How Temptation Works (Genesis 3:1-7)

How Temptation Works (Genesis 3:1-7)


A woman had been shopping and had bought a dress that she knew she couldn’t afford. “Why did you do it?” her husband asked. “I just couldn’t help it,” she said. “The devil tempted me.”

“Why didn’t you say, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’?” the husband asked. “I did. But he just leaned over my shoulder and whispered, ‘My dear, it fits you beautifully in the back.’”

Because of Adam and Eve’s yielding to Satan’s original temptation, the human race was plunged into sin. Since then every person has struggled with temptation. Becoming a Christian and even walking with God for many years does not eliminate or even minimize the dangers of temptation. “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). There is within us all a strong desire for the forbidden fruit. Someone astutely observed, “Most people want to be delivered from temptation, but they would like it to keep in touch.”

As Christians who want to please God, we must understand how temptation works so that we can learn how to resist it. Our text is a classic case study of the process of temptation. My thesis is that ...

By understanding how temptation works we can devise a strategy for victory over it.

To be forewarned of Satan’s strategy is to be forearmed. His pattern for tempting Eve is essentially the same approach he uses today. By studying and learning to recognize that pattern, we will not be ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor. 2:11), and thus can resist them.

How temptation works:

While Satan tempted Eve, we are led astray by our own lusts (James 1:14-15). Before the fall, Satan had to approach Eve from without. Since the fall, he usually leaves us to our own inward lusts which respond to the temptations in the world. Only occasionally is there direct satanic influence. But since Satan is behind the original temptation, I’m going to refer to him in talking about how temptation works.

1. SATAN IS CRAFTY AND DECEPTIVE, NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD.

The chapter never positively identifies the serpent as Satan. Verse 15 does so in veiled terms. But the New Testament states it clearly (Rev. 12:9; 20:2) and just as clearly emphasizes that Satan’s methods involve deceit, schemes, lies, and trickery (see John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14, 15; 1 Tim. 2:14). The word “crafty” means shrewd and is used in a good sense of “prudent” in Proverbs (12:16, 23; 14:8, 15, 18; 22:3; 27:12). But Satan uses his shrewd knowledge about life to deceive and trap us.

Satan’s deceptive tactics are seen initially in the form he takes. The serpent, before the fall, was different than the poisonous, repulsive reptile we know. Part of the curse was that it be more cursed than all other beasts and crawl on its belly (3:14). Apparently before that it was an attractive animal which did not cause Eve any fear or repulsion. Satan doesn’t usually come to us as a dragon with red tail and horns, which would make us run the other way. He comes in an attractive form.

The implication is that Satan waited until Eve was alone. Adam came later and she gave the fruit to him. Satan knows just the right moment to hit. Temptation is most powerful when you’re all alone. Perhaps you’re away from home. “Who will know? Go ahead and try it; what harm will it do?” Later we will study the story of Joseph, a young man in a foreign country, alone in the house with Potiphar’s wife who grabbed him and passionately said, “Lie with me!” Who else would know? Joseph resisted and fled that temptation because his focus was on God: “How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9). God would know! Live with a mind to please God even when you’re alone and you can resist Satan’s crafty appeals.

Temptation is usually deceptive. Satan makes it look like sin will get you where you want to go right now. It will meet your needs. Why deny yourself?

2. SATAN CHALLENGES THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD.

Satan did not begin by saying, “Listen, Eve, God is flat-out wrong!” Instead, he planted a suggestion in the form of a question, the first question in the Bible. “Is it really true that God said that you couldn’t eat from any tree of the garden?” He’s saying, “Let’s talk about what God has said. There can’t be any harm in discussing it, can there?” But, as Derek Kidner perceptively puts it, Satan’s question “smuggles in the assumption that God’s word is subject to our judgment” (Genesis [IVP], p. 67). If we swallow that assumption, we’re on the enemy’s turf!

At first Eve defends God by correcting Satan’s extreme statement. Some commentators think that she erred by adding the words, “or touch it,” thus making God’s command more strict. Others say that she was simply keeping her proper distance from the tree. But then Satan counters by “reinterpreting” God’s reason behind the command (3:4-5), smuggling in another dangerous assumption, that we don’t need to obey God unless we understand His reason behind a command (Calvin’s Commentaries [Associated Publishers], p. 32). Whenever people explain away or reinterpret God’s clear commands as not applying to us, red lights should go off.

The fact that Satan came first to the woman, not to the man, also underscores his opposition to God’s authority. By getting the woman to act in disobedience not only of God, but also of her husband, was to subvert the image of God in man as male and female, thus undermining God’s authority (see my sermon on Gen. 1:26-31). This is implied in God’s indictment of Adam, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife ...” (3:17).

Satan will tempt you by getting you to question the authority of God’s Word. “C’mon, you don’t believe all that outdated stuff about the headship of the husband, do you? You don’t believe all that restrictive stuff about sexual immorality, do you? Surely you don’t believe that this book of ancient Hebrew religious myths is binding on us today, do you? You can’t take it as applying literally to us!” That’s Satan’s line. He tempts us by being deceptive and by challenging the authority of God’s Word.

3. SATAN IMPUGNS GOD’S CHARACTER.

He does this in several subtle ways. One method is that he refers to God as “Elohim,” which emphasizes His power as Creator, but avoids the more personal covenant name “Yahweh.” It’s subtle, but Satan is trying to get Eve to think of God as impersonal. Eve falls for the bait and also uses Elohim, not Yahweh Elohim. But as soon as God comes seeking for the fallen couple in the garden, the name Yahweh Elohim is used again (3:1, 8, 9, 13, 14, 21, 22, 23).

