’s inclusion of us through “adoption as sons” is “through Jesus Christ” and that “to Himself.” As we believe and are brought into His family with Him as Father over us, there is a coming time in which our sonship will be fully manifest. We are adopted now, yes, but as with many blessings in Eph 1:3–14, so also it is likely that Paul has our glorious future in mind with reference to our adoption as sons to the Father (cf. Rom 8:14–17, 23). Perfect sonship to come!

Ephesians 1:11

While it is true that we have a coming inheritance in Christ (cf. Eph 1:14), the first part of Eph 1:11 has an interesting verb that could be translated “we were made an inheritance.” (klēroō). Its form is passive, indicating that we ourselves are not acting in this verse. Something has happened to us. We have been “inheritanced.” Implied is that someone else (God) has allotted us to Himself. So, Paul continues the theme of God wanting us for Himself, and he prays later in Eph 1:18 that we would understand this very truth (see below).

Ephesians 1:14

Shifting now to the inheritance that we receive (not God receiving us), this verse indicates that part of our inheritance has come early—the Holy Spirit. Having heard the gospel and having believed the truth (cf. Eph 1:13), God gave us the Holy Spirit as a pledge and promise of an inheritance that fully comes to us at “the redemption of God’s own possession.” In other words, when we receive our inheritance, God fully redeems us as His own possession. Like our explanation of adoption above, so also it is with redemption. We are indeed presently redeemed by faith in Christ (Eph 1:7), but this verse here (Eph 1:14) refers to the fullest manifestation of our redemption that comes in the future at our glorification (cf. Rom 8:23). The Spirit in us is a promise of full redemption to come, all to be God’s own possession!

Ephesians 1:18

Paul prayed that the Spirit would give the Ephesians wisdom to understand God’s revelation about their salvation (Eph 1:17). He also prayed that they would be “enlightened” to understand these glorious truths (Eph 1:18). Paul identifies one of these truths as “what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” So, God has a wealth of glory, a glory seen in His inheritance, and this inheritance is you and me as Christians, “His inheritance in the saints.” We should pray that we might comprehend this amazing truth!

Holy and blameless before Him; adopted now and fully in the future; allotted as an inheritance for Him; redeemed now and fully one day as God’s own possession; we as saints as God’s glorious inheritance—what a day it will be when God has us perfectly unto Himself and what it will mean for us!

—

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All quotes NASB95

Signposts to Heaven

By | June 19, 2026
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Often when I am sad, discouraged, or life seems full of trials, I think about the joys of heaven in an attempt to adjust my mindset. This is a good practice. James 1 tells us that trials lead to steadfastness, and that perseverance through the trials leads to a crown of life. Paul encouraged the Corinthians with the truths that—despite heavy persecution—he had far greater realities in heaven:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (1 Corinthians 4:16-18).1

But perhaps a danger to avoid is looking upward to that eternal weight of glory only when we are down, discouraged, and depressed. Perhaps our eyes are usually so focused typically on what we see around us in both the humdrum and really enjoyable days, that when we do get super down and need to look up to the unseen, it takes a bit more effort than it should.

This could be solved by setting our eyes above on a regular, daily basis:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth (Colossians 3:1-2).

My husband mentioned in a recent sermon how he was enjoying the beauty of my parents’ yard and our relaxed time together. This beauty caused him to think of heaven and how much more glorious it would be. I began to think of all the things that I cherish—and perhaps at times am tempted to idolize. All of these things are visible, good gifts of God, but what greater gifts they could be if I recognized them all as pointing to a greater joy and beauty that I will experience in heaven with God for eternity.

Wayne Martindale, mirroring C.S. Lewis’ views of earthly joys in light of heaven, wrote:

Any earthly good may enrich and give a momentary sense of satisfaction, but we always want something more. At their core, Joy and all other desires are for Heaven, signposts along the way to guide the pilgrim home.2

Lewis himself said that the problem is not that we have too strong desires for joys on earth, but too weak. He calls us “half-hearted creatures” who are happy enough with basic human pleasures:

When infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased.3

I decided that I would list many of the things I really love and enjoy, followed by what the Bible has to say about some greater, now-unseen, eternal aspect of that same pleasure. Perhaps my making a practice of regularly looking heavenward in times of joy will make it a bit more natural to continue to look heavenward in times of difficulty.

Marriage

Marriage is a gift. I recognize that not everyone has experienced a great or even good marriage, but many Christians do. So, I couldn’t help but think of the marriage supper of the Lamb. As I enjoy my relationship with my husband (and we hope to share fruit from the tree of life together in heaven!), I remember that he pictures Christ and I—his wife—the church (cf. Ephesians 5:22-33). And one day, though he and I won’t be married in heaven (like the angels; cf. Matthew 22:30), we will experience together the wedding feast of the Lamb:

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:6-9)

Family

Besides my relationship with my husband, I cherish most on earth our family time. My family has moved from one state to another within the last year which also meant changing from homeschooling full time to traditional school. I’ve missed that huge amount of family time we’ve had, so I’ve absolutely loved our summer break so far with all the time we’ve been able to spend together. How can I turn this joy to point to eternal joy?

