Edwin Cohea

On September 15, 2025, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee gave a speech at the City of David in Israel. He addressed his speech to, “Mr. Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu], Secretary Rubio, all of the wonderful people who made this possible by their generosity.”  The occasion of this speech was the official opening of a newly excavated section of the Pilgrimage Road of ancient Jerusalem. Built during the Second Temple period (which spanned approximately 538 BC – 70 AD), this impressive street was one of the main arteries of Jerusalem two thousand years ago, connecting the Pool of Siloam with the Temple Mount.

I include here a link to the transcript of Ambassador Huckabee’s brief speech:  americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mikehuckabeecityofdavidremarks.htm

I am also including here a link to an article regarding the Pilgrimage Road project:    cityofdavid.org.il/en/the-pilgrimage-road/

For the sake of context, I would like to point out that Mike Huckabee clearly and openly identifies himself as a follower of Jesus Christ. He attended both Ouachita Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and was an ordained Southern Baptist pastor in Arkansas for over a decade.

Though this article is not at all intended to be political, there are those who will interpret it to be so anyway. Like others, I do have my own opinions and convictions about the war in Israel, but my purpose here is to address statements made by Ambassador Huckabee in a biblical, not political, sense. Also, though my comments are addressing Ambassador Huckabee specifically, my great concern is the fact that so few Christians seem to recognize or express any concern about the things he is saying or implying. If you doubt this, I invite you to read the comments on the video of the speech at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqzBJRzQjQQ&t=2s

I do want to make clear from the outset, I understand that Mike Huckabee has placed himself in a political situation where speaking openly in Israel about his professed faith in Jesus Christ as the true Messiah of Israel (and the world) would be uncomely at the very least and could indeed be dangerous. My angst about this speech (besides the points I will make below) is the fact that hordes of American Christians are praising him for what, as you will see in this article, I believe is tantamount to ignoring, even denying, the Lord Jesus. This should, at best, disappoint us (and worry us for him). Though there are nuances and shades of meaning throughout his brief speech, I will be focusing on four specific statements he makes that, I believe, should concern Christians everywhere. The truth is, though some of what Ambassador Huckabee says in this speech is troubling, it is what he does not say that concerns me the most.

1. Implying the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD Was an Act of Roman Genocide

Ambassador Huckabee said the following, “But tonight, something is extraordinary that we celebrate, for 3000 years ago, David established his kingdom here; and 2000 years ago, the world, through the Romans, decided we’ll get rid of the Jews. And they destroyed this place. And they scattered the Jewish people across the planet.”

My concern with this statement is the implication that the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans is akin to modern antisemitism or Jewish genocide. Though both of these may be true to some degree, what Ambassador Huckabee has failed to mention is the fact that Jesus himself predicted this fall of Jerusalem (not the entire Jewish race, nor all of the land of Israel) because of the failure to receive him; this has been the generally accepted understanding of the Church as well. Consider the words of Jesus,

Luke 19:41 And when he drew near and saw the city [of Jerusalem], he wept over it, 42saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (ESV; underline added)

First, most biblical scholars and Christian theologians interpret the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD as God’s judgment on Israel. This is based on specific predictions of Jesus like the one above as well as prophecies found in the Old Testament (i.e., Daniel 9:26, Zechariah 11:4-6, Hosea 3:4-5). Ambassador Huckabee’s implication that in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem “the world, through the Romans, decided we’ll get rid of the Jews,” as if it was like the Nazi genocide is misleading.

Many biblical scholars see this destruction as the culmination of God’s judgment on Israel for its long history of rejecting the prophets, which culminated in the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. This event parallels others in the Old Testament, where God used Gentile empires to judge the unfaithfulness of Israel and Judah—God used the Assyrian Empire to judge the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC and used the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and the First Temple in 587 BC. Though there are other interpretations of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, this understanding has been and continues to be the majority interpretation by the Church.

Second, when Ambassador Huckabee speaks of this event 2000 years ago, he generalizes it to the nation of Israel as a whole. However, the historical record shows that not all Jews were forced to leave the land of Israel after the destruction of Jerusalem; a significant number of Jews remained in Judea, though the Roman Empire did exile many, resulting in the beginning of the large-scale Jewish diaspora and a shift in the Jewish population center to the Galilee. It is true that a large portion of the Jewish population was either killed or taken into slavery by the Romans and that many Jews were forced from their homes and fled to other parts of the Roman Empire, yet, despite the horrific devastation, a Jewish population did remain in Judea.

A far more devastating event for the Jewish population of Judea was the Roman crushing of the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–136 AD). The Romans responded with devastating tactics that led to widespread death, enslavement, and displacement, effectively cleansing Judea of its Jewish inhabitants. In the revolt’s aftermath, the Romans banned Jews from entering Jerusalem and rebuilt it as a pagan city called Aelia Capitolina. They also changed the name of the province of Judea to Syria Palaestina to erase its Jewish identity. Despite this, Jewish communities continued to thrive in other areas in the Roman Empire, such as the Galilee, and new centers of Jewish scholarship developed in the diaspora, most notably in Babylonia.

From a Christian perspective, for Ambassador Huckabee to frame this event in 70 AD with no reference at all to the prophetic words of Jesus Christ is nothing more than an acquiescence to the modern political state of Israel who, sadly, continues to completely reject the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, God’s Son, or even a favorable prophet.

2. Completely Misrepresenting the Reference to Luke 19:40

Ambassador Huckabee then quotes from the New Testament, “There is a verse in the New Testament in Luke, verse 40 of chapter 19, and it says this, ‘If the crowds keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’ If the crowds don’t acknowledge it, the stones will cry out. Tonight, the stones are crying out.”

I confess, I find this statement in his speech the most troubling of all. Before I share my concerns, let’s look at the entire passage Ambassador Huckabee is referring to:

Luke 19:36 And as [Jesus] rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

41And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (ESV)

First, it is incomprehensible to me that Ambassador Huckabee, as a formally educated, ordained pastor of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, can refer to a quote from the Lord Jesus himself and fail to mention him at all (this brings to mind the Lord’s warning found in Matthew 10:33, “Whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”) When I listened to this speech the first time, I actually had to back it up and listen to this statement again to make sure I heard it right!

I was especially disturbed by his statement, “If the crowds don’t acknowledge it, the stones will cry out.” It? What is it? The Jewish nation? The city of Jerusalem? Modern Israel? The literal reading of this text as well as the context of the quote is very clear, Jesus is talking about the very stones themselves singing praises to him if the people, the Jewish people, were to fall silent. Ambassador Huckabee then conveniently fails to refer at all to the next four critical verses…verses that make very clear that Jerusalem will have no peace because she refuses Jesus. The Lord then very specifically warns that Jerusalem’s horrifying destruction is imminent “because you did not know the time of your visitation,” that is, his very own arrival.

It is quite disconcerting that Ambassador Huckabee, a preacher and teacher of the gospel, can stand in the city of David before a worldwide audience and so ignore Jesus (at the very least) and completely misrepresent the meaning and context of the verse he himself chose to quote. I have to believe that if he would have quoted Peter, he would have mentioned Peter’s name; I am sure this would be true for Paul and any of the other New Testament characters, but he chose to refrain from even mentioning Jesus while choosing to quote him. As Christians, this should give us pause.

3. Prioritizing the Old Covenant Above the New Covenant

Ambassador Huckabee then goes on to make this remarkable claim, “And those of us who are not Jewish, we thank you for giving all of us a foundation of morality and decency and civilization upon which our own faith is built; for without yours, we don’t have one. As I often tell my Jewish friends, you can be Jewish; you don’t need me. But I cannot be who I am in my faith without the debt of obligation that I owe to you for having listened to God and been willing to be obedient to Him when He called you to this place as His people for his eternal, everlasting purpose.”

There are many things wrong with this perspective…where to start? First, I suppose, is the bizarre claim that the Jewish people “[gave] all of us a foundation of morality and decency and civilization upon which our own faith is built.” It is hard for me to understand him making this claim. The foundation for all of these came as a direct revelation from God to Moses, they were not thought up, dreamed up, or made up by the Jewish people themselves. In fact, much of the Old Testament is the story of Israel’s failure to keep the revelation given to Moses and their subsequent cycles of judgment and punishment because of it. This is certainly not news to the people of modern Israel. I am also disturbed by the Ambassador’s declaration that without the faith of Israel, Christianity would not exist. I am quite surprised that he would box God in this way, as if God is a one trick pony.

Second, apparently Ambassador Huckabee has forgotten that the old covenant gave way to the new covenant two thousand years ago. Israel’s only hope is not in the old covenant, but the new, which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus on the night he was arrested and ratified by his blood on the morning of his crucifixion. Because Israel (by and large) rejected Jesus then, and continues to reject him to this day, they, as of now, have no part in the new covenant. Instead of telling his Jewish friends that he is beholden to them, he ought to have the courage to tell them about the new covenant and how to become a part of it. God is faithful to his covenant with Abraham, but the covenant Ambassador Huckabee is referring to here, is the covenant God made with ancient Israel mediated through Moses…a covenant that was done away with two millennia ago.

Lastly, his statement, “I cannot be who I am in my faith without the debt of obligation that I owe to you for having listened to God and been willing to be obedient to Him when He called you to this place as His people for his eternal, everlasting purpose.” This sounds as if Ambassador Huckabee has never read the Old Testament, something I know to be not true. The Old Testament is the story of a God who keeps his covenantal faithfulness to a people consistently failing to obey the terms of the covenant…they refused to listen to God, they refused to be obedient, and time and time again suffered the dire consequences for their unfaithfulness. Listen to this powerful indictment from the Lord Jesus,

Matthew 23:34 “Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38See, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (ESV)

Ambassador Huckabee is doing Israel no favors by refusing to even mention the name of their own Messiah. I do indeed believe that God has a plan for Israel (See Romans 9-11), but the Israel God will redeem will be redeemed because they will repent and turn to the one they reject, embracing the Lord Jesus as the true Messiah of Israel. That is not the current situation in Israel. We must continue to pray for the repentance of Israel, indeed, but to mollycoddle the current state of Israel with denials of the Lord Jesus will not get them there.

4. The City of Jerusalem in the Current State of Israel Is not God’s Eternal Home

The last statement I will address is Ambassador Huckabee saying, “And I salute you and join you tonight in the celebration of this wonderful, magnificent, incredible reminder that God never has been finished with Israel, and He never will be. This is the eternal home that He has chosen.”

It almost goes without saying, but it is a core Christian doctrine that God, through his Holy Spirit, resides in the hearts of his people—Christians, the members of the Body of Christ, make up the new temple of God,

Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God bye the Spirit. (ESV)

It is also true that the Scripture states that God will dwell in the New Jerusalem on the New Earth, but this has little or nothing to do with the Jerusalem that is in our daily news,

Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And 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. 4He 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.”

The “former things” that have passed away presumedly includes the current state of Israel and the current city of Jerusalem—the hope of modern Israel, just as all the world, is the redemption that comes through the Lord Jesus only and the New Heavens and New Earth that all true believers long for.

As I conclude this article, I want to be very, very clear. There is nothing about me that is antisemitic. I do indeed believe the words of the Apostle Paul when he warns Gentiles to not become arrogant about the Jewish people,

Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. (ESV)

The New Testament clearly confirms a time when Israel will understand the truth about the Lord Jesus and will once again take her rightful place in the Kingdom of God. As of now, she continues to reject the promise of Abraham’s seed, David’s descendant, the Wonderful Counselor, and the Prince of Peace. All believers should pray for the reconciliation of Israel, without question, but to speak as if the Jewish people (those who reject Jesus Christ) are our brothers and sisters is foolish and not helpful. They are indeed brother and sister human beings to be treated with dignity and respect, but many Christians have this notion that they are distant siblings, somehow right with God simply because they are Jewish. This is contrary to the teachings of the Bible, especially the New Testament. There are many Jews who have embraced Jesus as their Messiah, these are indeed our brothers and sisters. It must be our fervent prayer that God will continue to send workers into the “Jewish field” to continue reaping a harvest there, yet, this is no different than any other nation in the world.

Lastly, I do also believe that there is a spiritual dimension regarding the treatment of the Jewish People throughout history. One simply needs to do a cursory internet search regarding organized persecutions and pogroms regarding the Jewish people to affirm this fact. I do believe Satan and the powers of darkness, for millennia, have attempted to eliminate the Jewish people for many significant theological reasons (which are beyond the scope of this article). Even the Church, at many times and in many ways, is guilty of terrible crimes against the Jewish people. Any Christian who holds antisemitic views has no true understanding of the Jewish people’s role in the history of humanity and will be held accountable by God. Nevertheless, to assume their immense suffering somehow reconciles them to God apart from Jesus Christ is heresy. Christians need to stand with the Jewish people when it is clearly right to do so, but also call them out when their nation is in the wrong. Is this different than any other nation, including our own? Of course not.

“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” is not a warning to the nations that we must stand by and support the modern state of Israel in whatever they choose to do, it is a promise to those who seek the best for Israel and to pray for her reconciliation to the one who loves her most.

For Christians who are students of the Bible and disciplined about using Bible reference resources and reading books about the Bible, there are times authors and scholars will refer to non-biblical sources in their discussions. Three of the most common sources referenced are the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Apocrypha, and the Gnostic writings. Here I give a brief introduction to each of these ancient sources.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Finding the Dead Sea Scrolls is arguably the most important biblical studies discovery of the 20^th century—some would even argue the providential nature of their discovery. They were found in an area called Qumran near Jerusalem in 1947. A shepherd, searching for his goats, threw a rock into a cave and heard a clay pot shatter. When he went in to look, he discovered several pots containing ancient documents. In the years that followed, 972 documents from eleven different caves were obtained, including over 200 Old Testament writings from 300 BC to 70 AD. These documents were likely hidden in these caves by the men living in Qumran to protect them from destruction by the Romans and others.

In some cases, these manuscripts are more than 1000 years older than previously known Hebrew documents. They included parts of every Old Testament book except Esther. Scholars have used these writings to confirm the carefully disciplined copying methods used by Jewish scribes producing a very high level of accuracy between these early copies of Old Testament books and the later copies that were being used for translating the Hebrew Bible into other languages.

Of all the manuscripts discovered, Isaiah was the most plentiful. This may indicate the popularity of this book during the New Testament era and may provide insight into why the book of Isaiah was quoted so often in the New Testament. Jesus himself chose a passage from the book of Isaiah when he stood to read in the synagogue at Nazareth, choosing that passage to identify himself as the Messiah (Isaiah 61:1-2).

Prior to this discovery, some scholars argued a later date for several Old Testament books because of the accuracy with which prophecies contained within them proved to be fulfilled by Jesus. After the discovery of the Dead Seas scrolls, however, these handwritten copies that clearly existed prior to the time of Christ confirmed their prophetic accuracy.

For more than seven decades, scholars have continued to glean more insight from these manuscripts, enhancing our understanding of the Old Testament texts and the community responsible for copying these manuscripts in the first place.

The Apocrypha

The Apocrypha, sometimes called the Deuterocanonical Books, are found in Catholic Bibles and are used by some Protestant traditions, as well. The term apocrypha means “hidden.” These books were written during the intertestamental period that took place from approximately 400 BC until the birth of Jesus. The most common books included in the Apocrypha are 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, the Letter of Jeremiah, the Prayer of Manassa, and 1 & 2 Maccabees. There are also additions to the books of Esther, Daniel, and Psalms.

The Apocrypha is not quoted by Jesus in the Gospels, nor by the authors of the other New Testament documents. Within Judaism, these books are considered important but were never included in any version of the Hebrew Bible. Because of these facts, early church leaders did not consider them inspired either. Jerome, who first translated the Bible into Latin, considered the books of the Apocrypha to be non-inspired and did not include them as part of the Bible.

Many Catholics accepted the Apocrypha as biblical quite early on, nevertheless, they were not officially added to the Catholic Bible until the council of Trent in the mid-1500s—this was primarily in reaction to the Protestant reformers and their rejection of these books. From the Apocrypha came many Catholic doctrines and traditions that are not held by Protestants. It is the evangelical position that these books should be held as important for historical reasons but should not be considered sacred in the same sense of Old Testament and New Testament books.

The Nag Hammadi library

The collection of Gnostic writings called the Nag Hammadi library were found in Egypt in 1945 by a local farmer. The codices were buried under a boulder near the town of Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt. This collection of manuscripts was composed mostly between the 2nd and 4th century AD. These manuscripts included writings such as the Gospel of Philip, the Apocalypse of Paul, the Gospel of Mary Magdelene, and others—the library includes over 50 titles, with the earliest generally listed as the gospel of Thomas written in the 2nd century. Many of these works had been unknown to modern scholars until their discovery.

Gnostics were people who practiced a religion and philosophy that emphasized secret knowledge and the salvation of the soul. The term “Gnostic” comes from the Greek word gnosis, which means “knowledge.” Gnostics believed that the human spirit was good but was trapped in an evil body.

They believed that salvation came from discovering secret knowledge and that this knowledge would provide release from this corrupt world that was created by a being who was not the true God. The goal of their faith was to free the spirit from the body and return to the Parent-Spirit.

A significant difference between the gnostic gospels and the New Testament gospels is their time of composition. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, as well as the other books of the New Testament, were written during the lifetimes of the apostles and other leaders of the first century. The gnostic gospels, on the other hand, were written after eyewitnesses of Jesus and the Apostles had died.  They are not “lost” gospels, as some claim, but were known and rejected as uninspired writings—many of the gnostic writings were mentioned and condemned by early Christian leaders who lived near the time they were composed.

Many books and movies draw material from the Gnostic writings, the most well-known of which may be “The Da Vinci Code.” Dan Brown drew many concepts for his story from these texts, especially the Gospel of Philip and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, which present alternative interpretations of Jesus’ life, including the idea that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, a central theme in the novel; however, scholars widely criticize the book for misrepresenting these ancient texts for fictional purposes.

Though Gnostic writings are not on par with the New Testament documents for many reasons, they are historically interesting for the study of early Christianity—they provide insights into many significant theological issues that were of concern in the early church. For the student of church history they are worth investigating, however, it will become immediately obvious the bizarre nature of these ancient documents.

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

© 2025 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Christianity.

One of the most common objections to or misunderstandings about Christianity relates to the divinity of Jesus Christ. Many people fail to understand that Jesus’ claims in the Gospels to be divine, in fact, to be God incarnate, are the most powerful assertions in all of the Bible.

The Bible, from Genesis through the Book of the Revelation, is the story of God carrying out his plan to redeem humanity. He does this by, without forsaking his divinity, becoming a human being, a true human being indeed. It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the many core theological implications of the divinity of Jesus Christ or the mysteries of the incarnation. Instead, we will be focusing on the ways the Lord Jesus demonstrates, through word and deed, his divinity in each chapter of the Gospel of Mark. This will not be an exhaustive list but will include those passages that are quite specific in revealing Jesus as the true God.

Chapter 1

Of all the Gospels, Mark begins most abruptly, “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” —“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’” (Mark 1:1-3).

Mark quotes this passage from Isaiah (40:3) as a reference to the work of John the Baptist in preparing the way for the Messiah. What is most telling about this quote is that in the Hebrew of the Old Testament, the “LORD” referred to is the one true God, Yahweh. John recognizes that the work he is doing is to prepare the way for Yahweh himself—clearly identifying Jesus as the God of Israel (and the world).

Chapter 2

In the 2nd chapter, Mark includes two powerful events in which Jesus clearly identifies himself as having the authority that only belongs to God. In the first passage, some men bring a paralyzed man and place him before Jesus, hoping that Jesus will heal him. Rather than immediately healing him, this happens, When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:5-7).

There were some Jewish teachers observing this encounter who recognized that Jesus claimed to have the same authority as God, this is why they accused him of blasphemy. Jesus goes on to heal the man and remove any doubt as to what he believes about himself, “I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, I tell you, get up, take up your mat and go home” (Mark 2:10-11).

Later in this chapter, there is a confrontation between Jesus and some Pharisees. It is the Sabbath day, and the Pharisees have strict regulations based on Old Testament law about harvesting food on the Sabbath. As Jesus and his disciples are traveling through a wheat field, the disciples are stripping heads of wheat from the stalks and munching on them. The Pharisees confront Jesus about this. After some discussion, Jesus makes this astounding statement, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Jesus could not have said something more shocking! Almighty God established from the very beginning of time that the Sabbath day would be a day of rest and worship—Jesus has just stated that he himself is the Lord of the Sabbath. The implications of that statement would have rattled the bones of all Jewish people listening to him.

Chapter 3

In chapter 3, Jesus doubles down on his authority over the Sabbath. As the chapter begins, we find Jesus in the local synagogue on the Sabbath day. There was a man there who had a “shriveled” arm, and some of those in the synagogue watched to see what Jesus would do for the sole purpose of condemning him. Sadly, Mark records that Jesus “looked at them in anger and was deeply distressed because of their hardened hearts” (Mark 3:5). Then he spoke and healed the man. He did not call on the name of God, he did not pray for the man in the name of God, he did not engage in any spiritual tradition to try to bring healing to the man, he spoke, as only God could do, and the man’s arm was immediately healed.

Later in the chapter, Jesus is accused by some teachers of the law of casting out demons by the power of satan. Again, Jesus does not do so in the name of God or through any of the Jewish traditions for exorcism, he simply speaks and the demons leave. He claims to have power and authority over satan, clearly a divine attribute. In response to the accusations, Jesus says, “No one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house” (Mark 3:27). In other words, Jesus has the power and authority to bind satan and then destroy his works.

Chapter 4

In the next chapter, we see one of the most powerful testimonies to Jesus’s divinity in all of Scripture. We find Jesus in a boat with his disciples in the middle of the Sea of Galilee—a storm is raging. Jesus is asleep and the disciples are fearing for their lives. In a panic, they wake him up, “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:39, 41). Even the disciples were just beginning to realize that Jesus was far more than a mere rabbi—controlling winds and waves is certainly only within the powers of God.

This story becomes even more significant when connected to a passage in Psalm 107, a Psalm about crying out to God in various distresses. Note first of all, the similarities between what Jesus did and what the writer of the Psalm records. Note also, that the one the writer is calling out to is none other than Yahweh, the true God: Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven (Psalm 107:28-30).

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 begins with Jesus casting a “legion” of demons from a man who identifies Jesus as “the Son of the Most High God” (El Elyon in Hebrew). Clearly this demon recognizes Jesus with more than human eyes (Mark 5:7). However, the passage we are going to focus on is Jesus restoring to life a 12-year-old girl who has died.

