Ministry to those in the church who are physically sick - P2 a study of James 5:13-16

James 5:13-16 (NASB) "Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins,they will be forgiven him. 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."

Introduction:  

In our last post we began talking about the necessity of prayer and it's relationship to physical healing in the scriptures. Today we continue our study of James 5:13-16 by noting the nature of the ailments being described by James. Over the years I have talked to pastors and congragants alike who differ on what they think is being addressed here by James. Some tend to think he is only dealing with spiritual sicknesses or sins and thus there is no provision of healing whatsoever in the passage. Others tend to believe that only major illnesses are being addressed by James. Hence only when a person is extremely sick should they then call for the elders of the church. As always, we must let the scriptures guide us, and so a word study of the terms for "sickness" in James 5:14 will be undertaken. 

As the heading below will communicate, James is addressing those in the church who are dealing with physical ailments in James 5:14. May the Lord use these studies to illuminate His people to the truths of His word.

Ministry to those in the church who are physically sick - James 5:14 

Commentary: James 5:14"Is anyone sick among you.....".The word that must be immediately understood in this text is the noun translated "sick". The question before the interpreter is: "what manner of weakness or infirmity is being referred to here by James"? In consulting reliable resources that aid in studying words in the original languages, here are the meanings we find:

a. in body, feeble, sickly. 

b. in mind, and the like.

c. in power, weak, feeble.

d. in property, weak, poor. 

e. feeling or status of insignificance

In another standard reference work we see the following range of meanings in the verb ασθενεω:

a. body of weakness be sick or weakness of any kind 

b. weakness of any kind. 2 Cor 12:10; 13:3

c. fig.-religious or moral weakness. Romans 14:2; 1 Cor 8:11

d. be weak economical, be weak in need. Acts 20:35

Let the reader note that whenever performing any word study, it is important to list all of the possible meanings first, followed by eliminating the options that do not fit the context or that are not listed as cross references in the lexicon. James is addressing those Christians in the church that have physical ailments that could range from the mild to the most severe. Based upon the context of James 5:13-16, the meanings that make sense are those that are physical in nature.

Life practical conclusions:

Why labor this point? Some people tend to limit James' instructions to those who are experience non-physical ailments. However the context and word studies clearly indicate that physical illness is the primary target of James' instructions. As the Holy Spirit supervised the writing of this Epistle by James, He clearly expressed God's concern and intention for His church to minister to those who are physically ill. Whenever we see institutions such as hospitals, mankind by common grace and general revelation is intuitively recognizing indirectly God's ability and desire to address physical sickness. Even if they don't knowlingly acknowledge such truths, mankind as God's image bearers are not satisfied in letting diseases run their courses unabated.

When considering how Christians and the church typically approach the topic of physically healing, we who have God's special revelation of His Word and fullness of revelation in Jesus Christ ought to recognize that God desires to see those in the church ministered to - whether well or ill. This author believes that passages such as James 5:13-16 were given for our instruction and application. The responsibility we have to explain the whole counsel of God, including healing, is both a very pastoral, personal and precise need in the church today. In our next post, we will consider the commands given to both the sick congregant and the church leadership.

The Necessity of Prayer when dealing with sickness - P1 of a Study of James 5:13-16

James 5:13-16 (NASB) "Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins,they will be forgiven him. 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."

Introduction:  As a pastor I often experience the direct impact illness and suffering has in the lives of church members, my own family and in my own life. The subject of God's healing power and will to heal has been an issue that I have found to be both encouraging and mysterious. Oftentimes when reading anything on the subject, one will encounter one of two extremes: either God wills all Christians to not be sick or He is in a general sense no longer performing miraculous acts of healing in the church. To offset these two extreme positions, this blogger has found James 5:13-16 to be very helpful in shedding light on this very personal, emotionally charged and what can be spiritually liberating subject.

