Trusting in the Faithfulness of God

By | April 17, 2025

Do you ever wonder if God has abandoned you? He saved you, but perhaps now you feel like He has left you on your own?

Whatever our trials or troubles may be, this post is just a simple look at three passages that encourage us to trust in the faithfulness of God. We can consider His faithfulness through two headings—the promise itself and the pain in which this promise was given.

The Promise: God is faithful.

First, Philippians 1:6 promises “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul even introduces this promise with the words, “I am sure of this.” We can be sure that God who began His good saving work in us will bring it to sinlessness and glorification when Jesus Christ comes again.

Second, 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 promises much the same. Paul prays that “the God of peace himself” might “sanctify you completely” so that our whole person might “be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That was Paul’s prayer, and here comes the promise—his next words are certain: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” Like Philippians 1:6, we see that God is faithful to keep us blameless when Christ comes again.

Third, in 1 Corinthians 1:8–9, Paul refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as the one “who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here we see the promise that Christ will sustain the believer until the time when Christ comes again. Moreover, just like 1 Thessalonians 5:24, 1 Corinthians 1:9 promises, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” The God who calls us into fellowship with His Son is the same God who faithfully keeps us for a future with His Son. 

The Pain: God was faithful to these churches in the midst of many difficulties.

The promise of God’s faithfulness is amazing. But it gets even better when consider the contexts in which this promise was given.

The Philippians faced persecution (Acts 16) and disagreement in the church (Phil 4:2).

The Thessalonians faced persecution (Acts 17), possible immorality among members (1 Thess 4:1–8), lazy believers (1 Thess 4:9–12), the grief of death (1 Thess 4:13–18), and concerns about the timing of the day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:1–11). Paul also encouraged them to follow leadership, be patient with all, do good, rejoice, pray, give thanks, and accept the Word of God (1 Thess 5:12–20).

The Corinthians faced persecution (Acts 18), division over leaders (1 Cor 1–4), immorality in the church (1 Cor 5), lawsuits among their members (1 Cor 6), marital issues (1 Cor 7), disagreements over matters related to idolatry (1 Cor 8–10), the reversal of marital roles (1 Cor 11:2–16), gluttony and drunkenness as they mishandled the Lord’s Table (1 Cor 11:17–34), an improper use of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12–14), and misunderstanding about the resurrection (1 Cor 15).

Imagine the unrest at times for these churches as they faced external pressures and internal problems, both doctrinal and practical. And yet, if they were thinking biblically, they would remember that God promised to be faithful in keeping them and sustaining them until the day of Christ’s return. And that promise meant that He would do everything that was necessary for their spiritual welfare until that time. He would give them mercy, grace, and comfort through the church, His people, and whatever else they needed in order to bring them to that time. What an encouraging promise!

So again, here’s the promise—God is faithful. Trust Him! If He has saved us, He will also sanctify and sustain us, keeping us until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then we shall know His faithfulness in full, together, forever, Amen!

Photo by nikko macaspac on Unsplash

What to Do with Divisive People (Romans 16:17–20)

By | April 10, 2025

There is no end to people seek to harm the church until our Lord comes again. We can warn them, but we have no fellowship with them (Titus 3:10–11). We see them for who they are, kindly give truth if they will listen (2 Timothy 2:24–26), but otherwise avoid them (2 Timothy 3:1–9; esp. 3:5b). And whatever harm they do, the church of Christ prevails (cf. Matthew 16:18).

Romans 16:17–20 repeats these thoughts and more in a single passage. What do we do with people who are bent on dividing the church?

Scope them out (Romans 16:17a).

Paul solemnly begins, “I appeal to you, brothers,” and commands, “to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught” (Romans 16:17).

“Watch out” comes from scopeō, from which we get scope—scope them out! We notice them for their actions. First, they “cause divisions,” a work of the flesh that is found within a list of similar sins in Galatians 5:20. Second, they “cause… obstacles” to Christianity that could result in eternal damnation. (See the same word translated a “offense” and “stumbling block” in Romans 9:33 and 11:9.) Such behavior is “contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught.”

Separate from them (Romans 16:17b).

Off the heels of their description, Paul simply commands, “Avoid them.” Again, passages above teach this same action (2 Timothy 3:5; Titus 3:10).

Scrutinize them (Romans 16:18).

Explaining why we avoid them, Paul describes them further. They “do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.” While motivations may be hard to see, we can scrutinize their words: “by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.” They butter people up and appeal to their emotions (“the hearts”) and conceal their true intentions, promising spiritual help while seeking to help only themselves. Such tactics only bring ruin (Prov 26:28; 29:5).

True teachers of God speak “by the open statement of the truth” (2 Corinthians 4:2), not with false, boastful words, “showing favoritism to gain advantage” (Jude 16; cf. 2 Peter 2:3).

Stay away from their evil (Romans 16:19).

Paul encourages the Romans, “For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you.” At the same time, Paul clarifies, “but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.”

See their coming judgment (Romans 16:20a).

Paul applies a general promise to this particular situation: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” What Genesis 3:15 promised (that God would crush Satan and bring peace) extends to all who follow Christ. Satan—his divisive followers included—will soon be crushed under our feet.

Seek the grace of God (Romans 16:20b).

A general prayer closes off this section: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” We need grace for every matter in life and certainly for detecting and avoiding those who would harm the church.

We will encounter divisive people who obstruct others from serving the Lord. The day of judgment is coming, and their day ends under our feet. May God help us to walk wisely and see these villains for who they are, turning away from them as we keep our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ.

