A special entry from our guest writer.   This one could be very useful as you grow in your ability to study God's Word.

A. Know what it says before you even think about thinking about what it means—whether “IT” is a verse, a paragraph or a book.

1.  Diagram the sentence –Who/What (subject) did what (verb) to whom/what (object). Which of these do the other words modify (go with).
2. List repeated words/phrases.
3. Analyze: Why is it in this order? Where does this “Or” or “Therefore” refer back to? Are there any pivot points that divide one side from another, e.g. “Gal 5 The works of the flesh, the works of the spirit?
4. List words that need more study and thought.
5. Note the context, the broader subject this passage is part of.
6. Note the atmosphere of the passage—confrontational Jn 8, Sarcastic 2 Cor 11, Hostile Ax 7, Instruction 1&2Timothy, Plea Philemon.
7. Be sure your interpretation includes every word and phrase in its natural/normal meaning. Nothing was written without purpose. Stray words and phrases cannot be dismissed, find their purpose.
8. Look for the author’s outline of a book or subject. Your interpretation must fit it. John’s 7 signs, In 1 Cor 8-11:1, the interpretation of10:1-13 must fit the purpose of the section.
9. Note repetition—When the Bible skips so much we wish to know, why is this repeated? e.g. Moses receives the Tabernacle plan (Ex 25-31) and then the building of it is described almost word for word (Ex 36-40); 2Kg 19-20 copies Isa 37-38.

 
B.   Figurative language is a special part of knowing what it says.

1. Words should always be interpreted with their literal meaning unless there is compelling reason to make it figurative. Such as 1) impossibility, 2) is said to be figurative, 3) common sense e.g. God is a Rock cannot be literal.
2. A figure makes only one point e.g. the parable of the sower is talking about what kind of soil one chooses to be and no point can be made about sowing, in fact, the man was a poor sower, The rich man and Lazarus is about the power of God’s word  and points about the afterlife are tenuous at best.
3. Metaphor -- The Lord is my shepherd, neath his sheltering wings….
4. Metonomy – The part is put for the whole or the whole for the part. “Come see my new wheels.” Jesus, “Not one jot or tittle shall pass from the law” Paul, “the word of the cross.”
5. Hyperbole – exaggeration for emphasis. Beam in eye, camel through the eye of a needle, salt lose its saltiness.

 
C. Note the type of literature your passage is in. Each type must be interpreted differently.
Drama: Job, and much of it is false (all the speeches of the friends), so be aware of who is speaking
Wisdom: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, speaks in generalities and its truths are not 100% true, just generally so
Thesis: Rom, Eph, Heb, John, very organized,
Epistle: organized but more casual.
History: Samuel, Kings, Acts; History is written with purpose.

1.  Note the author’s stated purpose Jn 20:30, Gal 1:6-8, 2Pet 3:1, 1Jn 1:4, 2:1, 5:13
2. The Bible is written to persuade: Note how the passage under study fits into the logic of the thing being discussed and determine what we are being persuaded of.