Satan uses exaggeration to make God seem harsh. God had not said that Adam and Eve could not eat from any tree, but only from one tree. God had told them that they could freely eat from every tree but one, but Satan stretches it to sound like God was prohibiting everything. By overstating the case, Satan was drawing Eve into his trap. He wants us to focus on the negatives that God has given, instead of on His many positives. We end up thinking that God is a grouch who doesn’t want us to enjoy life. But even God’s prohibitions are for our good.

Notice how Eve is drawn into Satan’s line of thinking. Her reply magnifies the strictness of God on the one hand, but softens His threat of judgment on the other. God had said, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely” (2:16). Eve omits the words “any” and “freely” in her reply (3:2), and adds “or touch it” (3:3). God had said, “In the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” But Eve omits “surely” and doesn’t say that judgment will happen on that day (3:3). She is falling into Satan’s trap by changing the character of God to be more to her own liking. She’s admitting that God (not “the Lord” God) is a bit strict for her taste. But at the same time she’s minimizing His strictness by making His judgments out to be less than He said they would be.

Eve was already beginning to waver. The fall really took place before she ate the fruit, because her thinking about God was in error, and sin always begins in our thinking. It’s happening in churches in our day. People don’t like what they perceive to be God’s strictness, so they modify His absolute holiness. And they excuse their sin by saying that we’re under grace; God really wouldn’t be so harsh as to judge my sin.

Satan moves from a subtle suggestion which plants doubt (3:1) to a flat lie which calls God a liar (3:4). God had said, “You shall surely die.” Satan says, “You surely shall not die.” If Satan had started with this statement, Eve probably would have said, “You’re a liar!” But by beginning with a subtle question, then smuggling in the assumption that God’s word is subject to our judgment, and then exaggerating God’s strictness, he has Eve listening openly while he flatly calls God a liar. But he does it in an area where the results are in the future, so you can’t disprove him empirically. Very tricky!

Then he goes on to say that God isn’t really good. He’s trying to hold something good back from you: “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (3:5). Of course there is a smattering of truth in his words. After they ate the fruit God said, “the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil” (3:22). But the lie is that God is not good. Almost every temptation that confronts us contains the same lie. Satan wants us to doubt the goodness of God, because we won’t trust a God who is not good, and unbelief is the root sin. Not trusting God, we will trust ourselves, thinking that we can become like God. Pride and disobedience follow quickly on the heels of unbelief.

That’s why we need to be especially on guard when we’re going through a time of suffering. Peter’s warning to be on the alert because our adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, is written to people who were suffering (1 Pet. 5:8-10). Peter assures them that God has not forgotten them; He is the God of all grace who will bring His promises to fulfillment. But they need to resist Satan by being firm in their faith. We must not impugn God’s character by saying that He is not good, no matter what our current circumstances would make us think.

Thus Satan tempts us through deception; he challenges the authority of God’s Word; and he impugns God’s character.

4. SATAN CONTRADICTS THE CERTAINTY OF GOD’S JUDGMENT.

“You shall not die.” Isn’t it significant that the first doctrine Satan denies is God’s judgment? Satan’s lie is: “Sin isn’t all that serious. You can sin and get away with it.” It’s ironic that having just persuaded Eve that God is not totally good (or He would not have prohibited her eating this fruit), Satan now implies that God is too good to punish such a minor infraction as eating a piece of fruit with such a major penalty as death. Satan always moves God’s absolute holiness and absolute justice toward the middle, so that He becomes neither totally holy nor totally just.

You may wonder, “What’s the big deal about eating a little piece of fruit? Wasn’t God overreacting to bring such severe punishment on such a minor infraction?” But the problem wasn’t just food. The problem was unbelief, rebellion, disobedience, and pride. God had provided them with all they needed. He had clearly demonstrated His goodness and love. They had every reason to trust and obey God and no reason to listen to Satan’s lies. By coming as a serpent, a creature made by God, it heightened man’s disobedience, since they had been created to have dominion over the creatures. Adam and Eve were without excuse. Satan tempts us by contradicting the certainty of God’s judgment. A final tactic:

5. SATAN PROMISES PLEASURE BUT DOESN’T MENTION THE PAIN.

“You will be like God” (3:5). He doesn’t elaborate, except to say, “knowing good and evil,” but rather dangles it before Eve as an intriguing possibility. The unknown aspect of it aroused her curiosity. It was a mixture of truth and falsehood. The thing promised was true, but at the same time was far from the truth. It is like the freedom sin promises: It’s true in part; but it’s ultimately false, since sin enslaves us. Satan didn’t bother to tell Eve the terrible consequences for her, her family, and the human race. He never does.

Satan displays his wares and then lets the attractiveness of the product lure Eve to her doom. Note the progression of verse 6, which may reflect Satan’s sales pitch: Eve “saw that the tree was good for food.” It was nutritional, not harmful or poisonous. And it tasted good; perhaps Satan sampled a bite in front of her. This corresponds to what John calls “the lust of the flesh” (1 John 2:16). The temptation looks as if it will meet a legitimate need, whether for food, sex, or comfort.

Next, Eve saw that the fruit “was a delight to the eyes.” It was pleasant, not ugly. Satan doesn’t tempt you with sleazy stuff; he tempts you with attractive things. If he can’t tempt you with a dirty, unattractive prostitute, he will bring along an understanding, attractive woman. This corresponds to what John calls “the lust of the eyes.”

Then Eve saw that the fruit “was desirable to make one wise.” This appealed to her need for intellectual stimulation and fulfillment. Wisdom is generally a good thing. God wants us to develop our minds. But wisdom apart from or in opposition to God’s Word just feeds what John calls “the boastful pride of life.” Derek Kidner states incisively: “Eve listened to a creature instead of the Creator, followed her impressions against her instructions, and made self-fulfillment her goal” (p. 68). At this point, Eve is rationalizing--making up reasons to justify what she has already decided to do. “It will help me nutritionally; it’s pleasant to look at; and it will make me wise. How can it be wrong when it seems so right?”