Photo by Matthew Hamilton on Unsplash

Grabbing Some Good from Some Greetings (Romans 16)

By | April 3, 2025

God’s various ways of speaking in Scripture are fascinating. It is not only what God says but how He says it that captures our attention. Letters teach. Psalms have meter and form. Prophets preach. Narratives tell a story.

Some books are a mix. Acts narrates but teaches with sermons. Romans teaches but has a narrative feel in its final chapter with a host of greetings. Though these greetings are unique to those people then, it is God’s timeless Word for us today. What are some good lessons that we can grab from the greetings of Romans 16?

Greet one another in the Lord.

Paul commands, “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Romans 16:16a). I understand that a proper expression of love in a Christian context, even if not a kiss of some sort, will do. The rest of the greetings in Romans 16:3–16 (and Romans 16:21–23) can function for examples in greeting one another as Christians. Paul commands the Romans to greet individuals, families, and churches seventeen times. Four more examples of greetings come in Romans 16:21–23.

Be personal.

Though Paul had not yet visited Rome (Romans 1:13), he knew many Roman Christians. He personalized his greetings, identifying twenty-nine people in Romans 16:1–16 and four more in sending greetings to them in Romans 16:21–23. Ministry is personal.

Remember that unity is found in Christ.

Whether “in Christ” or “in the Lord,” Paul uses these phrases for a combined ten times in Romans 16:1–16. We often revel in what it means to be “in Christ” in Ephesians 1. In Romans 16, we see similar truths. Whether in Christ, Christ Jesus, or the Lord, we welcome Christian servants (Romans 16:1), have fellow workers (Romans 16:3, 9), become converts (Romans 16:5), become Christians (Romans 16:7), are loved (Romans 16:8), have approval (Romans 16:10), are distinguished from other family members (Romans 16:11), work hard (Romans 16:12), and are chosen (Romans 16:13). We find our unity in Christ!

Churches should be partners in the Great Commission.

It seems Paul greets Christians within family systems in Romans 16:10–11, not whole churches. Still, we have at least 3 local churches that Paul address in Romans 16:3, 14, and 15. They all knew each other as they received this letter together, and its purpose was to join Paul in carrying out the Great Commission together (cf. Romans 1:8–15; 15:14–29).

Recognize others for their labor in the Lord.

Paul uses “worker words” five times. He called people “fellow workers,” “workers,” or those who “worked hard” (Romans 16:3, 6, 9, 12a, 12b). He recognized their labors for the Lord.

Express Christian love to one another.

Paul calls four people “beloved” (Romans 16:5, 8, 9, 12). He could have said this of all, but he did not overdo it. Every Christian should love every Christian, and God loves us more than all.

Greet one another in the Lord. Be personal. Remember that unity is found in Christ. Churches should be partners in the Great Commission. Recognize others for their labor in the Lord. Express Christian love to one another. These are some good lessons that we can grab from the greetings of Romans 16!

Photo by Vladislav Klapin on Unsplash

Appendix: What’s in a Name?

Paul’s point in Romans 16:1–16 is certainly not to read anything into the meanings of the names that he addresses. I don’t even know what the givers of these names were thinking when they gave them or what their owners came to think of them. Nonetheless, it was a fun exercise to dig through a number of sources to figure out the possible meanings of the names listed below. There are 27 names, and Paul identifies two others without their names (the mother of Rufus and the sister of Nereus).

  1. Phoebe: “radiant”; perhaps “a surname of Artemis” (NBD)
  2. Prisca: ancient; venerable; worthy; “little old lady”
  3. Aquila: eagle
  4. Epaenetus: “praised”; as a verb, translated “extol” in Romans 15:11
  5. Mary: many say “bitter”; could also be a “gift from God” or “celebrated”
  6. Andronicus: powerful man, conquerer; roots stem from “man” (andros) and “power” (nikē)
  7. Junia: “youthful” or perhaps a derivative of Juno, the goddess queen married to Jupiter, the protector of marriage, women, and childbirth
  8. Ampliatus: “ample” or “enlarged” in terms of character or stature
  9. Urbanus: “refined,” “polite,” “polished,” “of the city”
  10. Stachys: same word in the Greek as a head of grain or an ear of corn; maybe even “the flower of the aromatic plant spikenard” (BDAG)
  11. Apelles: “called” if from the Latin appellō (“to call”); root may also stem from apellomai (“to separate, exclude)
  12. Aristobulus: roots are “best” and “counselor,” meaning “best counselor” or someone who will make excellent plans
  13. Herodion: “heroic” or “valiant”; or, if a slave, simply “belonging to Herod”
  14. Narcissus: from the flower narkē, producing lethargy or astonishment; same root form which we get the English “narcotic”
  15. Tryphaena: dainty or luxurious; possibly from thruptō (“to break into small pieces,” BDAG) or truph(“to lead a life of self-indulgence, live for pleasure,” BDAG)
  16. Tryphosa: luxurious; same root as above; these two were likely sisters with similar names
  17. Persis: “a Persian woman” or perhaps “one who takes by storm”
  18. Rufus: red
  19. Asyncritus: incomparable; roots are “not,” “with,” and “judgment,” as if to say that he could not be compared to others
  20. Phlegon: “burning,” giving the idea of “zealous”
  21. Hermes: the name of the Greek god who was the interpreter and spokesman for the others; could perhaps have notions of being a teacher or someone who brought good tidings
  22. Patrobas: has the idea of being like his father; father is patēr in the Greek
  23. Hermas: a variant of Hermes (see above)
  24. Philologus: roots are “love” and “word,” meaning “a lover of words or the Word”; has ideas of being a scholar
  25. Julia: soft-haired or maybe even curly-haired
  26. Nereus: perhaps from a minor Greek sea-god over the Nereids; “water nymph”
  27. Olympas: “heavenly” or “bright”