Keith Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

John 13:34-35  "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
 
            When we read this passage and note that the command to love is not new -- it is one of the two Great Commands of the Old Testamemt, Matt. 22:38 -- we ask the question, "What makes this command new?"  The answer for the Apostles ia to love as the Lord loved them.  We then say, "Aha! We should be willing to die for each other as the Lord died for us."  While we should be willing to die for each other (1 John 3:16), that can't be what Jesus means here because He hadn't yet died and He was speaking in the past tense.  "As I have loved you" tells us that there was love He had shown them that He wanted them to continue to show each other.  The Lord is referencing the beginning of the chapter.
            John 13 begins with the Apostles arguing over who was greatest as they came into the upper room to partake of the Passover feast.  Jesus quietly gathers the water basin and towel, ties his robe out of the way, and begins washing the Apostles' feet.  There was stunned silence.  Why? Because the washing of feet was a necessary job in the days of sandals and dusty roads, but it was considered a demeaning job.  In households that had servants, it was the lowest status servant who washed guests' feet.  In homes without servants, the owner would give supplies to the guests so they could wash their own feet.  What never happened was for the highest status guest to wash everyone else's feet.  The Apostle's shock is shown by Peter's reaction:  “Lord, do you wash my feet? . . . You shall never wash my feet.” (vs 6,8)  Peter was essentially saying 'Lord, I won't let you demean yourself this way!'  The Lord then gives the lesson.  "If I, then, your Teacher and Lord have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another's feet." (vs 14)  The lesson is of service, of putting others before self and not worrying about our own status.  I should never feel too important to do what my brother needs me to do.
            Yet the lesson is more than that.  Judas was in that room.  It is immediately after this that Jesus declares that one of them will betray Him.  It is not until verse 27 that Jesus dismisses Judas.  He not only took care of His devoted followers' needs, He washed the crusty feet of the one who would betray Him.  This is truly the example of "loving your enemies" Matt. 5:44 and "pray for them that despitefully use you" (Luke 6:28). 
            When Jesus says to love each other "as I have loved you", He is teaching a love that is demonstrated through self-sacrificing service.  This is revolutionary in a society whose mantra is "I have to look out for myself first", where families are abandoned in the name of "me time," and fathers abdicate to the man cave.  It may be a shock to our selfish egos, but Jesus says that this love is what identifies His followers (vs 35).  If I don't love in this way, what does that say about my relationship with Christ?
 
Phil. 2:3-4  "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
 
Lucas Ward
 

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

"Self-love is the biblical understanding of sin."
 
"That self-centeredness is a worldwide phenomenon of human experience is evident from the rich variety of words in our language which are compounded with "self".  There are more than fifty which have a pejorative meaning—words like self-applause, self-absorption, self-assertion, self-advertisement, self-indulgence, self-gratification, self-glorification, self-pity, self-importance, self-interest, and self-will."
 
"Pride is more than the first of the seven deadly sins, it is itself the essence of all sin. For it is the stubborn refusal to let God be God, with the corresponding ambition to take his place."  (All quotes taken from John Stott.)
 
The above very accurately nails the emphasis on self-esteem so prevalent today right in its place.  Truly it must be the first plank in the Devil's platform for winning our vote.
 
Keith Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Lucas Ward.