First and foremost, I want to spend eternity with my family. As my husband and I have told them multiple times, we know we will be there, and we want them to be there too. So we have eternity-focused conversations with our children all the time. Like John writing to his “beloved children,” we communicate to ours:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (1 John 1:1-4)

God is our Father, as well. God being the Father of Christians means that we are all fellow children of God. We will all enjoy together each other’s company, along with that of the Father’s forever in heaven:

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. (1 John 3:1)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. (1 John 5:1)

And, as an additional “family” joy, we have a unique relationship with our Savior Jesus, the Son of God. As fellow children of God, Jesus is our Brother:

For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he [Jesus] is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” (Hebrews 2:11-13)

Beauty of Nature and Good Food

I love a beautiful yard. As I type in my sunroom, the sun is shining in a blue sky with beautiful white clouds, a gentle breeze is fluttering the leaves of our maple tree, and birds are happily chirping. These sights and sounds make my heart happy. I also love good food. The scent and taste of freshly baked bread or a fresh, crispy apple (especially baked in a pie with homemade crust!) give great joy. I can praise the Creator of all these things, which is a wonderful start to thinking heavenward. Beyond this, I can look forward to eating from “the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” along with all those who persevere (Revelation 2:7). When this earth—including my beautiful maple and the flowers I recently planted—is destroyed, I can look forward to what John saw of the future:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)

Rest

Rest is a good and necessary thing. God—who does not slumber or sleep (Psalm 121:3-4)—exampled rest in his creation week, resting on the 7th day. When I don’t get as much rest as I feel I need, or—in keeping with the thought of this post—on the days when I’ve had a particular restful, enjoyable day, I can look forward to my eternal rest. Found in the context of a warning to persevere, Hebrews 3-4 devotes many verses to this concept. The author warns his readers not to ignore God’s voice or they will not have eternal rest. He told them that any rest that anyone experienced on earth was not eternal; there is an eternal rest coming:

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11).

Health

After many bouts of illness in our family over the past year, I have greatly enjoyed a couple of months with almost no illness. Times of health can cause us to think of a time when there will be absolutely no more sickness or death.

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. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. (Revelation 21:3-6)

Peace

I love it when everyone is happy. My husband and I are good. My kids are getting along. My extended family are at peace. Things at church are relatively peaceful. My little peaceful world (though in the midst of greater world that is not at peace) can remind me that the Prince of Peace will one day fully rule and bring final peace.

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16).

As I practice turning these soul-lifting joys—marriage, family, nature, rest, health, peace, and others—into signposts that point to heaven, I will train my mind to think heavenward. Then, perhaps, it will not be such a strain to lift my soul up to heaven in the moments when my soul is cast down. I can thus maintain a deliberate hope in God in both difficulty and joy.

__________________________

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  1. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes are ESV. [↩]
  2. Wayne Martindale, Beyond the Shadowland: C.S. Lewis on Heaven & Hell. (Crossway, 2005), 123. [↩]
  3. C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory” in Transpositions and Other Addresses. (London: Butler & Janner Ltd, 1949), 21. [↩]

Inheritance: A Quick Survey from the New Testament

By | June 18, 2026
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A number of New Testament words share the concept of “inheritance.” What follows is a simple summary of the use of those words as they relate to believers.

Who are the heirs who inherit an inheritance?

Jesus is the heir of all things (Heb 1:2; cf. Matt 21:38; Mark 12:7; Luke 20:14). He inherited a more excellent names than angels (Heb 1:4). We are fellow heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17), and classified further, Jews and Gentiles are fellow heirs of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel (Eph 3:6). We could even be so specific as to identify believing husbands and wives who are fellow heirs of the grace of eternal life (1 Pet 3:7). We will receive an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Christ (Acts 26:18; cf. 20:32).

How do we as heirs inherit our inheritance?

The Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Col 1:12). Inheritance comes through the righteousness of faith (Rom 4:13). We are heirs of righteousness by faith (Heb 11:7). We are heirs according to promise (Gal 3:29; Heb 6:17) and according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7). We are heirs through God (Gal 4:7). We will inherit the promises through faith and patience (Heb 6:12), and one day, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will give us the reward of our inheritance (Col 3:24). The indwelling Spirit is a pledge of our inheritance to come (Eph 1:14).

What do we as heirs inherit as our inheritance?

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were fellow heirs of the promise, the land of promise (Heb 11:8–9; cf. Acts 7:5), and even the world (Rom 4:13). The meek shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5).

We will inherit eternal life (Matt 19:29; Luke 18:18), salvation (Heb 1:14), a blessing (1 Pet 3:9), and are heirs of God Himself (Rom 8:17). We will receive all that is included in the promise of the eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15).

Inheritance includes a kingdom. We are heirs of the kingdom which God promised to those who love Him (James 2:5). We have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God (1 Cor 6:9, 10; Eph 5:5; Gal 5:21). We will inherit this kingdom, prepared for us from the foundation of the world (Matt 25:34). We inherit this kingdom in imperishable bodies (1 Cor 15:50).

Our inheritance is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for us (1 Pet 1:4). For whatever or whoever we have left behind in this life for Christ’s name, we will receive many times as much of houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, and farms (Matt 19:29). We will inherit “these things” (Rev 21:7), all things new—the new heaven, the new earth, the new Jerusalem, the water of life, and nothing of the first things (cf. Rev 21:1–6)

Does anyone inherit us?

One final note is that believers themselves have been made an inheritance unto God (Eph 1:11). May God help us to better understand the riches of God’s glory in us as His inheritance (Eph 1:18).

Summary Thoughts

As wonderful as this life may be, there is something greater to come—all things new that we will inherit one day, specified in many ways from the many passages above. In addition to what God gives us, God will give us to Himself—we ourselves are an inheritance unto Him. We receive blessing, and it will be a blessing to be received by Him. Amazing!

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Blessing God for the Riches of His Eternal Grace (Ephesians 1:3–14)

By | June 15, 2026
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Ephesians 1:3–14 is an incredibly rich passage of Scripture. What follows is a preliminary study of this passage from my own studies in preaching through this passage.

The Overall Structure and Themes of Ephesians 1:3–14

In Paul’s longest sentence (202 total words in Greek), Paul blesses God for His blessings in Christ to us (Eph 1:3) and then elaborates those blessings (Eph 1:4–14). Many point out that the repeated phrase “in Christ” or “in Him” with reference to Christ brings out our many blessings in Him.  Each section within this overall passage emphasizes the spiritual blessings with reference to one member of the Trinity or another: the Father (Eph 1:3–6), Son (Eph 1:7–12), and Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13–14). Each of these sections ends with the purpose for God’s saving activity of His people—the praise of His glory, and more fully, the glory of His grace (Eph 1:6a, 12b, 14b).