The results seemed initially beneficial. She didn’t physically die on the spot. Her eyes were opened, just as Satan said. Maybe God was wrong. But of course, death did set in at that moment: She died spiritually. Physical death began its course in her that very day. It was God’s mercy which spared her and Adam from being struck dead physically on the spot. Sometimes we wrongly interpret God’s merciful delay of judgment to be a denial of the certainty of judgment. But what God says, He always does.

Adam and Eve’s sin led to guilt and shame (3:7), which led to alienation from one another and from God (3:8-13). Their first son murdered his own brother. The history of the human race from this point on is marred by the tragedy of sin. Satan’s promises never come true. Wisdom isn’t gained by disobeying God, but by fearing and obeying Him. God’s judgment may be delayed, but it is always certain. It is true that sin usually gives initial pleasure; but it’s always followed by lasting pain. Kidner crisply notes, “So simple the act, so hard its undoing” (p. 68).

A strategy for victory over temptation:

I’ve developed Satan’s pattern for temptation sufficiently so that you can fill in an appropriate strategy for victory. But let me quickly name five corresponding steps:

1. WE MUST BEWARE OF “NEW” TWISTS OF DOCTRINE OR PRACTICE.

Since Satan uses deception and lies, we need to be cautious about any “new” doctrine or practice. The world proclaims self-esteem and the church is glutted with books on how to accept and love yourself (even when your life is filled with sin). The world extols tolerance as the chief virtue, and the church is quick to tolerate every form of perversion under the banner of “grace.”

2. WE MUST AFFIRM THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD.

Satan always works to undermine the authority of God’s Word. If you take away the authority of the Word, you’re launched on a sea of moral relativism with no rudder. We must all submit to God’s Word, no matter how difficult or costly.

3. WE MUST AFFIRM GOD’S CHARACTER AS REVEALED IN HIS WORD.

Satan will try, through trials or disappointments, to get you to doubt either God’s goodness or sovereignty. It’s a short step from there to rebellion, because you can’t trust a God who is not good or is not in control. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and thrown in prison in Egypt because he resisted Potiphar’s wife. He could have easily doubted the goodness or sovereignty of God. But years later he told his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20). You may have to believe it in spite of your circumstances, but hang onto it by faith: God is good and sovereign (Ps. 119:75).

4. WE MUST AFFIRM THE REALITY OF GOD’S JUDGMENT.

You cannot get away with sin any more than you can take fire into your shirt and not be burned (Prov. 6:27-28). The fact that judgment is not immediate does not mean that it is not certain. Grace does not eliminate the principle of sowing and reaping, even for Christians. Paul wrote about sowing and reaping in the same letter he wrote about grace (Gal. 6:7-8).

5. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT SIN GIVES FLEETING PLEASURE, BUT RESULTS IN PAIN WHICH FAR OUTWEIGHS THE PLEASURE.

It’s true, sin has its delights. It’s fun for the moment. But you pay an awful price. Not only you, but your children and grandchildren will suffer after you (Exod. 20:5). Sin is a lot like living extravagantly on credit. You can live like a king for a few months, but the bills are going to come due. Then you have to pay up. The pleasures of sin are not worth the awful price.

Conclusion

At a Christian summer camp for children the counselor was leading a discussion on the purpose God had for everything He had created. They talked about the good reasons for clouds, trees, rocks, rivers, animals, and just about everything else in nature. But then one of the kids broke in with the question, “If God had a good purpose for everything, why did He create poison ivy?”

The counselor gulped and was fumbling for an answer when one of the other children came to his rescue, saying, “The reason God made poison ivy is because He wanted us to know there are certain things we should keep our cotton-pickin’ hands off!”

If you are defeated by temptation and sin, God in His mercy has provided the way of deliverance: “[Jesus Christ] Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1 Pet. 2:24-25). If you will trust in Christ as your Savior and Lord, He will freely pardon your sins and give you the power to overcome temptation.

Discussion Questions

Since deception is “tricky,” how can we be on guard against it?
How can we wrestle with honest questions about the Bible and yet not undermine its authority?
How can a Christian who has suffered much affirm both the goodness and sovereignty of God?
Will a Christian suffer the temporal consequences of his sin the same as an unbeliever?
Copyright 1996, Steven J. Cole, All Rights Reserved.

What does the Apostles' Creed mean when it says that Jesus descended into hell?

What does the Apostles' Creed mean when it says that Jesus descended into hell?

The Apostles’ Creed is used as an integral form of worship in many Christian bodies. One of the more puzzling statements in that creed is: [Jesus] descended into hell.

First of all, we have to look at the creed from a historical perspective. We know that the Apostles’ Creed was not written by the apostles, but it’s called the Apostles’ Creed because it was the early Christian community’s attempt to give a summary of apostolic teaching. This, like other creeds in the church’s history, was partly a response to distorted teachings that were present in some communities; it was statement of orthodox belief. The earliest reference we can find to that “descent into hell” element of the Creed is around the middle of the third century. That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t in the original—we don’t know when the original was written—but it seems to be a later addition and has caused no small amount of controversy ever since. The reason for it is theological as well as biblical.

We see this problem: Jesus, when he’s on the cross in his dying agony, speaks to the thief next to him and assures him that “today you will be with me in paradise.” Now that statement from Jesus on the cross would seem to indicate that Jesus was planning to go to paradise, which is not to be confused with hell. So in some sense Jesus goes to paradise. We know that his body goes into the tomb. His soul apparently is in paradise. When does he go to hell? Or does he go to hell?

In 1 Peter 3:19, Peter talks about “this Jesus, who by the same spirit by which he is raised from the dead goes and preaches to the lost spirits in prison.” That text has been used as the principal proof text to say that Jesus, at some point after his death, generally believed to be between his death and his resurrection, went to hell. Some people say that he went into hell to experience the fullness of the magnitude of suffering—the full penalty for human sin—in order to give complete atonement for sin. That is regarded by some as a necessary element of Christ’s passion.