Heb. 13:8  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, (yea) and for ever." 
            I have read all kinds of ridiculous mental gymnastics regarding this verse.  "Christ never changes" is confidently affirmed until we get to Philippians 2 when He emptied Himself, or Luke 2 when He grew in wisdom, or John 4 when He was hungry and tired, or earlier in Hebrews when it says He learned obedience (chapter 5).  Then the panic begins.  How does the All-Mighty who created all things (Col. 1:16, John 1:3) get tired and hungry?  How does the source of all wisdom (Job 28, 1 Cor. 1:24) need to learn wisdom?  Or the Omniscient God need to learn anything?   How is the God who cannot be tempted (James 1:13) tempted in all points like we are (Heb. 4:15)?  What's more, Heb. 4:15 teaches that being tempted is what allows Jesus to be our perfect High Priest, which strongly implies that He wasn't able to be that High Priest until He was tempted, which clearly indicates that the temptation in some way changed Him. 
            If Hebrews 13 means that Jesus never changed in any way, then Paul is lying to us in Philippians 2.  Emptying oneself is change.  The Gospels, which speak to us of the omnipresent God as being in one place, the eternal God as being born and dying, the omniscient God as learning, and the omnipotent God as being tired, are all lies if Hebrews 13 means Jesus never changed.  And here all the mental backflips begin.  Maybe I'm just too simple minded but this doesn't seem that difficult to me.  If my understanding of Hebrews 13:8 causes serious contradictions with the rest of revealed scripture, then my understanding of Hebrews 13:8 must be wrong.  So, if Hebrews doesn't teach that Jesus never changed in any aspect at all, what is it teaching?
            Let me ask you a question.  Have you ever run into an old friend whom you haven't seen in 20-30 years and later told your spouse, "He hasn't changed at all!"?  Of course he's changed!  He lost most of his hair, what is left is gray, he weighs 80 pounds more than he did in high school and, when playing basketball, he can't get nearly as high off the court as he used to.  He has changed, so why do you say he hasn't?  His personality hasn't changed.  His trustworthiness, his sense of humor, his loving nature hasn't changed.  Or, for another example, if I were to become paralyzed from the waist down, would that necessarily change who I am?  It would change my abilities quite a lot.  No more running.  The top shelf at the grocery store is now permanently out of reach, but those things shouldn't change whether or not I'm a good friend.  The loss of physical abilities shouldn't change my devotion to God or love for His people.  So, isn't it possible that Jesus could voluntarily undergo a reduction of abilities without it changing who He is?   That He could even learn something from His experiences as a temptable man (Heb. 4:15) without it fundamentally altering His personality?    We talk this way all the time about our friends, why can't we understand this simple concept when it refers to Jesus? 
            What is the purpose of Heb. 13:8?  And of the plethora of passages that teach that God never changes?  An example from my childhood might illustrate this idea.  My dad was a great dad in most ways.  Present and purposeful in our lives, he played with us, taught us about God, about work, and about being men.  So, I mean no disrespect when I say he wasn't always easy to grow up under.  For example, in two successive years we were doing the chore of clearing some brush from the property Mom and Dad still own.  The first year, Dad told me to do it "this way".  So, the next year we are doing the same job and I'm following the same instructions from the previous year when he begins to scream, "Why are you doing it that way?  That is the stupidest way I can imagine anyone ever thinking to do that job?"  I'm dumbfounded.  He forgot what he had said, changed his mind about how it should be done without realizing it, and is now scolding me for doing this job his old way.  There were times I was totally confused and didn't know how to proceed because Dad changed his instructions on a whim.  We all could tell similar stories about bosses/spouses/parents who were inconsistent.  And they could tell those stories on us as well.
            And that is the importance of Jesus being "the same yesterday and to-day, (yea) and for ever."  Could you imagine if God's instructions for serving Him changed without notice from year to year, or even month to month?  If the priest was struck dead by a bolt of lightning for offering a lamb when God suddenly decided, without warning, that only a goat would do?  We would all be cowering in fear, unsure of what would make our capricious god happy.  Thanks be to God that He does not change, that His Son is the same forever!  We can rely on His eternal nature.  In this we can have peace.
 
Mal. 3:6  "For I, Jehovah, change not; therefore ye, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed."   
 
Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
Preachers, teachers and students diligently studying the word to understand it and prepare lessons to teach it, and even people learning in order to do it, need to be on guard that they do not become experts in the Word without coming to know its Author.  The difference is not known by some esoteric emotion, but discerned by analyzing Jesus' rebukes of the Pharisees.   
 
One illustration that strikes particularly close to home, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and anise and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these you ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone." (Matt 23:23).  We blithely point out the necessity of being careful to do the small things and then often barely mention justice, mercy and faith.  We must remember that the Pharisees could explain every nuance of the meanings of those words and cite every occurrence of each in the scriptures.  They could preach sermons on each subject.  But, Jesus says, they were not practicing what they knew. 
 
The question is not whether, but where are we doing the same? We can preach sermons on pattern and the sin of varying from it, we can certify from clear citations all the "acts of worship" (in quotes because that phrase is used nowhere in scripture)—consider the following passages where men worshipped without or separate from any act: 1Sam 1:28, 12:20, 2Chron 7:3,20:18-30, 12:20).   Are we then doing the right things diligently without being right?
 
I spent fifty years learning the Bible, preaching sermons, teaching classes, analyzing passages and realize that I knew much but often missed the point—just as the Pharisees.  The Bible is not a message of do's and don'ts, it is a love letter from God.  He says, "This is who I am and what I am, please like me."  The commandments are designed to conform us to His character, to his revealed image.
 
The Pharisees prove that it is possible to know everything about God and not know God.  Jesus warns us in the harshest terms not to fall into the same trap. 
 
The purpose of all Bible study, preaching, and teaching should be to know God.
 
"Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.  " (Mark 12:29-30).
 
Keith Ward

Today's post is by guest writer, Lucas Ward.