It is also interesting to note that…

  • Some names were common for slaves: Nereus, Hermes, Persis, Herodion, Tryphosa, Tryphaena, Ampliatus, Julia, Junia, and Maria (Schreiner)
  • Nine of the names belonged to women: women: Prisca, Mary, Junia, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, the mother of Rufus, and Julia (Schreiner)

Sources

  • Balz, Horst Robert, and Gerhard Schneider. in Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990–.
  • com
  • Bromiley, Geoffrey W., ed. in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979–1988.
  • Moo, Douglas J. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.
  • Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998.
  • Smith, Stelman, and Judson Cornwall. in The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names. North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos, 1998.
  • Strong, James. in Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995.
  • Thomas, Robert L. in New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition. Anaheim: Foundation, 1998.
  • Wood, D. R. W., and I. Howard Marshall. in New Bible Dictionary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
  • Zodhiates, Spiros. in The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000.

A Theology of Woman from Titus 2: Grace-Driven Living and Training

By | April 1, 2025
This entry is part 7 of 7 in the series A Theology of Woman

This blog series is adapted from Sunday School lessons I wrote several years ago for women and teen girls. The goal was to form a “theology of woman” by looking chronologically at all of the major portions of Scripture regarding women and womanhood. What does the Bible say are the roles, duties, challenges, and opportunities that we have as women?

Elisabeth Elliot, a well-known Christian speaker and author said, “It would help younger women to know there are a few listening ears when they don’t know what to do with an uncommunicative husband, a 25-pound turkey, or a two-year old’s tantrum.”1

Titus 2 is Scripture’s manual for women in regard to how they are to live and train one another. Dealing with silent husbands, huge turkeys and disobedient children are simply examples of the types of material to be taught.  Elisabeth Elliot goes on to say,

“He meant the simple things, the everyday example, the willingness to take time from one’s own concerns to pray with the anxious mother, to walk with her the way of the cross—with its tremendous demands of patience, selflessness, lovingkindness—and to show her, in the ordinariness of Monday through Saturday, how to keep a quiet heart.

“These lessons will come perhaps most convincingly through rocking a baby, doing some mending, cooking a supper, or cleaning a refrigerator. Through such an example, one young woman—single or married, Christian or not—may glimpse the mystery of charity and the glory of womanhood.”2

All women should see the importance of this kind of discipleship and being discipled in this way. As we study Scripture’s commands in Titus 2, we will see that grace teaches us to live godly lives and to encourage others to do the same.

The Way to Live

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 1:15-2:1, ESV).      

Paul begins Titus 2 with a contrast, “But as for you.” He contrasts Titus with the false teachers of chapter 1 who professed to know God, but denied him by their works (Titus 1:16). In contrast to those false teachers, Titus was to teach believers to live in a way that “accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). The point was that they were to live like the Gospel had changed their lives.

Paul addresses several different groups throughout Titus 2. Each of these groups is to live in a way that accords with sound doctrine. Specifically, they are commanded to live in a way. . .

  • That “the word of God may not be reviled” (v 5).
  • That an opponent would have “nothing evil to say about us” (v 8).
  • That “in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (v 10).

We, also, are to live like the Gospel has changed our lives. If we do not, we also profess to know God, but deny him by our works.

The Women who Live it

Two of the groups Paul addresses in Titus 2 are older women and younger women.

“Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled” (Titus 2:3-5).

Older Women

Paul does not specify an age for what he considers to be an older woman. However, he is primarily referring to women whose main responsibility is no longer their children. We could then generalize that an older woman is a woman whose children are independent of her and her husband.

Older women are described in three ways:

  1. Reverent in their behavior

The term reverent means “pertaining to being devoted to a proper expression of religious beliefs.”3 They are women who are devoted to serving God. They revere God in their behavior.

  1. Not slanderers

Women who are devoted to God must be careful to control their tongues. They should not spread malicious gossip and lies.

  1. Not slaves to much wine

Women devoted to God must also control their physical appetites. This verse specifically refers to not being addicted to alcohol.

Older women are commanded to do two things:

  1. They are to teach what is good.

The phrase teach what is good is actually one word in the Greek. Her teaching and the content of it—goodness—go hand-in hand. Older women are to teach what is good by word and example. The value of the older women’s good teaching depends on their moral character.

  1. They are to train the younger women.

The  word train means “to instruct in prudence or behavior that is becoming and shows good judgment, encourage, advise, urge.”4

Older women must first have the character of one devoted to God. Then, they are to disciple younger women. Although this may occasionally happen in a formal discipleship program, most likely effective, practical training will flourish in an informal, one-on-one manner. In whatever venue, Scripture mandates that all godly, older women are to mentor younger women.

Younger Women

Paul refers primarily here to younger wives, as four of the seven qualities he lists refer to marriage or family. However, it seems wise for even young girls, teens, and single women to begin learning now how to be a good wife and mother. Any married woman will tell you that marriage and mothering take time, effort, and training to be done well. Mothers of daughters have a unique opportunity to train their daughters how to be godly women. Regardless of whether marriage is in view (as God does not call everyone to marriage), older godly women can teach and encourage godly character at the very least.         

