Word and Spirit

Paul refers to the Apostasy and the Man of Lawlessness who is the Son of Destruction (2Thess 2:3).  The definite articles give a unique specificity to his expectation.  These are not vague, undefined expressions of wickedness.  One might say they are summations of it.  All the strands of earthly evil can be gathered up and bound together in what seems to be an ultimate expression of sin.  Something or someone restrains it for now (2Thess 2:6), but when that restraint is removed, all the forces of hell will break loose (2Thess 2:7-8).  Yet Jesus reigns supreme.  He will simply slay this devil with the breath of His mouth.  Sadly, those who are perishing will be deceived by the accompanying false signs and wonders primarily because they refused to love the truth and had pleasure in unrighteousness (2Thess 2:10, 12).  How different were the believing Thessalonians!  Paul identifies them as the godly antithesis since they were being saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (2Thess 2:13).  Those perishing hate the truth while believers love it.  Those perishing delight in unrighteousness while believers turn away from it.  Those glorious means by which the salvation accomplished by Christ was applied to believers were God’s word and Spirit.  Nothing less could rescue weak lambs from the mighty jaws of wickedness and corruption, or the mystery of lawlessness.  Why mysterious?  Partly because of its insidious and deceitful nature.  We are no match for it.  But thanks be to God!  His Word shall accomplish His purpose and succeed in the thing for which He sends it (Isa 55:11) and His Spirit can and will sanctify with invincible power.  While our enemies are formidable, our temptations strong and our flesh weak, we have no reason to fear.  The Lord Jesus cannot be denied His offspring (Isa 53:10) whom He will certainly deliver from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever.  Amen  (Gal 1:4-5).

Expectations

Our expectations of this life are far too great and those of the life to come are way too small.  These unrealistic expectations, when disappointed, lead to much of the depression and discouragement experienced by professing Christians.  As the wise man observes, Hope deferred makes the heart sick (Prv 13:12).  Either delayed gratification or unmet expectation will “sicken” the soul with disappointment.  Many modern Christians are sick because they know not what to expect from life in a fallen world and cannot begin to anticipate the glorious life of heaven.  Having expectations “out of whack” they live an imbalanced, unstable and disheartened Christian life.

Let us start with this life.  What should we expect?  At the very least, according to Genesis 3, we should anticipate painful childbirths, fractured relationships, wearisome toil, exasperating problems and inevitable death.  This explains, in part, why Paul calls it the present evil age (Gal 1:4).  Sin has infiltrated, contaminated and devastated every aspect of human life such that our Lord Himself made reference to this adulterous and sinful generation (Mk 8:38).  It is an evil generation! (Lk 11:29).  Death has spread to all men (Ro 5:12) and cemeteries litter the earth’s surface as reminders of sin’s ruinous consequences.  The golden years of retirement are actually evil days and days of darkness (Eccl 12:1; 11:8).  No wonder Solomon threw up his hands at one point and exclaimed, All is vanity! (Eccl 1:2).  In addition, the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1Jn 5:19).  Satan has usurped authority in this age and as the god of this world he has blinded the minds of the unbelievers (2Cor 4:4).  So the mass of unbelieving humanity, unable and unwilling to grasp spiritual truth (1Cor 2:14), now hates the light (Jn 3:20), hates the Lord (Ro 1:30) and hates the followers of Christ (Jn 15:19).  We should not be surprised, therefore, at the fiery trial when it comes upon us as though something strange were happening (1Pt 4:12).  We should expect it!  John says the world is passing away along with its desires (1Jn 2:17).  It is a fallen world, a futile age, a fading universe.  Here we must eat the bread of adversity and drink the water of affliction (Is 30:20).  God in His mercy continues to bestow good things on just and unjust alike (Mt 5:45).  But all our days are full of sorrow, and our work is a vexation.  Even in the night our hearts do not rest (Eccl 2:23).  Should we not then frame our expectations of this life according to the biblical perspective and thereby avoid the heart-sick condition of dashed expectations?

Let us now consider the life to come.  What should we expect?  Paul alludes to what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him, and he tells us that God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit (1Cor 2:9-10).  That is, in Scripture we discover revelations of future blessedness, wonderful glimpses of heavenly glory.  Of course language itself fails to describe that remarkable state adequately, but the Bible provides plenty of revelatory gist for the mill of sanctified imagination!  With those ancient saints we desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one (Heb 11:16).  The heavenly Jerusalem of pure gold, clear as glass, has the glory of God so that its radiance is like a most rare jewel (Rev 21:11, 18).  The Lamb Himself illuminates this glorious city in which there never will be any darkness or corruption or sin (Rev 21:25-27).  In the midst of this city runs the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, and on either side is found the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit for the healing of the nations (Rev 22:1-2).  From this place will be removed all griefs and sorrows because God Himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain (Rev 21:4).  Paul considers present hardships light momentary afflictions when he compares them to this eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2Cor 4:17).  This we may expect as Christians!  We need not lost heart!  If we frame our expectations biblically, we may avoid the heart-sick condition and live a faithful, hopeful, productive Christian life awaiting the adoption of sons, the redemption of our bodies (Ro 8:23).  With Paul we may consider the sufferings of this present time unworthy of comparison with that glory to be revealed to us (Ro 8:18).