I'll bet most of us have a shared experience in growing up.  As children we'd be disappointed and the manner in which our hopes were crushed would tweak our childish sense of justice.  We'd cry out, "That's not fair!", to which our mothers would inevitably reply, "Well, life isn't fair."  Though none of us liked this reply it taught us that sometimes life doesn't work the way we think is just and we have to keep living anyway.  We have to learn to overcome the unfairness and accomplish our goals or else accept that our lives aren't going to go the way we'd hoped and learn to be content along another path.  There is a strength that comes with learning that life isn't fair. 
            Unfortunately, there is a generation growing up that never learned this lesson.  A young lady I worked with at Publix reacted with shock and a little bit of horror when I repeated the platitude.  "Life is fair," she said, "or at least I've always found it to be.  I'm sorry that you feel that life hasn't been fair to you."  At that point I was horrified.  The poor girl had no defenses built up.  When life inevitably was unjust to her, she'd most likely fold under the pressure.  She hadn't learned from an early age to ignore injustice and push through.  The more I watch the world around me, the more I'm convinced she wasn't a stand-alone case, but rather the exemplar of a generation.
            What is especially hard to take is when life is unfair BECAUSE a person is righteous.  Job is a good example of this.  We learn in 1:8 that the reason God pointed out Job to Satan is because he was "a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil."  All those horrible things happened to Job because he was good!  No wonder he proclaims in 19:6-7 that "God has put me in the wrong . . . there is no justice".  Job was crying out, "This isn't fair!" and God says that what Job said about Him was right (42:7-8).  And, let's face it, the last of the Beatitudes doesn't really sound like a blessing:  "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt. 5:10-12)  I should be happy when I'm persecuted for righteousness?  That's the definition of not fair!  Happy when people revile and persecute me because I proclaim Jesus?  What is going on?  And yet we are told this is what we should expect:  "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."  (2 Tim. 3:12).
            Just as we must learn to live our lives in an unfair world, we must learn to live as Christians under even less fair circumstances.  The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3 shows us the attitudes we need to face a life of such service.  I imagine we all know this story.  Nebuchadnezzar erected an idol and ordered all his officers to worship it or be burned to death. Those three young men did not worship and were hauled before the king.  They were being punished for not sinning!  Not fair!  When given a second chance by the king, they responded with "If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Dan. 3:16-17)
            The first thing to notice is that these men did not deign to speak for God.  "If this be so [that the king was going to throw them in the furnace] our God . . . is able to deliver us".  They knew He was able, but they couldn't control what God would do.  All they could control was their own actions:  "But if not [even if God doesn't save us] . . . we will not serve your gods". 
            All too often our faith is based upon what we suppose God will do.  We believe that once we turn our lives over to God, everything will always work out for the best here on Earth.  Our financial problems will go away, our health issues will heal up, our family life will become Cleaver-esque and all temptations will cease.  When that doesn't happen, when, in fact, our lives get tougher because of our faith, we fold.  We act like that young lady at Publix who had never heard that sometimes life isn't fair.  This is the height of silliness, since we are repeatedly told that living for God will lead us to being persecuted by those who live for this world. 
            So what do we do in the face of such unfairness?  We follow Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's example.  We focus on living for God, not matter what happens, secure in our belief that He has a plan that ultimately will lead us home to Him.  We don't dictate to God, we submit to His will.  Whatever happens in our lives, we hold to the knowledge that He is our hope of salvation.  In this, we follow the example of Job who, later in the same chapter in which he claimed "there is no justice", made one of the great confessions of faith:  "But as for me I know that my Redeemer lives, And at last he will stand up upon the earth:  And after my skin, even this body, is destroyed, Then without my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:25-26)
            Life isn't fair.  The Christian life is even less so.  Don't worry about what God will do in each situation.  Focus on living for Him, sure in the faith that He has a plan that is leading towards your ultimate, eternal good.  Whatever destruction this life throws in our way, know this.  Hold to this:
 
"I know that my Redeemer lives"  Job 19:25
 
Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

For so long as I can remember hearing the term, devotional has been a synonym for "religion lite." It refers to something that touches the heart and makes one think about God and being a better person.  Many "devotionals" are sugary and full of cotton candy.  But when one reads a few of the places in the Bible where devote, devout and devoted are used, a much stronger concept emerges.