Other markers within the passage are more subtle but help to find some structure as well. Eph 1:4 begins with “just as,” introducing what Paul announced as “every spiritual blessing” in Eph 1:3. Paul then gives the first of four primary verbs for Eph 1:3–14, “He chose” (Eph 1:4). The other three primary verbs are “we have” (Eph 1:7), “we have been made an inheritance” (Eph 1:11, LSB), and “you were sealed.” Each of these three verbs follow the phrase “in whom” (en hō), referring to Christ, the source of these blessings. While there are other verbs beyond these four, they are found in subordinate clauses. Eph 1:3–14 has a handful of participles as well. But even in these verbs, we see the main contours of Eph 1:3–14, giving us reason to praise God—He chose us, we have blessings in Christ, we are God’s inheritance, and we were sealed by the Spirit for an eternity with God.

Interpretive Summaries of the Three Sections of Ephesians 1:3–14

If one were to simply compare translations of Eph 1:3–14, it would be clear that the following only gives my own understanding of how to translate and interpret this passage. I do not explain my conclusions but give them as I summarize each section of the passage below.

Ephesians 1:3–6 

Paul blesses the Father for our every spiritual blessing in Christ. The Father predestined us to adoption as sons, a decision made in eternity past as the outflow of the kind intention of His overall will. The goal of this all was the praise of the glory of His grace, saving grace bestowed on us in His beloved Son.

Ephesians 1:7–12 

In Christ, we as Christians have been redeemed from sin and its penalty by His shed blood and have received forgiveness from sins. These blessings stem from the Father’s infinite wealth of grace. The Father abundantly gave this grace to us with the wisdom and insight necessary to understand the gospel and believe. This message of grace in Christ in its breadth as we know it today, determined in the eternal will of God and hidden from man as a mystery in prior ages, is now revealed in this present age. This revelation is according to the kind intention of the Father that He lovingly purposed for us in Christ as a part of His overall eternal will. This benevolent purpose has as its goal a future administration of God which climaxes all prior times by making Christ the head and central focus of all things in the heavens and on the earth. The Father made us His own inheritance in Christ, having predestined us to Himself according to His benevolent purpose for us. This benevolent purpose and its outworking in our predestination is among all the things that God works out according to His decisive will that issued from His eternal counsel among Himself. The intended end of the outworking of His will and specifically His benevolent purpose for us is that we, already hoping in Christ in this age, would be forever unto the praise of the Father’s glory.

Ephesians 1:13–14 

In Christ, and by our hearing and believing the truth of the gospel of our salvation, we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit within us is a promise and pledge of our inheritance to come and is necessary for our coming and full redemption as God’s own possession, all of which will be to the praise of the His glory.

A Chronological Summary of Our Spiritual Blessings 

Ephesians 1:3–14 regularly looks from eternity past to eternity future, describing the decisive mind of God in eternity past and His benevolent purpose for us in eternity future. Looking at this passage through the lens of time, I have tried my best to identify what blessings are to us according to the past, present, and future. 

The Blessings of Eternity Past

God counseled among Himself concerning the matter of all things (Eph 1:11b), resulting in His decisive will for all things (Eph 1:11b). His purpose is that gracious and benevolent part of His will that specifically involves believers (Eph 1:11).

Just as God’s overall will included His kind intention to us that issued in our predestination to adoption as sons (Eph 1:5), so also God’s purpose involved our predestination to be God’s own inheritance (Eph 1:11).

God purposed kind intention to us in Christ (Eph 1:9). From elsewhere in Scripture, this purpose was determined in Christ Jesus in eternity past (2 Tim 1:9) and involved God’s choice of some to salvation (Rom 9:11). God’s purpose involves salvation, calling, and service (Rom 8:28; 2 Tim 1:9). As a means to these goals, God’s purpose involves the preaching of the gospel (2 Tim 1:9; Eph 3:11; cf. 3:2–10).

The Blessings of the Present

Between eternity past and future, we live in the here and now. In this present age, God has made known to us the mystery of His will for us in Christ (Eph 1:9). His grace extends to granting us the wisdom and insight necessary to receive this infinite grace (Eph 1:8). Thus, we listen and believe in the message of truth, the gospel of salvation (Eph 1:13). As a part of our salvation and being in Christ, we have redemption, forgiveness, grace, and the Spirit (Eph 1:7, 13). Not only do we hope in Christ for the fullest expression of every spiritual blessing in Him, but the Spirit is also a pledge within us of our inheritance to come (Eph 1:12–13). For all of this, we bless the Father now and praise the glory of His grace (Eph 1:3, 6, 12, 14).

The Blessings of Eternity Future

Joined to all of the above are the blessings of eternity future. We will enjoy the future administration of God that climaxes our times by summing up all things in Christ (Eph 1:9–10). We will be perfectly holy and blameless before the Father (Eph 1:4). We will experience the full blessings of our adoption as sons to the Father through Jesus Christ (Eph 1:5). We ourselves will be an inheritance to the Father (Eph 1:11), and we will also receive our inheritance as well (Eph 1:14). Not only will we be cause for the praise of the glory of the Father’s grace to us, but we will also be carrying out that very praise (Eph 1:6, 12, 14).

Soli deo gloria. Both now and forever. Amen.

—

All quotes NASB unless otherwise stated

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A Marriage with Christ in the Middle (Colossians 3:18–19)

By | May 28, 2026
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Husbands and wives find much in Scripture for how to love and respect one another (e.g., Eph 5:22–33; 1 Pet 3:1–7). This post focuses on one short passage, Colossians 3:18–19.

