Roots by the River

You may have experienced or witnessed Christians or pseudo-Christians who have divided the body of Christ. The Bible speaks to us about them in several places. “They said to you, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.’ These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit” (Jude 18-19). “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10-11). “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Romans 16:17-18). “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree wi...

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!” (Gal. 1:6-9). This is a good measuring stick against which we can measure anything that is declared to be true. It is the Gospel that saved us. This Gospel is succinctly expressed in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5: “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was burie...

Jesus had just finished saying to the twelve that after His resurrection they should no longer ask Him anything. They should ask the Father in Jesus’ name, because the Father Himself loved them. “Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God” (John 16:30). Normally, we would come to two conclusions concerning John 16:30. Either a person who knew all things would not need to ask anyone any questions, or a person who knew all things would want others to ask him questions in order to display his knowledge. Because Jesus spoke clearly and without figures of speech, the twelve first could see that He knew all things, and second that He did not need to have anyone ask Him questions. These two conclusions made them believe that he came from God. "Knowing all things" would make any person believe that Jesus came from God. However, that was not convincing enough for the twelv...

"I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father . I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" (John 16:25-28). This is a wonderful statement! The Father Himself loves you . Many Christians do not believe that, even though they know John 3:16 and Romans 5:8. They read those verses in such a way as to read, "For Jesus so loved the world," and, “Jesus commends His love for us.” The Father loves us. We should dwell on that fact. It influences all of our actions.   Written August 1986. This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily readi...

  Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” (John 9:41). We all know people who claim they can see but who are, in fact, blind. Their guilt remains. You may not know this but here in the United States there is a geographical area in which the entire culture (social, religious, political, and business) claims to see. It is the Mormon culture that controls Utah and the contiguous areas of Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada. Backslidden Mormons are more willing to admit that they cannot see. We have one mission station in this area: Oasis Books in Logan, Utah, the location of Utah State University. Please pray for our staff as they work with people who do not know that they are guilty of Romans 1:22-23: “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man…” Their idea of God is one that is physical and looks l...

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 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 1:3-7). “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25). I selected these two very clear expressions from the writings of John and Peter because in a succinct way they tell us about God—who He is, ...

  "This world is a slippery place, and the Scriptures are a rock on which to stand. This world is a dark place, and the Scriptures are the light with which we may make our way. This world is a corrupt place, and the Scriptures outline the true way of purity for us. The world is a false place, and the Scriptures tell us the truth—about God, about man, about sin, about salvation, and about revelation. The world is a seductive place, and the Scriptures speak to us in a way that reveals the vanity of it. The world is a blurry place, and the Scriptures bring everything into singular focus. The world is a distracting place, and the Scriptures bring all the right priorities together. The world is an evil place, and the Scriptures testify to us of all that is holy, righteous, and good. The world is a lost place, and the Scriptures show us how we might be used to lead the world home." - Doug Wilson,  Mere Fundamentalism The 2023 To the Word! Bible Reading Challenge begins Monday...

“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” (Rev. 21:23-27). It’s very simple. Nothing unclean will be in heaven, and no one who practices abominations or lying, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. A person gets written in the Lamb’s book of life when he recognizes that he is a sinner by birth and a sinner by practice, and he receives the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for his sins, as his Savior and Lord. That is the means of gaining access to heaven. At tha...

There are three types of people in the world that Christians do not love with the Gospel . The first type are the people we witness to but do not love. The second type are the unbelievers that we do not witness to. The third are people we love but do not witness to. That sounds like doubletalk. Let’s change it. 1) We witness to people we love. 2) We love everybody and witness to them with love. As Christians, we have the fruit of the Spirit—love. We are commanded to love our neighbors and our enemies. The first thing is to have the love. The second is to choose to love our neighbors and enemies. Sometimes we can’t make the choice because we have lost the fruit of the Spirit, love. We lack the fruit of the Spirit of love because we are under the chastening of the Lord because of unconfessed sin. In order to get the love back, we must confess sin. Once we get the love back, we can choose to love our neighbors and enemies and preach the gospel to them.   Written December...