Jericho was devoted to God which meant it was to be utterly destroyed and all within belonged to God (Josh 6:17, 19, 21).  Achan was himself utterly destroyed for taking from the devoted things.  Anything devoted to God was holy to him and for his service or for the priests (Lev 27:28, Num 18:14).   Should a city in Israel be proven to be idolatrous then it was devoted to God, that is, utterly destroyed, all inhabitants killed and the city never rebuilt (Deut 13:12-18, Lev 27:29). 

Although the N.T. does not impose such temporal penalties, the words imply such dedication as to be described as fanatical.  For the feast of Pentecost, "devout men from every nation under heaven" gathered to hear the first gospel sermon.  These were so fanatical that they traveled for days or weeks at great expense to spend a few days in the holy city.   Cornelius was so extreme that he deserted the religion of his family and world to do good for a despised people, the Jews, and converted some of his soldiers (Acts 10:2-7).  Further, his devotion influenced his family and friends to be there to hear Peter 10:24).

Jesus demands the utmost devotion, an all or nothing zeal, "You cannot serve God and Mammon" Mt 6:24).  "No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Lk 9:62).  Paul exemplified such devotion, "It is no more I that lives, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20).  Every Christian is required to devote himself in this absolute way, "Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth;" "Therefore" refers to, "If then you were raised together with Christ" (Col 3:5, 1).  The Holy Spirit leaves no room for sometime or somewhat religion: Kill yourself or lose all hope.

Devotion begins with the mind, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." A Christian is not even allowed to think what he wishes.  His heart belongs to Jesus.  But further devotion comes with Paul's next exhortation, "The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you (Phil 4:8-9).  We are not free to do as we wish, not if we are to be described as devoted.  Nearly every epistle makes the same statements using various figures from slavery to "Walk as he walked" to "Present your bodies a living sacrifice" and more (1Jn 2:6, Rom 12:1).

Given these and many similar passages, how did devotional ever come to mean something "feel good"? Many of the sayings of Jesus and of the N.T. are far from nice.  They are demanding in a "get busy rowing or get out of the boat" way.  A devotional should call on Christians to give their all to be holy in the service of God.
 
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever (1John 2:15-17).

Keith Ward

Today's post if by guest writer Lucas Ward.

            In Deuteronomy 29, Moses reinstitutes the Covenant between God and the Israelites.  He begins by reminding the people of the extraordinary care God gave them while they were in the wilderness (vs 2-9).  For 40 years their clothes nor their shoes ever wore out.  Food and drink were also difficult to come by in the wilderness, and Moses says they, in fact, didn't eat bread.  They literally ate manna from Heaven and drank water provided by God. 
            After extolling the care of the Lord, Moses tells the people that he had called them together that day so that he could renew the covenant between them and God:  "So that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today, that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." (Deut. 29:12-13, emphasis mine).  Like a married couple who might want to renew their vows after going through a tough stretch, God is wanting to renew His covenant with the people and re-establish the relationship they were to have.  They were to be His, and He was to be theirs. 
            This close relationship offered blessings beyond belief, enumerated in chapter 27, and was to be a source of national pride.  Moses offers a quick warning, however.  "Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike." (vs 18b-19)  The covenant has been renewed.  The Israelites are God's chosen people.  That national relationship will not, however, save an individual who sins.  They could not rely on being born into the right nation to save them if they chose to live a sinful life.  In fact, Moses goes on to say, "The LORD will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the LORD and his jealousy will smoke against that man. . ." (vs 20).  The corporate relationship between God and Israel would not save the individual who chose to sin.
            I hope I barely need to make the application.  The Church, as the Kingdom of God on earth, has a close relationship with God as His chosen people (e.g. 1 Pet. 2:9).  That does not give me (or you) carte blanche to sin however I want.  Just because I show up on the right day to the right building and sing the right songs, eat the right ritual meal, and listen to true Gospel preaching doesn't mean I get into heaven if I chose "in the stubbornness of my heart" to live a sinful lifestyle.  Eph. 5:27  "so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish." Therefore, if I am a spot or blemish on the Church, what is going to happen?  I'll be removed.  Nobody in going to sneak into heaven on the coat tails of others. 
            The blessings of being part of the chosen people of God are immense.  Just don't let it make you start feeling "too big for your britches". 
 