Younger women are to learn (from the older women) seven things:

  1. To love their husbands

Remember that Paul wrote to a culture in which women did not usually choose their husbands. Their husbands were chosen for them. They had to learn to biblically love their husbands.

Today our culture emphasizes “falling in love.” So, what happens if we “fall out of love” after we’re married? We learn to biblically love our husbands. We choose his best for God’s glory.

  1. To love their children

Nearly every mother has a natural love for her children. But sometimes it is necessary for us to choose to love our children when they make us want to react unlovingly. Loving our children is a task that is multi-faceted, including meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

J.C. Ryle, a minister in the late 19th century, reminds us of the priority of meeting the needs of our children’s souls:

“Precious, no doubt, are these little ones in your eyes; but if you love them, think often of their souls.  No interest should weigh with you so much as their eternal interests.  No part of them should be so dear to you as that part which will never die. . . .  This is the thought that should be uppermost on your mind in all you do for your children.  In every step you take about them, in every plan, and scheme, and arrangement that concerns them, do not leave out that mighty question, ‘How will this affect their souls?’

“Soul love is the soul of all love.  To pet and pamper and indulge your child, as if this world was all he had to look to, and this life the only season for happiness — to do this is not true love, but cruelty. . . . It is hiding from him that grand truth, which he ought to be made to learn from his very infancy, — that the chief end of his life is the salvation of his soul.”5

  1. To be self-controlled

 “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28).

Self-control is an easily-understood concept, but difficult to implement. It includes controlling our speech, appetites (i.e., sex, eating, sleeping, etc.), thoughts, feelings, habits, and actions. Self-control is possible through God’s grace and some hard work.

  1. To be pure

Purity can apply to our thoughts (Phil 4:8), speech (Eph 5:4), and conduct (1 Pet 3:2). Women must maintain a pure thought life by guarding the things they read, watch, and do. Women must guard their speech, speaking only what is pure. Women must also have a biblical view of sex within marriage, understanding that it surely is a pure thing in the sight of God (Heb 13:4).

  1. To be working at home

The phrase working at home means exactly what it says: “busy at home, carrying out household duties.6 She is to be a hard worker. Her home duties are her primary responsibility (whether or not she additionally works outside of the home and/or has children). She should not be a lazy wife, refusing to take care ofor just neglecting the duties of her home.

  1. To be kind

 The basic meaning of kind is “good.” While performing all the duties that being a wife and mother demand, we must never forget to be kind.

Jerry Bridges, a Christian author, defines kindness as “a sincere desire for the happiness of others.”7He defines goodness as “the activity calculated to advance that happiness.”8

  1. To be submissive to their own husbands

Submission to one’s husband is an ever-present battle. Older women must be sure to be teaching the younger women first by their own example. This is often a key method of teaching. But gentle exhortation by a loved and loving older woman may be appropriate as well.

We’ve seen the way to live and the women who are to live this way. Paul concludes the chapter with a theological reason behind why we live this way.

Why we Live it

“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).

After specifically addressing older men, younger men, older women, and younger women, Paul gives all of them the reasons behind his commands: “For the grace of God has appeared. . .” This grace does two things in this passage:

  1. Grace brings us salvation (v 11)
  2. Grace trains us to live godly lives (v 12)

“It is God’s grace that not only brought salvation but also teaches that the necessary outcome of salvation is to deny that which is ungodly and to pursue that which is godly. But not only does grace teach this; it is within the very purpose of the atonement not only to redeem but also to cleanse. This is not righteousness by works; it is the message of grace, the full message of grace that redeems and sanctifies.”9

Older women have a great task and privilege before them. They have lived (and learned) through their younger years and passed on into their older ones. They should better than ever now model godly behavior and train younger women to do the same.

Younger women should be teachable and open to discipleship. They should be humble and eager to receive godly counsel.

Above all, both older women and younger women are to remember we live godly lives and teach others to do the same because God in His grace has saved us and graciously teaches us to live like He has saved us.

______________________________________

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

  1. Elisabeth Elliot, “A Woman’s Mandate,” from Family Practice, ed. R.C. Sproul, Jr. (Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R Publishing, 2001), p. 62. []
  2. Ibid. []
  3. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 531. []
  4. William Arndt et al.,  A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 986. []
  5. J. C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents (West Linn, OR: Monergism Books, 2019), 13. []
  6. Arndt, 700. []
  7. Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness (Colorado Springs: Navpress), 189. []
  8. Ibid. []
  9. William D. Mounce, Pastoral Epistles, vol. 46 of Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2000), 433–434. []

The Fullness of the Blessing of Christ (Romans 15:29)

By | March 20, 2025

Have you recently used the phrase “the fullness of the blessing of Christ”? Probably not. What does it mean? And, to use it in the sense that it has in Romans 15:29, how does one come “in” it to someone else?

In context, Paul has just ended the body of his letter (Romans 1:16–15:13) and clarified his role as an apostle and thus the reason for boldness in his letter (Romans 15:14–21). Next, in our passage, he updates his readers about his travel plans (Romans 15:22–29). Having completed his current objectives for ministry (Romans 15:22-23; cf. 15:18–21), he hoped to visit the Romans (Romans 15:22–24), but only after delivering a financial gift to the poor among the saints in Jerusalem during a time of famine (Romans 15:25–29). Then he would come to the Roman believers “in the fullness of the blessing of Christ” (Romans 15:29). But again, what does this phrase mean?

“Fullness” describes the “completion” or “sum total” of something,1 and that something in this context is “the blessing.” What, then, was the nature of this blessing?