Main point and plan of this study in James 5:13-16: In order to encourage the study and application this text, a fresh exegesis on James 5:13-16 will be offered, along with life applicational headings  and commentary. Hence, the next several posts aim to achieve the following main point: to better understand God's will and purposes in the healing of Christians who submit themselves to the prescribed rite of anointing with oil. The reader is urged to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for illumination prior to study. The Spirit is the One who makes the text plain to the believer's understanding and application. (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-13; 1 John 2:20,27)

A Quick note on the identity of James:  James was the half-brother of Jesus according to the flesh and was likely the author of this earliest of New Testament letters. The Book of James (or as it is called by its Greek title: "The Book of Jacob") predates the Gospel of Matthew by at least five years, making it the first composed canonical book of the New Testament. James' letter gives insight into what the early church practiced and believed in what was less than 15 years after the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. One of the areas James enables us to sort is what the early church believed on the subject of healing, confession of sins and prayer. James would had witnessed first hand the healing ministry of his famous half-brother Jesus. Even though James did not believe on Jesus as the Messiah, Savior and Lord, he did believe on Him following a post-resurrection appearance by Jesus to him according to 1 Corinthians 15:7. James' Epistle is valuable in that it has many parallel statements and teachings similar to Jesus, including healing. This brief background aids in us seeing how important James 5:13-16 is in enhancing one's understanding of physical healing in the scriptures.

With our introductory remarks made, we will begin by considering the necessity of prayer when dealing with sickness.

The Necessity of Prayer when dealing with sickness. James 5:13

James 5:13 "Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray.Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises."

Commentary: James begins with the question: Is anyone among you suffering affliction? The verb translated "suffering"is defined by scholar Dr. William Mounce as refering to "suffering evil or afflictions, to be troubled, dejected and to show endurance in the face of trials." James is addressing those readers whom are currently experiencing not just mental, but also physical afflictions. The context of the passage suggests physical ailments being experienced in the congregation.

To see where this particular verb is used elsewhere in scripture, Paul writes to Timothy In 2 Timothy 2:9 : "for which I suffer hardship  even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned." Paul was in a dungeon and undoubtedly was facing physical difficulties due to exposure and deteriorating conditions. 

In the one other place we find this verb in the New Testament, 2 Timothy 4:5, the context suggests more emotional difficulties found often in ministry: "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." Clearly there were people in the church who were sick, otherwise James would not had raised the question. What is his suggestion? Keep on praying. 

We sometimes pray once or twice for people and then give up. In the text of James 5:13, whatever praying was begun, it must not cease. We should not give up whenever we don't see immediate results to our prayers. As preachers of old have often noted: "God's delays are not God's denials".

In typical Jewish style (James of course was a Jew, writing to Christians who came from Jewish backgrounds), James expresses the exact opposite scenario of people who are experiencing joyful, relatively problem-free seasons: ("is anyone experiencing cheerful times, then let him sing"). 

This Jewish device of stating extreme contrasts of human experience served to represent the wholeness of life. The point of James is to focus  on how the Lord's presence is just as necessary in difficult seasons as delightful ones. (See Ecclesiastes 3 for example). Singing the praises of God and being thankful enables one to cultivate a life of prayer, which in turn makes praying for healing a natural (albeit a supernatural) part of the Christian life! Hence prayer is a necessary pre-requisite when it comes to preparing oneself for what could be a supernatural response from God.

More next time....

How Jesus Approached Spiritual Warfare

Luke 3:38-4:1  3:38 "the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. 4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness."

Introduction

In the opening verses of today's post, you may notice that one chapter is ending and another is beginning.  As the Holy Ghost superintended Luke's writing of his Gospel, He arranged to have Jesus' genealogy go all the way back to Adam and take the reader right into the beginning of Jesus' temptation by Satan. Such a curious feature alerts the reader to the fact that side by side we see Old Adam (Lk 3:38) and Jesus the "New Adam". 

The New Testament picks up this theme of Jesus Christ being the "New Adam" or the "second Adam" to show that He came to be the head of a redeemed humanity composed of those choice saints who have freely believed on Him as Savior and Lord. (Romans 5:11-21; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 42-49). 