“Wives” are commanded briefly, “be subject to your husbands” (Col 3:18a). The command to “be subject” is to submit oneself, and, as a wife to a husband, as a helpmeet or helper to him as head of the home (cf. Gen 2:18; Eph 5:22, 24, 33). Implied is that wives must love their husbands as well (Titus 2:3–5). A husband will appreciate his wife’s beauty with his eyes, but more beautiful still in God’s eyes is the beauty of her gentle and quiet spirit, showing a love for the Lord (cf. 1 Pet 3:1–6). A husband trusts in such a woman, is respected because of her, and gives her verbal praise (Prov 31:10–12, 23, 27–29).

This submission to a husband “is fitting in the Lord” (Col 3:19b). The Greek word for “fitting” or “proper” is used only two other times in the New Testament, describing thanksgiving and forgiveness (Eph 5:4; Phm 8). Like other Christian actions, so also is a wife’s submission—something fitting and proper before the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, her attempt to domineer can be like a continually dripping rain, an unrestrained wind, and oil in the hand—uncontrollable things that take the pleasure out of life (Prov 19:13; 27:15–16). A man with such a wife will be tempted to run to the corners of his home or even far away (Prov 21:9, 19; 25:24).

“Husbands” are likewise commanded briefly, “love your wives” (Col 3:19a). Paul elaborates elsewhere that the model of a husband’s love for his wife is found in Christ who loved His bride, the church, even       unto death (Eph 5:25–27). Another picture is simple—as one loves his own body, so also a husband should nourish and cherish his wife (Eph 5:28–29). This love shows itself through companionship and dwelling according to a wife’s interests, dreams, and desires (1 Pet 3:7a). It means recognizing her as a fellow heir of the grace of life, someone made equally in the image of God (1 Pet 3:7b).

Paul adds the prohibition, “And do not be embittered against them” (Col 3:19b). This command has the idea of a husband’s tendency to be harsh with his wife, perhaps provoked by sin. As a noun, “bitterness” is kin to “wrath and anger and clamor and slander,” all things means and terrible and certainly not for a husband to express to his wife (Eph 4:31). The remedy for embitterment, whatever the reason for it may be, is kindness, compassion, and forgiveness—all found and pictured in our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 4:32). The husband who treats his wife harshly, whether actively through anger or passively by neglect, hinders his relationship with God at the least and shows a lack of faith at the most (1 Pet 3:7b; cf. 1 Tim 5:8).

If Christ is in the middle of a marriage, a wife will gladly submit to her husband, and the husband will gladly love his wife. May God give grace to our marriages today, and may all glory go to Him.

—

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Praying like Elijah

By | May 7, 2026
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James encouraged his listeners to pray at the end of his very practical letter to suffering, scattered believers:

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit” (James 5:13-18).1

He told them to pray regardless of the situation—suffering, cheerful, sick, or sinning. James practiced what he preached. In fact, he was nicknamed “Old Camel Knees.” According to the church historian Eusebius (c. 260-340 A.D.),

“[James] was in the habit of entering alone into the temple, and was frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel, in consequence of his constantly bending them in his worship of God, and asking forgiveness for the people.”2

To the suffering, James told them to pray. To the cheerful, he told them to sing praise. To the sick—whether physical or spiritual, whether caused by sin or God’s providence—he told them to ask for prayer by the elders of the church. If they were sinning, James encouraged them to confess their sins to one another and to pray for one another. True confession before God would result in forgiveness.

Then James moved on to why they should pray to God for themselves and for each other.

Why should we pray? Why admit to someone else our weaknesses? Why make personal prayer a priority? Why make praying with others a priority? Why making praying for others a priority?

Quite simply, because prayer works.

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16b, NIV).

How can we know prayer works? Well, says James, take Elijah for example. . .

“Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops” (James 5:17-18, NIV).

Sometimes we think that these biblical heroes of the faith were super-humans, but all of them had trials and some had huge personal struggles and failures. James tells us that Elijah was a man just like us:

  • Hungry (1 Kings 17—God provided food from ravens and water from a brook. When that dried up, God sent him to a widow who provided him the bread and water he asked for.)
  • Afraid (1 Kings 19:3—He was afraid and ran for his life from Jezebel.)
  • Depressed (1 Kings 19:4ff—He wanted to die; he was done running, and he thought he was the only one left serving the Lord.)

This prophet—a man just like us—has several prayers recorded in the Old Testament.

The Prayers of Elijah

In 1 Kings 17 Elijah promised King Ahab of Israel that there would be neither dew nor rain until the Lord commanded it. James tells us that Elijah actually prayed that this would be so:

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth” (James 5:17).

During this time of famine God provided for Elijah at a brook by ravens whom God commanded to feed him. When the brook dried up, God told Elijah to go to a widow whom God also commanded to feed him. While Elijah was staying with the widow, her son died. Elijah prayed:

“O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again” (1 Kings 17:21).

The Lord listened to Elijah’s voice, and the boy revived. When the widow saw her son alive again, she told Elijah that now she knew Elijah was a man of God, because the words of the Lord in his mouth were true (1 Kings 17:24).

After over three years of famine, God told Elijah to go to Ahab and tell him that God was sending rain. He told Ahab to gather Baal’s prophets at Mount Carmel for a stand-off with Elijah. These false prophets quite unsuccessfully called on their gods for fire from heaven, and then Elijah called on the one true God and prayed:

“O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back” (1 Kings 18:36-37).

Again, Elijah’s prayer and the miracle that followed pointed to the prophet’s mission to direct others to the true God. When the people saw God’s answer to Elijah’s prayer, they recognized the one true God.

After the following slaughter of the false prophets of Baal, Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel to pray again.

“Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees” (1 Kings 18:42).

What was Elijah doing as he bowed himself with his face between his knees? He was likely praying, as James tells us:

“Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit” (James 5:18).