But most churches that believe in an actual descent of Jesus into hell do not see him going to hell for further suffering because Jesus declares on the cross, “It is finished.” Rather, he goes to hell to liberate those spirits who, from antiquity, have been held in prison. His task in hell then is one of triumph, liberating Old Testament saints. I personally think that the Bible is less than clear on that point because the lost spirits in prison could very well refer to lost people in this world. Peter doesn’t tell us who the lost spirits in prison are or where the prison is. People are making a lot of assumptions when they consider that this is a reference to hell and that Jesus went there between his death and his resurrection.

Can we change God's mind with prayer?

Can we change God's mind with prayer?
by Matt Slick

This is a difficult question to answer. How do we reconcile the idea that our prayers influence God as James 5:16 implies, yet God knows all things as 1 John 3:20 says?

James 5:16, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

How is it possible for us to influence God who has always known all things from eternity? Does God interact with us in some sense of knowing what we will do and decides to do things in response? Or, does God decree whatsoever shall come to pass including our prayers so that all our prayers are ultimately within His will? The debate within Christianity is deep. However, Scripture is clear. We know that God works "all things after the counsel of his will" (Ephesians 1:11). This means that He includes our prayers in the counsel of His will--from all eternity. But, does God look into the future to see what we are going to pray and then decide what to do based on that? This can't be because it would violate the sovereignty of God who does not react to man's desires and offer "a backup plan" when He "changes His mind." Furthermore, looking into the future to see what would happen would imply that God was learning--which contradicts 1 John 3:20 that says God knows all things. Furthermore, our prayers come from our hearts, and the Bible tells us that God "moves the heart of the king where He wishes to go," (Proverbs 21:1).

On the other hand, James 5:16 says that our prayers can accomplish much. So, we have to ask how our requests to God can accomplish anything if God not only knows what we are going to pray but has also ordained our prayers from the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:11)? The simple answer is that it is beyond our ability to comprehend. The Bible does not tell us how our interaction with God works, but it does tell us God hears our prayers when we pray according to His will (1 John 5:14). Such is the paradox in which we find ourselves.

Paradoxes occur only when there are absolutes. It is absolutely true that God knows all things and has ordained whatsoever shall come to pass (but this does not mean that He causes people to sin). It is also true that God desires that we pray. So how do our prayers influence God when He has ordained those very prayers to occur? Again, we don't know.

It would seem, however, that we "influence" God when we are in His will. In other words, if we are walking in the will of God and we ask God for something in prayer, then we are more likely to receive an answer because we are doing what He wants. In contrast, if we are out of the will of God and we ask Him for something, He will not give it since it is not in His will. So, if we are walking in the will of God and we pray, we are praying according to His will and our prayers are answered in the affirmative. However, if we are not in His will, they're not answered in the affirmative. Therefore, the issue isn't if God answers our prayers because He does. The issue is whether or not our prayers, and ourselves, are abiding in God's will so that our prayers will be answered.

We are the ones who need to have our wills changed according to His desires--not His will changed according to our prayers.

Masturbation - is it a sin according to the Bible

Question: "Masturbation - is it a sin according to the Bible?"

Answer: The Bible never explicitly mentions masturbation or states whether or not masturbation is a sin. The Scripture most frequently pointed to in regards to masturbation is the story of Onan in Genesis 38:9-10. Some interpret this passage as saying that “spilling your seed” on the ground is a sin. However, that is not precisely what the passage is saying. God condemned Onan not for “spilling his seed” but because Onan refused to fulfill his duty to provide an heir for his brother. The passage is not about masturbation, but rather about fulfilling a family duty. A second passage sometimes used as evidence for masturbation’s being a sin is Matthew 5:27-30. Jesus speaks against having lustful thoughts and then says, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” While there are parallels between this passage and masturbation, it is unlikely that masturbation was what Jesus was alluding to.

While the Bible nowhere explicitly states that masturbation is a sin, there is no question as to whether the actions that lead to masturbation are sinful. Masturbation is nearly always the result of lustful thoughts, sexual stimulation, and/or pornographic images. It is these problems that need to be dealt with. If the sins of lust, immoral thoughts, and pornography are forsaken and overcome, masturbation will become a non-issue. Many people struggle with guilty feelings concerning masturbation, when in reality, the things that led to the act are far more worthy of repentance.

There are some biblical principles that can be applied to the issue of masturbation. Ephesians 5:3 declares, “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity.” It is hard to see how masturbating can pass that particular test. The Bible teaches us, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). If you cannot give God glory for something, you should not do it. If a person is not fully convinced that an activity is pleasing to God, then it is a sin: “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). Further, we need to remember that our bodies have been redeemed and belong to God. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). This great truth should have a real bearing on what we do with our bodies. In light of these principles, the conclusion that masturbation is a sin is biblical. Clearly, masturbation is not glorifying to God; it does not avoid the appearance of immorality, nor does it pass the test of God’s having ownership over our bodies.

What is free grace?

Question: "What is free grace? What is Free Grace Theology?"

Answer: Free Grace Theology is essentially a view of soteriology grown from more traditional Baptist roots. It was systematized by theologians such as Dr.’s Charles Ryrie and Zane Hodges in the 1980s, mainly as a response to its antithesis, Lordship Theology or Lordship Salvation, which has its roots in Reformed theology. Today, Free Grace is still going strong, supported by such Christian voices as Tony Evans, Erwin Lutzer, Bruce Wilkinson, Dallas Theological Seminary, and the Grace Evangelical Society.

The basic teaching of Free Grace Theology is that responding to the “call to believe” in Jesus Christ through faith alone is all that is necessary to receive eternal life. This basic, simple belief brings assurance of “entering” the kingdom of God. Then, if a person further responds to the “call to follow” Jesus, he becomes a disciple and undergoes sanctification. The follower of Christ has the opportunity to “inherit” the kingdom of God, which includes receiving particular rewards based on works accomplished for God on earth.