In this story, Jesus has been summoned to the house of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue in town, to heal his young daughter from some grave illness. However, as Jesus is on his way, he is notified that the little girl has died. Nevertheless, he continues to Jairus’ home. Jesus takes the girl’s parents, as well as Peter, James, and John, into the house, and, in a veiled expression of his authority over the Old Testament law, he takes the dead girl by the hand (thus defiling himself according to the laws of Moses), and speaks the words, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” (Mark 5:41)—immediately the little girl stood up. Those who saw it were completely astonished. Once again, Jesus demonstrates that he has the power, not only to heal, but to actually rebuke death and give life. Obviously, this is something only within the powers of God.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 contains two very powerful stories that declare the divine power of Jesus. In the first of them, Jesus is in a field where he has been teaching thousands of people. It is getting late in the day and Jesus, in his compassion, realizes these people either have not eaten, or have eaten very little, throughout the day. He resolves this by taking five loaves and two fish from a little boy who had brought them along. He then, in a way that only God can do, creates. These five loaves and two fish are miraculously multiplied to the extent that, according to Mark, more than 5,000 people are fed. Creating something from nothing harkens back to Genesis chapter 1, where God speaks all of creation into existence. This story also draws our attention to God providing mana for the Israelites in the wilderness. This story, recorded by all four Gospel writers, is intended to make us see Jesus as the Creator.

The second story in chapter 6 is a very well-known miracle. However, the power of the imagery cannot be overstated. I will let Mark share what happens, “Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed” (Mark 6:47-51). Once again, who but God can defy the laws of physics and actually walk on top of water?

Chapter 7

In this passage, Jesus encounters a man who cannot speak and cannot hear. Mark records, “After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (which means “Be opened!”). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly” (Mark 7:33-35).

Once again, to restore a man’s hearing and speech is within the powers of God—remember the words God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, “And the LORD said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?’” (Exodus 4:11).

Chapter 8

In chapter 8, similar to chapter 5, Mark records a story of Jesus feeding another giant crowd of people. All that was said regarding that miracle is also true for this one, “They had seven loaves and a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. About four thousand were present” (Mark 8:6-9).

Chapter 9

Chapter 9 contains possibly the most amazing event in the ministry of Jesus. In this chapter, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John, to the top of a mountain (traditionally Mt. Tabor) where he is transfigured (Mark 9:2-4). Mark records that Jesus’ “clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” It appears that the three disciples who accompanied Jesus saw him in his absolute glorification. However, he was not alone—there with him was Moses and Elijah.

Many possibilities are put forward as to why these two men met with him, a popular theory is that Moses represented the law of the Old Testament and Elijah represented the prophets of the Old Testament. One thing is for sure true, both of these men met with God on mountain tops, Moses at Mt. Sinai (Exodus 24) and Elijah at Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19). The message in this event is most likely that Moses and Elijah are meeting once again with God on a mountain top. This is very powerful imagery.

Chapter 10

In chapter 10, James and John approach Jesus to ask him if they can sit at his right hand and his left hand when he is reigning in heaven, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory” (Mark 10:37). The language here is important, the disciples recognize the authority of Jesus, an authority that would typically only be attributed to God. To seek to sit at the right hand or left hand of Jesus in his glory would be a blasphemous statement if the disciples did not believe that Jesus was indeed God.

Chapter 11

Mark records this unusual story in Chapter 11: The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” (Mark 11:12-14, 21-22).

The meaning of this story is beyond the scope of this article, but what has happened here is very much tied up in imagery related to the nation of Israel, this story serves as a kind of parable. However, what is astounding, is that Jesus has the power and authority to speak to a tree and have it wither. Again, this is very clearly an action that can be accomplished only by divine power.

Chapter 12

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight (Mark 12:35-37).

In Mark 12:36, when Jesus says “The Lord said to my Lord,” he is quoting Psalm 110:1, which is interpreted as a prophecy where David, a human king, refers to the coming Messiah as his “Lord,” thus establishing that the Messiah is superior to David and has a divine nature, even though he will be descended from David’s lineage, essentially arguing that the Messiah is both David’s son and his Lord. The first “Lord” refers to God the Father, and the second “Lord” refers to the Messiah (Jesus). By quoting this verse, Jesus is claiming that Psalm 110 is a prophecy about him, indicating his divine status. Jesus uses this passage to challenge the religious leaders who were trying to downplay his divinity by emphasizing only his lineage from David.

Chapters 13 and 14

Possibly the most powerful prophecy regarding Jesus in the Old Testament comes from Daniel chapter 7. We will look at the passage as a whole in just a moment. In Mark chapters 13 and 14, Jesus identifies himself as the Son of Man who will be coming on the clouds of heaven. This is a direct reference to the passage in Daniel and is quite possibly the most well-known passage to the Jews about the authority and power of the Messiah. In fact, in Mark 14:64, the high priest is so acutely aware of the reference Jesus is making, that he calls Jesus a blasphemer. Here is the passage from Daniel,

In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).

Jesus is identifying himself as the one who is led into the presence of God and given dominion, glory, and kingship over every nation and language of the world so that they should serve him. His dominion will never pass away and his kingdom will never be destroyed. The Son of Man spoken of in Daniel’s vision is clearly divine and eternal. The New Testament underscores these attributes of Jesus and his kingdom time and time again.

Chapter 15

This passage in chapter 15 is very powerful. Here we have the testimony of a centurion, a Gentile, testifying to the fact that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. For this Roman soldier, the title “Son of God” would certainly be an affirmation of the divinity of Jesus. It is significant because the Roman emperors claimed “Son of God” as one of their many titles, and here this Roman centurion is identifying Jesus, a crucified criminal, with a title only the emperors had claimed, “And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:39).

As Jesus breathed his last, the sky grew dark like night, there was a great earthquake, and the veil in the temple that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was ripped from top to bottom. These extraordinary events caused this Roman soldier to recognize that Jesus certainly was more than a man and ascribed to him the highest title he could.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16 contains the culmination of all of these events we have Considered. Could there be a greater testimony to the divinity of the Lord Jesus than his resurrection? An event no other human being in the history of humanity has ever experienced (thus far!). Mark records it this way, “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” (Mark 16:6-7).

In John 10, Jesus says, “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (John 10:17-18). In this passage, Jesus claims authority to take up his own life again. Not only has Jesus shown that he has the power to restore life to others who have died, in his own resurrection, he has shown that he has the power to restore his own life, a spectacular claim and feat to say the least. This is why his resurrection is the greatest confirmation of his own divinity we have in the Bible.

The Divine Acts of the Lord Jesus Recorded in the Gospel of Mark

1:2f                  John’s affirmation of preparing the way for the “LORD,” that is, Yahweh.

1:21ff               Jesus drives out an impure spirit

1:29ff               Jesus heals many in Capernaum

1:40ff               Jesus touches and heals a man with leprosy

2:1ff                 Jesus heals and forgives the sins of a paralytic man

2:27f                Jesus claims authority over the Sabbath

3:1ff                 Jesus heals a man in the synagogue on the Sabbath

3:27                 Jesus claims authority over satan

4:39                 Jesus speaks and calms the storm

5:1ff                 A demon refers to Jesus as “Son of the Most High God”

5:21ff               Jesus heals a woman with a chronic flow of blood

5:41ff               Jesus restores life to a 12-year-old girl

6:30ff               Jesus feeds more than 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish

6:45ff               Jesus walks of the surface of the Sea if Galilee

7:31ff               Jesus heals a deaf and mute man

8:1ff                 Jesus feeds more than 4,000 people with seven loaves and a few small fish

8:22ff               Jesus heals a blind man

9:2ff                 Jesus is transfigured and meets with Moses and Elijah on a mountain top

9:14ff               Jesus heals a boy possessed by an unclean spirit

10:35ff             James and John aske to sit beside Jesus when he is in his glory

10:46ff             Jesus heals a blind man

11:12ff             Jesus causes the fig tree to wither

12:35ff             Jesus claims the role of the Messiah by quoting David in Psalm 110

13:26ff             Jesus claims the prophecy of the divine Son of Man in Daniel is about him

14:62ff             Jesus claims the prophecy of the divine Son of Man in Daniel is about him

15:29               Jesus is identified as the Son of God by the Roman centurion

16:1ff               Jesus has risen from the dead

Here we have at least 27 different expressions of the divinity of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Of course, if we include the other Gospels, especially the Gospel of John, this number grows higher. In the Gospel of John, there are several passages that express without doubt Jesus’ claim to be God.

Throughout the history of the world and the history of the Church, many people have made claims to divinity and divine power. However, no human being has ever had the ability to consistently use words to cause the healing of the blind, deaf, mute, lame, paralyzed, diseased, or dead. No human being has ever had the ability to use words to stop storms and cause trees to wither. No human being has ever had the power to defy the laws of physics by walking on the surface of deep waters. No human being has ever had the ability to feed thousands with a few loaves of bread and a few fish. No human being has ever declared that they will die and then three days later will rise again and actually do it.

Jesus, though completely fully human, is also completely and fully God. This is what places him in the unique role of being able to offer himself as the full and satisfactory sacrifice for the sins of humanity. He is the Creator himself, and he chose to take on the flesh of his creation, to live a perfectly sinless life, and to offer himself as the atoning sacrifice that would create the means of reconciliation between human beings and the true God. This is the overarching message of the entire Bible and the core message of the gospel.

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

© 2025 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Christianity.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

In our politically charged culture, it is not unusual to hear the words sound bite, deep fake, fact check, misinformation, disinformation, or even fake news altogether. There is so much going on in our country and world, it is hard to follow up on everything we hear, even for those who are intentional about it. Unfortunately, many Americans, on either side of the aisle, are comfortably reliant on their favored news source to keep them abreast of the most important issues of our times, giving very little thought to the fact that what they are hearing has likely been filtered through a certain agenda or perspective, and what is ultimately reported is some editorialized version of the truth. For those of us trying to be more careful about what we embrace as the truth, we will search for the original source and listen to what was said in the broader context—only by doing this can we be confident about what we are hearing, having gotten our news “straight from the horse’s mouth,” so to speak.

This is true regarding biblical information as well—what we believe about the Bible, however, is far more important than contemporary political issues. Far too many Christians are content accepting what they are told about the Bible or a biblical teaching without ever reading the relevant passages for themselves. Few of us follow up on the information presented to us or consider the context from which the passage or verse was taken in the first place. I find it quite chilling how many Christians are more apt to watch a five-minute YouTube video about a biblical issue rather than reading the Bible itself. Many of us are convinced that the Bible is too hard to understand and consequently acquiesce to someone telling us what we ought to believe, without doing the work necessary to confirm that what we are being told is actually the truth. The Church in our culture is suffering because of the lack of knowledge among those who identify as followers of Jesus.

To demonstrate this, I have chosen three passages from the New Testament, all of them the words of Jesus—these verses are very often misunderstood and misrepresented. This misunderstanding is not limited to lay people either, many times I have heard these passages taught or referenced by Christian leaders who have misunderstood them as well. Certainly, all of us who follow Jesus, can agree that understanding his words contextually and accurately should be our highest priority. This is not to say that guidance, direction, and explanation from learned pastors, Christian leaders, and Bible teachers is not necessary—indeed, it is! If it wasn’t, this blog would be entirely pointless! Certainly, there are passages in the Bible that are quite difficult and the help of a trusted leader to shed light on these complexities is priceless. However, the passages we look at here, are not complicated passages, they are simply sayings of Jesus that have been so frequently misrepresented, that very few Christians question whether what is being said is accurate. This blog simply serves as a reminder that we must be careful and diligent when it comes to the things we embrace as biblical truth.

1. The Truth Will Set You Free

This is one of the most quoted statements of Jesus, by Christian and non-Christian alike, and is often used, I believe, by people who do not know they are actually quoting Jesus Christ. I have heard these words in many different contexts, as if the truth Jesus is referring to is any kind of truth at all. Though I am sure we can all agree that truth is always better than “not truth,” any truth is not what Jesus is referring to here. This statement, unfortunately, is typically quoted without the first half of what Jesus actually said. It is the first half of the statement that clarifies the truth that Jesus is referring to. Here is the entire statement,

John 8:31-32 – 31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Contextually (John 8:12ff.), Jesus is speaking in the temple in Jerusalem during the feast of Hanukkah. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian Greeks in 164 BC and the rededication of the Jewish Temple to God—a dedication that was crowned by the lighting of the Temple’s menorah (the word Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew). Hanukkah is also known as the “Festival of Lights.” As the Jewish winter festival, this celebration brings light to the darkness of the cold season with warm and beautiful flames being lit throughout the city. It is in this setting that Jesus stands in the temple and declares himself to be “the Light of the World.” You can see how these words would have a powerful impact, for better or worse, in the context of a festival celebrating lights. It turns out that, “As he was saying these things, many believed in him” (John 8:30). It is here, as Jesus was speaking directly to a group of Jewish people who had come to believe that he is indeed the Messiah, that he speaks the powerful words about truth and freedom.

Jesus’ words not only have a context, they have a contingency, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.” Jesus wastes no time making sure those who have placed their faith in him understand two things: they must be intentional about abiding in, remaining in, persevering in his word, and that they must be his disciples, not mere followers of a well-known rabbi. He then says, if these two things are true, they will know the truth, and that truth will bring them freedom. Later in John, Jesus openly declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). When Jesus declares that there is a truth that brings freedom, the truth that he speaks of is ultimately himself. This is why the contingency exists—it is not some ethereal truth the Jesus refers to, but the truth that can be found only in a devoted relationship to him, characterized by knowing his word (that is, being his student, i.e., his disciple) and living intentionally by the truth that he speaks.

Next time you hear the phrase, “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free,” remember that the truth being spoken of, whether the person saying it realizes it or not, is the fact that Jesus Christ says freedom is found in the truth that he alone is the only way to be reconciled to God. That truth can only be realized, as we embrace and obey the words of the Lord. It is not merely those who believe in Jesus who find this freedom, it is those who abide in his word and make the choice to live as his disciples.

2. Come to Me, All Who Are Weary and Burdened

Matthew 11:28-30 is one of the most frequently quoted passages from the New Testament for the purpose of bringing comfort and solace to the hearer. Often, these verses are quoted with the intention of representing Jesus as a tender shepherd, meek and mild, calling people from a complicated world into a haven of rest. I sometimes wonder if people get the impression that Jesus is inviting us to come and sit on his lap. The irony of this perception is the fact that these verses come in the context of Jesus denouncing the inhabitants of several major cities for refusing to repent from their sins and turn to him (see Matthew 11:20-24). Far from being mere words of comfort, these words are a call to repentance. In verse 27, Jesus declares, “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Essentially, Jesus is calling out to his hearers to not be like the unrepentant people of the cities he has denounced, but rather to come to him, and learn from him, that he may reveal his Father to them. Listen to his words,

Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

In this powerful appeal, we hear these wonderful promises: I will give you rest, you will find rest for your souls, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. But with these promises there are three commands: Come to me, take my yoke, and learn from me. The first command is so much more than an invitation, it is a burning appeal! The Greek word “come” used here is an exclamatory word and should be understood as, “Come!” In the Greek of the New Testament, this phrase is in the imperative mood—the mood of command. This is less like a parent inviting a child to “come and sit beside me,” and more like a parent saying, “You come here right now!” Jesus has just denounced people who would not repent, he is now calling his listeners to not make the same fatal mistake!

Secondly, Jesus commands that his listeners “take his yoke upon them.” This statement is in the imperative mood, as well. A yoke is for the sole purpose of controlling a team of oxen or other beasts of burden. This would have been a very common sight for the listeners of Jesus. All of them would have immediately recognized the metaphor Jesus is using—taking his yoke would have implied a surrender to his control, his leadership, it is in doing this that they would find rest for their souls. The unrepentant people Jesus has identified are those who refuse to submit to his yoke, to their own peril.

The third imperative in this statement is “learn from me.” Jesus is once again announcing to his listeners that they are to become his students, his disciples. He is not merely seeking those who will follow him at a distance, but those who will sit at his feet, regularly, and learn from him. To what end? To be like him. As in John 8:31-32 above, to abide in his word is evidence of discipleship, and in this is freedom and rest. In the New Testament, rest goes beyond physical respite to include spiritual peace and refreshment found in Christ. The Greek word often translated as “easy” in this passage is far richer than this simple word—it is often used to describe qualities that are gentle, pleasant, and morally good. Jesus describes his burden as “light,” as opposed to the heavy burdens of legalistic practices.

Responding to this remarkable call means choosing to become a disciple—these are not simply comforting words for stressed out people. To come to Jesus means to surrender our lives to him, to take his yoke means to submit ourselves to his will, and to learn from him means to become like him. This invitation is a call to leave the wide path of the world that leads to destruction and join Jesus on the narrow path that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14); it is an invitation sent out across time with the whole world in mind—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, all the way to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

3. Behold, I stand at the Door and Knock

Throughout the New Testament, Christians are commanded to go into all the world preaching the gospel. As Jesus states in the “Great Commission,” his intention for us is that we go throughout the world making disciples and teaching them to obey all that he has commanded. It is important to note, as we have discussed in numbers 1and 2 above, that the intent of preaching the gospel is to make disciples and not merely converts. As Christians go about doing this, there are many favored verses in the New Testament used to communicate the Good News. However, one that is frequently used actually has nothing to do with evangelism at all. In the Book of the Revelation we find these words,

Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

I would imagine that many reading this blog, have seen the painting from the 1940s by Warner Sallman of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jesus, standing at the door of a small cabin in a garden knocking. Whether correctly or not, much ado has been made of the fact that the artist did not put a doorknob on the outside of the door, apparently intending to imply that Jesus will not open the door and invite himself in, but will patiently stand waiting for the inhabitant to open the door and invite him in. I would imagine that millions of prints of this painting have been sold over the decades. Unfortunately, this verse has nothing to do with evangelism, nor does it have anything to do with a gentle Jesus standing and knocking at the door of the hearts of lost people.

Once again, when we look at the context of this verse, we will see that it is found after a scathing rebuke of Christians failing to live out the faith they claim. This rebuke comes with some of the gravest warnings in the New Testament. Because this is so important, I will quote the entire passage below.

Revelation 3:14-22 – 14“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

In context, we see that Jesus’ statement is about knocking at the door of Christians on the verge of apostasy. He is promising them, if they are willing to repent, he will once again restore fellowship with them, by entering their home and sharing a meal. This was a common image in 1st century Judaism regarding restoration of relationship. We should all take to heart the rebuke and the warnings given to the Christians of Laodicea—this should stand as a reminder to all of us that we must be attentive to our relationship with the Lord Jesus and intentional about the way we live out our faith.

In one sense, understanding this verse in the context of this passage is quite beautiful, maybe even more so than seeing it in the context of evangelism. It is precious to know that the Lord Jesus loves his own. In this passage he states clearly that he reproves and disciplines those that he loves. Then these beautiful words come, as we repent and get right with the one who loves us most, he stands at the door, ready to enter in and restore us to relationship with himself. This, indeed, is a beautiful image of his love for us.

In conclusion, there are many, many more passages of the Bible that are very often misrepresented by those who misunderstand the original context and purpose. I give this sampling only because these passages are so well known and so commonly misrepresented. I pray that these will serve as examples to us who follow Christ, that we must give due diligence to the study of his word, never neglecting our need to fully understand him to the best of our ability, and, certainly, never wanting to misrepresent him to someone else.

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

(C) 2025 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Christianity.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Even among Christians, there can be some confusion about where we will spend eternity. Virtually all Christians believe that immediately following death, we are escorted into heaven—there is clear New Testament evidence for this. The Apostle Paul says, “We…would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). The source of the confusion is centered around the final eternal destination of the believer—Christians generally believe that heaven is our eternal home…it might surprise you to read that this notion has far less biblical support than we might think.

In the beginning, human beings were created to inhabit the earth. Our mission, as described in the early chapters of Genesis, was to populate and manage this planet, and do so in a way that honored our Creator. Obviously, we failed at this task and continue to do so. However, the great message of the Bible is that God did not give up on us, but immediately activated a plan for our redemption. This glorious plan manifested itself in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Through the Lord Jesus, God is redeeming humanity for the purpose of fulfilling his initial plan, a plan to live among his people on a planet that is righteous and holy.

The Bible mentions three heavens, generally understood this way: The first heaven, the atmosphere (or troposphere), is the space around the Earth and includes the air we breathe, where winged creatures fly, and clouds exist. The second heaven, that is, the stellar heaven, is the space where the sun, moon, stars, and planets are located (the universe). Finally, the third heaven, God’s dwelling place, at times referred to as paradise, where our created spiritual counterparts live…angels, cherubim, seraphim, and others—this is the heaven we have in mind when we think about dying. In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul describes being caught up to the third heaven (paradise) and hearing things so wonderful and profound that no one is allowed to tell of them—unfortunately for us, this included Paul.

Regarding our inhabiting this place, the New Testament describes heaven more as a spiritual “halfway house,” so to speak, for redeemed human beings waiting for the final fulfillment of the promises made by God. Though heaven is certainly the destination for all who have placed their faith in Christ, it is not the final destination for us. The New Testament repeats clearly the promise spoken through Isaiah the prophet that there will be a time of a new heavens and a new earth (see Isaiah 65:17, 66:22). The Apostle Peter describes the current heavens and earth as eventually passing away dramatically and ushering in a new heavens and a new earth, “… the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:11-13). This, of course, is in reference to the first and second heavens.

The apostle John expands on this future event in the Book of the Revelation, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. 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 there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).

In the final two chapters of the Book of the Revelation, the description of the eternal destiny for followers of Jesus Christ is clearly the new Eden on the new earth, where God reigns with his people from the New Jerusalem. Much of the activity we are familiar with on our current planet will be happening on the new earth, as well, but without any of the terrible corruption that has come upon this earth through sin.

To inhabit this new earth, redeemed humanity will experience the bodily resurrection of the righteous, discussed in both the Old and New Testaments. The New Testament in particular is adamant about the fact that we are not going to be spirits hovering around throughout eternity, but we will receive new bodies, tangible bodies, that are fit for inhabiting the kingdom of God on the new earth. The Apostle Paul speaks explicitly about this in his letters to the Corinthian Christians. In First Corinthians, he explains that in a flash this body will give way to a new body that is fit for heaven, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

In Second Corinthians, Paul describes this new body as a building that God has prepared for us, a building that will replace this feeble tent we currently live in, “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:1-4, NLT).