Elijah was certain God would answer his prayer. Seven times he sent his servant to check the sky. The seventh time, lo and behold, there was “a little cloud like a man’s hand rising from the sea” (1 Kings 18:44). This little cloud developed into a whole storm system:

“And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain” (1 Kings 18:45).

Praying like Elijah

None of us are going to pray and raise someone from the dead. None of us are going to pray fire from heaven to prove that God is the true God. While we might pray for rain and see God answer that prayer, we don’t normally see miraculous changes in nature as a result of our prayers. So why is it that James used Elijah as an example of prayer for church members who are sick, suffering, or sinning?

When James described Elijah’s prayer that it would not rain, he said Elijah “prayed fervently/earnestly.” The Greek word for prayed is proseuchomai. The Greek word translated as fervently or earnestly is proseuchē. You can see how closely related the Greek words are. Literally Elijah “prayed with prayer.”

Doesn’t that feel a bit more doable? No, prayer is not a magic spell that invokes whatever we ask for. James reminded us that the prayer of the righteous is effective (James 5:16). As we stand in the righteousness of Christ, he intercedes before us to the Father (cf. Hebrews 4:14-16). But the idea James is communicating is that Elijah—a man just like us—prayed to God and that prayer worked.

“Here the point is not that Elijah put up a particularly fervent prayer but that praying was precisely what he did. . . . To encourage frequent use of prayer, we will not naturally urge how hard, but how manageable, is the effect we must emulate. Verse 16 is not calling for ‘fervent’ prayer: but that mistaken notion is probably part of the reason for the common translation ‘prayed earnestly’ in v. 17. We submit the true force of these verses is as follows: ‘When a righteous man prays, it is very powerful in operation. That is precisely what Elijah did, and that, let me tell you, is how it worked.’”3

If you are suffering, pray. If you are sinning, pray and confess. If others have needs, pray. Remember Elijah’s example of a regular man praying to a powerful God. Pray!

____________________

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  1. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes ESV. [↩]
  2. Eusebius of Caesaria, “The Church History of Eusebius,” in Eusebius: Church History, Life of Constantine the Great, and Oration in Praise of Constantine, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, trans. Arthur Cushman McGiffert, vol. 1 of A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1890), 125. [↩]
  3. James B. Adamson, The Epistle of James, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 201. [↩]

Praying for Comfort and Encouragement

By | April 23, 2026
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Whether we are experiencing a major trial, a “blah” day for no apparent reason, or anything in between, we are people who need comfort and encouragement. And if we are in need of encouragement, it is very likely that the people around us are too.

Paul prayed such a prayer for the encouragement of the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17:

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”

We will take a quick look at the reasons for Paul’s prayer, his previous teaching, the prayer itself, and some takeaways for ourselves.

The Reasons for Paul’s Prayer

Paul had good reason to pray for the Thessalonians’ comfort and encouragement. They had been undergoing persecution, and he encouraged them to persevere:

“We ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering” (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5).

Not only were they being attacked by persecution, but the believers in the church were fearful because of false teaching being circulated about the Lord’s coming:

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a).

Paul’s Previous Teaching

Paul corrected the Thessalonians and explained that the day of the Lord had not yet come, so they did not need to fear. Then he gave reasons that he was thankful to God for them. Perhaps these reasons were another roundabout means of encouraging them:

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).

He encouraged them by recalling their past: God had chosen them to salvation. In the present, they were sanctified by the Spirit. And they were called in the future to obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! This reminder of the what God had done for them through the Gospel should then motivate them and call them to the action Paul calls for next—to stand firm:

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

Because they had been chosen, sanctified, and called to obtain glory, they were to stand firm and hold fast to truth. These gospel truths would not just call them persevere, but they would encourage them as well. And this is why Paul prays, asking God to comfort them.

“At the end of the day, therefore, when the apostle as teacher has done all he can by way of reassuring argumentation, he clearly recognizes that all is in vain without the enabling work of God—Father, Son, and Spirit—on their behalf.”1

Paul’s Prayer

The Basis for Paul’s requests

Before we get to the content of the prayer, we shouldn’t miss to whom Paul prayed: our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father. Himself is an emphatic pronoun, so it literally reads, “Himself Lord, our Jesus Christ.” As Lord, he is God who rules all things sovereignly. As Jesus, he is a man like we are who sympathizes with our weaknesses. As Christ, he is the Messiah, God’s anointed one. And to personalize these great truths, he is ours!

God is our Father, and fathers give good gifts (cf. James 1:17; Matthew 7:9-11). The Thessalonians had turned to him “from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). They understood the hopelessness of serving and praying to an idol (cf. Isaiah 44:9-20).

The very nature of who Jesus Christ and God the Father are and what they have already done for us provide the bases for Paul’s requests.

The Father and Son loved us.

While we could look at a million ways this is true, here are just a handful of ways in which we see their love:

  • The Father loved us by predestining us for adoption (cf. Ephesians 1:3-6).
  • The Father loved us by sending his Son to die for us (cf. 1 John 4:10).
  • Nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ (cf. Romans 8:37-39).
  • Christ loved both the church (cf. Ephesians 5:25) and individuals (cf. Galatians 2:20) by “giving himself up” for them.

A.W. Pink captures well this reminder of God’s love:

“That [love] is what the apostle eyed first as he was about to make intercession for those tried saints, and that is what our faith must never lose sight of, for nothing else will keep our hearts warm and our affections fresh to God. All of God’s dispensations to and all of His dealings with us should be considered in the light of His infinite and unchanging love for us. Yet that is only possible as faith is daily exercised regarding these facts. When God’s providences are contemplated and interpreted by carnal reason, unbelief clouds our vision, and we give the devil an advantage to inject into our minds, poisonous and blasphemous aspersions against God. It is one of the enemy’s favorite devices to induce a Christian to entertain doubts of God’s love toward him—especially so in a time of trial or tribulation—and nought but ‘the shield of faith’ can stop his fiery darts. Faith resists his evil suggestions, looks away from the things seen, and lays hold upon the declarations and promises of Him who has covenanted with His people, ‘I will not turn away from them, to do them good’ (Jer. 32:40). There is solid ground to rest upon amid the storms of life. This is an unfailing cordial for the fainting heart.”2

The Father and Son specifically loved us by giving us eternal comfort and good hope.