Whenever you see the genealogy prefacing the temptation account, you discover that over 70 generations of humanity represented one rusted link after another - marked by failure, sin and defeat.  Adam failed to defeat Satan in Genesis 3, as well as Abraham in his temptation (Genesis 12:10-11); Isaac in his (Genesis 26); Israel in the book of Numbers and King David in his temptation in 2 Samuel 11. From the corrosive sea of history the Holy Spirit displays the rusted chain of humanity, and on the one end is Old Adam, and on the other end is a golden link - The sinless New Adam, Jesus Christ.

Jesus acted as the New Adam and did what Adam could never do: successfully and completely defeat the enemy in spiritual warfare. We know that Jesus Christ came to be among other things an example and to empower Christians to follow Him in discipleship and victory. 1 Peter 2:21 reminds us - "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."Today we are going to consider how Jesus implemented the most successful method of obtaining victory in spiritual warfare. Last week we considered at length the "A,B,C's of spiritual warfare". Everything that Paul wrote in Ephesians 6 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit represents the fully-mature tree of the seeds of thought we see represented in Jesus' life. Notice how Jesus models for us spiritual warfare....

Jesus' approach to spiritual warfare: Spirit-filled and Word-filled. 
So how did Jesus approach His pending confrontation with the Devil? First note that he was Spirit-filled. Luke 4:1 states - "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness." Mark in his parallel describes Jesus' filling of the Holy Spirit in Mark 1:12 - "Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness." Jesus as God in human flesh (John 1:14; Colossians 2:9), being equal with the Father and the Spirit in regards to Deity, nevertheless surrendered His access to the benefits that come with Deity while ministering in His days on this earth (see Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus yielded to the Holy Spirit in His humanity for two main reasons: as a matter of prophetic fulfillment as the Messiah (Isaiah 61:1-2a; Luke 4:18) and as an example for Christians. 

As you go on down through the remainder of Luke 4:1-13, we find Jesus' approach to spiritual warfare being done in a second manner - namely He was filled with the Word. On three occassions it is recorded that Satan tempted Jesus in certain areas, and on each occassion Jesus responded with a quotation from scripture. In Luke 4:4 Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 in asserting the fact that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 

Secondly, in Luke 4:8 we see Jesus quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 in declaring that no one else is to be worshipped save God alone. Then thirdly we find Jesus quoting Deuteronomy 6:16 in Luke 4:12 in his final engagement with the Devil in the wilderness wherein he states about not putting God to the test. 

Jesus demonstrated this two-fold approach to spiritual warfare of being Spirit-filled and Word-filled. As Christians, we too ought to do the same. Let me close out today's post by reminding us of another scripture that encourages us to follow Jesus in everything, 1 John 2:6 - "the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked."   

Understanding how God's authority functions in the local church

Matthew 21:23-24 "When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” 24 Jesus said to them,“I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things."

Introduction: Understanding the immensity of Jesus' authority and the importance of God's authority

In three of the four Gospels we find a major discussion going on between Jesus and the Pharisees over the matter of Divine authority (Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-18). The word translated "authority" in the discussion between Jesus' and the Pharisees undergirds what we're aiming to understand in this post today - namely God's authority in the local church.1  One way we could summarize the subject of authority would be under three words: right, responsibility and rulership. Jesus was exercising His right of authority over the disciples (Matthew 21:1-11); in the temple (Matthew 21:12-17) and over life itself (Matthew 21:18-22). In regards to His responsibility, Jesus indirectly answered his accusers by identifying His responsibility as deriving from the Heavenly Father and Himself. Then finally, Jesus' rulership was defined by both His right and responsibility as God in human flesh. The Pharisees perceived the immensity of authority in Jesus and chose not to submit to it.

God's people need to understand how God's authority operates in the church
Essentially, the subject of authority is not seriously considered until people perceive that the will of one person is being placed over their own. Knowing who is in charge and to what scope such authority functions is necessary when it comes to making decisions, facing crises or maintaining order and peace in day-to-day life. Ministry life demands a clear understanding of how God's authority works. It was clear that the Pharisees did not understand Jesus' authority. 