Free Grace theologians point to a number of passages to validate their distinction between having saving faith and following Christ, mainly from the Gospel of John and the Pauline Epistles. For instance, Jesus’ explanation to the woman at the well of how to receive salvation—that she simply ask Him for it (John 4:10)—is compared to Jesus’ words to the disciples a few minutes later—that they must “do the will of him who sent me” (John 4:34).

Other verses in John’s Gospel mention the act of belief as the sole requirement for salvation, including John 3:16 and John 5:24. And John 6:47 says, “The one who believes has eternal life.” The fact that works lead to rewards in heaven may be seen in passages such as Matthew 5:1–15; 1 Corinthians 3:11–15; and Hebrews 10:32–36, particularly verse 36, which reads, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

Many Reformed theologians are appalled by the assertions of Free Grace theologians, accusing them of “easy believism” or even antinomianism. Antinomianism is the heretical belief that a Christian is under no law whatsoever, whether biblical or moral, and thus may do whatever he pleases. The fact of the matter is that Free Grace Theology can make it easier to arrive at antinomianism. However, Free Grace teaching is not antinomian per se. Free Grace theologians consider their position more biblical than Lordship Salvation, which they consider to be a works-based theology. According to Free Grace theologians, Lordship Salvation holds that saving faith includes inherently the “act” of accomplishing radical internal change leading to good works.

This leads to the Free Grace emphasis on assurance of salvation, again based on the basic promises in John’s Gospel, that belief is all that is necessary for salvation. To the Free Grace theologian, this is a simple, cut-and-dried issue—if you believe, you are saved. For the Lordship Salvation camp, assurance of salvation comes through the observation of change in the professing believer, i.e., that he is accomplishing good works. Each camp views the other as possibly leading to heresy.

Although Free Grace Theology and Lordship Salvation are terms that have developed only recently, they represent concerns that have been around since the beginning of the church. At the end of the day, there is no question about the basic salvation of those who hold either view—which is ironic, since their disagreement is about salvation! Both views are within the limits of orthodoxy. Still, this does not mean it’s an insignificant discussion. One’s beliefs in this matter can change his view of himself, God, and salvation a great deal.

The Success of Sinners and Suffering of the Saints (Psalm 73)

The Success of Sinners and Suffering of the Saints (Psalm 73)


1 Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!

2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.

3 For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.

5 They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like mankind.

6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
The garment of violence covers them.

7 Their eye bulges from fatness;
The imaginations of their heart run riot.

8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression;
They speak from on high.

9 They have set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue parades through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return to this place,
And waters of abundance are drunk by them.

11 They say, “How does God know?
And is there knowledge with the Most High?”

12 Behold, these are the wicked;
And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
And washed my hands in innocence;

14 For I have been stricken all day long
And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

16 When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight

17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.

18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.

19 How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!

20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused,
You will despise their form.

21 When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,

22 Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.

24 With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.

28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works (Psalm 73:1-28, NAU).

Some may think of the psalmists and their words as “long ago and far away,” but it doesn’t take a great deal of effort to see the relevance of Psalm 73 to Christians today, and more specifically to American Christians in times like these. Let’s begin by taking a “bird’s eye” view of the entire Psalm, and then consider the message God has for us in these inspired words. Verse one is Asaph’s affirmation of faith in God’s goodness. In a sense, it serves as both Asaph’s introduction and as his conclusion. It indicates where Asaph is headed in this psalm,1 and it is where Asaph will end up when all is said and done. From verses 2-14 Asaph confesses his sin (of envying the wicked) by describing how he viewed his circumstances from a merely human point of view. In verses 15-17 we see the point to which his observations led him – the temptation to give up his pursuit of God to live a sinful lifestyle that seemingly led to prosperity – and the turning point that set him straight in his thinking. In verses 18—26 Asaph is now able to view life through different eyes, and thus to articulate a divine perspective on the very things that had once troubled him. This led him to a greater love for God. Verses 27 and 28 summarize the outcome of his transformed thinking regarding living in a fallen world, where the wicked appear to be the winners and the righteous appear to be the losers.

Asaph2 is the psalmist here, and he confesses that at one point in time he was very unhappy with what he saw going on about him in Israel: the wicked appeared to be blessed, while the “righteous” seemed destined for suffering:

3 For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.

5 They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like mankind (Psalm 73:3-5).

Parenthetically, let me say that it is very difficult to see life clearly when seeking to do so through the tear-filled eyes of self-pity. Asaph overstates (all right, he exaggerates) the prosperity and ease of the wicked, and the suffering of the righteous as well. Nevertheless, his words accurately convey the way he once viewed life.

Asaph is right about one thing: from a merely human perspective, the wicked do seem to be succeeding in their sinful pursuits. Worse yet, they are emboldened by their apparent success. They flaunt their opulence, and they are more than willing to resort to violence. Through Asaph’s eyes, they take great pleasure in doing so. Indeed, they are inspired by their “success” to devise even more wicked schemes.

6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
The garment of violence covers them.
7 Their eye bulges from fatness;
The imaginations of their heart run riot (Psalm 73:6-7).

The success of the wicked makes them arrogant toward their fellow men; they even become arrogant toward God:

8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression;
They speak from on high.
9 They have set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue parades through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return to this place,
And waters of abundance are drunk by them.
11 They say, “How does God know?
And is there knowledge with the Most High?” (Psalm 73:8-11)

Asaph notes that the wicked seem to have concluded either that God is ignorant of their sin, or (worse yet) that He is indifferent toward it.