Some manuscripts indicate the content of this blessing as that “of the gospel of Christ” (e.g., KJV), and other manuscripts have the shorter and simpler “of Christ” (e.g., NASB). Either way, the context deals with Paul’s gospel ministry, so all the blessing that believers share together is thanks to Christ and stems from the gospel.

If that’s still murky, Romans 1:8–15 fills in the cracks. Notice the parallels between the two passages. First, Paul expressed his desire to come to the Romans by the will of God (Romans 1:10; 15:32). Second, he explained his delay in terms of his ministry to the Gentiles (Romans 1:13–14; 15:22–24). Third, in asking “to be helped” financially in his travels (Romans 15:24),2 it seems Paul earlier alluded to the same by hoping to “reap some harvest” among the Romans (Romans 1:13). Finally, when we look for something like “the fullness of the blessing of Christ,” the best match seems to be that Paul wanted to “impart… some spiritual gift to strengthen” them, that is, to preach the gospel for their benefit (Romans 1:11, 15).3

So, Paul’s coming “in the fullness of the blessing of Christ” is his rich description of coming to share with them the fullness of his ministry from Christ—his preaching, teaching, fellowship, and any other blessing that he could give. More than that, however, Paul clarified his desire to preach with wanting to “be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Romans 1:12), so perhaps “the fullness of the blessing of Christ” extended to how the Romans would bless him as well.

Now that we understand this wonderful phrase a bit better, perhaps we could use it more frequently and pray that we might often come to one another in the fullness of the blessing of Christ!

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

  1. BDAG, s.v., πλήρωμα. BDAG cites Romans 15:29. []
  2. This word is regularly used in the NT for the tangible support of missionaries. See its use as various forms of “send,” “accompany,” “help,” and “speed” in Acts 15:3; 20:38; 21:5; 1 Cor 16:6, 11; 2 Cor 1:15; Titus 3:13; 3 John 6. []
  3. A helpful quote comes from William Hendriksen, Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (New Testament Commentary: Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981), 495: “In view of 15:24 and also of 1:11, 12, 13b, 15, he must have had in mind such blessings as the joy of meeting and conversing with one another, his preaching in their midst, their listening to the apostle’s report about divine blessings in other congregations, together planning the trip to Spain, etc.” []

A Theology of Woman from 1 Timothy 2:8-10: Gospel-Driven Modesty

By | March 6, 2025
This entry is part 6 of 7 in the series A Theology of Woman

This series is adapted from Sunday School lessons I wrote several years ago for women and teen girls. The goal was to form a “theology of woman” by looking chronologically at all of the major portions of Scripture regarding women and womanhood. What does the Bible say are the roles, duties, challenges, and opportunities that we have as women? 

Every mother and wife concerned about the purity of her son’s and husband’s hearts is likely going to champion modest dress—and rightly so. Yet, the Bible does give further reason for us to dress modestly: Our modest appearance reflects the work of the Gospel in our hearts.

This post will address the aim, attitude, and appearance of modesty.

 The Aim of Modesty: Love for God

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. (1 Timothy 2:8-10, ESV)

Throughout 1 Timothy, Paul is addressing issues within the Ephesian church. Two of the issues addressed here were (1) men causing division and (2) women causing distraction within the church. The men were quarreling, and the women were dressing immodestly and extravagantly. Instead, godliness should have been the aim!

Paul discusses the specifics of modesty in verse 9, then he points to the aim of modesty in verse 10. He says that a modest woman is a woman who professes godliness! A godly woman does good works (v 10) and dresses modestly (v 9) to evidence her godliness.

The aim of a modest appearance is to exemplify that a woman is committed to godliness. Thus, the primary motivation for modesty should be love for God.

A woman who loves God. . .

  • Loves God’s Word.
  • Loves to honor God by obeying His Word.
  • Loves to show others she honors God by her modest appearance.
  • Loves to worship God and share the Gospel message without distracting others by immodest dress or behavior.

So, a woman’s love for God is her motivation for modesty. To be immodest could be a poor testimony to her love for God.

The Attitude of Modesty: Humility and Self-control

 1 Timothy 2:10 describes the modest woman as one who “professes godliness.” She has a godly heart. What are the attitudes of this godly heart?

“How can you discern the sometimes fine line between proper dress and dressing to be the center of attention? The answer lies in the intent of the heart. You should examine your motives and goals for the way you dress. Is your intent to reflect the grace and beauty of womanhood? Is it to show your love and devotion to your husband? Is it to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshiping God? Or is it to call attention to yourself—to flaunt your wealth and beauty? Or worse, to attempt to allure men sexually? . . .  If you are focused on worshiping God, you won’t have to worry about how you dress because your commitment will dictate your wardrobe.”1

An Attitude of Humility

“The Greek word translated “modestly” in verse 9 refers to modesty mixed with humility. At its core it connotes a sense of shame—not shame in being a woman, but shame for in any way inciting lust or distracting others from a proper worship of God.”2

A woman with a godly heart is humble. In this context, a humble heart is reflected in her clothing; she does not proudly draw attention to herself. Rather, she humbly dresses in a way that focuses attention on her godly works and the Gospel message she promotes.

An Attitude of Self-control

Women are commanded to dress with self-control, which can be defined as a “practice of prudence, good judgment, moderation, self-control as exercise of care and intelligence appropriate to circumstances.”3

The ultimate aim of this self-control is godliness, a testimony to the transforming work of the gospel.