The standing ministry of any church must try to help Christians frame their expectations along biblical lines.  Our preaching and teaching must highlight the reality of sin and misery on the one hand, and the truth of heavenly blessedness on the other.  The Lord Jesus Christ has dealt with the one and secured the other.  While unmet expectations sicken the heart, a desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Prv 13:12) and sweet to the soul (Prv 13:19).  May we press on by faith in the promise of God, and look forward to the day when our expectations are not only met but greatly exceeded. 

Take up your cross

It seems the biblical idea of cross-bearing has been misunderstood.  Typically we think of the crosses we must bear as the various trials, temptations and hardships we inevitably undergo in this life.  Each of us endures difficulties in which we as Christians are called to exercise patience and through which we may trust in the wise fatherly care of our God.  Many today view these hardships as “crosses” to bear.  But this misses the mark of what Jesus means when He says, “Take up your cross.”  First, unsaved people endure the same hardships.  They suffer afflictions, experience hardships, lose loved ones and eventually die.  Yet we would not say they are “bearing crosses.”  Second, the command to take up the cross indicates that the disciple is active not passive in this duty.  While most of life’s difficulties are “laid upon” us, the Christian is to “take up” his cross.  Third, the instrument itself, the cross, is an instrument of torture and death.  It suggests a hostile activity, not a patient passivity.  We are to use this instrument of death to kill something, namely, our sin.  Fourth and finally, Luke’s rendition of our Lord’s command includes the word “daily”:  Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Lk 9:23).  Cross-bearing is something disciples must do every day through the scope of their entire lives.  While ordinary hardships are often temporary and of limited duration, cross-bearing is to be daily, every day, on all days, from now until we draw our last breath.  A man does not carry his own cross for two blocks and pass it off to another.  He bears it all the way to his death!  For these reasons, cross-bearing must not refer to the personal disappointments, physical handicaps or difficult hardships we experience with the rest of mankind.  Afflictions will be as diverse as the number of afflicted.  But the cross will be the same.  Regardless of what we suffer, we are all to take up our cross.  So what is the duty of cross-bearing that is incumbent upon every disciple of Christ?

It begins with a sincere faith in the Lord Jesus and a humble reliance upon the Holy Spirit.  Whatever cross-bearing is, one cannot perform it without trusting in Christ and being empowered by His Spirit.  It also involves at the very least the daily and diligent use of God’s appointed means for killing sin.  To deny oneself is the negative aspect of the disciple’s duty.  One must abstain from indulging his sin and starve it to death.  To bear one’s cross is the positive aspect of the disciple’s duty.  One actively crucifies his sin with God-given means of grace, especially the word, sacraments and prayer.  The word is a sword with which the disciple identifies sin, lacerates lust and cuts out selfish ambition, evil desires, sinful sloth, ungodly materialism, etc.  It is a powerful instrument for putting to death self-interest, self-esteem, self-centeredness and self-importance.  Indeed, it is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb 4:12).  The sacraments are potent means of strengthening and equipping the disciple to fight this spiritual battle.  Luther often defended himself against the devil by saying, “I am baptized!”  The same can be said with regard to one’s own flesh.  “Flesh, would you indulge your sinful lusts?  I am baptized!  I am a communicant!  You will not prevail”  Interestingly, the disciple’s initial duties of self-denial and cross-bearing are matched by the disciple’s initial privilege of baptism (Mt 28:19).  The link between these discipleship firsts is noteworthy.  Specifically, without baptism (and the Lord’s Supper) these initial duties would be far more difficult to fulfill.  Prayer is indispensable in this battle with sin.  One cannot prevail without it.  Cross-bearing requires prayer.  No wonder the early church devoted itself to this discipline (Acts 2:42).  In fact, the whole panoply of spiritual armor enumerated by Paul concludes with an exhortation to be praying at all times in the Spirit (Eph 6:18).  This is how the disciple acknowledges his utter dependence on Christ to receive help in time of need.  We need His power and grace to mortify our sins.  Prayer seeks from the Lord that which only He can supply through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  To those who seem to lack power in overcoming sin and who find themselves flailing and floundering in their struggle with lust, perhaps it needs to be said, You do not have, because you do not ask (Jas 4:2).  Jesus assures us that the heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Lk 11:13).