At one point, we had no hope.

“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ. . . having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12, emphasis added).

Many people have a misplaced, fragile hope.

“So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the godless will perish, Whose confidence is fragile, And whose trust a spider’s web” (Job 8:13-14, NASB, emphasis added).

Believers do not just have temporary hope.

“If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19, emphasis added).

Instead, believers have an eternal and living hope.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5, emphasis added).

This eternal comfort and good hope that the Father and Son give us is through grace.

Paul brings us around full circle. Our hope is found in grace, which grace is found in our Savior Jesus Christ:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

The Requests Paul Makes

We finally get to Paul’s requests. He asks that Jesus Christ and God the Father “comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”

As we’ve seen in the first part of Paul’s prayer, God had already given them eternal comfort, so why does Paul ask that God would comfort their hearts? Paul wanted the very real truth, hope, and encouragement of the truths of God and the gospel to take place in their hearts.

“The supplication was that they might have inward enjoyment of the same, that the glorious contents of the gospel should be brought home in power to their hearts, that the substance of their consolation and the object of their hope would be made so real and solid as to fill them with peace and joy. Paul desired that they might have such a satisfying and blissful realization of the divine love and its manifestations to them that no tribulations and sufferings should be able to rob them or even becloud the same in their apprehensions.”3

The word comfort comes from the Greek parakaleō, which means “to ask to come and be present where the speaker is, call to one’s side” or “to instill someone with courage or cheer, comfort, encourage, cheer up.”4

The word establish is sometimes translated strengthen. It is the Greek word stērizō, a similar word from which we get the word steroids.

Paul prayed that God would instill the Thessalonians with courage and comfort and strengthen their hearts, so that they would be able to do and speak good in the midst of difficulty.

Paul had actually sent Timothy to them to be a means of establishing them and comforting them:

“And we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort [same Greek word as comfort] you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this” (1 Thessalonians 3:2-3, emphasis added).

Takeaways

Whether our trials are as heavy as the persecution the Thessalonians were facing or whether we are faced with small issues that bother us, we have free access to the throne of grace to ask for comfort and encouragement.

  • Remember to whom you pray: Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father.
  • Remember the Father’s love to you in Christ.
  • Take hold of the eternal comfort and hope you have in Christ.
  • Ask God to apply that eternal comfort and hope to your own heart (and others for whom you pray). This can bring comfort and encouragement, enabling obedience and perseverance.
  • You can even be the answer to a prayer that God would comfort, exhort, and encourage someone. As Timothy was sent to the Thessalonians, you can not only pray for others, but you can even be part of the means in answering that prayer!

As he has already done, may God continue to give us hope, grace, comfort, and strength so that we may stand firm and obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

–

All quotes ESV

___________________

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

  1. Gordon D. Fee, The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009), 309–310. [↩]
  2. Arthur Walkington Pink, Gleanings from Paul Studies in the Prayers of the Apostle (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2005), 309–310. [↩]
  3. Ibid., 314. [↩]
  4. William Arndt et al., in A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 764–65. [↩]

Why Should You Be a Member of a Local Church?

By | April 9, 2026
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Christ will build His church, and as the gospel spreads, so will the membership of His church.

And yet, the idea of church membership has fallen on hard times, even among Christians.

This is not surprising. Human nature prizes personal autonomy and sneers at submitting to a higher authority. In our highly-customized, hyper-personalized, self-satisfied way of life, it’s all about self and personal preferences.

We expect to see this mentality in our greater society and culture, but sometimes churches cater to this mentality as well. “Come as you are, leave as you were, whatever keeps you coming.” The idea of church membership and submitting one’s way of life to a group of Christians seems laughable.

Whatever the world may think of church membership, and even if some churches downplay or deny its necessity, I believe God makes clear through Scripture that we should practice church membership today. In no apparent order, here are twelve reasons why.

  1. The idea of church membership stems from a sound theology of the church.

The universal church is all Christians in heaven above and earth below. The historical church is the church on earth at a given point in history. The local church is a group of believers, organized with its own membership and officers (pastors and deacons). Scripture has letters to a single local church (e.g., 1 Cor 1:1) or a single letter to multiple local churches (e.g., Gal 1:2; Rev 1:4). Even a minimalist definition of a local church includes the ideas of a group of Christians in a certain location. More than that, these churches are spiritual families and flocks that worship God, minister to each other, and carry out the Great Commission (cf. 2 Cor 6:18; Acts 20:28).

  1. The church knows and even counts who its members are.

Every church practices church membership somehow, even if their formality is to practice informality. Christians gather. Someone preaches. Some sort of cohesion takes place, and things carry on.

But the New Testament commends greater precision than this. The early churches in Jerusalem and beyond clearly kept track of individuals, shown by numbers and descriptions of addition. The Jerusalem church began with 3,000 people, increased, grew to 5,000 men, and increased even more (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7; 21:20). Gentile churches were clearly being planted and multiplying as well (Acts 9:31; 11:24; 13–14; 16:5; 17:4; et al). They kept track of who joined, how many, and their numbers as churches.

  1. The church affirms its members through baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

At Christ’s command, the local church administers baptism and practices the Lord’s Supper (Matt 28:18–20; 1 Cor 11:23–26). Baptism pictures our union with Christ in His death and resurrection, and, as we believe and are baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit (1 Cor 12:12–13), so also Christian baptism (immersion) brings one into the membership of the local church (by the approval of the church). Just as a believer identifies with the beliefs of the baptizing church by undergoing baptism, so also the baptizing church identifies with this new believer and his shared beliefs by administering his baptism. As baptism brings one into the local church, so also the Lord’s Supper continues to express the fellowship of the church.