It is true, when followers of Christ die now, we do indeed go to heaven and reside in the presence of the Lord in some spiritual form. However, that spiritual form will be transformed when we are given a new, physical body, designed to live forever in the presence of God on the new earth—our eventual destination. The notion that we die and are forever released from this body, much like a bird might be released from a cage, is not biblical theology, in fact, that idea is derived from paganism. Biblical theology, both Old and New Testament, is adamant that the future of the redeemed involves a transformed physical body that will live forever, without sin, sickness, and death on the new earth.

According to the Bible, Jesus’ resurrected body was physical and identical to the body he had before his crucifixion. His resurrected body was made of flesh and bone, and could be felt and touched, his disciples and followers recognized him after his resurrection, and his resurrected body had the same crucifixion wounds he had before his death. Luke records the following, “He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’” (Luke 24:37–39). On more than one occasion, Jesus ate with his disciples, as well, something a spirit likely would not do (see Luke 24:30; John 21:9-14). The Apostle John also tells us that, in the future, we will be like Christ, “Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

This new earth, this incomprehensible paradise, is our final destination, our forever home. The qualities of our future home are scarcely referred to in the Bible because the focus of the Scripture is undeniably God’s activity on this planet. Nevertheless, the few references and allusions are powerful, to say the least. The Apostle Paul, in a bit of personal testimony, tells of a time when he was “caught up to paradise” and “heard inexpressible things, things that a mere man is not permitted to tell.” In fact, Paul was given by God a chronic ailment of some kind, “a thorn in the side”, to remind him not to become arrogant because of the incredible revelation he had experienced (see 2 Corinthians 12:3-10).

What could he have seen that he was not allowed to share? We will only know when we get there ourselves. However, we do know that so much of what characterizes this planet will be noticeably absent in God’s kingdom. Think about it—no hospitals, doctors’ or dentists’ offices, no funeral homes, no jails or prisons, no police officers or military personnel, no pollution or natural disasters, no famine, homelessness, or racism. The Apostle John testifies that he saw a new heaven and new earth and that the first heaven and earth (this heaven and earth) had passed away—the Lord Jesus, who sits regally upon his throne declares, “I am making everything new!” (see Revelation 21:1 ff.).

All redeemed human beings living in total peace and harmony, joyously serving one another and celebrating who we are in Christ. What John saw in a vision will be our experience one day, living together with all those purchased by the blood of Jesus, “…with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God” (Revelation 5:9-10). The peace that countless thousands have worked so diligently to achieve on this planet, only to fail over and over again, this peace will be the norm in the kingdom of God—with nothing left to divide us, we will be intimately united in and with Christ.

And animals…what about animals? When God created this planet, prior to creating the first humans, he filled it with a myriad of creatures…mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. When he was finished creating, he declared that all things were “very good” (see Genesis 1:31). It is hard to imagine that the creator would not include in the new creation what he thought was “very good” in this creation. Some of the most precious Old Testament imagery of a perfected world certainly includes animals: wolves living in harmony with lambs, leopards napping with goats, lions playing with calves, and children leading wolves, leopards, and lions; calves and bear cubs sleeping together, lions eating straw like oxen, human babies playing with cobras and young children putting their hands into the viper’s nest (see Isaiah 11:6-9).

The Apostle Paul explains that all of creation fell under a curse due to humanity’s sin and is now eagerly waiting to be “liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). This verse implies that creation has a “collective consciousness,” so to speak, and is painfully aware of the curse as well as the promise of redemption. If God imbued creation with this awareness, it indicates he does indeed have a special love for all that he created, including the animal kingdom. It is not a difficult jump to believe his future kingdom will be populated with similar creatures. In fact, though it could be argued that the language is nothing more than imagery, horses are mentioned several times in the Book of Revelation—the armies of heaven are seen riding horses, including Jesus himself (see Revelation 6:2, 19:14). Likewise, Elijah was taken to heaven by what appeared to be horses pulling a chariot (see 2 Kings 2:11).

Many of us wonder what we will be doing throughout eternity; will it be one gargantuan, infinite worship service? On some level, this is probably correct—is it possible to be in the presence of Almighty God and not feel perpetually compelled to worship him? Isaiah’s vision of the temple of God (see Isaiah 6:1-4) is confirmed over and over again in John’s revelation. Unbelievable radiance, intense colors with blinding vibrancy, heavenly music soaring out into the universe, cherubs, seraphs, and angels singing at the top of their lungs, redeemed humanity in searing white robes celebrating God’s great mercy, and the Lord Jesus in all of his glory seated on the throne, highly exalted, mighty conqueror of evil, sin, and death, victorious and regal! Yes! We who have called upon his name for salvation will see all of this with our very own eyes. This is his promise, this is our destiny.  

But there is more. There is much governmental language used in relation to the future kingdom of God: Jesus is the king and the judge who sits on the throne (see Revelation 6:10, 15:3); the apostles are described as having authority to judge as well (see Matthew 19:28; Revelation 20:4); the redeemed of God are described as reigning with him (see Revelation 20:6, 22:5). After the new heavens and earth are created, the Book of the Revelation describes the nations of this new earth walking by the light of the heavenly city New Jerusalem, and the kings of these nations will bring their splendor into it and the nations will bring their glory to it. On the banks of the river of the water of life grows the tree of life, whose leaves are used for the healing of the nations (see Revelation 21:23-22:6). The kingdom of God appears to be a place with much activity and plenty to do. Of course, we have no idea what exactly God has planned for us, but it will without question surpass our wildest imaginations and expectations!

“Rather, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him’” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

(C) 2024 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Hurtful words, misunderstandings, injustices, and worse. These painful encounters can involve everyone from people we love dearly to complete strangers. Regardless, they all have the potential to wound our heart and mind, placing us in a position of anger, sorrow, and even extended periods of depression. Many of us get “stuck” here, unable to freely move forward, trapped in a relentless cycle of blame. The fuel for this emotional quagmire? Unforgiveness.

The seeds of unforgiveness are like weeds in our flower garden. When they first begin sprouting, they look like all of our treasured plants, but before we realize it, this insidious invasion has sprawled across our hard-earned source of peace and pride. If we do not address them immediately, they begin sending roots and tubers throughout our carefully groomed garden, making what was once beautiful and vibrant a sad and dreadful place. If they are not aggressively dealt with, the tenacious weeds will sap the nutrients from the more delicate flowers, eventually bringing death.

This is an apropos picture of what happens to our hearts and minds when we allow a wrong done to us to fester. If that hurt is not aggressively addressed, like weeds in our garden, that pain will begin to invade all areas of our emotional and mental space. Before long, the person who has wounded us has taken up residence in our minds as we replay the event over and over, sometimes to the point of obsession. The terrible irony is that the person who has done the wrong to us has likely never even given it a second thought. If they have, they undoubtedly justify it as something we deserved or provoked in the first place. Letting someone like this free range in our soul is unhealthy to say the least, and dangerous at its worst.

Unforgiven wrongs, when left unattended, eventually become something the Bible calls “a root of bitterness.” When this happens, the grace of God is inhibited from moving freely in our lives and the wound “grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15). This root of bitterness will cause trouble for us and those around us—friends go through a divorce and cannot forgive their former spouse, soon children, family, and friends are put in the painful position of having to choose sides. Church members disagree on an important issue that divides the congregation, unforgiven words lead to a church split. Family members are ostracized, best friends become worst enemies, precious treasures are lost. Unforgiveness and bitterness reign.

Forgiving someone who has truly wounded us is one of the most difficult, painful, and frightening experiences we can have. Forgiving someone who has not taken responsibility for the pain they have caused us feels like a further violation of our soul. Forgiving someone who refuses to acknowledge what they have done feels paralyzing to us, because of the injustice of it all. Nevertheless, being free of the poison of unforgiveness is life altering for anyone, whether faith is involved or not. However, for followers of Jesus Christ, it is an essential characteristic of our faith.

The central feature of Christian love and forgiveness is choice. When Christians are commanded in the New Testament to love one another, to love our neighbors, and, yes, even to love our enemies, it is about how we choose and has little or nothing to do with how we feel. When it comes to forgiveness, this is equally true. As it can indeed feel painful to love our enemies, it can feel every bit as painful to forgive someone who has deeply wounded us. Nevertheless, as we will see in the remainder of this article, we can indeed choose to forgive. Only by doing this will we honor God, obey Christ, and find personal freedom.

When Christians are faced with forgiving someone, there are five critical points to consider.

1. Personal Responsibility

As we consider the need to forgive someone who has hurt us, it is important that we evaluate the entire situation and consider whether or not we ourselves contributed to the pain that was caused. There are indeed times when we truly are the sole victim, when the kind of pain that was perpetrated upon us is beyond the scope of any personal responsibility on our part. These are the most horrific kinds of wounds any person can experience and often require a professional to help us work through the consequences of another person’s evil actions toward us (if this is true for you, I encourage you to skip down to point 5 before reading the rest of this article). However, very often the pain that we experienced by the actions of another may have been fueled by choices we made as well.

It is imperative for us who follow Christ to consider carefully what we may have done that added to the conflict. It is in these cases that we need to confess and repent of what we ourselves contributed and in humility seek the forgiveness of the other person involved, regardless of whether they do the same. When we are hurting, it is easy to place all the blame on the other person, but more often than not, we cast stones as well. This is not an uncommon experience in marital arguments, for example—we sit brooding, waiting for the other person to come seeking our forgiveness, while never considering our contribution to the problem.

This is when we must consider the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, “Before you try to take the speck out of your brother’s eye, remove the board that is in your own eye. When you have done this, you will be able to see clearly how to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5). In this powerful lesson, Jesus acknowledges that there is indeed a speck in our brother’s eye that does need to be removed, but he reminds his followers to carefully self-evaluate before assuming that we have the moral high ground. It is true, there may be nothing of which we need to repent, it may indeed have been an action perpetrated against us with no instigation of our own, however, it is important that we prayerfully consider whether this is so or not, and if not, we must choose to seek the forgiveness of the one we injured as well.

2. Forgiveness and Reconciliation

As odd as it may sound, it is important for Christians to remember that forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Reconciliation is something that requires two people who are willing to forgive each other and restore the damage that has been done to the relationship. This is indeed something all Christians should desire. Once again, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9), a very powerful accolade indeed. The apostle Paul also admonishes us to “be at peace with everyone, at least as far as it depends on you” (Romans 12:18). However, regardless of whether the possibility of reconciliation exists or not, we can still make the choice to forgive.

Though reconciliation is the choice of two Christians, forgiveness can be the choice of one Christian. It must always be the prayer of Christian brothers and sisters who have either intentionally or inadvertently wounded each other to seek to forgive one another and pursue reconciliation. However, if one party does not, we are told by the Lord Jesus that we are to “do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). It should go without saying that if we have wounded another brother or sister in Christ, we would certainly want them to forgive us—we must choose to do the same, whether they make that choice or not. Reconciliation is the desired outcome, forgiveness is the required choice.

3. Self-Awareness

The parable of the unforgiving servant is a story told by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and pictures what it looks like when a person has a complete lack of self-awareness regarding the forgiveness of his own sins when he encounters someone who has sinned against him.

“A king decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. One of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold to pay the debt. But the man cried and begged the king, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ His master was filled with mercy and released him, forgiving his entire debt. However, when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few hundred dollars and grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant begged him for a little more time, but the servant who had been forgiven so much would not wait and had the man arrested” (Matthew 18:23-30).

For Christians, a key component to being able to forgive is a true self-awareness regarding how much we ourselves have been forgiven by God. It may sound like a stale Christian cliche to say Christians must forgive because of how much we ourselves have been forgiven, but this truth is not merely a Christian platitude. Even the best of us, who practice our faith consistently and carefully, regularly struggle with thoughts and behaviors that are not honorable to God—it is this fact that must generate within us a consciousness of our own failures when we are confronted with the need to forgive another person. How terrible it would be to have to frame our own lives in the context of this unforgiving servant we just read about.

The apostle Paul identifies himself as a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church whom God had mercy on and on whom he poured out his grace abundantly. Consequently, Paul describes himself this way, “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16). The sins we have committed may not rise to the level Paul describes here, but this honestly does not matter, all of us have sinned and fallen short of what God demands (Romans 3:23), all of us are worthy of nothing more than condemnation (Romans 6:23), and it is only by the grace of God and his willingness to forgive us in Christ that enables us to be in a right relationship with him (John 3:16).

Because this is so, the apostle Paul admonishes us to “forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32) and to “bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another—forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). How has the Lord forgiven us? Freely, generously, and thoroughly. Choosing to forgive someone who has wronged us, when placed within the context of how much we ourselves have sinned against God and been forgiven nonetheless, places our obligation to forgive others in the right spiritual context for those who follow Jesus.

4. Warnings Regarding Forgiveness

One of the most precious and powerful truths about being a follower of Jesus Christ is the freedom we are given to rest in the forgiveness and reconciliation we have with God. To be at peace with the creator of every star in the universe and every cell in our bodies is unsurpassed by any human desire or experience. Because of the work of Christ on the cross we have been redeemed, forgiven, reconciled, justified, adopted, and promised a destiny with God forever. These are the promises we hear about so frequently from our pastors, small group leaders, Sunday School teachers, and the books that we read, and rightly so. However, when we take these truths for granted and fail to live our lives as followers of Jesus in light of them, God does not take this lightly.

In the parable we considered in point 3 above, we did not finish the story. I left us with the proverbial cliffhanger, the servant who is forgiven so much has his fellow servant arrested. However, the story does not end there—Jesus continues, “When other servants saw what happened, they went to the king and told him. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison until he had paid his entire debt” (Matthew 17:31-34). Jesus then concludes his parable with this ominous warning to his disciples, “This is what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart” (v.35).

This is not the only place Jesus has such warnings. When the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, Jesus then speaks what has become known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” We have all likely read it or recited it many times, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:9-13). Of all of the powerful truths in this prayer, it is only forgiveness that Jesus immediately reiterates to his disciples with the following warning, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:13-14).

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are not accustomed to hearing messages that carry stiff warnings when it comes to our relationship with God. Even so, such warnings are abundant throughout the New Testament, and it is the better part of wisdom for us to take them seriously. A powerful theme throughout the New Testament is that we who follow Christ are to give out what we take in. We are to share our faith with others, we are to share our goods with others, we are to love others, and, yes, we are to forgive others. When we are considering the choice of forgiving someone who has wounded us or not forgiving them, as followers of Jesus, these warnings about forgiveness must be factored into our decision making. When we consider these powerful words of Jesus, choosing to forgive another person must become inevitable.

5. Trusting God

A significant reason so many of us struggle with forgiveness, especially those of us who have been wounded very deeply, is the idea that the person who has perpetrated such harms against us (or someone we love) should get away with it, get off scot-free, so to speak. It is hard to imagine anything causing more pain to someone who has already been gravely injured than the thought that their perpetrator will be held to no accountability whatsoever. Forgiving this person feels like we are letting them “off the hook” for what they did to us, even making it feel like it was somehow “okay.”

For Christians, this idea can be especially troubling. We have a deeply rooted faith in the grace of God, understanding that grace is freely given to anyone who truly seeks him. This thought can be profoundly disturbing when we consider the one who has wounded us being forgiven by God for what he has done to us. Christians also have a deeply rooted conviction that anyone, if they truly repent and turn to God, can be forgiven, no matter how dastardly or wicked their sin. These two Christian doctrines can feel like sharp knives in the heart of the one who was the target of the evil actions.

This feeling is not unfamiliar to the writers of the Bible, they too, wondered about what felt like injustices to them. The Prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Yahweh, you always answer me when I bring my concerns to you. So, let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? (Jeremiah 12:1). Job laments, “Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?I say he should punish the ones who sin, so that they understand his judgment” (Job 21:7,19).

In the Book of the Revelation, we are given a glimpse of our brothers and sisters in Christ who were persecuted to the point of death for no other reason than persevering in their Christian testimony. They, too, are longing for God to act on their behalf, “And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld. And they cried out in a loud voice, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?’” (Revelation 6:9-10).

To long for justice is a human trait that has been experienced from the very beginning of our fallen world. To long for justice is acceptable, but allowing this longing to become a hunger for vengeance and an obsession with revenge is self-damaging and dangerous. We can be assured, when we hand over our deepest pain to God, somehow, in his great wisdom and justice, those who have hurt us deeply will be held accountable by him. Even so, we need to be sure that our motives are right before God—it would be wrong for us to hand it over to him hoping for the worst possible outcome for the person who has wounded us. Releasing our pain to God is not about achieving the ultimate revenge, it is about knowing God will indeed exercise his sovereign justice on our part—just as he promises.

The apostle Paul affirms this for us, “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19). Paul reminds us immediately after quoting this verse (originally from Deuteronomy 32:35) that we are to treat our enemy with kindness, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink” (Romans 12:20). The apostle Peter also makes an incredible statement, “When they hurled their insults at Jesus, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23-24). Peter also reminds us that we are to follow in Christ’s footsteps, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

As difficult as it may be, we are to surrender our desires for justice and vengeance to God. Because of his great love for us, his wounded children, he will indeed make things right in his time and in his way. We must love and trust him enough to release it to him. God knows every hair of our heads, and he indeed knows every pain that we have suffered. As we surrender this to him, he will use it to continue conforming us into the image of his Son, and, as he promises, he will be our great defender and restorer. Jesus entrusted his pain to his Father, we must choose to do the same.

In conclusion, it is essential that we who follow Christ remember that forgiveness is a choice we make and is not dependent on how we feel. We choose to be obedient to the commands of God regarding forgiveness, no matter how difficult that choice may be.

Regarding our first point, we must choose to review the circumstances that generated the painful event in the first place. If we are at all culpable, forgiveness must be something we ask for, as well.

Regarding our second point, it is important to remember that forgiveness can be extended whether the other person seeks to be reconciled with us or not. Typically, reconciliation is preferred, but is not necessary—we can still choose to forgive.

Regarding our third point, believers must be self-aware of the ways God has graciously forgiven us for the multitudes of ways we have failed him. This truth must guide our choices to forgive those who have wounded us.

Regarding our fourth point, it would be foolish for us to ignore or even neglect the warnings in the Bible regarding God’s commands for us to forgive others. It is difficult to hear this when we are already hurting, but it is critically important that we keep these commands in the context of how much we ourselves have been forgiven by God.

Regarding our fifth point, those of us who have been abused, abandoned, threatened, or worse, must rest in knowing that our Father will indeed hold our perpetrators accountable. We must choose to trust his love for us and his promises to us and release our desire for vengeance to him. Only by doing this will we ever be able to forgive those who have hurt us so deeply.

Lastly, remember that people do not have to desire forgiveness, be worthy of forgiveness, deserve forgiveness, or earn forgiveness—we are to forgive them as a choice to honor God and as an act of obedience to the Lord Jesus. God will honor our choice and will enable us to do this mighty thing.

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

(C) 2024 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts.

As I write this morning, I am looking out the window in front of my desk at the snow that is blanketing my neighborhood; it is a brisk fifteen degrees on this cold January Sunday morning…no one else in my home is stirring, all snuggled up toasty warm and soundly sleeping. The sky is slowly turning blue as the night gives way to the day; this is the first blue sky we have had in a week. I was born and raised in Southern California where warm sunshine was on the weather menu three hundred and twenty days of the year; but here, less than a mile off the eastern side of Lake Michigan, four to five months a year belongs to Jack Frost, something I cannot help but resent.

Before I began writing this morning, I perused the major news stories making their way across the internet: death, crime, poverty, political hostility and darkness sweep the nation and the world—my local news is just as disturbing. You know as well as I do, today’s news is no different than yesterday’s was or tomorrow’s will be; pain, suffering, trouble, loss…it is the way of the world—but for those who embrace the Savior of the Bible, it is not our destiny. We are destined for another world, a place of shalom, where everything will be in perpetual harmonious balance, peace will be restored, and love will lead the way. The Apostle John describes it like this in the Book of the Revelation:

Then I saw a new heaven and earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now God himself will live and dwell with his people; they will be his people, and he will be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain—the old things have passed away, I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:1-5*).

We have all heard, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” In this world, this is sage advice. However, what the New Testament promises us, God’s covenantal pledges, are to be held onto for dear life; these promises serve as our primary inspiration to persevere—like a soldier doggedly fighting through a war so he can finally get back home to his family.

Our future is real! We must believe this with our whole heart and mind…it is what nurtures hope, patience, and perseverance in us. On the night he was arrested, at his disciples’ lowest point, when his crucifixion was inevitable, Jesus comforted them with these words, “Do not be afraid, trust God and trust me. There is plenty of room in my Father’s house, if this were not true, I would have told you. I am going to get your place ready; after I have, I will come back and take you to be with me so we will always be together” (John 14:1-3).

It has always been powerful to me that Jesus assures his disciples that he would correct them if their thinking was wrong; this is another way he emphasizes his love for them, “Listen, I wouldn’t lead you astray. I have seen my Father’s house; if your thoughts about it were not true, as your master and teacher, I would have corrected you.” Like us, the disciples may have been thinking, “If it sounds too good to be true….” The promises made to us in the Bible are an immeasurable source of hope as we strive to live obedient, honorable lives for God.

Throughout the New Testament, it is affirmed again and again that we have become children of God because of our faith in the Lord Jesus (see John 1:12; Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:16), a truth the Apostle John enthusiastically celebrates, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1, NIV). John uses the phrase, “Children of God,” five times in his first letter (see 1 John 3:1, 2, 10, 5:2, 19). Jesus consistently referred to God as his father and taught his followers to do the same; addressing God as “Our Father” in a personal way was something they were not accustomed to (see Matthew 6:9).

The Gospel of Mark records Jesus addressing God as “Abba” in the garden of Gethsemane, an Aramaic term of endearment from a beloved child to his father. This clearly removes the term father from simply a theological maxim and places it in the realm of personal relationship. In other words, Jesus did not call God father merely as an expression of religious piety, but as a true and intimate expression of relationship. The Apostle Paul picks up on this and encourages Christians to think of God as our father in the same intimate way, “…but you received the Spirit of sonship, and by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15, NIV; see also Galatians 4:6).

Not only does the New Testament affirm that we are children of God in a personal, intimate relationship with him, but Paul teaches that we have been adopted by God. Adoption in Paul’s time was the result of the same legal transaction that occurs now; an adult chooses to make a nonbiological child his or her own by legally bestowing on that child the family name, the family rights, and the family fortune. I have an adopted granddaughter, and everything my daughter and son-in-law possess is hers, in love and law. In the litany of spiritual blessings Paul describes in Ephesians chapter one, having been chosen for adoption as God’s children is a profound promise (see Ephesians 1:5), a promise he reiterates elsewhere (see Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5). 