When it comes to modern day church life, everything that is done must observe the Bible's teaching on spiritual authority. The conversation that occurs between Jesus and the Pharisees, and their short-sightedness in being able to distinguish the manner of Jesus' authority and that of John the Baptist, underscores the importance of this subject. If we as God's people misunderstand how God's authority functions, we could miss out correctly identifying when and where He is moving in our lives. 

Clarifying some important distinctions on how God's authority operates in the local church

With that said, I simply wanted to share today a helpful distinction in understanding how God's authority operates within a local church, with some commentary. Douglas K. Blount and Joseph D. Wooddell recently wrote a book that comments on the doctrinal statements in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. In that work they expound on the BFM's treatment of the doctrine of the church. The particular paragraph in question is very helpful in discerning the ways in which God's authority operates in a local church. Here is the quote: "The New Testament Church is ruled by Jesus Christ, governed by the congregation, led by pastors and served by Deacons." In brief, that one sentence captures in about as a clear a way as possible what is often-times a confusion over how pastors, congregations and deacons function in a church. Let us explore the distinctions spelled out in this statement:

The Church is ruled by Jesus Christ through the Word of God
There is no question that Jesus Christ exercises absolute rule and reign over His church (Ephesians 2:20; Colossians 1:16-20). As we have witnessed in the last two posts, Jesus Christ exercises His sovereignty by way of the scriptures - which are His voice in written form. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 4:2 "For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus." The Sovereign authority of the Lord Jesus Christ as exercised through His word renders the Bible as the final authority to which all secondary authorities make their appeal. 

As stated above: Jesus Christ rules over His church. Jesus' authority and the scripture's authority are absolute. Any other remaining authority is derived from Him and thus is secondary or delegated authority. The secondary authorities that are under the authority of Christ and the scripture are the pastor, the church and the Deacon body. Jesus has so-chosen to delegate His authority to each in different ways. 

The church is led by pastors who are faithful to the Word of God

Pastors are charged with the responsibility to lead the church (Ephesians 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-4; 1 Peter 5:1-4). To aspire to such a task means the Pastor is aspiring to a high calling and noble task assigned to him by the Lord (1 Timothy 3:1-7). A pastor's authority to lead His flock operates insofar as He is doing so with an open Bible, a willing heart and life above reproach.2 

The church is governed by congregations submitted under the Word of God

The church congregation govern the affairs of the church. In regards to pastors and church congregations, each one's delegated authority interrelates and ought to function together in harmony. The congregation keeps the authority of the pastor in check with regards to hold him accountable. Paul reminds Timothy to be sure to take heed to himself and to make his progress in the faith evident to all (1 Timothy 4:13-16). 

In the same token, the congregation is under the obligation to follow the pastor's lead insofar as He does so with a chaste example and Biblical fidelity (Hebrews 13:7,17). The congregation's governing authority extends to it's ability to receive members, exercise discipline when needed and function as the governing administrator of the ordinances of the Lord's table and Baptism. 

The pastor undoubtedly is the Elder who performs and leads the church in the observance of such ordinances, however he does so not on his own merit, but in relationship to the church he serves. Afterall, Jesus gave the ordinances to the church, not to individuals.

The church is served by Deacons who exemplify the Word of God

Then lastly, the Deacons serve the church. The concept of Deacon boards or Deacons ruling over pastors or congregations finds no Biblical precedent. Whenever we look into Acts 6:1-7 or 1 Timothy 3:8-13, we find the consistent pattern of Deacons serving and supporting the congregation and the pastor in their respective roles. Deacons are needed to faciliate practical, hands-on care of the membership and encouragement of the pastoral leadership. If any type of authority is accorded to Deacons, it would be by the example they place before the church body in serving the Lord without question. 