  1. The church shows itself by gathering weekly on Sundays to worship.

The churches in the New Testament gathered on Sundays to worship (cf. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2), a gathering that God commands us not to neglect (Heb 10:24–25). For a church to have any sense of coherent, consistent existence, it has to know who these people are, that they confess Christ as Savior, and that they will gather regularly for worship. A building that hosts a preacher and audience with no sense of membership is more of a chapel than a church. Worse, if a “church” follows a business model, it will put on a show to attract a crowd. The habit of Christians to gather weekly to encourage one another to love and good works—this is the habit of a group of people who are members of one another as a church.

  1. Voting on church matters requires knowing who church members are.

Churches vote to appoint their officers, include new members, and exclude unrepentant members (Acts 6:3; 14:23; Matt 18:17). Paul even spoke of a “majority” that once put a man out of the Corinthian church (2 Cor 2:6). Receiving a vote and determining a majority within the vote is only meaningful if a church knows first who its members are.

  1. The identity of subgroups within the church assumes that the church knows who all of its members are.

The New Testament identifies multiple subgroups within churches, one of them being widows. Not only did Paul commend “a list” of widows for church care (1 Tim 5:9), he even made it clear that these were known to be faithful widows within the church (1 Tim 5:3–6). As in Ephesus where Timothy received these instructions, so also it was in Jerusalem in Acts 6. The church knew its membership as a whole and thus its widows within the church (Acts 6:1–7). Other subgroups within the church include its pastors and deacons (e.g., Phil 1:1).

The above examples are positive. We could support the idea of membership from subgroups by using negative examples as well. As a church knows its membership, sinful divisions are easily apparent. A subgroup could prefer one leader to the exclusion of others (e.g., 1 Cor 1:12) or hold to an aberrant doctrine (e.g., Acts 15:1, 5). In one sense, a subgroup defined by error implies church membership all the more as this subgroup defines itself apart from what it once held in common with the membership as a whole.

  1. The offices of pastor and deacon assumes a body of people to lead and serve.

A pastor shepherds a flock, a specific group of people allotted to his charge (1 Pet 5:2). Pastors know every soul for whom they will give account (Heb 13:17). Likewise, these Christians recognize these men as their pastors (1 Thess 5:12–13). As for deacons, they likewise serve the church, knowing who these people are and meeting their specific needs (e.g., Acts 6:1–7). The thought of having pastors and deacons with no thought to who they lead and serve simply doesn’t make sense.

  1. Members of the church hold each other accountable for the Christian life.

One of the means of grace is mutual accountability to one another (Rom 15:14). Not everyone is diligent enough to avoid every significant sin. We snatch some from the fire (Jude 22), turn the wanderer back to the truth (James 5:19–20), and restore the one caught in a trespass (Gal 6:1). While it is enough that we are safe in the hands of God and His Son (John 10:28–29), sometimes God’s keeping hand is exercised through His people. But if you do not commit yourself to the membership of a church, its pastors and people may not know you as a sheep, and you hinder yourself from the help that God gives through the members of a church.

  1. We use our spiritual gifts to minister to the members of our church.

Spiritual gifts can be used beyond one’s local church, but they are primarily used to edify the members of one’s local church. Each individual part works together to build up the whole (Eph 4:16). A singular member cannot be a church unto himself (cf. 1 Cor 12:14). As God has gifted us spiritually, we use these spiritual gifts to serve one another for His glory (1 Pet 4:10–11). This variety of gifts and unity in Christ is one of the means whereby God helps the church to look more like His Son (Eph 4:11–16).

  1. Making disciples takes place in the context of the local church.

If a Christian without a church wins someone to Christ, what pastor will that new convert have? Where will he meet to worship? Who are the other Christians to edify him with their gifts? The soulwinner is not a church unto himself. Evangelism is greatly hindered, and an intentionally isolated Christian cannot strongly show his love for his fellow Christians if he refuses to join a church (John 13:34–35).

  1. Church membership promotes unity around the gospel and key beliefs.

The New Testament bears memorable sayings and maxims that give the idea of a standard articulation of truth even then (e.g., the “trustworthy sayings” of the Pastoral Epistles). Sound creeds and statements today can provide a point of unity for a local church to know who they are by what they believe (cf. Eph 4:4–6). I believe a statement of faith for the local church is essential in our day and age when heresies and differences abound. Church members finds clarity and precision in doctrine and practice by agreeing to some kind of statement of faith and practice.

  1. Church membership benefits the whole Christian.

The church does not just provide instruction but gives blessings in all of life. God’s people care for one another in every way—as children or elderly (Eph 6:1–3; Titus 2:1–3), single or married (1 Cor 7:7–8; Eph 5:22–33), orphan or widow (James 1:27), rich or poor (1 Tim 6:17–19; James 2:5). We persevere through trials together, serve one another, and will one day spend eternity together. Why would we not begin to enjoy that fellowship in the present?

Conclusion

To call one’s self a Christian while refusing to join a church—this kind of thinking is dangerous, sinful, and wrong. God forbids anyone to exist as a lone ranger Christian apart from the church. Church history calls the Christian with no church home an “irregular Christian.” Maybe he doesn’t even attend anywhere and simply “does church” somehow online. A profession here, a video of a service there—he’s got all the God he needs. Folks, this is not the way.

From all of the reasons above, Scripture commends us to be members of one another in the local church. Formal church membership may look different from one church to the next and from one culture to the next, but the basic concept exists. If you’re not one already, become a member of a spiritually healthy local church!

Praying for Wisdom, Part 2

By | April 2, 2026
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Last time, I began with an attempt to begin to answer the question, What are we really asking for when we pray for wisdom? We looked at definitions of wisdom, the source of wisdom, and the outcomes of wisdom.