The impact of this adoption can be felt in a powerful passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans where he declares that all of creation is in agony, waiting for redeemed humanity to be manifested in our full role as the adopted children of God, an event that will signal the restoration of all things (see Romans 8:19-23). It is the longing of virtually all human beings to live in a world where peace reigns and love is the norm, but in this passage, Paul declares that the whole of creation itself longs for the same thing, and that somehow, the creation is aware of the fact that it is waiting for the day when redeemed humanity will be fully vested with our unequivocal rights as the actual children of God. What a powerful thought!

As Paul considers the fact that we are the legally adopted children of God, he proclaims that we are also heirs of God and co-heirs with his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus (see Romans 8:15-17; Galatians 3:29-4:7). How could we possibly grasp even a fraction of what it means to be an heir of the omnipotent, all-knowing God of all things? Impossible. Like Little Orphan Annie, we were chosen from the depths of hopelessness and despair to be adopted by the wealthiest and kindest man in all the world, never to fear again, never to go without again, never to be abandoned again—this is who we are in Christ.

Children of God and heirs to his kingdom…it sounds like a fairytale, too good to be true. This is exactly why so many people refuse to accept it; but for us who follow Christ, though it is indeed profoundly mysterious, it is as real as the sunrise–and because we do belong to his kingdom, it is his kingdom we are to manifest in this world. The Apostle Paul writes, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:14-15, NIV); and the Apostle Peter adds, “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15, NIV).  

We no longer belong to this world…we can no longer behave like this world, we can no longer accept the standards of this world carte blanche, and we can no longer be forced into the mold of this world, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). We do not belong to this world anymore, it is time to be transformed; we are transformed by changing the way we think…as our minds become filled with the thoughts of God (that is, the teaching found in the Scripture), then we will understand his perfect will.

This transformation is a process; for now we fill our minds with the Scripture, as well as information gleaned from helpful books and teachers…we press on, sometimes growing by leaps and bounds, sometimes by mere inches, but always remembering that our path, no matter how difficult, leads to the kingdom to which we belong. We must share the passion of the Apostle Paul, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

Paul is ever mindful of his purpose, knowing that the current difficulties, disappointments, and sufferings of this world are only temporary, and that these sufferings will give way to glories beyond our imagination, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18, NIV) and “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Peter shares this same conviction, “…you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Even so, these sufferings validate our resolve, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17). Peter affirms this thought as well, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering…but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13, NIV). Paul admonishes the Philippians to stand firm, no matter what they are going through, because “we eagerly await a Savior from [heaven], the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21).

To share in the glory of Christ—these promises are so overwhelming! When we finally see the Lord Jesus, we will be changed, completely fit for the kingdom to which we belong. The Apostle John writes, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2, NIV). The transformation will be complete! Paul writes about this as well, “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:49). He goes on to tell us we will all be changed; these perishable bodies will become imperishable; these mortal bodies will become immortal (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). Incredible!

These promises are the core of the gospel message, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV); eternal life in perfected bodies, designed for eternity. Though this body we now inhabit is aging and wearing out, it will finally be replaced by an eternal dwelling. Paul uses the imagery of a tent to explain this, “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1). One day this flimsy, temporary earthly tent we live in will be exchanged for a permanent, eternal heavenly house built by God himself.    

Exactly what this body will be like and what we will be able to do with it has been the source of much speculation and imagination. However, whatever it will be will be magnificent! Paul uses the planting of a seed to illustrate this idea (see 1 Corinthians 15:35-49). A small, featureless, dead seed is planted, then God infuses it with life, and the plant that comes from that seed is monumental compared to the seed itself! Imagine a giant redwood tree from a tiny pine nut, a mighty oak from a little acorn, or a whole field of wheat from a bagful of seed. What a fantastic illustration! This body of ours is a mere seed, what we will be cannot even be imagined from what we are now.

We are destined for an eternal kingdom, so press on! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). The fact that we are destined for heaven and promised a body designed for that kingdom is a great source for rejoicing and must serve as great motivation to live honorably for God, Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a brand new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! He has given us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for us! Through faith we are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time! (1 Peter 3-5).

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

(C) 2024 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

One night while doing mission work in Japan many years ago, I was enjoying the company of several Japanese friends.  At one point I began trying to teach them some English tongue twisters: The big black bug bleeds black blood, Sally sells seashells by the seashore, and something as simple as saying “toy boat” five times fast. It was all great fun and quite hilarious and even more so when the tables were turned and they began trying to teach me tongue twisters in Japanese!

Language is complex. Not just the myriads of sounds humans make in our array of languages, but also the nuances of meaning that are rooted in specific cultures. In the United States we have hundreds of idioms that people outside of our culture have no chance of understanding without explanation. How is someone to understand phrases like, “There are two ways to skin a cat,” or “He has a skeleton in the closet”?

Sometimes there are idioms associated with specific areas in our own country. For instance, having grown up with parents and grandparents from the South, I remember hearing “It is better than a stick in the eye” or “He’s as welcome as an outhouse breeze” and wondering what in the world these could mean. Once we are initiated into the secret meaning of these phrases, even if they don’t make perfect sense to us, we can at least understand the point that is being made.

The Bible is riddled with these kinds of sayings as well. Without a clear understanding of what they actually mean, we are left confused and, sometimes, coming up with an idea that is far afield from the actual meaning of the passage. This is often how many misunderstandings in biblical teaching arise.

In this article, we are going to look at one of these figures of speech from the New Testament; we find it being used by Jesus in the sermon on the mount,

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matthew 5:22-23 ESV)

The key to understanding the idiom, “the eye is the lamp of the body,” is found in the Hebrew language.

The eye was often used as an expression to describe the way someone saw other people. In the Jewish culture, both then and now, having a good eye means to care about the needs of others and to be generous toward the poor. Having a bad eye is to be blind to the needs of others and to be selfish and greedy.

An interesting use of this concept can be found in a parable of Jesus from Matthew chapter 20. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a man who, throughout the day, hires field workers. Some are hired early in the morning, some mid-morning, some early afternoon, and some late afternoon. When it is time for the owner of the field to pay the workers, he pays them all the same amount. Those who worked longer are indignant that those who worked less than they did were given the same amount they received. In most English translations, the owner of the field responds something like this, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” (Matthew 20:15 ESV). However, in the Greek in which the New Testament was written, it clearly reflects the Hebrew concept we have been speaking of; a literal translation of this verse would be, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with that which is mine? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?”

This is also demonstrated in the book of Proverbs: “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor” (Proverbs 22:9 ESV), and “A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him” (Proverbs 28:22 ESV). In the first verse, the English Standard Version has a footnote explaining that the word bountiful literally means “good” in Hebrew. In the second verse the footnote explains that the phrase a stingy man is literally “a man whose eye is evil.”

Knowing this Hebrew background helps us understand why Jesus’ teaching about the “eye” in the sermon on the mount is found within the context of treasures and money. If your eye is a good eye, you will be a generous person, considering the needs of others as equal to or greater than your own needs. If your eye is a bad eye, you will be blind to the needs of others and focused only on what benefits you. In other words, if your eye is a window you will be able to see what is going on around you and be compelled to help. On the other hand, if your eye is a mirror, you will be blind to all that is going on around you and see only yourself. In the words of Jesus, how great is that darkness!

Generosity is a core value of the true follower of Jesus. There are far too many verses in the New Testament related to this fact to cover here, but let’s look at a few of the most poignant passages.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:16-17 NIV).

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead “(James 2:15-16 NIV).

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life (1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV).

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:3-8 NIV).

In these passages, we are confronted with several powerful realities:

1. The apostle John reminds us that love without action is meaningless. The Lord Jesus did not simply say that he loved us, but he laid down his life to prove that.

2. James, the brother of Jesus, cuts right to the chase and reminds his readers (and us) that faith without works is dead. Elsewhere he implies that faith without works cannot save (James 2:14).

3. When writing to Timothy, the apostle Paul instructs him to command the rich people in the church to be generous and mindful of those who have less. Rich is a relative state, many of us are richer than those around us, therefore, this teaching easily applies to all of us.

4. The last verse I reference here, I believe, is the most powerful of all. The Lord Jesus, the one whom we as his followers refer to as our Savior, Master, and King, released his standing and security in heaven in order to come to earth to take on the form of a humble slave and willingly gave his life in a brutal death, the death on the cross.

In the Gospels, there are many places where Jesus manifests his concerns for the poor (Matthew 6:2-4; Luke 4:18-19, 6:30, 8:43-48, 16:19-25, 18:18-30, 21:1-4). Many of his parables also address the poor (Luke 14:12-14, Matthew 25:31-46, for example). In the parable in Matthew 25 just cited, the difference between condemnation and redemption is based on the response to the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned. I am quite sure that Jesus is in no way preaching a message of justification through works, we know this would contradict the whole of the Bible, however, it is unquestionable that Jesus is establishing the fact that faith without works is meaningless—this very well may be what his brother James was referring to above.

It is chilling to consider the possibility that a confessed follower of Jesus Christ could read this passage (and the others cited above) and not be convicted of our need to carefully review our commitment to generosity. We must work at discovering those around us who have needs and prayerfully consider how we may be able to help address them. If we search our lives and do not readily find the ways we are helping, it may be that our eye is more mirror than window. If this is true, it is essential that we rectify this immediately.

Just preceding the lesson about the eye, Jesus talks about storing up treasures in heaven. This is also an expression of caring for the needs of the poor. We often think about it as getting the short end of the stick, so to speak, and deciding we will accept that situation believing we will be repaid in heaven. However, in the other places where this statement is used in the New Testament, it is in relation to giving to the poor. In Matthew 19:21, Jesus tells the wealthy young man to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and come and follow him. Consequently, he will have treasures in heaven. Again, in Luke 12:33, Jesus challenges his disciples to do the same thing—sell your possessions, give the money to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. As we referenced above, the apostle Paul uses the same language about treasures in heaven when telling Timothy how to challenge the rich people in his congregation (see 1 Timothy 6:19).

These passages are not necessarily a call to poverty, but a call to priorities. Jesus is not telling all of his disciples, including us, that we should sell everything we have and give the money to the poor, thus becoming poor and homeless ourselves. Rather, the point is that as we care generously for the needs of the poor, our Father in heaven is adding to our heavenly account, so to speak. In this heavenly place, Jesus says we do not have to worry about thieves, rust, or insects destroying our treasure. A simple summary of this could be: We can never outgive God. As the Proverb says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done” (Proverbs 19:17 NIV).

Immediately following Jesus’ teaching about the eye comes a stark warning. Jesus warns of the dangers of trying to have a good eye and a bad eye. In other words, the good eye, which would seek to serve God, and the bad eye, which would seek money. Jesus says this is a fool’s errand, the end result inevitably will be choosing one over the other. Unfortunately, human nature will almost always bend to the darkness. This is where we might hear Jesus asking the question, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 ESV).

Giving can be done in many ways. As Americans, we inevitably think of giving in the context of money. This is not wrong if it is done with the right motivation in the right spirit. Jesus was not impressed with people who gave enormous amounts of money with the wrong spirit; instead, he celebrated those who gave very little, but did so honorably and thoughtfully (See Luke 21:1-4 and Luke 18:9-14). Giving, however, can be many things. I would imagine that everyone reading this article, whether wealthy or not, has something essential to give others, probably more than one thing.

Some years ago, I started a ministry in the city in which I lived. The ministry was about finding Christians who had abilities that are common to our daily lives. I found mechanics, handymen, nurses, seamstresses, gardeners, cooks, even readers. The list included many trades, talents, and abilities. I found that many Christians desired to serve others but did not have an outlet to do so. It may be that a “shut-in” simply needed someone to visit and talk with for a while. It may be that someone needed the brakes on their car changed. It may be that someone needed a step repaired on their front porch. It may be that a family needed a few meals throughout a month. One lady, who enjoyed crocheting, made several baby blankets each month and donated them to a local pregnancy center.

When there was a significant financial need, such as a family needing a new refrigerator, or an expensive car repair, I would contact my many Christian partners, divide up the cost amongst 100 people (or more), and purchase the item for the person or family. Even an expense of $1000 split up 100 ways was only $10 per person or family. Many people in our community, Christian and non-Christian, were blessed in the name of Jesus by Christians they didn’t even know serving them or helping them in a time of financial need.

It is important, as followers of Jesus, that we take inventory of our lives, searching for talents and abilities, and finding ways to bless people with what God has given us. Obviously, a mechanic must earn a living, but doing one or two simple car repairs, a brake job or tune-up, requires relatively little time. This would apply to anyone with a trade or ability worthy of wages—we want to use wisdom in our giving but giving “comfortably” does not necessarily impress our Father (See Luke 6:30-36). When considering that God is the one repaying us, our time, energy, and resources are all invested wisely.

It is so important that we take a look at our eyes, as odd as that sounds. Are we seeing the needs of those around us and considering ways we may be helpful? Or are we going through life day-to-day missing opportunities to bring glory to God because our eyes are more mirror than window? The way to help is not always obvious, but if we open our hearts and minds (and eyes) to God, he will most certainly bring opportunities our way. In the most humble way possible, I challenge you to not think of generosity as an option if you are a confessed follower of Jesus Christ, instead, it is of utmost importance that you realize that you and I are called and commanded to do these things.

I will conclude this article with this powerful quote from the Lord Jesus, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

**I would like to thank Lois Tverberg for the inspiration and much of the information found in this article. I heartily recommend her books, Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus and Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus.

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

© 2024 D. Edwin Cohea

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

We are all familiar with wedding ceremonies. This magical event brings loved ones together to witness an unparalleled expression of love and commitment—two people swearing to uphold a binding agreement never to be broken. The gravity of this agreement is so powerful that the very words are spoken publicly so that all in attendance become witnesses to the vows the bride and groom make to each other. A vow is a sacred promise, a promise that is intended to stand forever. The promises to love, honor, cherish, protect, provide for, and remain faithful to one another are to be practiced until only death brings separation. This sacred agreement is a covenant, a mutually binding relationship that is characterized by promises and obligations to which both parties commit.

There are many kinds of covenants in the Bible as well, all of them are binding agreements between two parties committed to carrying out specific covenantal stipulations. Covenants were so common in the cultures of both the Old and New Testaments that the word shows up at least 271 times throughout the typical English Bible. Covenant is at the core of every era in human history and has served as the basis for every redemptive relationship between God and individuals, tribes, and nations. In fact, from the beginning of creation, God has never had a personal relationship with any person, tribe, or nation apart from a covenant: God had a covenantal relationship with Adam (see Hosea 6:7), Noah and his descendants (see Genesis 6:18, 9:9), Abraham and his descendants (see Genesis 15:18, 17:10), Moses and the Israelites (see Exodus 34:10, 27), and the descendants of King David (see Jeremiah 33:21).

All of these covenants were mutual agreements with established expectations placed on both parties. God made promises to Adam, and with the promises came expectations (see Genesis 2:4-17). God also made promises to Noah, and again with these promises came expectations (see Genesis 6:9-22). The same is true with God’s promises to Abraham (see Genesis 17:8-14), and to Israel (see Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 28:58-61). In all of these covenants, those who entered into the covenant with God did not earn the right to do so, it was solely God’s grace that made the relationship possible. However, once the covenant was entered into, God fully expected the stipulations of the covenant to be obeyed.

Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ means entering into a covenant relationship as well, a covenant the Lord Jesus himself inaugurated on the night of his arrest and later ratified by his own blood through the crucifixion: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). It is easy for Christians to miss why covenant matters because many of us make a sharp distinction between God in the Old Testament (the “covenant” God) and Jesus in the New Testament (the “relationship” God). To many of us, the “God of the Old Testament” often appears harsh, unyielding, and even violent, while Jesus is considered meek and mild. However, it is a core Christian doctrine that God in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament are one and the same (see John 1:1, 5:18, 10:33; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 1:15-21; 1 Timothy 1:17).

We tend to emphasize the covenantal nature of God in the Old Testament (laws, rules, commandments) while emphasizing the relational nature of Jesus in the New Testament (grace, love, forgiveness). However, the truth is, we cannot be in a relationship with God apart from a covenant any more than we can be in a covenant with him apart from a relationship—relationship with God means being in a covenant with him. Thinking about our faith in the context of covenant is uncomfortable to many of us because we usually associate covenants with Israel’s laws, legalism, or even images of animal sacrifice. In truth, the new covenant is the most powerful expression of God’s merciful love of, commitment to, and purpose for, the Church.

Understanding the New Covenant

As we understand our relationship with the Lord Jesus as a covenant, it is important to remember that Jesus himself announced its commencement the night he was arrested—how precious to know that we are entering into something that began with the Lord Jesus himself! That night with his disciples, Jesus fulfilled a promise God made through the prophet Jeremiah over five hundred years earlier. Jeremiah wrote that God promised to establish a new covenant with Israel, a covenant that would be open to gentiles as well.  This covenant would completely fulfill and replace the covenant God made with Israel through Moses, “Jesus is the mediator of a far better covenant than the covenant with Israel through Moses since the new covenant is based on better promises” (see Hebrews 8:6). These “better promises” include forgiveness of sins, redemption from death, adoption as children, glorification in heaven, and eternal life in the presence of God—better promises indeed!

The Scripture affirms that Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant and understanding this is how we are to come to him.  As we choose to become a follower of Jesus Christ, to receive his forgiveness and trust him for our salvation, we must understand that we are entering into a “life covenant” with the Lord—one in which he will fulfil the many amazing promises he has made to us and one in which he fully expects us to carry out our end of this covenantal agreement…pick up our cross daily, deny ourselves, and live for him through surrender and obedience until we join him in his kingdom.

What Is the New Covenant?

The New Testament is the record of God fulfilling his covenantal promise to Israel (which will ultimately include the Gentiles as well), a promise he made through the prophet Jeremiah more than five hundred years before Jesus was born—“The time is coming when I will make a new covenant…It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:31-32). This is a powerful promise in light of Israel’ collective failure to keep the commands of the Mosaic covenant. The covenant with Moses, though holy indeed, was a series of external commands written on stone. Consequently, there was no intrinsic motivation driving the people of Israel to withstand the forces of the nations around them and doggedly obey the laws of God (other than potential consequences).   

However, under this promised new covenant, God will work within his people what the law could not do from without—they will be given the internal desire and ability to obey because of transformed hearts and minds, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you, I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). God himself will renew his people so that their rock-hard hearts will be softened and enabled to be conformed to his own will. Though they have no means to see it, the time is coming when God himself, through his Holy Spirit, will reside within each one of his people and will do in them what he requires of them.

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship” (Hebrews 10:1). The new covenant is the fulfilment of the old covenant, from religious structures and elements to the law itself. To fully grasp the significance of this powerful truth, we who follow Christ need to become aware of how prolific the language of the new covenant is in the New Testament⁽¹⁾ and how to identify it. Following is a description of many of these “shadows” and their new covenant fulfillment:

Temple – The temple played the central role in the worship and covenant history of Israel in the Old Testament; in fact, Israel was forbidden to formally practice their religion anywhere else because the temple was the dwelling place of God on the earth. The temple was that which unified the twelve tribes of Israel, bringing them all together as one nation and served as their cultural anchor. In the New Testament, the “temple” is equally central to the worship and identity of the Church. Yet, in the New Testament, the Church itself is identified as the new temple of God (see 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:21-22). This temple is identified as the “dwelling place for God in His Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22); it is built from living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5), constructed on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone (see Ephesians 2:20).

Jesus declared that the actual stone temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed (see Matthew 24:1-2; John 4:19-24), an event which occurred in 70 A.D.; since then, those who worship God worship him in “spirit and in truth” (John 4:23).

Commandment – When we think of the word commandment, we almost immediately think of the Old Testament. Yet, the language of commandment is central to the new covenant as well. For example, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:15, 21).  Starting in John 13, Jesus is instructing his disciples just prior to his arrest and crucifixion—in these powerful chapters, Jesus uses the word command eight times when giving his disciples his final instructions before he is taken from them (John 13:34, 14:15, 21, 15:10, 12, 14, 17).

Even up to the time Jesus returned to his Father, he emphasized to his disciples the centrality of obedience to his commands in the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20^AT).

In fact, between the command/obey word group and the imperatives in the New Testament, there are hundreds of commandments in the new covenant believers are to obey. The importance of obeying what Jesus commanded is demonstrated in the Gospel of Luke where Luke records Jesus asking this ominous question, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Covenant Meal – In the Church, communion has replaced the Passover meal as the celebration of the new covenant and the memorial meal of the Church’s rescue and exodus from bondage, not to Egypt, but to sin and death. Celebrating communion is also celebrating the commencement of the new covenant; Jesus himself being the very first to pass the bread and cup while inaugurating the new covenant (see Luke 22:20; Acts 2:46; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; Jude 1:12). The “love feast,” as it was known in the early Church, rapidly replaced the Passover meal as the celebration honoring Jesus. This has come down to us as the celebration of communion, or the Lord’s table.    

Mediator – Moses was the mediator of the old covenant, but Christ is the mediator of the new covenant so that we may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set us free from the sins committed under the first covenant (see Hebrews 8:6-7, 9:15, 12:24).  

High Priest – Jesus himself is the High Priest of this covenant (see Hebrews 7:18-28), and is therefore able to forever save those who come to God through him because he lives forever as our intercessor (see Hebrews 7:25).

Passover Lamb – Paul identifies Jesus as our Passover Lamb, sacrificed for sins once for all (see 1 Corinthians 5:7); Peter refers to our redemption by the “precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (see 1 Peter 1:19; Exodus 12:5).

Covenantal Sign – Baptism seems to have replaced circumcision as the covenantal sign, “In him you were also circumcised…with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God…” (Colossians 2:11-12).  

Blood – Jesus gave his own blood to ratify this new covenant and has freed us from our sins in order to serve the Living God (see Hebrews 9:14-15; Leviticus 17:11).  

Priestly Ministers – The Apostle Paul identifies followers of Jesus as ministers of the new covenant (see 2 Corinthians 3:6). Paul also identifies his ministry to the Gentiles as a priestly ministry, so that we might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 15:15-16).

Sacrifice – The language of sacrifice is still used in the new covenant, but not animal sacrifice. Instead, in the new covenant, we are told to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (see Romans 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:5).     

Incense – Just as Aaron was to burn fragrant incense before the altar of God (see Exodus 30:3-7), so now the good deeds of Christians are that fragrant offering (see Philippians 4:18).     

Priesthood – The Church is identified as a “royal priesthood,” language taken from the Old Testament (see Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).

Covenantal Warnings – Powerful warnings are written to those who would profane or reject the new covenant (see Hebrews 10:29; 2 Peter 2:20-22).   