Conclusion

My hope is that these thoughts have provided clarity to an often misunderstood topic: namely in understanding how God's authority functions in the local church. In short, we have discovered the following about how God's authority functions in the local church:

1. Jesus Christ rules over the church by the Word of God

2. Pastors lead the church as they are faithful to the Word of God

3. Congregations govern the church as they are submitted to the Word of God

4. Deacons serve the church by exemplifying the Word of God 

Endnotes:

1. The Lexham Theological Wordbook explains how this word is used in the New Testament: "The NT uses the noun exousia in several ways relating to the concept of authority. It can refer to a state of control over something (John 10:18; Rom 9:21). It can also indicate a potential to command, control, or govern (Matt 9:8; Rev 9:19). Further, it can point to a right to control or command (Mark 11:28; Rev 12:10). The word can also refer to a sphere in which power is exercised (Luke 4:6; Col 1:13) or to a means of exercising power (1 Cor 11:10)." Douglas Mangum; Derek R. Brown; Rachel Klippenstein; Rebekah Hurst. The Lexham Theological Wordbook. Logos 6 Bible Software. 

2. Some church bodies will often have other elders aiding the pastor in the over-seeing of the congregation's spiritual and pastoral needs. The concept of multiple elders working with the pastor has merit in scripture (compare Acts 14:23; Acts 20:25-38; 1 Timothy 4:11,13-14; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1) and historic Baptist belief (compare 1689 London Baptist Confession; 1742 Philadelphia Baptist Confession; 1833 New Hampshire Confession and the 1925 Baptist Faith and Message.)

P2 The Final Authority of All faith, practice and life

2 Peter 1:20-21 "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

Yesterday we began considering what is meant by the proposition of "Final authority of all faith, practice and life". We concluded that only one source, the Bible, could qualify for such a lofty title. When you think about it - stating that only one Book, the Bible, has the same level of authority as God Himself is quite a lofty claim. Nonetheless, that is what scripture testifies about itself; what Jesus and the Apostles consistently taught and what these past couple of posts have asserted. Only the scriptures can claim to be the foundation for the Christian faith. Only the Bible can be the final arbitor of everything practice in the church and the Christian life. Only the Bible can hold sway over the consciences of men and demand their allegiance to the Creator, Savior and Lord. Today's post follows from yesterday's concluding points by laying out the logical and church-life practical applications of everything we have stated.

Practical ramifications of the Bible being the final authority of all faith, practice and life

To bring home this crucial truth of the Bible being the final authority of all faith, practice and life, I will demonstrate both the logical and church-life ramifications.

First, the logical ramifications of the Bible being the final authority of all faith, practice and life. The logic of what we have been laboring for above proceeds as follows:

Premise # 1 - God is the Absolute, Final authority of all faith, practice and life

Premise # 2 - Anything that God says carries the weight and scope of His authority

Premise # 3 - Any book that is God's word in written form carries the weight and scope of His authority

Premise # 4 - The Bible alone is God's Word in written form

Premise # 5  - The Bible carries the weight and scope of God's authority

Therefore - The Bible is the final authority of all faith, practice and life. 

The second set of ramifications for the Bible being the final authority of all faith, practice and life has to to do in the day-to-day life of the church. As Douglas K. Blount and Joseph D. Woodall write in their commentary on the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, page 62: "The pastor is charged by the people of God. Pastoral leadership is exercised entirely through the proclamation of the doctrine and Word of God. The pastor''s authority is nothing more, nor less, than the fervent, faithful, watchful, exemplary labor of preaching God's Word, for which he is accountable. Simply put, the Word of God is the pastor's entire authority. Since the Word of God is all-powerful, what moore could he possibly need?" Blount and Woodall then remind the reader of the pastor's subservient role to the scriptures: "since the pastor may not deviate from God's Word (1 Tim 5:17; Heb 13:7,17; Titus 1:10-14). Becuase God uses the pastor instrumentally to proclaim his powerful, effective, and returning Word, both honor and responsiblity fall upon ministers."

Conclusion:

We have labored over the past two days to trace out in outline what is meant when we say that the Bible is the final authority of all faith, practice and life. Noting who is in charge and how such final authority is made to personally bear on other people is key to establishing order, allegiance and responsibility for both those who lead and those who follow. For followers of Jesus Christ, the words of scripture are no less than His words (John 14:21) and thus are finally authoritive in every place, every time and for all people. 