The Appearance of Modesty

 1 Timothy 2:9  gives three guidelines for how we are to adorn ourselves:

  • In respectable apparel
  • With modesty
  • With self-control

Adorn (Greek kosmeō) comes from the root word kosmos, which can mean “order.”  Adorn means “to put in order so as to appear neat or well organized, make neat/tidy.”4 Following these principles will ensure that our appearance is in proper order, rightly reflecting how God wants us to look.

Respectable: Is it becoming?

 The Greek word respectable is kosmios, also from the root word kosmos. Kosmios is defined aspertaining to being proper or suitable in terms of being attractive.”5 Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher, described “someone who is kosmios as the citizen who quietly fulfills the duties which are incumbent on him and is not disorderly.”6

One author writing to women gives several questions to ask ourselves as we make our clothing choices. Rather than simply asking, “Do I like it and does it fit?” we can ask ourselves the following questions:

  1. Does it fit with who I am as a child of God?
  2. Does it fit with Christlikeness?
  3. Does it fit and flatter my body?
  4. Does it fit and flatter my femininity?
  5. Does it fit my age and stage of life?
  6. Does it fit my wardrobe?
  7. Does it fit my budget?
  8. Does it fit my needs?
  9. Does it fit the occasion?
  10. Does it fit the place I intend to wear it?7

Modesty: Is it decent?

 Modesty is humility in dress. It is a shame to show off our bodies in order to distract or seduce others. The purpose of clothing is to cover our nakedness. We respect the men around us and aid them in their daily battles against sin by not proudly showing off our bodies.

We also humbly realize the need to honor our Savior. In humility, we place our value on what God thinks, rather than on what we think. This kind of humility displayed in dress is a way we can evidence our love for God.

Self-control: Is it moderate?

 Here, we apply the attitude of self-control to our appearance.

“We ought to rein in our impulses and avoid crazy extremes in fashion, hairstyles, and makeup. We also ought to avoid spending crazy amounts of money or stuffing our closets full of crazy quantities of clothing. We ought to govern our wardrobe choices with a sense of moderation, simplicity, and self-control. If the skirt is crazy extreme, crazy expensive, or if it’s crazy for you to be buying another one, then you ought to pass it up.”8

Immodesty is a timeless problem. In Paul’s day, it looked like elaborately braided hair studded with gold and pearls, distracting the men and distinguishing the wealthy from the poor. In our day, immodesty looks quite different.

However, the principles of modesty are timeless as well. A humble, self-controlled woman whose primary focus is evidencing her love for God will arrange her appearance in a becoming, decent, moderate way so that her good works and godly heart will take preeminence. Her conduct and her appearance support her claim to godliness, and her godliness supports her claim to be a believer in the gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ who has eternally changed her life.

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Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

 

 

  1. John MacArthur, Different by Design, MacArthur Study Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 132. []
  2. Ibid. []
  3. William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 987. []
  4. Ibid, 560. []
  5. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 627. []
  6. Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000), Logos edition. []
  7. Mary Kassian, Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2010), 105. []
  8. Ibid, 107. []

Our Perpetual Praise of God (Ephesians 3:20–21)

By | March 6, 2025

When we learn about God and our salvation in Him, we love Him all the more and live for Him all the better. This statement captures something of the pastoral thrust of Ephesians.

For three chapters (Ephesians 1–3), Paul lays out how God has saved us, united us in Christ, and his role as an apostle in it all. Paul also prays two beautiful prayers that God would empower and enlighten us to understand our salvation and the love of Christ therein (Eph 1:15–23; 3:14–19). Ephesians 3:20–21 is Paul’s praise of God that He is able to do that and more, leading into instruction for the Christian life (Ephesians 4–6).

Ephesians 3:20–21 is a doxology—a word of praise to God. Paul describes the power of God in one verse, giving way to His praise in the next by ascribing to Him glory for this power.

Ephesians 3:20: Here Paul describes the infinite power of God. Paul previously prayed for his readers to “be strengthened with power through His Spirit” for them “to know the love of Christ” in their salvation (Eph 3:16, 19; cf. 1:19). Paul knows that God can answer this prayer and even “do far more abundantly than all we ask or think” (Eph 3:20). This power of God is “at work within us” already, and it is “according to” this power that God will show us power all the more—again, to help us better understand our salvation and, as a result, better live the Christian life.

Ephesians 3:21: With God’s infinite power in mind, Paul ascribes “glory” to Him. Paul also points out who gives God glory (“the church”), how they do it (“in Christ Jesus,” i.e., by union with Him), and how long they do so (“throughout all generations, forever and ever”). He even punctuates his praise with a confirming “Amen.”

We have been bit technical up to this point, so let’s ask some questions to help us join Paul in this praise.

Looking inward—is the power of God at work in you? Has He empowered and enlightened you to understand the riches of His love for you in Christ? Have you continued to grow in your understanding of this love? If so, acknowledge His glory for His power at work in you!

Looking outward—has your God-enabled understanding of the love of Christ motivated you to have a greater commitment to your church (Eph 4:1–16), a godlier life (Eph 4:17–5:21), and a Spirit-filled walk in your home and at work (Eph 5:22–6:9)? Do you find victory in spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10–20)? If so, rejoice that your understanding of your salvation helps you to live in a manner worthy of God!

May God empower us to understand the love of Christ better day by day, and may we praise Him for this power, both now and forever, Amen.

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Don’t Do Anything! Figuring Out What Makes My Brother Stumble (Romans 14:21)

By | February 27, 2025

What kinds of things should I not do because it would cause my fellow Christian to violate his conscience and sin if he did them, too?