Before I become too critical of Asaph here, it would be good to consider some of the reasons for his mental and spiritual torment. Asaph knew that God is righteous, that He hates sin, and that He punishes the wicked. He also believed that God had promised to bless the righteous. This assurance of God’s hatred of sin, judgment of the wicked, and blessing of the righteous is based upon God’s words in the giving of the Law of Moses:

15 “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; 16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. 17 “But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. 19 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; see also Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28).

In Asaph’s mind, God seemed to be doing just the opposite. God appeared to be blessing the wicked, while at the same time He was punishing the righteous. God’s actions were perceived as inconsistent with His promises.

Looking back on his agony of soul, Asaph admits that his motivation and thinking were sinful:

1 Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked (Psalm 73:1-3).

Asaph was envious of the wicked. Expressed in different words, Asaph had more affection for the gold (God’s material blessings) than he did for God. As I look at God’s commandments in the Law I see great emphasis on loving God, which motivates one to obey His commands. God is more emphatic about loving Him and thus obeying His commands than He is about the material benefits of obedience. Notice how a love for God should motivate our obedience to God, resulting in blessing, while turning from God (to other gods) leads to disobedience and judgment.

13 “It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, 14 that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. 15 “He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. 16 “Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them. 17 “Or the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you (Deuteronomy 11:13-17, emphasis mine).

I can understand why the psalmist would be perplexed. Didn’t God promise to bless His people for their obedience to His law, and to punish those who disobeyed? We should remember that Asaph had written these words in Psalm 50:

14 “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;

15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

16 But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to tell of My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth?

17 “For you hate discipline,
And you cast My words behind you.

18 “When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
And you associate with adulterers.

19 “You let your mouth loose in evil
And your tongue frames deceit.

20 “You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.

21 “These things you have done and I kept silence;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.

23 “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright
I shall show the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:14-23).

Asaph’s earlier words in Psalm 50 certainly seem to promise salvation and blessings to the righteous, and judgment to the wicked. No wonder that Asaph is perplexed by what he sees. It would appear that God is not playing by the rules or, worse yet, that He is unaware or unconcerned by what is going on. Asaph is troubled to the point of considering giving up on persevering in the face of adversity.

If Asaph’s first confession is that of his envy of the material prosperity of the wicked, his second confession is that he began to think of his faith and obedience as a useless waste of energy:

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
And washed my hands in innocence;

14 For I have been stricken all day long
And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children (Psalm 73:13-15).

This kind of thinking tempted Asaph to cast his faith aside and join the wicked in their evil pursuits (and thus to join them in their prosperity).

A Change in the Psalmist’s Perspective Leads to His Repentance and Restoration

Psalm 73:15-26

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

16 When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight

17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.

18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.

19 How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!

20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused,
You will despise their form.

21 When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,

22 Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.

24 With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:1-26).

The turning point in Asaph’s relationship with God was brought about by a change in his perspective. The psalmist says his perspective changed when he “came into the sanctuary of God” (verse 17). I believe Asaph means by these words that he came into the tabernacle3 (the temple was later constructed by Solomon), and doing so changed his perspective.

How can going into the Tabernacle, the sanctuary of God, produce such a dramatic change in Asaph’s perspective? The tabernacle (and later the temple) were symbols that were an earthly picture of heaven. I get this from the writer to the Hebrews:

1 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “SEE,” He says, “THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN” (Hebrews 8:1-5, emphasis mine).

The earthly tabernacle (and temple) were but copies of the heavenly reality. Thus, when Asaph (or anyone else qualified to do so) entered the tabernacle, he was immediately reminded of the heavenly realities not yet seen by man. From this heavenly perspective Asaph now views the temporary “success” of the wicked as just that, a very short-lived period of apparent blessing, to be followed by an eternity of judgment.

17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.

18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.

19 How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!

20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused,
You will despise their form (Psalm 73:17-20).

27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You (Psalm 73:27).

An eternal perspective enables Asaph to see his spiritual condition, his present circumstances, and his future destiny clearly:

21 When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,

22 Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.

4 With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:21-24).

Asaph’s envy of the wicked and his anger toward God was beastly: His earthly perspective failed to grasp spiritual and eternal realities. It was not God who was in the wrong; it was Asaph. The prosperity of the wicked did not turn them toward God; it turned them from God. Asaph’s suffering drew him closer to God. Not only was he assured of spending eternity in the presence of God; he was assured of God’s presence with him in the midst of his earthly adversities. His present distress made him more aware of the nearness of God.

Asaph’s problem boiled down to a proper definition of “good.” Initially, he thought that “good” meant material prosperity and a trouble-free life. Then, when his perspective changed, so did Asaph’s definition of “good” and “evil”:

27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;

You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.

28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,

That I may tell of all Your works (Psalm 73:28).

If “nearness to God” is our good, then whatever draws us to Him is good, and whatever draws us away from Him is not good. The prosperity of the wicked lures them away from God. The suffering of the righteous is intended to draw them into closer fellowship with God. When we look at life from a divine and eternal perspective, we can see that.

Application

So, how do Asaph’s spiritual struggles impact us? Let me suggest three vital areas of application.

A Warning to those Outside the Faith

Asaph’s words should serve as a warning to the wicked. By “wicked” I am not referring to a small group of violent and evil folks, but to that broader group of “the wicked” who take pride in their success and who don’t love God or think that they need Him. The wicked would also include those who are religious. Asaph himself came close to being wicked; indeed, he would confess that his thoughts and motives were wicked. He envied the wealth and ease of the wicked. He even considered casting his faith aside to join them, in order to prosper as they did.

When we come to the New Testament we find that many of the Jewish religious leaders were wicked. Take the Pharisees for example:

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God (Luke 16:14-15).4

The assumptions of the Pharisees were very much like those of Asaph when he failed to see things rightly. Of course they loved money because of what it would do for them. But they also loved money because of what they thought their prosperity proved – piety. In their minds, the pious prospered while the wicked suffered. Their wealth proved their piety, to themselves at least. And the poverty of others proved that they were under divine judgment (and thus they need not help the poor, because that would be working against God’s judgment in their lives).