1Pe 4:17  For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God;
 
Lucas Ward

Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.

Growing up, I thought of the Passover Feast as a memorial primarily of God's mercy.  God sent the Angel of Death to punish the wicked, and the righteous marked themselves by putting blood on the doorposts of their houses.  When the Angel saw the blood, he passed over that house, sparing those inside.  The Passover feast would therefore be a quiet feast, a somber feast commemorating God's great, and undeserved, mercy.
            Reading through the Hallel Psalms (113-118), which were traditionally sung at the Passover feast, shows us that the ancient Hebrews saw this feast very differently.  The Passover feast was a time to rejoice, a time to remember a great victory and to praise God for a great salvation.  For example, Ps. 116 begins in verse three, “The cords of death compassed me and the gates of Sheol got hold of me.”  Then the writer records their plea for help, and we see God’s response in verses 5-8.  “Gracious is Jehovah and righteous, Yea our God is merciful.  Jehovah preserves the simple:  I was brought low, and he saved me.  Return unto thy rest, O my soul, For Jehovah hath dealt bountifully with thee.  For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears.”  Verses 12-13 praise God for his salvation. 
            Psalm 118 is nothing but a paean to God for the victory he brings.  “Out of my distress I called upon Jehovah, Jehovah answered and set me in a large place,” verse 5.  Verses 10-13 speak of being surrounded by enemies, but easily destroying them, “They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns:  In the name of Jehovah I will cut them off,” verse 12.  God is joyfully praised throughout this Psalm for the salvation he brings to his people. 
            Psalm 114 portrays the almost arrogant boasting of a people who had just escaped from generations of slavery because their God had set them free.  God was on their side, they knew it, and who could stand in their way?
            So it is obvious that the Passover was more than a solemn dinner, it was a joyous feast celebrating the wonderful victory God had wrought to free his people from bondage to the Egyptians.   It was not a memorial to not being killed; it was a celebration of being set free to live!
 
            Sometimes we turn the Lord's Supper into the same solemn, somber feast I had mistaken the Passover for.  We huddle soberly and focus on the horrible suffering Christ went through on our behalf.  We literally bow under the burden of guilt, knowing it was our sins for which he died.  The Lord's Supper thereby becomes a sad, almost depressing reminder of the monumental sacrifice our Lord made for us when we did not deserve it, not even a little.
            Wait a moment!  The Lord's Supper was built out of the Passover feast.  That's what Christ and his Apostles were eating when he instituted the new feast.  Christ was declared to be our Passover in 1 Corinthians 5.  Our feast ought to resemble the celebration we have just learned about, should it not?  Just like the ancient Hebrews, we were enslaved to a horrible enemy, in our case sin.  Just like them, the gates of Sheol had hold of us.  As we were being overwhelmed, God sent his Son to work an awesome salvation.  Instead of being freed from slavery we have been freed from sin and the paralyzing fear of death.  The Hebrews writer calls God's efforts on our part a “great salvation.” (Heb 2:3)  Paul revels in our victory over death in 1 Cor. 15: 53-57 “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'  'O death, where is thy victory?  O death, where is thy sting?'  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 
            Isn't it obvious that our Passover feast should be a jubilant celebration, just as the shadow feast of the Old Law was?  Our God, through his great love for us, had mercy on us, sacrificed his Son for us, and defeated all our enemies.  We stand clean from the filth of our sin due to the magnitude of this victory.  As the psalmist boasts in 118:6, “Jehovah is on my side, I will not fear.  What can man do to me?”  Or Paul in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” 
            Instead of continually mourning our old ways of life that made God and Christ's sacrifice necessary, let us rather rejoice and celebrate the new life we are privileged to live because God won so great a victory.
 