Paul gives many commands to the “strong” in Romans 14:1–15:13 (cf. Rom 15:1), telling the strong in various ways not to cause the “weak” to stumble (Rom 14:13, 15, 16, 20, 21; 15:1, 2). The strong, in good conscience, could (1) eat meat, (2) drink wine (watered down and not equivalent to wine today, I believe), and (3) not observe days (e.g., the Sabbath and other significant days Israel was to observe). In contrast, “the one who is weak in faith” (Rom 14:1) abstained from meat and wine and observed the Sabbath and other days. In spite of these differences, both groups were to glorify the Lord together (cf. Rom 15:6–7).

My question for the moment is this—besides meat, drink, and days, what else might we include in the word “anything” when Paul says, “It is good not to… do anything that causes your brother to stumble” (Rom 14:21)?

That’s a hard question to answer. Perhaps it is best to gather some principles from the context in order to identify whatever “anything” might be:

  1. It is something that the strong person does and the weak person does not, or vice versa.

    Again, the examples are meat, wine, and days. The strong person ate, drank, and did not observe the days. The weak person abstained and observed the days.
  2. It is something that, whether done or not, is unnecessary for salvation and sanctification.

    Both parties were to glorify God together, whether they ate or drank or observed the days or not. Their personal practices were to be kept to themselves (Rom 14:5b, 22a), but whatever each chose to do, it was not to affect their fellowship and worship together.
  3. It is something that, whether done or not, can be explicitly defended from Scripture either way. (However, the strong will have a stronger case, though the weak might not believe so.)Jesus declared all things clean (Mark 7:19). Peter saw a vision to that effect (Acts 10). Paul was among the strong who believed the same (Rom 14:14; 15:1). For the weak, if they thought the meat or wine tainted by idolatry, perhaps they abstained by following Daniel’s example (Dan 1:8). Whatever the case, the apostle Paul clearly put himself among the strong, doing what the weak would not. The strong had a stronger case, and the weak’s case was weaker.

So, while I’ve not given a list of some people’s “do’s” that are other people’s “don’t’s,” I’ve tried to give some guidance for what those things might be. Whatever “anything” includes, may God help us to obey the greater commands in Romans 14–15: don’t be unnecessarily judgmental; don’t push someone to violate his conscience; be willing to forego what you are free to do; and strive for peace and joy in order to glorify God together.

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A Theology of Woman from the New Testament: Follow Your Head

By | February 6, 2025
This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series A Theology of Woman

This series is adapted from Sunday School lessons I wrote several years ago for women and teen girls. The goal was to form a “theology of woman” by looking chronologically at all of the major portions of Scripture regarding women and womanhood. What does the Bible say are the roles, duties, challenges, and opportunities that we have as women? 

Introduction 

There were two lines of husbands in heaven, one for the dominant husbands and one for the passive, submissive husbands. The submissive husband line extended almost out of sight. There was one man in the dominant husband line. He was small, timid, appeared anything but a dominant husband. When the angel inquired as to why he was in this line, he said, ‘My wife told me to stand here’.”1

We laugh at this story because we see how far it falls short of the true heavenly ideal. As we examine a number of passages, we will see that God’s design for the roles of men and women is male headship and female submission. 

The Role of Men: Headship 

An Example of Headship 

“For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior” (Ephesians 5:23 ESV). 

Christ Himself is shown as an example of headship. He is Head over the man (1 Corinthians 11:3), over the Church (Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:18), and over all authority (Colossians 2:10). In a similar way to Christ’s authority over his Church, so also does the husband have authority over his wife.

The Theology of Headship 

“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV). 

The relationship between men and women is a reflection of the relationship among the members of the Trinity in two ways: 

  1. Equality in person 

All three members of the Trinity are equal in being. They are each fully God. Similarly, both men and women are of the same spiritual value in the eyes of God, as Peter points out in 1 Peter 3:7:

“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (emphasis added).

  1. Difference in roles 

The roles of the members of the Trinity differ from one to the other. The Father is over the Son and Spirit. The Son is under the Father and over the Spirit. The Spirit serves both the Father and Son. Likewise, though equal in worth in the eyes of God, the roles of men and women are different—men lead and women follow.

The Role of Women: Submission 

We can think of the role of women in submission in terms of the home and the church.

Submission in the Home 

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands” (Ephesians 5:22-24 ESV).

As the Church is commanded to submit to Christ, its Head, so also is the wife to submit to the husband, her head. The word submit means “to place or rank under, to subject.2 Wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.3 A woman can beautifully picture the relationship of the Church to Christ through her own submissive attitude towards her husband.

Interestingly, in the Greek, verse 22 does not have the word submit. The word has been added to aid understanding, but the idea flows from verse 21: “Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Thus, verse 22 continues with the idea of submission: “Wives. . . [submitting to your] own husbands.”

Some claim that verse 21 refers to a mutual submission in which husbands and wives submit to each other in the same way. Thus, the wife is not required to submit to her husband specifically as one who has authority over her. This false idea of submission is an attempt to negate the biblical command for wives to submit to their husbands.

Rather, Paul begins his series of commands to husbands and wives with a command in verse 21 to “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” This subjection to one another is evidence that one is filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Paul goes on to apply this principle of subjection to one another to child/father relationships, as well as  slave/master relationships (Eph 6:1-9).

One author explains,

Believers should not insist on getting their own way, so there is a general sense in which husbands are to have a submissive attitude to wives, putting their wives’ interests before their own, and similarly parents to children and masters to slaves. But this does not eliminate the more specific roles in which wives are to submit to husbands, children to parents, and slaves to masters (emphasis added).4

Submission in the Church 

A woman’s demeanor

Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head (1 Corinthians 11:4-6 ESV).