Covenantal concepts occupy large sections of at least four New Testament letters. In his letter to the Galatian Christians, Paul uses Sarah and Hagar as an illustration of the two covenants—the old covenant characterized by slavery while the new covenant is characterized by freedom (see Galatians 4:24-26). Paul also has a lengthy discussion with the Roman Christians about the old covenant and the law giving way to the new covenant and the Spirit (see Romans 7:4-6, for example). Later in this same letter, Paul uses new covenant language and imagery when describing the ministry God has called him to, “…to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:15-18).

In a large portion of 2 Corinthians, Paul reflects on the wonder of the new covenant in light of the old. He tells the Corinthians that he and his companions are ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. Paul celebrates the new covenant, which is far more glorious than the old covenant which was engraved in stone and brought death, “For what was glorious (the old covenant) has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory (the new covenant)” (2 Corinthians 3:10, parenthetical clauses added; see also 3:1-18). Later in this same letter, Paul talks about Christ dying for all and that those who now live in Christ belong to him and are a new creation, the old having passed away with his death and resurrection, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:17).   

The sine qua non of the discussion regarding the passing of the old covenant and the inauguration of the new is without question the letter to the Hebrews; almost the entire book is a discussion of this fact. The writer is adamant about the reality of the old covenant and all of its parts having passed away with the coming of Jesus Christ and the inauguration of the new covenant. It would be impossible here to reproduce all of the relevant material from this letter. Therefore, I strongly encourage the reader to carefully peruse the letter to the Hebrews, paying great attention especially to chapters 9 and 10. 

The primary purpose of this letter to the Hebrew Christians is to convince them that they continue to be in a covenantal relationship with God, but it is no longer the covenant of Moses. The new covenant is now in place for all followers of Jesus everywhere, including those of us who are Gentiles. Three times in this passage the writer emphasizes that what Jesus did, he did once for all: Christ entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having gained eternal redemption for those he came to save; …now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by sacrificing himself; we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The New Covenant and the Lord Jesus

It is incomprehensible that God would enter into an everlasting covenant with human beings—this is an incredibly powerful expression of his love for us and desire to be with us…forever and always. The fact that he ratified this covenant with the blood of his own son is nothing less than astonishing! Could he be any clearer in expressing how much value he has placed on reconciliation with us? You are loved! I am loved! There can no longer be any doubt as to whether or not this is true. The question no longer lies on God’s side, it now comes directly to us—will we respond to the incredible love of God by surrendering our lives to him or will we ignore the greatest opportunity given to any human being and continue going our own way?

When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we immediately enter into this new covenant with God. What a glorious truth! Not only has God, who does not lie, told us that he sent his Son to save us, but he proved how much he loves us by placing our reconciliation with him in the context of a covenant. To use a trite illustration, this is like a man dating a woman faithfully for many years, but never asking her to marry him, because to marry her would put their relationship in the context of a covenant and would make it unquestionably permanent. God could have sent Jesus to do all the same work that he did, and we would be no less saved by trusting him. However, God is showing us how deeply he loves us by expressing his love in the context of a covenant. In other words, he is proving to us that he wants this to be a permanent relationship.

How should we respond to such an amazing expression of love? By understanding and obeying the terms of the covenant. Again, to return to our marriage illustration, when we enter into the covenant of marriage, it is a joyful, wonderful, and powerful moment. Many of us have experienced the incomparable feeling that comes with being chosen (above all others) by another person who promises to commit the rest of his or her life to us…there is almost nothing else like this in all of life! However, marriages that are successful are the result of two people understanding that feelings may come and go, but the commitment to following through with the marriage vows and the unequivocal devotion to our spouse, under all circumstances, is what makes a marriage succeed.

This is true with our covenant with God as well. As we choose to surrender our lives to him and he brings us into this covenant with himself, our response must be one of love and gratitude, as well as obedience. God gave us the Bible, especially the New Testament, to instruct us in what he expects us to know and obey regarding our beliefs and behaviors. As we learn to read the New Testament as an explanation of the new covenant, and as we begin to intentionally incorporate what we learn into our lives, this is where we will find complete and total security in our relationship with God. God will never go back on his promises; he will never break his covenant with us. However, he has given us, as his sovereign decision, the free will to either obey him or not. We know from many other life experiences that if we fail to do what is expected of us, we will suffer the consequences of that failure, whether it is job related, law related, or relationship related…we must do what is required to avoid negative consequences.

Because God loves us so much, he makes available to us everything we could possibly need to successfully carry out our side of the covenant. As we become followers of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us for the purpose of guiding and convicting us as we face the many choices, temptations, and trials of life (see John 14:26). God has also promised to forgive us when we fail as we confess our sins to him and ask for his cleansing (see 1 John 1:9). He has promised to be at work within us to carry out all that he expects of us (see Philippians 2:13). Besides all of this, he has given us the glorious promises of heaven and eternity with him as the result of our faithful perseverance. God is for us—he has done, and continues to do, all that is necessary for us to be faithful to the end. Our contribution to that success is nothing more than, by the grace and power of God himself, learning from the scriptures what he expects from us and choosing daily to live that out in our lives. This is what he has expected of all Christians throughout time and continues to expect from all Christians everywhere.

Many Christians believe that only the old covenant contains commandments to be obeyed and assume things are not like that anymore. However, even a limited perusal through the New Testament shows this assumption to be mistaken.            On the night of Jesus’ arrest, the last time he would teach his disciples prior to his resurrection, he said to them five times, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15),  “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me” (John 14:21), “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching” (John 14:23), “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:10), and “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14).

Just as Israel was called to keep the commandments of the old covenant, Christians are called to keep the commandments of the new covenant. The apostles understood this and made sure that those who came to Christ through their ministries understood it as well. The apostle John, who was there to hear the words of Jesus that night, reiterated this message to his readers some fifty years later, “And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commands” (1 John 2:3), “The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them” (1 John 3:24),  “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands” (1 John 5:3).  

Likewise, when the apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian Christians who are arguing over circumcision, he reminds them, “For whether or not a man is circumcised means nothing; what matters is to obey God’s commandments” (1 Corinthians 7:9).  The apostle Peter leaves no doubt as to why he is writing a second letter to his readers, “I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2).

What emphasis does the Lord Jesus place on keeping his commands? It is the difference between stability and catastrophe, “Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice will withstand even the most powerful storms, but the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice will experience total ruin” (see Luke 6:47-49). Here, and in many other places, Jesus is adamant that hearing his teaching is not enough; it is crucial that all who follow him hear his words and do what he has says, that is, keep his commandments.

The People of the New Covenant

The promise of the new covenant to Israel also opens the door to the new covenant to all people, Jew and Gentile alike. In the Old Testament, God foresees a time when even the most violent enemies of Israel will worship with her, “In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing on the earth. The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance’” (Isaiah 19:24-25). Elsewhere the prophet Isaiah records these beautiful and powerful words regarding God’s invitation to people of every race,

“Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.’ …Foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. The Sovereign LORD declares—he who gathers the exiles of Israel: ‘I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered’” (Isaiah 56:3, 6-8).

This is the very passage Jesus quoted when he drove the money changers from the temple grounds (see Mark 11:17). Matthew quotes another passage from Isaiah that he believed prophetically described the ministry of Christ, “…he will proclaim justice to the nations…, in his name the nations will put their hope” (see Matthew 12:145-21), clearly casting a vision beyond Israel alone.

Jesus plainly expressed this open invitation to the new covenant, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Elsewhere he says, “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). Again, Jesus says, “Believe me…, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem…. A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:21, 23).

Indeed, the Great Commission itself indicates that Jesus has his heart set on all people, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In his instructions to the disciples after his resurrection he says, “…You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In the book of the Revelation, John sees ahead to the time when all of this has been accomplished, “You [Jesus] are worthy…because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

The apostles also recognized this new people of God made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Paul writes, “There is no longer Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ” (Galatians 3:28). Elsewhere Paul writes, “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3:11). In his letter to the Ephesians Paul explains how Jesus made one new race out of the two races that had forever been at odds, the Jews and Gentiles (see Ephesians 2:11-22). 

Likewise, in a beautiful passage reassuring the Gentile followers of Jesus that they are completely acceptable to God, Peter writes, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). The vast majority of Christians in the world are what the Bible calls Gentiles. We are the people Peter is referring to here,  this makes the new covenant even more precious to us. It is common to hear Israel referred to as the “chosen people,” even so, those of us who have entered into the covenant that God has now offered to all who call upon Jesus are no less chosen.

⁽¹⁾ It is helpful to note that the English term, “New Testament,” comes from the Latin translation of the Greek for new covenant. Our Bible is literally divided into Old Covenant and New Covenant.

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(C) 2024 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Christianity

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

How Do I Love Thee?

Almost two-hundred years ago, Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote the poem, “How Do I Love Thee?” A beautiful poem and an excellent question. The answer will certainly vary based on the country, culture, even language of the person posing the question—love means many things to many people. In our culture the word “love” has a tremendous range of meaning—everything from loving tacos to loving our spouse! We love bands, movies, sports teams, celebrities, and video games…we also love our spouses, parents, children, country—and we love God—the same word…love! We can even use it as a euphemism for sex (making love). When threatened by someone we consider inferior, we can use it in a menacing way, “I’d love to see you try it!” We use it in slogans: “Make love, not war,” “Love is love,” and “Love wins.” We have dozens of colloquialisms, “love is blind,” “love child,” “love handles,” “a face only a mother could love,” and so on.

Sometimes we use other words to try and mix it up a bit—I adore you, I am devoted to you, I would die for you—but there is nothing quite like someone looking you in the eyes and saying, “I love you.” It is quite ironic that the English language has a vocabulary of just under one quarter of a million words and yet we have essentially one word for the most powerful experience a human can have. Besides these complexities and limitations, there is another aspect of love in our culture that confuses it even more.

One of the most difficult problems we face in understanding love is the way the word is often used to serve a particular agenda. For instance, in the minds of some, to love means to agree with them—to disagree reveals that your love cannot be true. For others, to love means to accept them unconditionally—to do anything else would be judging and if there is anything that is truly not loving it is judging (according to many).

All of these complexities have made their way into the Church as well. For many Christians, to love another means exactly what was said above—embracing another person unconditionally, whether their behaviors or beliefs are biblical or not. I recently read two statements on a social media platform that demonstrate this position perfectly, “Jesus did not call us to be right, he called us to be loving,” and “I am utterly convinced that God will have all kinds of grace if we got the theology wrong. I am not entirely sure how God will take it if we got the loving other people, seeking justice, and choosing mercy part of life wrong.”  The fact of the matter is that the Bible is crystal clear that both bear equal weight—to have one and not the other is not acceptable to God…we will consider this more carefully in the paragraphs to follow.

Defining Love in the New Testament

The Bible was originally written in other languages—the Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew with some portions in Aramaic. The New Testament was written in an ancient form of Greek called koine (pronounced, koi-nay, meaning “common”). Miraculously, the Hebrew that is used in modern Israel is the same Hebrew that was spoken more than two thousand years ago. However, though there are similarities, the Greek of the New Testament world is not the same as modern Greek.

As of 2022 all of the Bible has been translated into 724 languages. The New Testament has been translated into an additional 1,617 languages. Individual books and smaller portions of the Bible have been translated into 1,248 other languages according to Wycliffe Global Alliance.[1] Scholars of all languages work diligently to choose words from their own language that best represent the meaning of the word in the original text. As you can imagine, this can be very trying at times. Nevertheless, the majority of modern translations, regardless of the language, represent the meanings of the original words in a way that is accurate and trustworthy.

It is interesting that love is one of those words that is challenging to represent adequately in English translations. In the Greek language of the New Testament era, there are no less than three words that we might translate with our one word “love”—two of these words are found in the New Testament. Of the three, the one that does not show up in the New Testament is the Greek word, eros (pronounced, air-oss), meaning sexual love…this is where we get our word erotic. The next two words will take a more careful explanation since they appear many times in the New Testament.

The first of these words is phileo (pronounced, fee-le-oh). This word love means to have a deep affection for, to hold in very high regard, it can even mean to kiss. It is the word that often describes the love family members have for one another. In fact, our famous Pennsylvanian city, Philadelphia, literally means, “city of brotherly love” in Greek (phileo – dearly loved, adelphos – brother) and comes from a city named in the New Testament. Phileo is used about twenty-five times in the New Testament in a variety of contexts (see Matthew 10:37, Mark 14:44, John 12:25, Titus 3:15).

Webster’s dictionary defines the English word love this way:  strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, attraction based on sexual desire: affection and tenderness felt by lovers, affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests.[2] This definition makes our English word quite similar to the Greek word phileo—both are primarily driven by some level of emotion.

The most common word for love in the New Testament, showing up over two hundred times, is agape (pronounced, ah-gha-pay). This is one of the most significant words in the entire New Testament and, when understood correctly and practiced, is one of the most powerful concepts in Christianity. Because of the limited options we have in English, both the words phileo and agape are translated the same – love. However, agape is so much more powerful than a feeling-based concept—the translators of the King James Bible tried to express this by translating the word as charity (not too bad). Some have explained it as unconditional love, but this definition actually does more harm than good.

A little history regarding this word will be helpful. Though it was a word in the Greek language of the past, it was very rarely used because the Greeks believed it was a kind of love that was unachievable. In other words, the meaning of this word was so exalted, few Greeks believed they could practice it. Consequently, it is very uncommon in the literature of that day. However, Christians realized it was a word that clearly expressed the nature of the love Jesus Christ practiced and called his followers to practice. It was adopted by the New Testament Church and used extensively in both writing and speaking. Subsequently, for the past two thousand years, the word has been most closely associated with Christianity.

I have studied this word for decades and the definition I find best is, agape love means to intentionally choose to do what is in the best interest of another person whether we feel like it or not. There are three very important elements of this definition that we must look at more carefully.

First is the phrase, intentionally choose. Agape love is based on a choice not a feeling. It does not need to be void of feelings, but it is not dependent on feelings at all—it is a decision, an act of the will. If a starving Christian who has a bit of food sees two hungry children, one his own son and the other a complete stranger, as an act of agape love he feeds both—he has feelings of love for his own son and gladly feeds him, the other he gladly feeds as well, though he may have no feelings of love, having never seen the child before. This is agape love. It is to consider the situation and make a choice with intention—a choice that will benefit the other and glorify God.

Secondly, it is a choice to do what is in the best interest of another. This is where we often run into trouble in our culture. As I referenced above, love is often understood to mean agree with me, accept me unconditionally, or even do what I want you to (or else!). However, to do what is in another’s best interest often means not agreeing with them or accepting them unconditionally. As followers of Jesus Christ, agreeing with much that is acceptable in our culture or accepting as appropriate the life choices that some of our friends and loved ones make is completely improper and, from our point of view, unhealthy, dangerous, or simply sinful.

Sadly, many Christians often make kneejerk assessments and toss out hurtful opinions—this is clearly not in the best interest of another person. However, through patience, prayer, and careful consideration, we who follow Jesus must arrive at a conclusion that is demonstrably biblical and then have the courage to stand on it. This is sometimes costly, but why would we contribute to the damage we believe someone is bringing on themselves? This would most certainly not be an act of love. It is important that Christians learn how to express care and support for the person, without compromising what we know to be biblical truth. This may be unacceptable to those we are trying to love, but that is their decision to make.

Lastly is the phrase, whether we feel like it or not. This statement is the essence of choice. If we love only those who love us, what difference have we made? (see Matthew 5:46-48). Agape love is expressed in acts of kindness, service, and compassion to anyone and everyone we encounter, whether it is smiling at someone and kindly greeting them or taking food to someone who needs it. Race, color, creed, sexual orientation, or political affiliation do not factor into it—we express agape love simply because this is a person created by God in his own image.

I can (and should!) bring food to a hungry Muslim (for example)–to express agape love to someone does not require that I agree with their religious perspective, political views, or personal choices. It does not mean that I am compromising my own faith because I am serving (loving) someone who stands in stark disagreement with my convictions and world view; it simply means, as I said above, I am choosing to do what is in their best interest…is this not the essence of the gospel? What they believe or how they behave are irrelevant when it comes to expressing agape love, it is what we believe and how we behave that is our motivating force.

Love Everyone?

Many times over the last year or more, I have heard Christians say that the most important thing we can do as followers of Jesus is to love other people. This sounds good to the ear and pleasing to the heart, but I always feel a bit confused by it. This challenge to love everyone never comes with an explanation of how we are supposed to love other people—is it the American way or the biblical way? The two, indeed, are not the same.

When an American (Christian or otherwise) hears the charge to love another person, we typically think this means we are somehow supposed to feel good about them, befriend them, accept them. This is indeed a challenge when many of those we are being asked to love are not only dismissive of our faith, but often hostile toward it. Consequently, we can feel obligated to “tone-down” our convictions and be “more accepting” of people—que sara sara, to each his own, love is love. We forget that the Scripture says, “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Many of us would rather err on the side of grace—this certainly makes us more agreeable to our culture, but may put us at odds with God, who expects us to manifest both grace and truth at all times.

How did Jesus show love? With grace alone? The fact that most of his messages included some form of the word repent should give us a clue (see Matthew 4:17, Luke 13:3, 5)—repent intrinsically means, “you must change course because your current direction is taking you away from God and toward destruction.” Repent is a powerful biblical word. There are many times where a Gospel writer records Jesus expressing both grace and truth. In John 5:1-14, the apostle records a story where Jesus heals a severely disabled man (grace) and then warns him to stop sinning or something worse may happen to him (truth). Also in John (8:1-11), there is a story of Jesus forgiving a woman who was having sex outside of marriage (grace) and then tells her to leave her life of sin (truth).

In John, chapter 8, Jesus has a heated dispute with some of the Jewish leaders. They have made several extreme allegations against him. At one point Jesus says, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin, but if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (grace). Why can’t you understand what I am saying? Why will you not accept my words? Because you belong to the devil and not to God (truth).”

Admittedly, these are hard words to hear coming from our Lord, but Jesus never compromised truth, to do so would endanger those who were listening to him. Even in the softer expressions of Jesus’ preaching, grace and truth remained juxtaposed—“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened (grace) and learn from me (truth)” (Matthew 11:28-30). In a more general sense, that is, as an invitation to the world, Jesus says, “Whoever believes in me is not condemned (grace), but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (truth) (John 3:18).

The apostle Paul tells us to be “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). The apostle Peter also tells us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). In both cases, we are to speak the truth, but do so in love and with kindness. Despite how our culture is pressing to redefine love as agreement and acceptance, as Christians we can love and not agree or accept. Let’s talk about how to do that in part two of this article.

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

(C) 2015 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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[1] Bible translations – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Bible_translations

[2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love

How to Practice Agape Love

As followers of Jesus, it is important to understand that we experience and practice both concepts of love used in the New Testament—phileo, the more affectionate, familial kind of love, and agape, the love we have been discussing and is centered equally in the will and in the heart. As we have seen, phileo has many similarities to our English word, consequently, to love like this flows naturally. However, to practice agape love often feels unnatural and difficult, at least at first.

Again, it is essential that we remember that agape love is rooted in our will and as we study the Scripture and grow deeper in our faith, it will become easier and more natural to make choices that benefit others and please God. This is what the apostle Paul is referring to in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” As we turn from the world and pursue transformation by changing the way we think (renewing our minds), then, because we will be thinking more like God, we will have a much better understanding of His will—this is what will enable us to choose to do what is in the best interest of others.

Part of the reason so many Christians fail in the task of “speaking the truth in love” is because much of the American Church is fed on milk (the Bible’s way of saying “easy believism”) and not solid food (firm, biblical truth). I fear that the writer to the Hebrews would have these words to say to many in the churches of our country,

“Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Sadly, many churches are not equipping Christians with the tools necessary to actually study the Bible, nor are they teaching the Bible in such a way that mature Christians are being produced. Many Christians are embracing beliefs, values, and ideas that are clearly rooted in the world because they have not trained themselves in the Scripture well enough to distinguish good from evil.

According to the apostle Paul, Church leaders are called to equip the saints so that we will no longer be infants and will be able to resist the darkness of the world and be able to speak the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:11-16). As we grow deeper in our knowledge of the Bible and stronger in our faith, we will be able to make choices that are in the best interest of another and that will bring glory to God regardless of the personal costs to ourselves—this is the work of mature believers.

In First Corinthians, the apostle Paul gives a fabulous description of agape love, but what he writes is not for the weak of faith or the faint of heart. To love like Jesus loves, like the New Testament commands, is not a soft and fluffy feel-good love, but a down in the trenches, all in kind of love that only mature Christians can manifest. Because this is such an important passage, we are going to carefully analyze it.

In considering this passage, I encourage you to pay close attention to the fact that each of these expressions of agape love is based on a choice, and not a feeling. Again, agape love does not have to be devoid of feelings, but we do not have to feel a certain way toward someone in order to love them with agape love.

Agape is long-suffering – Many translations have patience here, but the actual Greek word used by Paul is a compound word that is better understood as long-suffering. Both words share similar definitions:  maintaining self-control in spite of being provoked, annoyed, suffering misfortune or pain, and doing so without complaining, being irritated, or becoming angry. Long-suffering adds the element of doing so over a long period of time.

Agape is kind – Kindness is a precious word. There is a certain tender benevolence implied by this word. When I was young, my grandmother would always remind me to be nice to everyone…I always appreciated this, but as I raised my own children, I realized that “nice” was more of a behavior and “kind” seemed to emanate from the soul—so, with all due respect to grandma, I tried to raise my children with a heart to express kindness.

Agape does not envy – There is a subtle difference between envy and jealousy, but this Greek word shares elements of both. Agape does not resent or covet another person’s advantages, successes, or possessions. It does not dislike or is not unkind to someone simply because we think they have it better than we do.

Agape does not boast – The simplest way to think of this word is a “show off”—someone who needs to be the center of attention by bragging about their abilities, talents, or successes.

Agape is not proud – Many translations use the phrase, “puffed-up” here, and rightly so—this word comes from the same Greek word as “bellows,” the tool used by blacksmiths to blow air into the coal to make the fire burn hotter. We might call this person a “blowhard,” someone who always has a better story than everyone else.

Agape does not dishonor others – This is an interesting word in Greek—it means that agape does not act unseemly or improperly. We might think of this as behaving in a way that is appropriate to the situation—discerning what is needed and adjusting to that, as Paul writes in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

Agape is not self–seeking – This phrase is very straight forward—agape does not have to have its own way, instead, it has a certain spirit of deference. Paul describes this in his letter to the Philippians, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others” (2:3).