P1 - The Final Authority of all faith, practice and life

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."

Introduction:

Who is in charge? To whom or to what standard do people answer? No one considers the importance of authority until there is either a decision to be made, a crisis or a major transition in life. Final, ultimate authority is possessed by God and God alone. Psalm 47:7-8 reminds us - "For God is the King of all the earth;Sing praises with a skillful psalm. 8 God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne." Such authority is called by scripture and Bible teachers "God's Sovereignty". Psalm 103:19 for example states - "The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all." In the New Testament we find this same truth echoed in 1 Timothy 6:15 - "which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords." The Sovereignty of God is uncontested in the Bible. Most people pay lip service to the idea of God's Sovereign, ultimate authority. People have no problem with a God running the affairs of the world as long as they still retain their own, personal, self-perceived autonomy. The moment God's authority is brought to bear on a personal level - people begin to shift in their seats. Famous general George Patton once quipped: "All human beings have an innate resistence to obedience." 

The final authority of all faith, practice and life is the Bible

When we speak of God's Sovereign final authority, how is it that such authority is brought to personally bear directly on a person? Certainly God delegates His authority to civil governments to exercise justice and maintain order in societies (Romans 13). A city government can enact laws to tell a man to not spit on the sidewalk, however civil government cannot convince the man that this is the preferrable course of action. At best, government can curb evil behavior and keep crime to a tolerable minimum.

When we come to the church - who is in charge? What holds sway over the conscience of a man - the one place where right and wrong are inscribed? Such authority can be deemed final authority when it wields the same type of authority as God Himself. Pastors are delegated the authority by Christ to lead the church - however they are not the final authority. Pastors are accountable to the churches they shepherd. 

The congregation of God's people function as God's delegated governing authority - however churches need to be led by competent, Biblical shepherds.  Both types of leadership and authority co-exist in a local church as delegated authorities with different roles - and yet neither one can be deemed "final authority". 

What about the Bible? What kind of authority is it? First and foremost, the Bible is deemed "The Word of God". The title "Word of God" means that the Bible's 66 books are God's voice in written form. 

Secondly, throughout the Bible on hundreds of occassions we find the phrase: "thus says the Lord" closely attached to the words of the prophets. 

Thirdly, no other book or written document in the world functions in the unique capacity of final authority like the Bible. The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 defines in more precise terms what is meant by the Bible being called "the final authority of all faith, practice and life: "Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation." The Bible is thus the only authority that is final. The question is: how is this the case? Does the Bible claim for itself such a designation?

How the Bible declares itself to be the final authority and thus the written voice of God

Theologian Charles Hodge in Volume 1 of His Systematic Theology, page 159, summarizes beautifully how the Bible functions as the written form of God's authoritative voice: "Prophecy, i.e., what a prophet said, was not human, but divine. It was not the prophet’s own interpretation of the mind and will of God. He spoke as the organ of the Holy Ghost."

Hodge then later writes: What the Prophets said God said....it is another decisive proof that the sacred writers were the organs of God in the sense above stated, that whatever they said the Spirit is declared to have said. Christ himself said that David by the Spirit called the Messiah Lord. (Matt. 22:43.) 

David in the 95th Psalm said, “To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart;” but the Apostle (Heb. 3:7), says that these were the words of the Holy Ghost. 

Again, in (Hebrews) ch. 10:15, the same Apostle says, “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord.” Thus quoting the language of Jeremiah 31:33, as the language of the Holy Ghost."

Hodge then concludes his argument demonstrating how the Bible is the final authority of all faith, practice and life, insofar as it functions as God's verbalized authority to men in general and the church in particular: In Acts 4:25, the assembled Apostles said, “with one accord,” “Lord thou art God Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage?” In Acts 28:25, Paul said to the Jews, “Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers.” It is in this way that Christ and his Apostles constantly refer to the Scriptures, showing beyond doubt that they believed and taught, that what the sacred writers said the Holy Ghost said."