There is far more to it than this.  Owen’s classic treatise on the mortification of sin is a masterful treatment of this topic.  But a sincere, Spirit-filled believer’s use of the means of grace is certainly a large part of this duty.  While we share in this life’s miseries with all of Adam’s children, as Christians we must be diligent in actively crucifying those sins that threaten our spiritual fruitfulness and well-being.  As Owen wisely advises, Be killing sin, or it will be killing you!  So attend the word.  Participate in the sacraments.  Engage in prayer.  Mortify sin.  Glorify and enjoy Christ.

Shame and Shunning

Naughty children have heard from their disappointed parents the oft repeated phrase Shame on you! It expresses verbally what the disobedient feels internally and the public senses collectively. Blushing under that uncomfortable sensation evoked by a guilty conscience, the child averts his eyes from wagging heads. It is a deeply painful experience that is not soon forgotten. In fact, many adults can recall such experiences with vivid detail well into their later years.

As an attendant of guilt, shame exerts a powerful influence on the mind and heart. Adam and Even felt its sting and in vain attempted to evade its influence and conceal their guilt. Out of desperation they donned fig leaf loincloths, but it was a failed effort. The screams of conscience could not be quelled. The frown of God could not be hidden. Like a shadow, shame now became the constant companion of fallen human beings. David describes it as being covered with scorn and disgrace (Ps 71:13) or being clothed with dishonor (Ps 109:29). What an apt depiction of guilt’s accomplice! No child of Adam is immune from that painful inward sensation that chases every sin.

Because it exerts such a negative sway over one’s psyche, shame serves as a strong deterrent to sin. A man’s most vile and wicked desires are often publicly restrained for fear of falling into open disgrace. Does this not explain, in part, the reason why the Pharisees were like whitewashed tombs? (Mt 23:27). They feared public humiliation. Because of its restraining influence, shame has been applied by our infinitely wise God as a means of reclaiming His wandering children. For example, when the leadership of a church formally admonishes a disobedient member, it serves as a spiritual Shame on you! As a formal, public act of applying shame on the erring member, it exerts a heavy influence in the experience of the culprit. Other more severe measures, such as suspension from the Lord’s Supper and excommunication from the membership of the church carry with them more acute degrees of shame. These censures are applied in an effort to reclaim the disobedient member from the dangers of sin. By the Spirit’s power under God’s blessing such means are often effective tools in the loving discipline of God’s people.

Consequently, Paul writes in his letter to the Thessalonians, If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother (2Thess 3:14-15). He is referring to a disobedient member of whom the church is to take note. The apostle commands the church to distinguish the member for others to see. He is to be marked out. A.T. Robertson says it means to put a tag on that man. How this is done is not specified (e.g. by letter, public announcement, etc.). The point is that the church as the church must identify the offender so that all can take note.

Paul also requires the congregation to have nothing to do with him. The English translation here may be somewhat misleading. Literally it means do not mix up together with him or do not associate with him. It does not mean to shun all contact but to curtail certain expressions of fellowship, both ecclesiastical and individual. Such exclusion from ordinary associations might be an effective means of pricking the member’s conscience with shame’s painful inward sensation. In fact as the apostle makes clear, the church must disassociate from him that he may be ashamed (v. 14).

The next verse helps clarify the nature of this disassociation. Specifically, the congregation must not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother (2Thess 3:15). In other words, he still must be looked upon and treated as a Christian, albeit an erring one. He is not an enemy, but a brother in need of discipline, care and oversight. Historically this has been understood as a justification for suspension from the Lord’s Supper (e.g. WCF 30.4). During such a suspension, the church does not associate publicly and formally with the brother, i.e. those who are spiritual do not testify and cherish their love and communion with him at the Lord’s table (cf. Gal 6:1; WLC 162). But the man is still considered a brother entitled to certain privileges not afforded to unbelievers. He is not totally ostracized from Christian fellowship. In other words, he is not shunned.

A family does not shun but trains a disobedient child. Within a familial context, discipline is never penal but always remedial. The aim should be to shape and restore the child, to guide and govern his behavior, so he can live within the family circle for the common good. Similarly, a church family is not to shun but train an erring member. As a means of grace its loving discipline should be designed to bring the member’s character and conduct into conformity with the will of Christ so he can serve the common good. If he remains impenitent, then the time may come when he is excommunicated and treated as an unbelieving outcast. But even then he should be viewed not as a lost cause to be despised and ignored, but as an object of pity, prayer and evangelism. No church has the right to prohibit him from public worship unless he poses a threat to the physical safety and well-being of the flock. The excommunicant needs to be in the pew so he can hear from the pulpit!