Agape is not easily angered – Some translations use “provoked” or “irritated,” all three of these choices are good for this word. This does not mean we can never be angry, there is an appropriate time and place for anger, what matters here is that love is not easily angered—that is in direct opposition to love being long-suffering. The person who comes to mind with this phrase is someone with a “hair-trigger,” regularly going off at the drop of a hat. Consequently, everyone around them is walking on eggshells.

Agape does not keep a record of wrongs – This is another very interesting word in the Greek—it is literally a bookkeeping term. It means to tally, to add up, to keep score. We all know someone who does this…every time there is a conflict, out comes the memories! Not only is it painful to have someone review our list of failures (either real or imagined) it is also an indication that forgiveness is not occurring—all of this makes relationship very difficult. Agape does not do this.  

Agape does not delight in evil – This is a comprehensive word that covers many things, some of which are wickedness, wrongdoing, injustice, personal vengeance, iniquity, falsehood, deceitfulness, and crime. Agape does not celebrate anything from the “dark side,” so to speak. Instead, as Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (4:8).

Agape rejoices in the truth – There are two important words here with nuances worth mentioning. Rejoice is another compound word in Greek that literally means “sharing in God’s grace,” thus producing rejoicing. The imagery of celebrating God’s grace together is powerful. Secondly, the word truth here does not simply mean someone spoke the truth. Rather, it means that which is actual truth—universal truth, foundational truth, divine truth. In ancient Greece, this is the word used for reality, the opposite of illusion and delusion.

Agape always protects – The word for protect is very beautiful in the Greek. It literally means to cover, or to bear up. The idea is that agape is always safe, trustworthy, a refuge and shelter. A person who loves like this will have many friends willing to share their deepest wounds and fears. The English word protects often implies a kind of physical defense; this is not what this word is about.

Agape always trusts – The idea of this word is that agape encourages one to believe in another person. This does not imply blind loyalty, but rather a decision to consider the situation and make a choice to believe.

Agape always hopes – Agape is always anticipating the best outcome, the opposite of “waiting for the next shoe to drop.” God is sovereign and is working all things together for good” (Romans 8:28), therefore, a Christian should never be without hope.

Agape always perseveres – This word simply means that agape presses on and pushes through. Agape is courageous, tenacious, and relentless.  

Agape never fails – Because agape perseveres, it also never fails. The word fails here has the meaning of collapsing, like a chair that cannot bear the weight of the one sitting in it. Agape is strong and can withstand even the greatest of pressures.

It is amazing how much powerful information is packed into these three verses of Scripture. Can you imagine the impact the Church would have if we collectively practiced what Paul has written here? As you can see, every element of agape described by Paul is specifically related to how we choose to respond. There is nothing in these verses that requires any emotional connection in order to carry out what is written here. This love requires humility, courage, and above all, a devotion to God who will enable us to actually carry out this high calling.

How Do We Practice Agape?

Now that we understand what agape love truly is, so many passages of Scripture make much more sense. Consider each of these commands of Jesus: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37); “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39); “This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:17); “Love your enemies” (Luke 6:27). Jesus is commanding his followers to love God, neighbors (strangers), other believers, and enemies with the very same love!

 Over the years I have spoken with many Christians who are confused by the command to “love” our enemies, much less love our enemies the same way we love God! How are we supposed to feel the same way about those who hate us and the one who loves us most? Because, as we have learned, Jesus’ commands are not based on how we feel, but on how we choose. We cannot force our heart, soul, or mind to feel love for God, but we can choose to use all of who we are to do what is in God’s best interest—to live in a way that brings glory to him, and, as he cares for us, we will “fall in love” with him (see 1 Corinthians 10:31).

Again, we cannot force ourselves to have positive feelings of love for our enemies, but we can make choices that are in their best interest. When Jesus commands us to love our enemies, he gives us some ways to do so, “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28). Once again, we see that all of this can be done as an act of the will, regardless of how we feel. The apostle Paul reiterates the words of Jesus, “Do not repay evil for evil; if your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat, if your enemy is thirsty, give him something to drink” (Romans 12:17, 20).

Years ago, while pastoring a small church in West Michigan, I approached a driver who had broken down on the side of the road. I recognized the van as belonging to a woman who had done great harm to me in my church by circulating painful allegations that were patently not true. Nevertheless, as an act of agape, I pulled in behind her, walked up to her window, and asked if I could help in any way. She told me her husband had already been notified. As I pulled around her to leave, she waved and thanked me. Though in the past she had decided to be my enemy, out of a desire to please God and help her, I chose to be vulnerable and stop. I have no idea if this impacted her at all, but as I drove away, I knew I had pleased my Father.

Though agape does not require feelings to be effective, it cannot be fake either. The apostle Paul writes, “Love must be sincere” (Romans 12:9). Literally, “Let love be unfeigned or unhypocritical.” Of course, we can go through life as “do-gooders,” thinking somehow we are pleasing God because we are doing all the right things, but God, who knows our motivation, is not impressed when our intent is wrong. Our expressions of agape must be accompanied by other values important to God…mercy, compassion, justice, etc. The people you are serving will know also!

As we who follow Christ begin to love like this, we will once again begin leading people to the Savior, which is our primary task in this world (see Matthew 28:18-20). We have become too comfortable simply loving those who are “like us” because our love is based on how we feel; it is easy to love those who think and believe the way we do. About this, Jesus says, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:46-47). This passage literally says, “If you agape those who agape you, so what? If you greet only your brothers, why would this be extraordinary?” Yet this is exactly what many of us tend to do.

The New Testament is chocked full of commands regarding the way Christians are to behave. As we learn to identify these and embrace them, we will become equipped to love the way Jesus expects. Let’s take a look at one brief passage as an example. In Romans 14:9-21, Paul lists several commands we are expected to embrace and manifest in our daily lives—notice how all of these enable us to practice agape in our lives.

Agape must be sincere.

Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in love (phileo – affectionate love).

Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope.

Be patient in affliction.

Be faithful in prayer.

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.

Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.

Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath.

If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat.

If your enemy is thirsty, give him something to drink.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In these thirteen verses alone, there are no less than twenty-two commands the apostle Paul expected the Roman Christians (and us!) to incorporate into their lives and practice in their community—none of which require emotional attachments—the entire New Testament is filled with commands like these. As you can see, some level of spiritual maturity is necessary to make these a consistent part of the way we approach life and encounter people.

To love is the most essential command given to those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ…it is that which makes us most like him. To love as the New Testamnent demonstrates incorporates mercy, compassion, kindness, service, and so much more. As we learn to practice love in our lives, remember, when we choose to do what is in the best interest of others, God will give us all we need to do so, for his own glory. Amen.

This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

(C) 2015 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

As Christians, we have been given the most amazing treasures imaginable: the love of God, forgiveness, reconciliation, redemption, and promises of glory. In all the other major Faiths of the world, people live with the tension of not knowing what their post death experience will be. Hindus and Buddhists live knowing they will be returning to this planet in some reincarnated lifeform and social status, determined alone by karma, an impersonal, uncaring force. Muslims keep doing all that is religiously required of them, hoping the literal scales of Allah will tip to the “good” and paradise will be their destiny, otherwise, an eternal hell awaits them. Even Jews can only hope they have lived good enough lives that Yahweh will judge them worthy of paradise. In these religious traditions, there are literally billions of people hoping that, by the time they die, they will have done enough good works to have a positive outcome in their experience after this life.

Not so for us who embrace Christ. Because of the teaching of the Bible, we understand that our sins have separated us from God…all of us. We understand that we deserve condemnation and that no amount of good works could ever “buy” us a place in heaven. We understand that hell is real and that we deserve to go there. However, we also know that God’s grace is real, that his love for the people of this planet is true, and that he has intervened on behalf of every human being he has ever created. We know and believe that he sent his one and only Son, the Lord Jesus, to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. For all who embrace and confess the holy life, sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, redemption from sin and reconciliation with God is real. We know that we have been declared forgiven and justified, and that when we stand before God, heaven will be opened to us…not because of our own righteousness, but because of the righteousness the Lord Jesus has graciously given to us.

Followers of other religions—Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and even Jews, as well as members of pseudo-Christian groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, can only dream about the kind of grace, mercy, kindness, and goodness that has been freely expressed to us who have embraced the true gospel. What we take for granted, they have to earn, always hoping they’re doing enough. Let’s face it though, the sad irony is, many Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Jews live much more disciplined, devout, and honorable lives than do many Christians.They know their destiny depends on it, while we know our destiny depends on Christ–consequently, the spiritual anxiety they experience, we do not. In truth, we should be living far more disciplined and sacred lives than all of them, not because of the anxiety of earning favor, but because of the gratitude that should be pouring from us…however, the painful truth is, many of us do not. Though good works certainly do not save us, we were saved to do good works as a testimony to others about the goodness and grace of God and as an expression of our love for him and obedience to him. 

In our Faith, we strongly emphasize the necessity of believing the right things, an important endeavor for sure. Yet, equal time should be given to behaving the right way, but here we are often negligent (and the world loves to point this out). What we believe and how we behave are the blood and breath of the true Christian experience; Jesus expects us to know what he commands (believing the right things) and to obey what he commands (behaving the right way). Otherwise, as unnerving as it sounds, we may be embracing a faith that cannot save us (see James 2:14-26).

Never can a Christian who believes the right things say salvation must be earned, but never can this same Christian say nothing is required of the one who is saved. Once the choice to follow has been made, the new believer must be intentional in his devotion to Christ Jesus (to know him) and nurture his desire to please him (to obey him). This issue of placing faith and works in a balanced, symbiotic relationship can be a real struggle for believers. On one hand, the New Testament is brimming with the theology of justification by faith alone, while on the other hand, it abounds in passages related to necessary good works. Someone once said, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone.”

A faith confessed with no works expressed is a misrepresentation of the very nature of Christianity. Christians alone, of all the religions of the world, carry the greatest treasure ever to be entrusted to humanity: The gospel of Jesus Christ. This is an astronomical responsibility, no doubt, yet, it was not given to us only to protect from the world, but to project in the world; Jesus commands us to obey him and take this message of faith and obedience to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20).

In the evangelical world, following Christ is typically framed in the context of personal relationship. We are told God loves us and that he sent Jesus to die for our sins so we could live with God in heaven forever. We are told about grace and forgiveness. We are told God has plans for us, good plans…plans for our prosperity and joy. It all sounds so wonderful, so beautiful, so…easy. Sometimes when I hear the gospel preached, it reminds me a bit of someone trying to sell memberships to a gym…lots of excitement and encouragement about the guaranteed results, but very little is mentioned about the hard work, daily discipline, and lifestyle change that is inevitably necessary if these “guaranteed results” are really going to happen. 

I certainly believe it is right to speak of the gospel in terms of relationship with the Lord Jesus, this is a biblical essential in our reconciliation to God through Christ. However, there are many kinds of relationships; the typical relationship model that has been embraced, endorsed, and promoted in our culture over the last many decades is one that is characterized by happiness and personal fulfillment (as indicated by the term “self-actualization” popular in our culture). Unfortunately, when relationships are built on such a self-oriented foundation, they often fail. When Christians are birthed and raised (spiritually speaking) in a religious milieu which contextualizes our relationship with Jesus Christ in similar ways, it is no wonder so many of us who follow him believe his primary desire for us is health, wealth, and happiness.

The words “personal relationship” cannot be found in the New Testament, but the concept certainly can. As I said above, a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus is essential for a true, vital, and authentic Christianity (see John 15:4-8, for example). Yet, it is the nature of our relationship with him that often seems misunderstood. We generally emphasize the friendship of Jesus, or the gentle shepherd imagery, but in the New Testament, the prevailing relationship concepts between Jesus Christ and his followers always place him in a strong, superior role, while placing us in the clearly subordinate role, such as master/slave, teacher/disciple, Lord/subject, shepherd/sheep, and so on. These are indeed relational terms, but they are relationships with clearly defined roles that express inequality, something with which we don’t always do so well.

The truth is, Jesus did not invite people to a mere relationship, he called people to obedience, and through that obedience real relationship happened, and disciples were born. Nowhere in all of the teaching of Jesus does he offer a relationship apart from discipleship. Even in the wonderful passage in John when Jesus tells his disciples he considers them his friends, this friendship is still contingent on their obedience: “You are my friends if you do what I command. If you love me, you will obey what I command” (see John 15:14; 14:15). 

Jesus’ expectation of obedience wasn’t just for the twelve disciples, but rather for “whoever” and “anyone” who would follow him, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me” (John 14:21), “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching” (John 14:23-24), “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:10).

We are indeed deeply loved by God; while we were yet sinners, he sent the Lord Jesus to die for us…this is a mighty proof of his proactive and enduring love. And, we are indeed saved by grace through faith alone, not one single thing do we contribute to our own salvation. Yet, we are saved to serve, sacrifice, and, yes, suffer (if it is God’s will for us). God is committed to transforming us into the image of his Son, the Lord Jesus, and he will use all things necessary to do this, “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:28-29). When obedience to God’s will and Word is at the center of our daily lives, we will know we are being conformed to the image of his beloved Son, for this was the attitude of Jesus, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34, for example).

As we count the cost of becoming a true, biblical follower of Jesus Christ, it can feel daunting, but countless millions of people for two thousand years have picked up their crosses and followed Jesus—the fact that you and I are having this discussion now is a testimony to their faithfulness. Here we are, two millennia later, on a continent that had yet to be discovered (North America) and speaking a language that had not yet been created (English) considering what it means to follow Jesus Christ—what an amazing proof of God’s sovereignty and the perseverance of his children!

Remember, what God calls us to do he also enables us to accomplish. The people of God have always done hard things by the strength that comes through him alone, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty’” (Zechariah 4:6). The apostle Paul, who likely suffered more than any follower of Jesus, relied on this promise from God, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (1 Corinthians 12:9). Paul encourages other believers with these words, “No trial will come your way that is not common to all people—God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can manage, he will always provide what you need to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Through many trials and much suffering for nothing more than preaching the gospel, Paul could still write these words from his dismal Roman prison cell, “That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return” (2 Timothy 1:12). The apostle Peter also tells us that as we suffer patiently, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Jesus himself humbly bore his cross, “He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death—his death on the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

As we walk the path of humility and obedience, bearing our cross and striving to fulfil that for which we have been saved, Jesus strengthens and encourages us with these words, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). Let us embrace the examples set by Jesus, Peter, Paul, all the other New Testament authors, as well as all of the brothers and sisters through the ages and count the cost of following Christ, pick up our crosses daily, and continue the work they all embraced and carried forward.

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This article or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author. Please contact the author at coheablog@gmail.com.

(C) 2015 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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The New Testament is brimming with calls and commands for unity. In fact, it is difficult to find a value more highly prized. The unity that Jesus and the apostles call for is deeply rooted in the relationship between Jesus and his Father. The following verses illustrate the kind of unity modeled by the Lord and expected of his Church.

Jesus’ most straightforward assertion comes in John chapter ten, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Later, Jesus says his miracles are evidence of his unity with his Father, “Believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father” (John 10:38). Elsewhere, he says, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? It is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves” (John 14:10-11).

In what is called Jesus’ “high priestly prayer” in John 17, the entire prayer is laced with our Lord’s desire for unity,

“Father, just as you are in me and I am in you, may they be in us also. May they be one just as you and I are one; I in them and you in me. Father, I ask that those you have given me to be with me where I am, so they can see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world” (John 17:21-24).

Over the last decade, many leaders in the Church have placed a renewed emphasis on community; that is, Christians living as a community of faith bound by a common purpose, vision, and passion. This is a welcomed development, of course. Yet, as I read material related to community within the Church, I am struck once again by the absence of covenantal concepts. When we consider Bible history, covenant did not simply provide the framework for the vertical relationship between God and humanity, it also provided the horizontal bond between those within the covenant.

The people of Israel, by choosing to enter the covenantal relationship offered by God through Moses and later Joshua, agreed to a corporate lifestyle that was based on and regulated by the stipulations (laws and decrees) of the covenant,

Joshua said to the people, “If serving the LORD is what you want, then choose for yourselves who you will serve…as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” All the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.” That very day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws (Joshua 24:15, 24-25).

It was this covenant that would become their national identity and would define every element of their lives: what they would eat, what they would wear, how they would worship, how they would use their resources, even their calendar was designed around the stipulations of the covenant (see Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). The covenant created a community, a people with “common unity.” The covenant laid out behavior that was expected of all, as well as consequences for neglecting or rejecting these covenantal obligations (see Leviticus 5:1-13; 24:10-17 for example).

Because this covenant between God and Israel was a corporate covenant, that is, a covenant with the entire nation, virtually all of God’s dealings with Israel were on the national level rather than the individual level. There were exceptions, of course, but by and large, when the nation as a whole dishonored the covenant, the entire nation suffered the consequences, even the righteous. Conversely, when the nation as a whole honored the covenant, everyone shared in the blessing, even the wicked. Therefore, it was entirely appropriate for the Jewish people to hold one another accountable, to encourage covenant honoring behavior, and to chastise behavior that dishonored the covenant. This is the necessary infrastructure of a functional community.

Images of Unity

Christians in our culture make the mistake of identifying their relationship with God as a primarily individual experience disconnected from the behavior and choices of other Christians. Though it is true that each of us make the independent choice to follow Christ and each of us will give an account before him for our own life (see Romans 14:12), nevertheless, like Israel in the old covenant, every individual is an essential part of the whole, and therefore can have an impact on the whole (as will be addressed further below). The language for the Church most often used in the New Testament is clearly that of a mutual interdependence on one another and total dependence on God; we are living stones making up the new “temple” of God with Christ as the cornerstone, and we are the various parts of a body with Christ as the head.

In Ephesians and Corinthians, Paul uses the imagery of the temple to express our interdependence. Unfortunately, in English we have no convenient way of translating the Greek’s second person plural pronoun, so we often interpret these passages to be individualistic rather than corporate, as intended. In other words, in English, when we say “you,” we could be referring to an individual, such as, “I love you, my friend,” or to a group, “I love you, my friends.” If we were in a group, without the qualifier “my friend” or “my friends,” we would not know which was intended by the speaker. In the Greek of the New Testament, the two “yous” in these sentences are different words—similar to the way a southerner might say, “I love you,” or “I love y’all.”

With this in mind, we will replace the plural “yous” with the phrase “the Church” to better understand what it is Paul intends,

“Don’t you know that the Church is God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in the Church? If anyone destroys God’s temple, that is, the Church, God will destroy him; God’s temple is sacred, and the Church is that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

In this passage, Paul is warning that teachers who come into the Church and do it harm will be judged by God, just as anyone who desecrated Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem (see 1 Corinthians 3:1-23). Unfortunately, because of the lack of a second person plural “you,” this passage is often assumed to be discussing our need to take care of our own body—a worthy endeavor, but not the point of this passage. Elsewhere, as Paul is encouraging his Gentile followers to have confidence in their place in the Church, he writes,

“…all of you Gentile members of the Church are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him, all of you are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).   

Peter uses this same imagery, “As you* come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you* also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5; * = “you” plural pronouns).

In the new covenant, the Church is the temple of the living God. The temple of the old covenant was destroyed by the Romans almost two thousand years ago, but the temple stones Peter refers to, living stones, will remain forever. Elsewhere, Peter refers to the Church as a “chosen people,” a “royal priesthood,” and a “holy nation,” all corporate terms (see 1 Peter 2:9).

The corporate nature of the Church is especially clear when Paul employs his favorite analogy for the Church: the body of Christ,

“The body is one whole entity, though it is made up of many different parts. So it is with Christ; his body, so to speak, is not made up of one part but of many parts—God has arranged the parts in the body, every single one of them, just as he wanted them to be. Therefore, there should be no division in the body, but all of its parts should have equal concern for one another other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 14, 18, 25-27). 

Earlier, Paul writes to the Corinthians that the communion elements themselves are a visual reminder of the unity of the body of Christ, “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

All of this imagery is intended to affirm the notion of community. The Church is a living organism with every microbe innately connected to another, and forever mutually dependent. Unfortunately, we are more often than not like the “Push me-Pull me” llama of Dr. Doolittle, absolutely inseparable and entirely dependent on one another, but always trying to go in different directions. This is a consequence of failing to understand the covenant that binds us together and establishes our corporate purpose. We fail to live under the universal obligations our Lord places on us, because we do not live within the context of the new covenant he established.

Unity as Our Priority

The opposite of community is disunity. Disunity generates “hatred, discord, jealousy, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy,” and so on (see Galatians 5:20). Consequently, the work of the Church often moves in millimeters rather than miles. Unity, on the other hand, generates purpose and success, whether in a marriage, a sports team, or a church. Our unity is a testimony to the reality of Jesus Christ, and the Father’s love for his people (see John 17:23). This is why such emphasis is placed on unity in the New Testament. When believers are intentional about being of one mind and heart, the potential for division is greatly minimized and the work of God in the world is expedited. Consider these passages:

Jesus prayed, “May they be completely unified so the world will know that you, Father, sent me and that you have loved them just as you have loved me” (John 17:23).

“May God, who enables perseverance and gives encouragement, bring to you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with your love and your words you will glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).

“I beg to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, my friends, that all of you be in agreement with one another so that will not be divisions among you and that you may be perfectly unified in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

“Try desperately to keep the unity of the Spirit, committed to peace with one another. There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all, through all, and in all. To each one of us Christ has given grace to prepare us all for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God” (Ephesians 4:3-7, 12-13).

“Put on love over every other virtue, because it binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, because you were called to be at peace with one another, members of one body” (Colossians 3:14-15).

“Finally, my friends…strive for perfection, I am begging you, be of one mind and live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

Just as Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another because all people would know they were his disciples by doing so (see John 13:34-35), his final prayer for them prior to his arrest was steeped with the desire for unity, not just for his immediate disciples, but for all who would eventually come to be his disciples as well,

“My prayer is not only for these men, but for all of those who will believe in me through their message. I pray, Father, that all of them will be one, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so the world will believe that you were the one who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they will be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to total unity so the world will know that you sent me and that you have love them, just as you love me” (John 17:20-23).

Paul also recognizes the fact that unity is a testimony to the unbelieving community, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16).

A community that is characterized by mutual care and service is a powerful witness in a narcissistic world. Consider Luke’s testimony regarding the early Church and its witness through unity,

“All the believers met together and shared everything, even selling their possessions and goods, so they could give to anyone what he needed. They did this every day, right in the temple courts. They shared meals in their homes and ate together with sincere hearts and full of joy, praising God and enjoying the favor of everyone” (Acts 2:22-47).  