For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God.  I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me (Gal 2:19-20).
 
For God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him (1 Thess 5:9-10).
 
the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col 1:26-27).
 
Keith Ward

Today's post is by guest writer, Matt Bassford.

I’m a simple man. I believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that it is sufficient to equip us for every good work. My favorite hymn is “Give Me the Bible”. Consequently, whenever I encounter a problem that afflicts the soul, I presume that the solution lies in learning and following the whole counsel of God.

This also leads me to raise an eyebrow when I see brethren coming up with extra- Biblical cures for spiritual ailments. The phenomenon occurs in several different areas, but it is perhaps most prominent in brotherhood teaching on marriage and family. Though marriage counseling based on secular wisdom varies greatly in quality, all of it pales in comparison to the word of God. If Christians want to treat such counseling as a side dish, fine, but they must not mistake it for the main course.

That main course consists of all Biblical teaching about human relationships. Too often, we behave as though the only texts about marriage are the ones that mention marriage: Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Peter 3:1-7, and the like. Indeed, this apparent paucity of Scriptural material becomes justification for the use of material from elsewhere. We can't just go on preaching the same three marriage sermons, can we?

For those with eyes to see, the list of relevant passages is far longer. In fact, thousands of verses of Biblical ethics apply with greatest force in our marriages. If we can't seem to manage treating our spouses in a Christlike way, it calls into question the sincerity of our godliness in every other area of our lives. James would ask us if the same spring can send forth both sweet and bitter water. A bad marriage is a fundamental and potentially soul-destroying problem for at least one spouse.

Sadly, Christians in difficult marriages commonly use this truth as an opportunity to pin all the blame on the other spouse. I suspect that most of the time, brethren go to marriage counseling because they want to get their partner fixed. Almost always, they try DIY counseling and berate their husband or wife for perceived failings.

This is exactly backwards and dangerous besides. Christ does not call us to control others. He calls us to submit to His control.

He also warns us in Luke 6:37-38 that according to our standard of measure, it will be measured to us. We are on notice, then, that if we harshly judge our spouses, God will treat us the same way, only more so. Thus, unless we are James’ hypothetical perfect person, able to bridle both our tongues and our bodies, our desire to improve our marriages amounts to the familiar call to improve ourselves.

At this, thousands of voices cry out in outrage, “But what about them???” What about them, indeed? Conveniently, the Bible gives us instructions for how to handle a spouse who is not merely engaged in questionable behavior but is clearly and actively sinning. They appear in 1 Peter 3:1.

The way for a wife to win over a disobedient husband is by submission and godly living, all without a critical word being spoken. It is the way, not an occasional break from a campaign of nagging. Neither does this text exist to provide moral cover for a well-I-tried-that refusal to obey in the present and future. The passage addresses women specifically, but it is excellent advice for men as well.

Along similar lines, consider the relevance of Philippians 2:14 to marriage. It is one of the shocking verses in the Bible. Surely when Paul says, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing,” he is using hyperbole! He doesn't actually mean for us to do that!

It is not hyperbole. It is a commandment, and its edge is sharp. If you want a better marriage, you know what you can do? Don't dispute with your spouse. If they invite you to a fight, decline the invitation. Don't grumble to your spouse. Don't grumble about your spouse. If you obey, your marriage will be better, if only because it will contain less shouting.

There are many, many other passages with equally sharp edges that concern our marriages too. They are not easy to follow. In fact, they are quite difficult, which is why many Christians do not honor them. It is, alas, much easier to complain that our husband or wife is toxic, narcissistic, and gaslighting us.

Additionally, even if we do what is right, our godliness is not guaranteed to win over our spouse. Some Christians are married to people with hearts like rock. They will stubbornly pursue evil all the days of their lives to their ultimate destruction. If so, nothing we can do will change them.

We do not imitate Christ because it is effective in influencing others, though it is more effective than anything else. We imitate Him because it is right. Even if godliness does not lead to a better marriage, it invariably leads to glorifying God. When we are tested in our marriages, may He help us to steadfastly seek Him regardless!

Matt Bassford