The verb translated have nothing to do with is used only three times in the New Testament (1Cor 5:9, 11; 2Thess 3:14). In each case the context is a situation of church discipline. Paul told the Corinthians they were not to associate with a professing Christian who is living in sin, and as he further explains they are not even to eat with such a one (1Cor 5:11). If a man is dogmatically impenitent, the church must put the mark of disgrace upon the unabashed member both officially and collectively. Hopefully he will be ashamed and, if possible, reclaimed for Christ. In such a case, both sacred and civil fellowship must be interrupted. By this impenitence the erring member forfeits participation in the Lord’s Supper. He also surrenders the normal benefits of friendship with other Christians. But notice, while ecclesiastical and social fellowship are curtailed, concern and contact are not totally withdrawn. He is the object of pity, not scorn. He must still be evangelized. The gospel must be proclaimed and he should listen!

We must also keep in mind that the severest of disciplinary measures is applied only in the case of impenitence. If the member remains unapologetically entrenched in his sin, then the censure of excommunication administered. But let’s be clear. It is a situation in which he exhibits no repentance – no sight and sense of sin’s danger and filthiness, no grief over and hatred of its evil, no turning away from the sin to God, no apprehension of divine mercy in Christ, and no intent or endeavor to follow the Lord Jesus (cf. WLC 76). When a professed Christian behaves like this, then (and only then) the people of God must officially and collectively apply even the severest means of God’s appointment in an effort to reclaim him (cf. 1Cor 5:5). Such a measure includes not only cutting him off from the visible community of faith, but also denying him the ordinary benefits of social discourse and friendship. The professing Christian who is notoriously guilty of sin must be shamed. Christians must not commune with him either at the Lord’s Table or in ordinary meals, which are an expression of friendship. Shame’s powerful influence just may divert him from the path of destruction and rescue him from the pains of hell! So the erring member is shamed both formally and informally by the church officially and by the members individually. There is no communion with a person who claims to follow Christ but clamors after Satan. Such a scandal must not be tolerated by the church of Christ. But again, this does not prohibit all possible contact. The excommunicant remains the object of pity, prayer and evangelism!

Moreover, if the member who has fallen into sin repents, then those censures which have been effective are to be withdrawn. The church is not permitted to take its pound of flesh! She is not entitled to punish a wandering sheep to gratify a sinful desire for revenge. She must keep in view the teaching of Paul who said Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness (Gal 6:1). Her treatment of repentant members should be a reflection of how they are treated by God: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9). Does there need to be proof of genuine penitence? Yes, for as John’s clarion call made clear, there must be fruit in keeping with repentance (Mt 3:8). But this must be sought with humility and a spirit of gentleness (Gal 6:1). Christ’s under shepherds must keep watch prayerfully in hopes of seeing those spiritual virtues and disciplines in the member’s life that are displayed in the lives of all the rest of Christ’s sheep (e.g. Gal 5:22-24). As spiritual leaders they must guard against applying overly severe and unwarranted measures simply because the member has erred. Some additional methods of accountability might be required, such as frequent counseling sessions or regular updates, but extreme measures akin to Roman penitence go beyond the biblical pattern. For instance, to demand compliance with a contract requiring a detailed history of past sins is not only unhealthy but unbiblical. If a man repents, why demand such a rehearsal of previous sins and failures? Where do we find this in the teaching of Christ? It is a man-made tradition. There is no scriptural warrant for such a vindictive measure.

In sum, shame exerts a powerful influence in a sinner’s heart and life. God uses it to curb sinful behavior and to reclaim wandering sheep. Through the instrumentality of His church King Jesus utilizes shame as a means of grace in rescuing erring members from destructive paths. In extreme cases, even the ordinary benefits of friendship are to be withdrawn in hopes of recovering the impenitent member from sin. But the church must not go beyond what Christ has commanded since this would be to usurp His authority as the chief Shepherd of the flock. Let us be thankful for the efforts and concern of faithful under shepherds as well as true friends who care enough to say Shame on you! If the Lord’s hand is heavy, then perhaps we will acknowledge our sin. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Ps 32:1).

Confession of Sin

Our Father, we have sinned by often letting our worship, service and evangelism become man-centered.  Many times we have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere trinkets prized on earth.  We have insulted your majesty by focusing our attention on personalities, eloquence, abilities as well as worldly riches and success.  With relative indifference we have treated the unrivaled gift of your Son, even Jesus whom you sent to be the propitiation for our sins.  We have failed to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all conditions.  Frequently we have quenched your Spirit. Please forgive us in Christ.