We live in a very divisive world, gender divisions, racial divisions, ethnic divisions, national divisions, political divisions, religious divisions, socio-economic divisions, and a myriad of other divisive issues, including people who will launch into fights over something as innocuous as sports. How powerful our witness would be if the Church could overcome these worldly divisions and choose unity despite the fact that we are made up of different genders, races, ethnicities, nationalities, political persuasions, denominations, and social statuses. Many of you may have serious doubts about this possibility, I confess I do as well, nevertheless, unity is a command to be obeyed; therefore, each of us who understand this must do our part in being Christians of peace and unity. Jesus will be honored by our efforts and we will kneel before him in confidence one day.

Protecting Unity

In the New Testament, unity is something to be relentlessly pursued and carefully protected. Division is to be addressed immediately and effectively. Church discipline, for the protection of the whole, is regularly discussed and practiced. As Paul warns the Corinthians—a little yeast remaining in their church will eventually affect the whole. The following passages discuss the protection of unity. The first comes from Jesus who outlines the process of addressing division among believers; the remaining passages come from the apostles as they seek to keep unity in the churches they are caring for:

“If another believer sins against you, go and explain what he did, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have restored your relationship, but if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, people who know the actual story. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as unbeliever” (Matthew 18:15-17).

“I’m urging you, friends, to watch out for people who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way, things that are contrary to the teaching you’ve learned. Stay away from them; people like this are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own ambitions. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Romans 16:17-18).

“I am actually hearing reports that you are allowing sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among unbelievers: A man is having an affair with his stepmother…and you are proud of how open-mined you are! You should have removed this man from your church and be grieving! When you gather in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that his sinful nature might be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good! Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?” (1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 4-6).   

“I am writing you to tell you not associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian, but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, an alcoholic of a swindler…don’t even eat with these people”  (1 Corinthians 5:11).

“Listen, if any of us or even an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! I’ve already told you this, but I’m going to say it again, if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8-9). 

“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, friends, to keep away from every Christian who is a lazy slacker and does not live according to the teaching you received from us” (2 Thessalonians 3:6).  

“If anyone refuses to obey what we’ve written here, take special note of him; do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Don’t consider him an enemy but warn him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).

“Timothy, stay in Ephesus so you can command certain people to stop teaching false doctrines and quit devoting themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These things encourage controversies rather than the work of God—which is by faith. The goal of your command must be a love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Some have drifted from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they don’t know what they’re talking about or what they so confidently affirm” (1 Timothy 1:3-7).  

“People like this appear to be godly, but they deny its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over oppressed women; they are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth” (2 Timothy 3:5-7).  

“Warn a divisive person no more than twice, then have nothing to do with him. You can be sure that people like this are warped and sinful, and self-condemned” (Titus 3:10-11).

The issue of Church discipline is beyond the scope of this article, nonetheless, these passages clearly illustrate how intentional the Church was about maintaining unity in order to protect the believing community.

Unity Through Mutual Obedience 

Community results when followers of Christ are mutually obedient to the commands and instructions recorded on virtually every page of the New Testament. Though we as modern American Christians do not like to think in the context of laws and commands (with consequences attached), laws and commands are the very fiber of any successful business, nation, and yes, religion. We have come to believe that the passing of the old covenant meant the passing of divine obligations and consequences, but this is certainly not so.

In the new covenant (the New Testament), the words command and obedience are plentiful and the imperative statements made by Jesus, the apostles, and other New Testament authors run into the hundreds. For example, “love your enemies” may not sound like a command to us, but in the Greek, Jesus is making an imperative statement, that is, a command, placed on all believers everywhere at all times. To justify not loving one’s enemy is a simple act of disobedience to Jesus Christ (who, by the way, loved his enemies).

A unified community of believers can only result from each Christian deciding to know and obey what is taught in the New Testament, and treat other believers with the love, honor, and respect that Jesus and the apostles demand. In the New Testament, it is impossible to conceive of a Church that is not characterized by mutual love expressed in service. Consider the following “one another” passages:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10).  

“Live in harmony with one another” (Romans 12:16).

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8).

“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way” (Romans 14:13).

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:7).

“Greet one another with a holy kiss, that is, Greet one another with a show of affectionate respect” (Romans 16:16).       

“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). 

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). 

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:19-21).

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).    

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).  

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it” (James 4:11).

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22).

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8).  

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9).

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5).    

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 4:7). 

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).

Imagine what the Church might look like if we simply obeyed even these twenty-three passages. Imagine the fellowship, mutual care, and service that would result. Imagine the testimony that would develop in our communities as people outside of the Church began to see Christians truly putting others first. As Luke records in Acts, we may begin “enjoying the favor of all the people” (Acts 2:47). Wouldn’t that be something?

A Final Thought 

“The world will know you are my disciples by the way you love one another” (John 13:35). Is there any statement of the Lord Jesus that could be clearer than this? Can you imagine saying to Jesus, “Lord, I love you, I just don’t like your people”? This is akin to saying to a friend or family member, “I like you, I just don’t like your kids.” Most of us would be very uncomfortable with a “friend” who felt that way. We who love Jesus must be intentional about loving one another, because every, single person he has rescued is as valuable to him as we are ourselves. We are one of billions, and we must learn to accept every person who calls on the name of Christ as a brother or sister…otherwise, we are failing to obey the new commandment Jesus gave us, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34).

It is very important that we nurture humility in our own souls; this is what will enable us to love others well. When we consistently remember that we, like them, are nothing more than fortunate recipients of grace, our perspective will open and our demeanor will become more inviting. All of us are slaves purchased by God, called to be to disciples, blessed with a covenantal relationship with God, and placed in a community to serve him. This is true for every single person who calls on the Lord, regardless of race, gender, nationality, age, or political party. Every Christian may not be our “cup of tea,” but we must choose sincere kindness and courtesy in every interaction if we are going to honor the Lord’s command.

Because of his kindness, we have now become a part of an eternal family, made up of people from every tribe, language, nation, and race, each redeemed the very same way…grace, mercy, kindness, compassion. In all the world, there is no one like us, the children of the true and living God, heirs to his kingdom. Blood is thicker than biology, the blood of Jesus, that is. We have brothers and sisters all around this world, struggling like you and me, to live for and love daily the one who loves us most.

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(C) 2024 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Christianity.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

The word was in the beginning with God…in fact, the Word was God. He became flesh in order to dwell among his own people, but his own people rejected him. Nevertheless, he chose to lay down his life for them; he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. The Lord Jesus made himself nothing, becoming a human being, taking the very nature of a slave. Because of his grace, though he was rich, for our sake he became poor, so that through his poverty we would become rich (see John 1; Phil. 2:5-11; 2 Cor. 8:9).

Over the course of about three and a half years, Jesus taught his disciples to see their world in ways they never considered before, never imagined before; he taught them to do things differently than they ever had, often diametrically counter cultural. One of the greatest lessons they needed to learn was how to selflessly serve others, not merely loved ones, but everyone. Jesus told them, “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matt.20:26-28). Elsewhere, in a similar conversation, Jesus asks the twelve, “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27).

The apostle John carefully recorded a long conversation Jesus had with his disciples on the eve of his arrest (John 13-17). Prior to his teaching, however, Jesus took a basin of water and a towel and washed his disciples’ feet—the task of a slave. After doing so, he said to them,

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, because that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no slave is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:13-17).

After all of the profound teaching and astounding miracles Jesus revealed to his disciples in the more than three years they were with him, this is the one and only place he uses the word “example.” Of all of the magnificent things we might think of when told to follow Jesus’ example, he says we will be blessed by following this one. The fact of the matter is, we never look more like Jesus than when we are serving—when we take on the towel of a slave and “wash the feet of others,” even those who will abandon, disown, and betray us. Like a slave, releasing all individual rights and personal freedoms, we become more like Jesus this way than we will any other way. 

Slave or Bondservant

In the New Testament, we who follow Christ are called many things, Christians (see Acts 11:26), brothers [and sisters] (see Acts 14:2), disciples (see Acts 6:1-2), saints (see Acts 9:13; Romans 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2), and believers (see 1 Timothy 4:12), among others. We are identified with many precious terms such as children of God (see John 1:12-13), heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and friends of Christ (see John 15:15). Collectively, the Church is honored with such profound titles as the Church of God (see Acts 20:28), the temple of God (see 1 Cor. 3:16-17), the Body of Christ (see 1 Cor. 12:27), a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation (see 1 Peter 2:9).

All of these terms are astonishing and wonderful, yet there is another important title that often goes unnoticed: slave. This regularly overlooked and under-taught word is one of the most common in the New Testament for followers of the Lord Jesus. Because of the painful legacy of this word in our culture, most English Bibles have sanitized it by translating it as servant, a far less “offensive” interpretation. However, the plain and simple definition of this common Greek word in the New Testament, more often than not, is slave. 

In the Greek New Testament, the common noun for slave (doulos [doo-los]), appears 123 times, including 30 times in Matthew, 27 times in Luke, and 30 times in Paul’s letters. The verb form, douluo [do-loo-oh], occurs 25 times with 17 of these in Paul’s writings. When the other forms of this word are tallied, it constitutes one of the most prolific and important in the whole New Testament (228 total appearances). Often these words are used in association with actual slaves or issues related to slaves, but in many places the language is used to describe Christ followers and matters related to following him.

As mentioned above, the majority of English translations opt to use the word servant or bondservant in place of the actual and natural rendering, slave. However, the New Living Translation, the Holman Christian Study Bible, and the New English Translation Bible have faithfully translated the word as slave, a helpful choice for English readers. The New American Standard translators opted to render the word as slave except when referring to the Lord Jesus or a specific Christian, in which case they chose bondservant, a confusing choice in my opinion (see Phil. 2:15, Jude 1:1, NASB). Let me explain.

The word doulos in Greek is the common word for slave; when Paul writes that there is no difference between slave or free, he uses this word (see 1 Cor. 12:13). When Peter tells slaves to obey their masters, he uses this word as well (see 1 Pet. 2:18). This common word is the same used in Philippians 2:7 to describe the Lord Jesus “taking the very nature of a slave,” as well as the word chosen by Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John to identify themselves with Christ (more on this below). The New American Standard translated each of these references to Jesus and the apostles as bondservants in an apparent attempt to imply that each chose to be in a position of servitude. I believe this is a mistake primarily because bondservant is an Old Testament concept—the notion of bondservant implies a sense of voluntary service, at least voluntary servitude. The problem is, in the Greek language of the New Testament and in the Greco-Roman world in which it was written, the Old Testament notion of a bondservant was virtually unknown. In the Roman Empire, the term slave always referred to one who was held in a position of permanent servitude, considered the owner’s personal property, and had essentially no rights whatsoever and could even be killed with impunity by their owners.

The Hebrew concept of bondservant (‘ebed) was a bit different (though a slave, nonetheless). The Law of Moses allowed a person to become an indentured servant voluntarily: “If the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life” (Exodus 21:5-6). This Hebrew idea is not what is expressed in the Greek word doulos, as we will see below. The basic Old Testament idea is that a slave (for whatever reason) who has been offered freedom can choose to become a permanent slave to the one offering freedom. In this case, an agreement is made, and the former slave now becomes a bondservant, a more dignified and noble form of slavery (but, again, still slavery). As stated above, this idea has no significant place in the Greco-Roman world of the Early Church and translating the word doulos as servant or bondservant diminishes the powerful thing God has done for us (we will discuss this more below).

There is another Greek word that is better translated as servant, the word diakonos [dee-ah-ko-nos]. This word, with its variant forms, shows up in the Greek New Testament an even one hundred times. This word can and is used for a slave who has received a “promotion,” so to speak, and is considered a manager of sorts…a slave still, but one who has earned the trust and affection of his owner. Paul uses the word to describe the work of the apostles as ministers of the new covenant (see 2 Cor. 3:6). It is also the word from which we derive the English word deacon (see 1 Tim. 3:12). Both words are used in Jesus’ statement in Matthew 20:26-27, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (diakonos), and whoever wants to be first must be your slave (doulos).” We will address the important differences between these words below as we encounter them.  

The term slave has many negative implications in our world, and rightly so, especially in the western world where slavery and the legacy of slavery was and is very real, even to this day. The poisonous tentacles of racism, bigotry, and prejudice still reach deep into our culture despite the rights of equality promised by the Constitution of our nation.  Even with all of the negative connotations, we as Christians must embrace the fact that slave is among the many words used to describe us in the New Testament, and as such, we must accept that we are not only followers of Christ and children of the Kingdom, but we are also slaves of God.

For some of us, this fact may be offensive, but how we perceive this truth can completely alter our outlook. For instance, the conditions and quality of life for a slave were almost entirely dependent on the nature, character, and personality of the master. A mean and ruthless master could make the life of a slave miserable, but a kind and benevolent master would treat slaves almost like or even as members of his own family.

During the first century, it is believed that as much as two-thirds of the population of the Roman Empire was either slave or former slave. Freeborn citizens worked daily with slaves in virtually all occupations, from builders and farmers to teachers and doctors. Criminals convicted of crimes not worthy of death, but life imprisonment, became slaves of the empire and usually died working in the mines or ships. Historical documents show that Jews owned slaves during the New Testament period, as well.

Jesus frequently used the imagery of slaves and owners in his parables (something we will examine more carefully). Jesus also taught that the greatest member in the kingdom of heaven would be the one who becomes “the slave of all” (Mark 9:35). This proposition would be putrid to a Roman citizen, who prided himself in his freedom and would never identify himself as a slave.

For us, the powerfully redeeming truth of this slave imagery is the fact that we were bought by a master prompted solely by kindness and mercy. The typical reasons a slave might be purchased included forced labor, financial investment, increasing one’s standing in the community, or even enhancing one’s ego. God was motivated by none of these; he was moved by sheer love alone. His deep desire to have us was proved by the exorbitant price he was willing to pay for us – “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed…but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19). Our master overflows with love, mercy, and compassion.

Resting in the fact that we belong to God in the most literal way is cause for rejoicing! He chose us before the creation of the world (Ephesian 1:3), he purchased us with the blood of his Son (1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 5:9), he set us free from slavery to sin and death (Romans 7:25-8:2), he made a sacred covenant with us (Hebrews 9:15), his purpose and plan is to adopt us (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:23), and he promises to make us his heirs and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). This is indeed a blessed slavery!

Slave Imagery in New Testament Teaching

Specific words and imagery related to slavery and the slave trade are often used by the writers of the New Testament to communicate the fact that we were purchased by God and are now owned by him. Paul reminds the Roman Christians they have “become slaves to God,” (Romans 6:22) and Peter admonishes his readers to “live as slaves of God” (1 Peter 2:16). Paul writes twice in First Corinthians, “You are not your own, you were bought at a price” (6:16; 7:23) and again in Romans, “…whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (Romans 14:8). In three specific places, this imagery is very strong: The parables of Jesus, Paul’s letter to the Romans, and the Book of the Revelation.

A. The Parables of Jesus – One of the most consistent concepts Jesus uses in the Gospels is the master/slave relationship, this is especially strong in the parables. There are no less than eight major parables in which Jesus employs the master/slave imagery to teach his disciples important truths:

The Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30).

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35).

The Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-41).

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew 22:1-14).

The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

The Parable of the Watchful Servants (Luke 12:35-48).

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-16).

The Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-27).

Jesus also uses real life master/slave language to illustrate important truths, “Suppose one of you had a slave plowing or shepherding the sheep. Would you say to the slave when he comes in from the field, ‘Come on over here, sit down and eat’?  Wouldn’t you rather say, ‘Make my dinner first, get yourself cleaned up and serve me while I eat and drink; after I’m finished you can eat and drink’? Would you thank the slave because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have only done our duty’” (Luke 17:7-10).

In each of these parables, Jesus not only uses the master/slave concept to teach a particular lesson, but also to display the attitude and perspective the disciples should have in relation to himself. This is not the way we are usually taught to view ourselves, in fact, some of us may find the thought uncomfortable, even offensive, but Jesus not only taught his disciples to think like this, but he also modeled it as well. He was adamant that he himself only does what his Father does (see John 5:19-20), he only does what pleases his Father (see John 8:28-29), his purpose for coming from heaven was solely to do the will of his Father (see John 6:38), in fact, his “food” was to do the will of his Father (see John 4:34). Jesus lived in total and complete submission to his Father’s will, and he consistently presented this model as the only acceptable and appropriate role for his followers as well.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus makes several other statements using this master/slave imagery. He teaches his disciples that to be great is to become a slave (Mark 10:44-45); after washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus tells them the slave is not greater than the master, therefore, since he did this, they too ought to wash one another’s feet (John 13:15-17); Jesus teaches his disciples to expect to be persecuted because “no slave is greater than his master; if they persecuted me, they will persecute you” (John 15:20; see also Matt. 10:24-25).

In a beautiful passage from the night he was arrested, Jesus tells his disciples he no longer calls them slaves, but calls them friends, a definite affirmation of his deep love for them (John 15:15). Despite this endearing gesture by Jesus, the master/slave concept continued to be used and taught by the disciples; even in the early Church it was never completely jettisoned. For instance, Polycarp, a first century Church leader reported to be a disciple of the Apostle John, said to a Roman Proconsul who was pressing him to renounce Jesus, “For eighty-six years I have been his slave and he has never done me wrong, how can I blaspheme my king who saved me?” (The Martyrdom of Polycarp, 10:3).

For those of us who love the Lord Jesus, it is easy to appreciate Polycarp’s sentiment. I do not find it remotely demeaning or undignified to identify myself as a slave of the Lord Jesus; considering all he has done for me, and knowing myself how truly unworthy I am, I consider it a great treasure to be the slave of the one who loves me most.

B. Slave Imagery in Romans – The apostle Paul also uses this imagery in several of his letters, but most significantly in his letter to the Romans. This slave language is potent, especially in the culture Paul is addressing, where the slave trade is alive and well. Throughout chapters 6-8, Paul uses language common to the slave trade, words familiar to and easily understood by his readers, creating a powerful visual in their minds of themselves having been slaves owned by a treacherous master (sin and death, and by implication, satan), but being purchased by a new master (God).

Paul begins by explaining that our old self was crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be slaves to sin (6:6). He goes on to admonish the Roman believers to not allow sin to reign in their bodies, and consequently allow it to become their master again, because they no longer live under the dominion of the law of sin and death, but under grace (6:12-14). Paul then warns them that they will become slaves to whatever they offer themselves to, whether it be slavery to sin which leads to death, or slavery to obedience which leads to righteousness (6:15-16).

He then praises God because these believers used to be slaves to sin, but they were set free and have become slaves to righteousness (6:17-18). Next, Paul reminds his readers that there was a time when they offered themselves in slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness, but now they must offer themselves in slavery to righteousness which leads to holiness (6:19). He concludes with this compelling statement, “…Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” (6:22).

In chapter seven, Paul discusses the battle between the holy law of God and the sinful nature, a battle raging in his own body. He confesses that he has been sold as a slave to sin and is therefore in a constant battle because in his mind he is a slave to God’s law, but in his sinful nature he is a slave to sin (7:14, 25). In chapter eight, he discusses the longing we have while waiting to be fully redeemed and adopted, reminding us that we did not receive a spirit that makes us slaves again to fear, but the spirit of sonship (8:25). Paul then concludes by pointing out that the entire creation is in bondage to decay awaiting the full adoption of the children of God (8:20-23).

We, like the Roman Christians, were slaves to sin and death, destined for eternal separation from God. Yet, in the slave market imagery Paul chooses, we were purchased by God and now belong to him completely; obedience to him in the form of righteousness is now the only acceptable way of life. Though we are God’s slaves, his purpose is to adopt us and make us fully his heirs and co-heirs with Christ…a glorious destiny if there ever was one. In this world, we are either slaves to satan and death or God and righteousness, could the choice be any easier?

C. Slave Imagery in the Book of the Revelation –In his vision of the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Apostle John employs slave language and imagery as well. The very first verse of the book uses the term twice: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his slaves what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his slave John” (Revelation 1:1). A bit further on, in the fourth of the seven letters to the churches, Jesus warns the Thyatirans about this woman, Jezebel, who tempts his slaves into sexual immorality and idolatry (2:20).

Later in the vision, an angel is sent to tell the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea to wait until the slaves of God have been sealed (7:3). Further in the vision, there is a wonderful scene of heaven rejoicing because God has avenged the blood of his slaves (19:2). A couple of verses later, the voice from the throne is telling those in heaven, “Praise our God, all you his slaves, all you who fear him, both small and great!” (19:5). Lastly, in an amazing passage of Scripture, after the new heavens and new earth have been created, as eternity is finally a reality, we are still referred to as slaves:

“No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his slaves will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. The angel said to me, ‘These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his slaves the things that must soon take place’” (Revelation 22:2-6).  

From the very beginnings of the ministry of Jesus, through the work of the apostles, and according to John’s revelation, throughout all of history we will be identified as slaves of God. As I said at the beginning of this article, it is a very common and powerful word group in the New Testament and it is time we embrace it, because it speaks to us about us. This is a term that should not offend us in this context, but rather generate for us feelings of security, comfort, and destiny. We belong to God in the most literal of ways, and nothing can ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. We belong to him, only to him, lock, stock, and barrel.

Actual Christian Slaves in the New Testament

Through the years, much ado has been made by many people about the fact that the New Testament seems to condone slavery. Though it is true that slavery is an accepted part of the cultural experience of those living in New Testament times, the teaching regarding slavery is anything but typical. Slaves are spoken of with a new dignity and an equality found only in the Body of Christ. Christian slave owners are admonished to treat their Christian slaves as equals, brothers and sisters in the Faith (see Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1).

Attempting to eradicate slavery from the Roman Empire would have been a fool’s task for the early Church. In one of his parables, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven like yeast that slowly permeates all the dough (Matt. 13:33); thus, the teaching of Christ slowly worked its way through the empire. Rather than railing against slavery, the Church sought to reform slavery through a methodical social egalitarianism rooted in the gospel—the gospel of Jesus Christ, which has been the impetus for every western nation ultimately bringing an end to slavery.

A slave in the New Testament world was a human being owned as property and absolutely subject to the will of another. It is true that in some important ways, slavery in the world of the early Church was much different than the slavery we are most familiar with in our culture, but the common denominator that truly matters is the fact that no slave, regardless of when or where, was or is free to do what he or she chooses to do.

Slaves who became Christian were taught that in Christ they were completely equal partners with all other followers of Christ, even their masters. It is a core value of Christianity that all people are equal in Christ regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Yet, in this world, they remained in bondage and were taught to become humble, faithful slaves who served their masters well as a testimony to the presence of Christ in their lives,

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free” (Ephesians 6:5-8; see also Colossians 3:22-24).