During the time of the early church, women were allowed to pray and prophesy publicly in church. The gift of prophecy was unique to the early church and is not applicable today for men or women.

In the Corinthian culture of the day, women wore head coverings to show both their femininity (i.e., their distinction from men) and submissive attitude.

Paul’s point was that women were allowed to minister in the church, but they were to do so in a feminine way that did not usurp male headship.

A woman’s silence 

Two passages explain how a woman shows submission through “silence” in the church.

  • In 1 Corinthians 14:34, Paul says that “the women should keep silent in the churches.” The problem Paul was addressing was the inclusion of women as prophets in the judgment of male prophecy (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35). A woman’s publicly judging a man’s prophecy in church contradicted Paul’s previous teaching in 1 Corinthians 11 that women were to submit to the male leadership.
  • In 1 Timothy 2:11, Paul says, “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.” Paul here commands women not to teach or exercise authority over men, because teaching evidences one’s authority (1 Timothy 2:12). Women are not to have authority over men in the church. 

A woman’s service

Submission to men does not negate a woman’s ministry in the church; it simply guides  it:

Women participated in ministry in the Scriptures, but their ministry was a complementary and supportive ministry, a ministry that fostered and preserved male leadership in the church. Thus the ministry of women in the church was notable and significant, but it never supplanted male leadership; instead, it functioned as a support to male leadership. This view does not rule out all ministry for women. Instead, it sees the ministry of women as complementary and supportive (emphasis added).5

Several examples in the New Testament show how women served in the church under the leadership of men:

  • In Acts 18:24-26, Aquila and his wife Priscilla explained Scripture more accurately to Apollos. Priscilla’s involvement in the private explanation was under the leadership of and alongside her husband.
  • In Titus 2:3-5, Paul instructs Titus to make sure the older women were teaching the younger women. Women can have a teaching ministry to other women in the church.
  • Paul also commends various women for their labor with him, for him, and for the sake of the Gospel (Romans 16:1-4, 6; Philippians 4:2-3).

Man is the head of the woman. In the home, this should be evidenced by a wife’s submitting to her husband in all things. In the church, this should be evidenced by a woman’s submitting to her husband’s leadership (if married) as well as to the male leadership in the church. Women should still take advantage of the many opportunities to minister within the church.

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Photo by Will Truettner on Unsplash

 

 

  1. 10,000 Sermon Illustrations: Logos electronic edition. []
  2. Robert L. Thomas, in New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries : Updated Edition (Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc., 1998). []
  3. This never means that a woman must accept abuse from her husband. Any woman suffering from any form of abuse should seek help from her pastor and any necessary law enforcement. []
  4. Andrew T. Lincoln, Ephesians, vol. 42 of Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, 1990), 366. []
  5. Thomas R. Schreiner, “The Valuable Ministries of Women in the Context of Male Leadership: A Survey of Old and New Testament Examples and Teaching.” Online: https://bible.org/seriespage/valuable-ministries-women-context-male-leadership. []

A Pastor’s Letter of Prayer for An Aging, Dying Saint

By | January 30, 2025

Dear Friend,

What do I pray for an aging saint, longing for heaven above?

What do I pray for this soul on earth, one I so dearly love?

I would pray this…

First, I would pray that you see your situation for what it is.

You could spend your final days, weeks, months, and even years obsessed with diagnoses, remedies, and a myriad of other terms. I know that the hospital is never home, and home is with the Great Physician above. But realize this—for all you’ll learn about the body, its health, and some cures—we only live so long. Moses knew it long ago—“The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty” (Psalm 90:10). At some point, our appointment with death will come (Hebrews 9:27). Do not be surprised, whether decline is gradual or sudden.

Second, I would pray that you see beyond your present situation.

Our Lord Jesus Christ died, arose, and lives in a glorious, glorified body. His is the prototype for what you’ll have. In fact, He Himself “will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to even to subject all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:21). So, in one venue, Christ uses His power to uphold all things. In another and future venue, He will focus that infinite and overwhelming power squarely on you to obliterate every malady, spiritual and physical, in order for you to be like Him. See beyond the present and hope for what will come. Join Paul to proclaim, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us…. the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:18, 23).

Third, I would pray that you would see yourself as a suffering servant.

Yes, that title right there—the Suffering Servant—belongs properly to Christ. The Father called Him “My Servant” who bore the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 52:13–53:12). But follow His example as you remember His ministry just before death. Even in His sufferings, from the thorns to saying “I thirst” (John 19:28), He served many from the cross. On His way there, He warned the weeping women that greater trials would come (Luke 23:28–31). As He hung and bled, He prayed for the lost to know forgiveness, those who sinned against Him (Luke 23:34). He encouraged a dying man with Paradise above (Luke 23:43), and He cared for his aging mother by charging John to take her in (John 19:26–27). Like Jesus, you, too, can minister words to others, pray your words to God, and serve in many other ways. Do not be so consumed with your difficulties that you miss the ministry that remains. To die is gain, yes, but while you live and even suffer, serve and live for the Christ who you soon so gladly join (Philippians 1:21).

So, my dear aging saint, my beloved dying saint, see your situation for what it is. The wages of sin are death. But see beyond your situation. Your Savior awaits, and glory will be yours. But until then, be a suffering servant, serving until the end. And then, your greatest days will have only just begun.

With all the love that Christ can show through me who loves you so,

Your Pastor

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