Tomorrow's post will deal with the life-practical ramifications of the truth that the Bible is the final authority of all faith, practice and life.

More tomorrow.....

Spiritual Warfare A,B,C - Confidence to win in spiritual warfare

Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm."

Introduction and review

The last couple of days have served to unpack the A,B,C's of spiritual warfare. In this short series we have noted that when approaching spiritual warfare, we need to be Spirit filled and word filled, per what we looked at in Ephesians 6:11. Carnal weapons of the flesh have no place in spiritual warfare (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).  God's supplied Word and He in the Person of the Holy Spirit are the only ways we can approach our daily warfare as Christians. 

Then we noted yesterday the "B" of the A,B,C's - "Believer's three common enemies". In considering 1 John 2:14-17 and Ephesians 6:12, we saw that the Devil (via his demonic network), the world and the flesh are the three main enemies we deal with in spiritual conflict. Today's post aims to show the confidence we have in spiritual warfare.

The Confidence in Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:13 states - "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." A brief unfolding of this verse, one phrase at a time, will show why it is we as Christians can have confidence in spiritual warfare.

1. Divine provision of spiritual armor

Paul writes first of all: "Therefore take up the full armor of God...". In the days that Paul wrote this letter, he was chained to a Roman soldier who was likely a member of the elite Roman unite called the "Italian band". When a Roman soldier went into battle, they had behind them the entire Roman Senate and authority of the Emperor. Furthermore, they possessed what was then the finest armor of any army in the world. 

The word translated "full armor" could just as easily be translated "full array". The Roman soldier had everything he needed, and then some, to defeat his enemy. Christians have at their disposal the entirety of God's provision of the spiritual armor. Moreover, the Holy Spirit Himself indwells the Christian. 

No demon, no desire of the flesh and no influence in the world is greater than the Spirit of God (1 John 4:4). We also have the authority of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ Himself, behind and in us (Colossians 1:27). We have the Father's favor watching over us (James 1:17). The Christian as the provision of God when it comes to fighting the good fight of faith. So there is the Divine provision, but notice secondly....

2. Divine power to fight

Ephesians 6:13 says next - ..."so that you will be able to resist in the evil day...". To know that we as Christians have God's very power available to resist temptations, overcome fear and resist the Devil ought to increase our confidence. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us - "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 

Oftentimes I will hear Christians worry about whether or not they would be able to take a stand for Jesus if the situation demanded it. My answer to them is a resounding "yes"! These texts, and many others (Hebrews 12:3; James 1:3-4; 1 Peter 1:5-7; 1 Peter 4:10-11) speak to how we have the Divine power to win spiritual battles and Divine provision, but notice lastly...

3. Divine guarantee of victory

Ephesians 6:13 says once more - ..."and having done everything, to stand firm." The verb translated "having done everything" is the same exact verb found in Philippians 2:12 - "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling." 

Will the fight of faith be immune from troubles and pain? No. We must literally "work it out" in the exercise of our faith in prayer (Jude 1:20); the scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15) and church attendance (Hebrews 10:24-25). We must "work it out" by ways of loving our enemies (Matthew 22:39); watching our speech (James 1:26-27) and enduring hardship (2 Timothy 3:12). Yet, we know that God is the One working forth in us His perfect and pleasing will and a glory that cannot compare (2 Corinthians 4:18; Philippians 2:13). The victory has already been won by Jesus. We are  running our victory lap for the King of Kings (Hebrews 12:1-3). 

Thus Divine provision, power and guarantee comprises the confidence Christians have in spiritual warfare.

Closing thoughts

We have explored the A,B,C's of spiritual warfare these last few posts. We have discovered the following:

1. Our approach must be as Spirit-filled and word-filled people. 

2. Believers have three enemies: the world, the flesh and the Devil. 

3. Then the confidence we have in spiritual warfare is the Divine provision of the spiritual armor, Divine power to fight and Divine guarantee to win.