Jesus rocked their world and challenged their thinking when He taught:

20 And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh (Luke 6:20-21).

But the great shock must have come when Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man died and went to hell, while a poor beggar – Lazarus – died and went to heaven. How could this be?

Even the disciples were influenced by the thinking of the Pharisees. When they came upon a man who was born blind, they assumed that his blindness was God’s punishment for sin, either his sin or that of his parents (John 9:1-3).

I fear that the prosperity, comfort, and peace that most Americans5 have experienced has somehow lulled many into a false sense of security. Either they sense that God is blessing them, indicating that they are O.K. with Him, or they believe that He is uninterested and unconcerned regarding their rejection of Him (Read 2 Peter 3:1-10).

My dear friend, having a comfortable life here and now is no indication that you will be comfortable for all eternity. That is what the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) is all about. There is only one way to be comfortable throughout all eternity, and that is through faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ was truly God and truly man, and that He lived a sinless life in perfect obedience to God. It likewise informs us that while Jesus is without sin, we are not (Read Romans 3:9-20). The solution for our sins is Jesus Christ, who willingly died in the sinner’s place, so that all who acknowledge their sin and place their trust in Jesus may be forgiven of their sins and assured of eternal life in the presence of God (Read John 14:6; Romans 3:21-26; 10:9-11; 1 John 5:10-12). The good news is that even the very wicked who trust in Him will be saved (see Luke 23:39-43; 1 Timothy 1:12-15). Do not be deceived by thinking your current comfort and prosperity assures you of being right with God. Don’t let your prosperity turn you from God.

A Word of Exhortation to Christians

Over the years I have consistently warned of the error of those who preach a “prosperity gospel.” But while I have recognized the dangers of the more extreme forms of this teaching, it has been this study of Psalm 73 which has awakened me to the possibility that many of us (American Christians) have become infected with a strain of this kind of false teaching.

Is it not possible that those of us who are Christians in America have come to view our ease and prosperity as an evidence of God’s favor, and thus as a kind of proof of our piety? Are we really affluent and comfortable because we have been so godly? Do we even realize how affluent we are, compared to others? Are those saints who are suffering in hostile countries suffering because of their sin, or because of their godliness? Have we come to the place where we feel entitled to our prosperity, and worthy of it? Then I would suggest that we have become like Asaph by feeling entitled to peace and prosperity.

I don’t find the saints being assured of peace and prosperity in this life. Rather, I find many indications that the saints will suffer in this ungodly world, while the wicked may seem to prosper.

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me” (John 15:18-21).

21 After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21-22).

29 For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29).

10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death (Philippians 3:10).

3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin (Hebrews 12:3-4).

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls (1 Peter 2:18-25).

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name (1 Peter 4:12-16).

Jesus never proclaimed a path of ease and comfort. He called those who would follow Him to a life of sacrifice and self-denial:

32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 “For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. 37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:32-38).

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:57-62).

Christians need to toughen up. We need to expect men to reject us for their faith, and to be opposed and persecuted, just as Jesus was. We need to get over the false notion that becoming a Christian is the pathway to an easy and comfortable life. And, we need to realize that what is truly good is intimacy with God, not the possession of goods.

15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

We Christians Need to Gird Up the Loins of Our Minds

Asaph’s difficulties were rooted in a false perception of what constitutes “good.” It was not until he entered the sanctuary of God that he came to see things from a divine and eternal perspective. We need to have this same perspective. I believe that is what Peter and other New Testament writers are challenging us to do – to get our minds thinking straight, so that we see things from God’s perspective.

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY” (1 Peter 1:13-16; see Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:17-24; Philippians 4:17-21; Colossians 3:1-2).

We do not have an earthly tabernacle or temple to go to, in order to transform our thinking, but we have something far better.

We now have Christ dwelling within us, so that we have ongoing personal communion with God (John 14:16-20, 23; 15:4, 11).
We have the Word of God, so that we can renew our minds (John 15:7; Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:16).
We are members of our Lord’s church, and thus we have the blessing of fellowship with His Saints (Ephesians 5:17-19; Hebrews 10:19-25).
Our suffering in this life enhances our hunger for heaven (2 Corinthians 4).
Let us take advantage of all these blessings, so that we will view our current lives through the eyes of our Lord.

1 This is not the way I initially read verse one. At first I thought that verse one was the basis for Asaph’s complaint. I thought that the psalmist was asserting God’s “goodness” to Israel as the reason for his complaint: If God is truly “good” to Israel, how can He be prospering the wicked and punishing the righteous? I now see this statement as the outcome of Asaph’s struggles; it is telling us where Asaph is headed in the psalm. Surely God is good to Israel, and specifically to those who are pure in heart. The key to understanding God’s “goodness” is to rightly understand what is “good.” Seeing his circumstances from God’s eternal perspective, Asaph realizes that peace and prosperity are not necessarily good, but the nearness of God (verse 28) is.

2 Asaph was one of David’s musicians, who participated in Israel’s worship (1 Chronicles 15:16-18; 16:4-7). Asaph was one of the musicians who ministered before the ark of the covenant (1 Chronicles 16:37). He is designated as the human author of Psalms 50, 73-83.

3 See Exodus 25:8; Leviticus 4:6; 21:12; Numbers 3:28ff.

4 Look at Jesus’ indictment of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:13-36.

5 I say most Americans because even those living on welfare are vastly better off than most of those living in the rest of the world.

Why I Am A Cessationist

Why I Am A Cessationist
A cessationist is someone who believes that at least some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit have ceased to be given because of the close of the canon of Scripture. These are known as the “miraculous gifts” (though all of the gifts are miraculous in nature) which include speaking in tongues, prophecy, and apostleship. This article will outline my cessationist argument against the beliefs of the charismatic movement who continue to practice what they believe are speaking in tongues and prophecy.