The second and third chapters of the book of Revelation bear reading and rereading. There is one sentence that occurs seven times: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." This is written to people in the singular. These people are to listen to what the Spirit says to the plural churches. In other words, I, as an individual, am to pay attention to what God has written to all seven churches. Notice that there are two groups of people in Sardis who will be dressed in white: those who did not soil their garments and those who overcame.   Written June 1990. This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com . We would love to have you reading with us.

“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, 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 5:11-14). Among Christians there seem to be many differences on how they view good and evil, including: 1) legalistic rules taught by men and 2) licentious violation of God's rules. Both of these are wrong. There is another difference: that is the difference between infancy and maturity. There are many Christians who need to be taught elementary truths all over again. Much of my time is spent in this occupation. However, it is not the amount or depth of teaching that makes a Christian mature. It is he w...

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Timothy 3:16-4:5). This is an instance where there should be no chapter division. Notice that the Scripture is inspi...

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25). Do what it says.   Written May 1990. This post coordinates with today's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com . We would love to have you reading with us.

Isaiah saw the Glory (Isaiah 6:1-4). Ezekiel saw the Glory (Ezekiel 1:26-28). Moses saw the Glory (Exodus 33:18-21). John, James, and Peter saw the Glory (John 1:14; Mark 9:2-3; 2 Peter 1:17). “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit…. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:4-6). When we received the Gospel, we received the light of the glory of Christ. This glory ever increases until that great day. If the glory has gotten dim, then th...

"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). This quotation may raise questions, but they are likely good questions. Recently* I was talking with a young woman who had gone through a Christian high school and who had graduated from a well-known Christian college. Her parents were in Christian work. When asked when was the last time she had completed reading the New Testament, she replied that she had never read it all. And of course the Old Testament had been read less. This is now a standard question I ask, and it is almost a standard answer. Christians are not watching their life and doctrine closely.   *Written June 1986. This post coordinates with today's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge . If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com . We would love to have you reading with us.

Did you know that God the Father is described as the God of hope, the God of all comfort, the God of peace, and the God of love? Here are some of the texts. May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:13) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction. (2 Cor. 1:3-4) The God of peace be with you all. (Rom. 15:3)  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess. 5:23) Now the God of peace who brought you up from the dead, that Good Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good… (Heb. 13:20)  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace w...

During a recent Sunday School class,* we were studying 2 Peter 3:8-12: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends; with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” I want to focus on two elements that this passage seems to be indicating. First of all, since Peter is writing this letter to Christians, he indicated that God is patient with Christians , as well as non-Christians, when it comes to fulfilling His promised return. ...

Early in my Christian experience, before I knew the definition of apologetics, I sensed the need for an adequate apologetic for every accusation against, and question to, the Christian faith. There were so many people who did not know God, and there were so many questions that seemed to stand between them and God. If their questions could be answered clearly, rationally, intelligently, and kindly, these students would then stand convinced and would become believers. I set myself the task of getting the right answers. Before I became accomplished in this pursuit, I began to have doubts. The doubts arose as I began to practice my growing knowledge in face-to-face encounters (arguments) or large bull sessions. It was great fun arguing. It was more fun winning the argument. But there weren’t any results. Part of the problem was that I found it difficult to be kind while I was being methodically rational and clear in my presentation. There was another problem. It seemed that most of the...

“So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). “ I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:17-18). “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing God’s kindness leads you toward repentance” (Romans 2:1). “When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you by turning each of you from your wicked ways” (Acts 3:26). “Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26). The wo...

“He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord” (Acts 11:24). This is speaking of Barnabas. The preceding verse tells us that "he was glad and encouraged them all.” In chapter four, we find that his name means son of encouragement . We also find that he "sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet." When he was with Paul, he was not the chief speaker (Acts 14:12), although in Acts 14:1, we see, “There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed." Barnabas was good, full of the Holy Spirit, full of faith, glad, encouraging, generous, and unashamed to speak the gospel. The result was that great numbers were brought to the Lord. If we are not seeing great numbers turning to the Lord, it may be that we are lacking the other characteristics which were in Barnabas’ life.   Written October 1990. This post coordinates with today and tomorro...