This time, we will look at some examples of praying for wisdom as well as a command to pray for wisdom when we need it.

Examples of Prayers for Wisdom

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

We cannot talk about wisdom and praying for wisdom without mentioning Solomon. Solomon had just inherited the throne of the kingdom of Israel from his father, David, when God appeared to him in the night and told Solomon to ask what God should give him. Solomon asked for wisdom:

“You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. O Lord God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” (2 Chronicles 1:8-10, ESV).

Solomon asked God to give him the wisdom to fulfill the task God had given him to govern God’s people. God answered his prayer and gave him not only wisdom to rule well, but also a great capacity for knowledge and understanding in many areas of life, including literature, music, and biology:

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men. . . and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees .  . . of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.” (1 Kings 4:29-34, ESV).

First Kings 10 tells of the Queen of Sheba’s breathless reaction to the wisdom she noted in Solomon’s house he built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, their clothing, etc. He was wiser than any other king or wise man. And this wisdom was put into his mind by God.

“Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind” (1 Kings 10:23-24, ESV).

It seems that God gave Solomon a great amount of wisdom about practical things in life, things that would help him rule well and cause him to be esteemed by surrounding nations. And God used his great wisdom to bless and flourish the kingdom of Israel. But Solomon in his old age deviated from true wisdom when he disobeyed and turned from the Lord. Along with his increase in wisdom, he accumulated wealth, a great number of horses and chariots (forbidden by God for Israel’s kings in Deuteronomy 17), and many foreign women who turned his heart away from the Lord (cf. 1 Kings 11).

In Solomon, we see an example of God answering a prayer to give wisdom. God seemed to give an extraordinary amount of wisdom and capacity for knowledge to Solomon in order to help him fulfill his God-given role. But we can also learn from his example that simple knowledge and “wisdom of the world” is not enough. If these things are not tied to obedience and faithfulness, they prove themselves to be empty (Solomon himself noted this in his old age when he wrote Ecclesiastes; cf. Eccl 1:12-18.). In the end, Solomon summarized what true wisdom really looked like:

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, ESV).

Paul’s Prayers for Wisdom for Believers

Paul prayed that the Ephesians would have wisdom in the knowledge of Christ:

“Remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:16-20, ESV).

We noted this passage last time when we looked at the source of wisdom being the knowledge of Christ. In knowing Christ, we have the Spirit of wisdom. Note what Paul prays would be the results of this wisdom. When believers have wisdom from God they live life knowing:

  • The hope to which God calls us
  • The riches of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints
  • The immeasurable greatness of God’s power toward us

So, we could say that, as we grow in our knowledge of Christ, we grow in wisdom, which results in living hopeful, God-empowered lives with an eternal focus.

Paul also prayed for the Colossians to be filled with wisdom:

“We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:9-12, ESV).

Again, we see a connection between knowledge and wisdom. Paul also emphasizes here what it looks like to have wisdom—to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. This walk:

  • Fully pleases the Lord
  • Bears fruit in every good work
  • Increases in the knowledge of God
  • Is strengthened by God’s power to endure with patience and joy
  • Gives thanks to the Father for his saving work

In reality, according to what we have seen in Scripture, we have full access to wisdom already. We don’t need to search our hearts for it. We certainly don’t need to search the internet either. We need to search the Scriptures, know Christ, and know what pleases him through what he has told us in the Word. As we have this solid foundation, we can make decisions (those decisions that we say we need wisdom to decide) with the wisdom we already have access to.

Now, what about when we are still faltering, still wavering, still unsure? Well, God graciously speaks to us in this condition and tells us what to do.

A Command to Ask God for Wisdom

James wrote a letter to the believing Jewish people who had been dispersed due to persecution. He told them what mindset they were to have as they encountered all sorts of trials:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:1-4, ESV, emphasis added).

Because the intended result of trials is the testing of our faith that produces steadfastness, we should consider trials to be a thing of joy. This joy is not joy for the hardship but for its outcome, the full effect: our perfection, completion, our lacking in nothing.

Of course, this perfection and completion will not happen for some time; in fact, it will not happen completely until we are glorified in heaven (so keep expecting trials until you die!). Since our perfection has not yet come, we will also probably still lack something. And James speaks to this lack as well:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8, ESV, emphasis added).

So James just said that trials produce steadfastness, with the goal that we should be perfect, complete, and lack nothing. And that should bring us joy. Have you ever failed to be steadfast in a trial? Have you ever complained instead of rejoiced in what God is doing through a trial? Have you ever failed to live out the wisdom of living with an eternal mindset with patience, joy, and endurance when undergoing hardship? I have!

Well, James speaks to us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.” Now we know that we have the riches of wisdom in Christ through the knowledge of his word. We know that we should be lacking in nothing. God certainly knows this too. When we ask him for the wisdom that we should not be lacking in (but we are), maybe we expect God to reproach us. Kind of like what an adult may say to a child: Well, you should know better than to ask for that, but I guess I will give it to you.

But not God. He gives to all without reproach. And he doesn’t give sparingly; he gives generously! He knows our fragility.

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14, ESV).

If we are going to ask God for wisdom though, James does give a few qualifiers. We should ask in faith. We must truly believe God. We must ask without doubting. The doubting one is someone who is divided—someone who asks God for wisdom, but really wants something else. Perhaps this person is still clinging to his own wisdom or that of the world. If we really want God to give us wisdom, we have to really want it and be willing to take it and live the life that accompanies a wise person.

In a way, this study was more of an encouragement to help us realize that we already have wisdom readily available through the Spirit and through the knowledge of Christ as found in the Word. Yet there are times, especially difficult times during trials, when we lack the maturity we should have to view these times as a joyful means of “steadfastness production.” In these moments, we can confidently ask God for wisdom, knowing he will give it.

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