1. Tongues in Scripture are actual human languages and not ecstatic utterances or free vocalizations:

Acts 2:4-8 says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?'”

The modern practice of speaking in tongues does not match the New Testament pattern which is the speaking of real human languages that can be understood by someone who is a native speaker of that language. In my experience in charismatic circles (which is limited), I have never heard someone speak in a real human language who claimed to be speaking in tongues. I do not know of any evidence which demonstrates that those who claim to speak in tongues today are speaking in true human languages. If they were, it would be easy to demonstrate this by recording them speaking in tongues and then taking that recording to people who speak the language natively and having them translate. The complete lack of evidence for this demonstrates that modern-day tongue speaking is not the same as tongues in the New Testament. Charismatics have redefined what tongue-speaking is on the basis of their experience with it rather than by defining it the way Scripture does. John MacArthur goes into great detail on this point in his book Strange Fire.

2. There are no more apostles today:

Paul made it clear that he was the last of the apostles in 1 Corinthians 15:8: “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” Paul was the last person that Christ visited and personally commissioned to be an apostle. Being an apostle is tied to seeing the risen Christ (1 Cor 9:1). An apostle is marked by miraculous gifts, signs, and wonders that only God can do (2 Cor 12:12). They speak on behalf of Christ (1 Cor 14:37; 2 Cor 13:3). If someone claims to be an apostle today, we have the right to demand of them evidence of miraculous gifts and test their doctrine (Rev 2:2). If there are apostles today, I would like to know who they are.

3. Because the gift of apostleship has ceased, it is possible for there to be other gifts that have also ceased:

Apostleship is one of the gifts the Holy Spirit has given the church: “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues” (1 Cor 12:28). The office and gift of apostle are both tied together because all who hold the office also possess the gifts necessary to occupy it. The same is true with the other positions of prophet and teacher. The office of apostle and prophet were both foundational in the construction of the early church as Ephesians 2:20 says, the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.” Now that the foundation has been laid, it is no longer necessary for there to be apostles and prophets since the church has already been established. With the passing of the apostles, the passing of the prophets and gifts that go along with them has also come about.

The common objection to the cessationist position is based on 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 which says that, “when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” This is interpreted to mean that no gift of the Spirit will cease until the eschaton when the New Heavens and New Earth arrive. While I agree that “the perfect” is eternity future, it is invalid to argue against cessationism this way since the same argument could be used to argue against the fact that the gift of apostleship has ceased. In such a case, we would need to have apostles today but since apostles have ceased, this demonstrates that it is possible for at least some of the gifts to have ceased while all gifts will not cease until eternity future, otherwise, there would still be apostles today. If you accept that apostleship has ceased, then you are a cessationist.

4. The canon of Scripture is closed:

The canon has been closed which means that we are not expecting any further revelation from God. The book of Revelation was the last “revelation” God has revealed and it ends perfectly tying together the rest of Scripture. As Revelation 22:18 says, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.” Because there are no more apostles, we can expect no more books of Scripture since it was the apostles who penned the New Testament. Since the apostles are no more, the authors of Scripture are no more. The apostles in the New Testament filled the same role as the prophets in the Old Testament as the authors of the Bible.

5. New Testament prophecy is infallible like Old Testament prophecy:

Many charismatics argue that New Testament prophecy was fallible unlike Old Testament prophecy and therefore they can believe in prophecy today while still holding onto Sola Scriptura. Cessationists believe that during the period of inscripturation (the 1st century church), prophecy co-existed with Scripture as the rule of faith. Now that prophecy has ceased, the Bible alone is our ultimate authority because God no longer speaks directly and infallibly through human beings (this is the doctrine of Sola Scriptura). But was prophecy in the first century infallible? The answer is yes based on the following Scriptures:

Acts 2:17-18: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (this is a quotation from Joel 2:28 and everyone agrees that prophecy in Joel’s day was infallible).

Acts 21:11: “And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'” (Agabus uses the formulaic expression “thus says the Lord” just like the infallible Old Testament prophets claiming to be speaking the words of God. Compare this expression to Acts 13:2; Heb 3:7; Rev 14:13; 2 Sam 23:2; Matt 22:43; Mark 12:36; Acts 28:25; 2 Peter 1:21).

And Agabus was not wrong in his prophecy about the binding of Paul. Paul alludes to Agabus’ own words later in Acts 28:17 when he says, “yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.” If Paul did not believe Agabus got it wrong, why should we? John MacArthur gives a great exposition of this verse in Strange Fire.

If New Testament prophecy is not infallible, then we can’t apply Deuteronomy 18:22 to test whether or not a prophet is from God. Why couldn’t Joseph Smith simply say, “Oops, well, New Testament prophecy isn’t infallible so you can’t hold my old predictions against me. Even Agabus got it wrong.” when questioned about his many false prophecies? As Sam Waldron put it, “the definition of prophet in Deuteronomy 13 and 18 was never rescinded, and this requires infallibility.”

6. Prophecy has ceased because the canon is closed:

The Old Testament is summarized as “the prophetic word” (2 Pet 1:19-21), “the law and the prophets” (Rom 3:21), or “Moses and the prophets” (Luke 16:31), while the New Testament is summarized as the “apostles and prophets” (Eph 2:20) because they are its authors. Because the canon has closed and there are no more apostles, there is no one who can give infallible revelation from God. This means that for Sola Scriptura to be true, there can be no more prophecy. If there are still prophets alive today, then the canon would not be truly closed since a prophet speaks the very words of God. How can we know that the canon is truly closed if there are still apostles and prophets around?

7. Speaking in tongues has ceased because speaking in tongues is a form of prophecy:

We know this because speaking in tongues and prophecy are equal to each other when someone interprets the tongue. As 1 Corinthians 14:5 says, “Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.”