Slaves who had the good fortune of being owned by a benevolent master certainly fared better than others, but regardless of the temperament of the owner, Christian slaves were to submit with respect: “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh” (1 Peter 2:18). These instructions to actual slaves are illustrative of how we are to perceive ourselves as slaves of Christ; his will is to be our will, his purpose is to be our purpose, his words are our commands.

The Slave Brotherhood and Sisterhood

To be such slaves puts us in the greatest of company! The people in Scripture we admire most gladly characterize themselves as slaves of Christ; Mary, the mother of Jesus, identifies herself as “the Lord’s slave” (Luke 1:38, 48), godly Simeon, who waited day after day in the temple to lay eyes on his Savior so he could die in peace, refers to himself as “the Sovereign Lord’s slave” (Luke 2:29), and Moses is referred to as the Lord’s slave in the book of the Revelation (15:3). After having been flogged for preaching in the name of Jesus, the apostles prayed and asked the Lord to enable them, his slaves, to speak with boldness (Acts 4:29).

 All of the writing apostles and Church leaders refer to themselves as the Lord’s slaves, “Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus…” (Romans 1:1), “James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus…” (James 1:1), “Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 1:1), and “Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ…” (Jude 1:1). The Apostle John, in the opening verse of the Book of the Revelation, writes this, “The revelation of Jesus Christ…he made it known by sending his angel to his slave John…” (Revelation 1:1).   The Apostle Paul also refers to several of his companions as slaves of Christ, including Timothy (see Phil. 1:1), Epaphras (see Colossians 4:12), and Tychicus (see Colossians 4:7).

Even the Lord Jesus Christ chose the role of slave to express his solidarity with humanity. Paul writes to the Philippian Christians, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who…made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a slave, being made in human likeness” (Phil. 2:5-7).

The Apostle Paul frequently used this concept for himself. To the Corinthians he communicates that he and his companions preach only Christ Jesus and consider themselves nothing but his slaves (2 Cor. 4:5). He reminds the Galatians that he would not be a slave of Christ if he were still trying to please men (Galatians 1:10). In Acts 20:19, Paul uses the verb form of doulos to say he “served (as a slave) the Lord with great humility and tears.” Clearly, many of the most important people in the history of our Faith readily claim the moniker “slave” in connection with the Lord Jesus.

How Does this Slave Concept Apply to Us?

When we honestly search our hearts, many of us will admit the concept of “unworthy slaves simply doing our duty” somehow bothers us. This notion is difficult for most human beings to accept, especially Americans. We live in the land of freedom where rights abound, and opportunities are around every corner. We love to work hard and shine, but we also expect to be compensated and recognized for what we do. For many of us, not letting our right hand know what our left hand is doing too easily removes our motivation to serve (see Matt. 6:1-4).

This is where the distinction between doulos (slave) and diakonos (servant/minister/deacon) becomes most important. Most of us, on some level, are comfortable with the diakonos idea: a person who is given a task to perform, as Paul describes himself (see Rom. 15:16), or a person being appointed to the office of deacon (1 Tim. 3:8), or any of us simply using our giftedness to serve one another (1 Pet. 4:10); all of this is right and biblical, but it does feel like there is a little more in it for us, as opposed to “mere slaves simply doing our duty.”

The fact is, we are called to be both. As mentioned above, Jesus is documented as having used both terms to make a similar point:  “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (diakonos), and whoever wants to be first must be your slave (doulos)” (Matt.20:26-27); and then to seal the deal, he says, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (diakonos in both places)” (Matt. 20:28). Just as he is a servant, so are we to be — “A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant (doulos) above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant (doulos) like his master” (Matt. 10:24-25).

The words do indeed have some common denominators, but the word doulos is simply slave in its most base form…and it is used to refer to us dozens of times in the New Testament. It is critically important for us to nail down, once and for all, the fact that we totally and completely belong to God; this is the fundamental truth regarding our relationship with him. Therefore, when we have done everything we were told to do, the truth really is, “We have only done our duty” (Luke 17:10).  

Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines slave as “a human being who is owned as property by, and is absolutely subject to the will of, another; a bondservant divested of all freedom and personal rights” (IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., Foster City, CA © 2000, 1999). This is an accurate definition of the Greek word as well. This definition could not be more apropos for Christians as described by the language of the New Testament. As Paul states matter of factly, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Cor. 6:19-20; 7:23) and again, “…whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (Romans 14:8). Peter understands this truth as well, “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as slaves of God” (1 Peter 2:16). The irony is striking, live as free men, but live as slaves, that is, slaves to God.

It seems to me as I observe the Church in our culture, too many of us who follow Christ do so with little motivation and intention. I do not believe this is the result of a lack of love for Jesus (that is, an emotional longing for him), but a lack of true knowledge about this aspect of who we are and what we are supposed to be doing. By embracing the biblical concept that we are slaves to God, absolutely subject to his will and divested of all personal rights and freedoms, we will finally find the purpose (and peace) our souls long for.

Many of us who love the Lord Jesus live conflicted lives; the Holy Spirit within us serves as an internal force for growth toward godliness, while the world allows us, even encourages us, to do that which opposes God. The mechanism within us which enables us to choose God over the world is our will (empowered by the Holy Spirit). However, the will must be informed by the Word of God before we can make choices that honor God. The information we need is in the New Testament, yet many of us lack the motivation to read the New Testament with the vigor required to enable it to become the primary resource necessary to change what we believe and how we behave. Why? Because we lack the conviction that we must do this, believing instead that we ought to do it, but if we don’t, God understands. Why do we think like this? Because we do not embrace the fact that we are not our own, that we completely and totally belong to God, hook, line, and sinker.  

Imagine receiving a certified letter in the mail one day, informing you that you are the long-lost child of the second cousin to the King of England and as such, you are an heir to a portion of the House of Windsor, which would translate into many hundreds of millions of American dollars. The catch? You must learn to live as one of the royal family, pledge allegiance to the King, and live the remainder of your life doing all you can to bring honor to the Windsor name. Though most of us would never think of our faith in these terms, the truth is, this illustration is not far from reality. Paul admonishes the Colossian Christians to “live a life worthy of the Lord” and to “please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). Similar admonitions appear throughout all of the Apostle’s letters.

The language of obedience is common in the New Testament. For example, in what is called the “upper room discourse,” Jesus shares with his disciples his final thoughts and lessons prior to his arrest later that night. These lessons are rife with the language of obedience, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15), “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching…. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching….” (John 14:23-24), and, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). In truth, this kind of language can be found on almost every page of the New Testament. 

Jesus’ life was characterized by obedience as well, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:10); “…and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:44-45). If Jesus, our Master, took on the role of a slave, then surely, we, who are certainly not above our Master, should be every bit the slave he was.

Another very strong motivation for surrendering ourselves totally to God and intentionally pursuing a life of obedience to him is the fact that we will be held accountable. In the “slave parables” discussed above, Jesus repeatedly cautions the disciples to be ready, regardless of the hour the master returns. He will have words of blessing for those who have been obedient and punishment for those who have not (see Matt. 24:44; Luke 12:40). Paul often admonishes the churches with these words as well (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1ff). Living life in light of the fact that we will stand before the judgment seat is wise, to say the least. Paul reminds the Romans, “We will all stand before God’s judgment seat” (Romans 14:10) and in Second Corinthians, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

As challenging as it may be for many of us, choosing to humbly accept our role as God’s slave is essential to gaining a full and accurate picture of who we are in Christ. The fact that we are not only “heirs of God and coheirs with Christ,” but also “slaves of God” will set the course for a life that is both glorifying to God and gratifying to us. Here is where we find the purpose we so long for, the significance of our existence, back in the possession of the one who loves us most…back in the fold of our creator. The purpose of our lives is obedience to God…only here will we find peace and fulfillment.

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(C) 2024 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Though it may seem odd for us to consider, Jesus was once a little boy who had to be fed, changed, bathed, and educated, not only in the most practical ways, such as, reading and writing (in multiple languages), and learning mathematical skills necessary to becoming an accomplished carpenter, but he also had to learn the law of God and the traditions of his people. Luke gives us a brief glimpse into this shrouded part of Jesus’ life, “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). The writer to the Hebrews also adds insight into Jesus’ personal journey of maturity,

“During his life on earth, Jesus lifted many prayers with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his humble and holy submission. Even though he was God’s son, he learned obedience through his suffering and, once he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”(Hebrews 5:7-9).

During his ministry, Jesus was adamant that he only did what his Father showed him or told him to do. He was supremely intentional about staying submitted to his Father’s will at all times; the Apostle John is careful to record this aspect of Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus declared publically many times that his message originated in God: “These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 14:24); “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am  the one I claim to be  and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me” (John 8:28); “For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life, so whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say” (John 12:49-50). 

Jesus also publically declared that his actions were carefully directed by his Father, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19); “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38); “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34).

Jesus was confident that he always honored his Father in what he said and did, “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29); “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:30).

Though Jesus was (is) his Father’s Son and not his disciple per se, his careful obedience to his Father’s will is a model for his own disciples. Submission, obedience, loyalty, learning, these are the qualities of someone determined to please the one he loves the most; this is exactly what Jesus calls his disciples to emulate, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).

The vital issue is whether or not we are mere converts to Christianity or actual disciples of Jesus Christ. In what has become known as the “Great Commission,” Jesus commands his disciples to go into all the world making disciples, teaching them to obey all he commanded (see Matthew 28:18-20). Beliefs are indeed important, but it is Jesus himself who emphasizes over and over again the need for obedience, “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father” (see Matthew 7:21), and “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching” (John 14:23). In Luke, Jesus asks this ominous question, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). The New Testament is saturated with the language of obedience.

Cross Culture

The invitation to follow Christ familiar to most people in our culture bears little resemblance to the “invitations” of Jesus himself. First century Jews (and Gentiles) were commonly exposed to the ever looming pestilence of Roman crucifixion. Criminals and political activists were put to death by the thousands. It was and is still considered one of the most heinous forms of capital punishment ever devised. Even the great first century Roman historian Cicero acknowledged the horrors of the cross, claiming that no Roman citizen should ever experience it in any way, “The very word ‘cross’ should be far removed not only from the person of a Roman citizen, but from his thoughts, his eyes, and his ears.”

The majority of early first century Jews had personally seen countless countrymen nailed to the cursed tree. They had seen the torn flesh from the initial flogging. They had seen the spikes driven through wrists and feet. They had seen the hot Mediterranean sun cook the raw flesh of the crucified. They had seen the biting flies crawling over the open wounds of the victim. They had seen the scavenger birds waiting for death, and sometimes not waiting. They had heard the cries for mercy, the tears of terror and agony, the slow and painful suffocation. They, like all in the Empire, lived in mortal fear of this fate.

Jesus, too, had undoubtedly seen this horror—we can only imagine what he thought as he contemplated his own crucifixion one day. Knowing the revulsion his fellow Jews felt about this brutal act, it might be considered strange, possibly even heartless, that Jesus would adopt this imagery as the signature metaphor regarding following him. He is adamant that those who desire to come after him cannot do so apart from the way of the cross, “Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27); “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23); “…and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38).

Why would Jesus choose such an alarming image? It would seem that anyone seeking followers would never want to use such a graphic contemporary practice to call them to join him, unless Jesus’ intent was to communicate from the outset the gravity of his message, purpose, and calling. Our modern American culture has tamed Jesus over the decades. We have inundated our churches and homes with paintings of a kind, gentle shepherd with long, flowing hair and a beautiful tan…sufficiently subdued to little more than our very own Sancho Panza. But this is not the Jesus of the New Testament; the Jesus who cleared the temple, who stood toe to toe with the Pharisees seeking to kill him, who boldly confessed his divinity before the Sanhedrin, who refused a defense before the Roman procurator, and who endured twice the crucifixion experience of the average man.  Jesus came on a mission that would alter eternity and he is calling courageous disciples to boldly carry on this mission until he returns; disciples who understand the meaning of the cross. 

Crosses abound in our culture, from steeples, to jewelry, to tattoos, but a cross is no mere decoration, a cross was a means of capital punishment and used for nothing but killing. Jesus calls us to voluntarily take up the cross knowing that those who bear crosses have been stripped of all rights and are committed to dying (figuratively and/or literally). We bear a cross because our Master bore a cross and told us we could not follow him if we did not bear a cross ourselves. Bearing our cross is the ultimate symbol of our commitment to God’s purpose and our loyalty to our Master. Crosses are not decorations, but declarations that we belong to Christ Jesus and intend to fulfill his purpose in our lives.

We take up our cross daily, just as Jesus did, and follow him, he says there is no other way; The way of the cross is the way of Jesus, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). As we bear our cross in obedience to Christ, the Holy Spirit uses it in our lives to enable us to die to ourselves daily and to relentlessly place one foot in front of the other, walking away from this world and toward the Kingdom of God. Moment by moment, thought by thought, we choose to honor God and, consequently, are being conformed to the image of his Son.

In his letters, the Apostle Paul often uses the imagery of crucifixion to describe our death to the world and our life to Christ. To the Roman Christians he writes that our old self has been crucified with Christ so that we would no longer be slaves to sin (see Romans 6:6). To the Galatians, Paul says he himself has been crucified with Christ, it is no longer he who lives, but Christ who lives in him (see Galatians 2:20). He later tells these same believers that all those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires (see Galatians 5:24) and that the world has been crucified to them (see Galatians 6:14). Later in his ministry, Paul tells the Philippians to have the attitude of Christ Jesus who took on the very nature of a slave and became obedient even to the point of dying on a cross (see Philippians 2:5).

Obviously, in our world today, the fear associated with actual crucifixion does not exist. Nevertheless, as followers of the crucified King, we must allow God to continue to use the pain and death of the cross to crucify our flesh—our longings for the ways of the world, our selfish ambitions that distract us from his work in our lives, and our innate pride and arrogance that keep us from being the humble servants of those still trapped in the world. I highly recommend that you find some of Francois Fenelon’s writings. He died in 1651, but his reflections on the work of the cross in our life are unsurpassed in my opinion. The book, The Seeking Heart, is a very nice collection of his writings. Google him; his stuff is well worth it.

Who Exactly Is a Disciple?

Some of us have inadvertently made the mistake of thinking that the term disciple applies only to the twelve men Jesus called in the Gospels. It is true that Jesus chose twelve as apostles (see Luke 6:13) who would stay with him at all times and learn directly from him; these men became known simply as the Twelve (see Luke 8:1 for instance). After Jesus ascended into heaven and Judas Iscariot committed suicide, the apostles chose Matthias to become the twelfth member of the Twelve (see Acts 1:26). However, Jesus had many more disciples than this.

The following verses will illustrate this fact, “When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them” (Luke 6:13); “A large crowd of his disciples was there…” (Luke 6:17); “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus” (Matthew 27:57); “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31); and once when Jesus taught a particularly difficult message, some of his disciples were offended, “From this time many of his disciplesturned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). As Jesus traveled and taught throughout Israel, he spoke often of what it meant to become one of his disciples (see Luke 14:26-35 for instance). In the Great Commission, Jesus tells the apostles to go into all nations making disciples (see Matthew 28:19).

As the apostles spread the message of the gospel throughout Judea and the Mediterranean, long before the followers of Jesus were known as Christians, they were simply known as disciples (see Acts 11:26). Many followers of Jesus are named as disciples throughout the book of Acts: Ananias (see Acts 9:10), Tabitha (see Acts 9:36), Timothy (see Acts 13:1), and Mnason (see Acts 21:16). In fact, Luke, the writer of Acts, frequently makes reference to the growth of disciples, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly…” (Acts 6:7; see Also 6:1) and “[Paul and Barnabas] preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples” (Acts 14:21).

It was not uncommon for others to have disciples as well; John the Baptist had disciples (see Matthew 9:14). In fact, Andrew was first a disciple of John and then became a disciple of Jesus (see John 1:35-42). The Pharisees also had disciples (see Matthew 22:16); and many of the Pharisees considered themselves to be disciples of Moses (see John 9:28). The concept of disciple is so common throughout the New Testament that the word appears over 280 times in the typical English Bible.

To become a Christian is to become a disciple. If a person admires Jesus merely as a masterful teacher, he is not a disciple. If a person sees Jesus simply as a special friend who will one day tenderly escort him to heaven, he is not a disciple. If a person believes that Jesus died for his sins, but has no conviction or desire to know and do what Jesus taught, he is not a disciple. Jesus himself explains that the purpose of discipleship is to become like him, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).  If we have no desire or conviction to become like Jesus, we need to reconsider our understanding of the Faith we claim.

A Disciplined Faith

The word disciple in Greek literally means “a learner” (mathetes), but implies both thought and action. Disciples did not study under a master simply to know what the master knew, but to know in order to live like the master. Disciples of Jesus do not merely believe in Jesus, but they believe Jesus and strive to believe what Jesus believed and taught in order to live like Jesus lived. Disciples of Jesus do not only celebrate the life of Jesus, they emulate the life of Jesus.

As mentioned above, Jesus consistently identifies following him with a lifestyle of obedience, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’will enter the kingdom of heaven,but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21); “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50); “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14). Once when Jesus was teaching, a woman in the crowd was moved to yell out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” But Jesus responded, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:26-27). Even in the Great Commission, Jesus’ call to obedience is unmistakable: “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me, now I am telling you to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. I promise you, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Jesus does not send us into the world to make believers, converts, or mere followers; his charge is to go and make disciples who are obedient to his commands. This call to discipleship is so crucial to following Jesus, at times his words even sound harsh. To one man who sought to follow him, Jesus warned, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58) — challenging the man to consider whether he is actually prepared for the call or not. To another who asked if he could begin following Jesus after his father dies (the typical obligation of a first-born son), Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). And to another who asked to first go and say goodbye to his family, Jesus simply said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

Such “insensitive” language is difficult for us to understand or appreciate. In our culture, saturated with inalienable rights and personal freedoms, it sounds offensive for someone to be so direct. In fact, many of us would not tolerate being spoken to like this. But the language of Jesus reveals the gravity of his call; Jesus was fully willing to allow people to turn down the opportunity to be his disciple. To one young man who sought the key to eternal life, Jesus, who loved the man, advised, “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). However, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Mark 10:22). Though Jesus loved him, he did not chase after him and negotiate. Another time, because some who followed him found his teaching offensive, they abandoned him, “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). Again, Jesus did not recant what he had said that offended them. 

It was not uncommon for Jesus to teach some of his more difficult lessons when a large crowd had gathered; this often had the effect of separating the “wheat from the chaff.” In this passage from Luke, Jesus tells his listeners that before becoming his disciples they must be sure to carefully consider the cost of that decision:

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

Imagine that a man wants to build a tower. Shouldn’t he figure out how much it will cost, to see if he has enough money to finish the job? If he gets started and doesn’t finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, “This guy began this project without even knowing if he would be able to finish.”

“Or imagine a king is about to launch a war against another king. Shouldn’t he first figure out if he is able with ten thousand troops to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he isn’t, he better send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and seek a peace treaty. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-33).  

In the first part of this statement, Jesus identifies that which ought to have the most value to any human being…family relationships. The Lord of love and family is certainly not advocating actual hatred and legitimizing resentment, yet, in comparison to the commitment we must have to following him, even that which is most precious to us cannot detour us from our call. If Jesus would choose something so powerfully personal as family to make his point, how might we imagine he would feel about the other things that we cherish in this life that hinder our call to discipleship? With striking frankness, the Master gives two illustrations to clarify his call.

First, a man is going to build a tower but fails to consider beforehand what will actually be required to complete the task. When he runs out of resources, he stops building, the people in his community humiliate him, and what he has built is slowly destroyed by the elements.  In our culture, when someone is “led to Christ,” there is very little discussion of what it actually means to be a disciple. Consequently, we have literally millions of Americans who believe they are Christians but feel no obligation to live as disciples. Jesus is much more honest in his presentation of the gospel. As unappealing as this sounds to American ears, Jesus warns that those who do not first count the cost involved in being his disciple will likely fail, bringing humiliation and devastation on themselves (a point he makes elsewhere as well, Matt. 7:24-27).

In the second illustration, it appears that the smaller army represents a person, and the larger army represents God. When the smaller army realizes there is no possibility of victory, they choose a treaty rather than destruction. Jesus then says that those who desire to follow him, like the smaller army in the illustration, must submit to the terms of the treaty, even giving up everything to have peace with the king. Otherwise, Jesus warns, we cannot be his disciple.

Disciples accept the fact that to follow Jesus is to think and act like him, which undoubtedly means rethinking our own lifestyles; to believe what Jesus believed and to live like Jesus lived requires rethinking the purpose and priorities of our lives. It is the purpose of our lives that determines our priorities, and our priorities dictate how we use our time, energy, and resources. For example, if my purpose in life is to make enough money to comfortably retire by the time I am fifty years old, then my priorities will be about earning as much as I can, saving as much as I can, spending as little as possible, and making smart investments; my entire life will be directed by my ultimate purpose.

Christians are called to every kind of vocational field and career path and should manifest a diligent work ethic wherever we find ourselves—this is honorable to God. However, our purpose (as opposed to our career or vocation)must be aligned with the purposes of God, and our priorities must be designed to accomplish his purposes first and foremost. In other words, whether I am a teacher, police officer, or mechanic, my priorities regarding ethics, fairness, diligence, and so on, must all be guided by my ultimate purpose: to honor God and bring glory to him in all things. Jesus says, “Seek first God’s kingdom and lifestyle, and all the other things will be given to you also” (Matthew 6:33*), and ominously, “What good is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).

We cannot know his purpose, nor prioritize our lives accordingly, until we develop a deep conviction about knowing what Jesus and the apostles taught in the New Testament and doing it. Author and professor Dallas Willard writes, “The governing assumption today, among professing Christians, is that we can be ‘Christians’ forever and never become disciples.”[1] Willard goes on to speak of how utterly critical it is that Christians understand the difference between the two:

“So the greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as “Christians” will become disciples—students, apprentices, practitioners—of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.”[2]  

Christians are indeed called to obey many arduous commands:  doing good to those who harm us, praying for those who persecute us, blessing those who curse us, loving one another as he loves us, forgiving one another as our Father forgives us, doing to others as we would have them do to us, being merciful as our Father is merciful, being peacemakers because we are called the children of God, and so on (see Matthew 5-7; Luke 6). Professor Willard may be right, if enough of us really did live this way, we might actually change the world (or at least our little, tiny part of it).  

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(C) 2024 D. Edwin Cohea/Coheasive Concepts.

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[1] Dallas Willard, The Great Omission, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY, 2006, Pg. xi.

[2] Ibid., Pg. xv.