Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

How does the gospel reach the skeptic? Skepticism can be helpful when it encourages us to test claims before trusting them. Truth rewards honest inquiry. That is why Paul said “test everything,” including his teaching (Acts 17:11). Wherever he was, he “reasoned” with people about the truth of the gospel (Acts 17:2, 17; 18:4, 19; 24:25). G. K. Chesterton famously said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” The gospel reaches the skeptic like it reaches anyone else, through Christians presenting it persuasively and reasonably.

First, consider the faith it takes to doubt it — Honest skeptics embrace the gospel when it gets harder and harder to justify not believing in it. When presented persuasively, reasons for rejecting the gospel become weaker and the case for Christ grows stronger.

Unlike other worldviews, Christianity answers all the fundamental questions about our identity, our origin, our problem, our purpose and our destiny. Strong philosophical arguments can be made for God’s existence, the origin and design of the universe, humanity’s uniqueness and moral awareness. Arguments from history support the historical reliability of the Bible, the claims and credentials of Jesus, the prophecies he fulfilled and the vast constellation of evidence for his bodily resurrection. When the gospel is taken seriously, the faith it takes to doubt it is simply too great.

Second, consider the problems we have without it — If we live with the conviction that there is no God or that the gospel is untrue, the implications are staggering. We boil them down to just four.

If Christianity is untrue, then (1) there is no hope. There is nothing beyond death but nonexistence. If there is no God, then (2) there is no meaning. Any purpose we construct for ourselves will be taken away through suffering, old age and death. If there is no God, then (3) there is no justice. In the end, there is no difference between the one who lived a life of evil and selfishness and the one who loved and served others. Finally, if there is no God, then (4) there is no morality. There is no ultimate standard for morality, no fixed reference point beyond ourselves or our culture to determine right from wrong. If all morality is relative, then society falls into depravity and ruin (Jdg. 21:25; Rom. 1:18-35). However, a life with God and his Son Jesus Christ is a life filled with abundant hope, clarity of purpose, the expectation of a just judgement and a fixed, discernible morality revealed in God’s word.

Third, consider the beauty we see within it — There is a unique and compelling beauty to the story told in Scripture. God created humans in his image to rule his creation on his behalf but we rebelled against his loving authority. In response, God pursued us in love: he became one of us to suffer for us, die as a sacrifice to take away sin and was raised to eternal life to defeat death and open up the way back to him so that we can be with him forever.

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life,” (Jn. 14:6) providing us with the three essential aspects of our existence to which secular thinking has no answer: he is the “way” to live, the basis for our thinking and decision making (“truth”) and the hope for a future beyond death (eternal “life”). In Jesus, God has answered the deepest longing of every heart, to love and be loved. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

May God help us persuade others to repent and believe the gospel. May God open their eyes to see the truth: the faith it takes to doubt it is too great; the problems we have without it are too many; and the beauty we see within it is too captivating.

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:8

The Bible describes two “appearances” of Jesus. The purpose of his first appearance was to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn. 3:8), to “once for all… put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Heb. 9:26). Through his self-sacrifice, Jesus offers salvation to all who would receive it: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” (Titus 2:11) This sacrifice was given in love so that those who are dead may live: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (Jn. 3:16-17) Therefore, Jesus appeared to save sinners, but this salvation can only be accessed by faith in him (Rom. 1:16-17).

Now we await his second “appearance,” when Jesus will return in glory and judgment (2 Thess. 1:5-12). How we meet Jesus at his return depends entirely on how we respond to his first coming (Titus 2:11-14). “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Heb. 9:27-28)

Christians who are preparing for his return are “waiting for and hastening the coming day of God” by living “lives of holiness and godliness” (2 Pet. 2:10-11). We resolve to live in vigilance, wakefulness and sobriety so that we can obtain the outcome of our faith, the salvation of our souls (1 Thess. 4:13-5:11; 1 Pet. 1:3-9).

Jesus appeared in the past to save us from our sins by offering himself in love as a once-for-all sacrifice. Jesus will appear again in the future to complete our salvation and judge evil once-for-all. The salvation he has already provided and the judgment he promises to bring have the power to transform us in at least three ways:

1. The appearances of Jesus change what we do — Because Jesus appeared to take away sins “no one who is born of God makes a practice of sinning.” (1 Jn. 3:9) In view of his past and future appearances, we learn to practice righteousness and love in the present (1 Jn. 3:10, 16-18).
2. The appearances of Jesus change how we think — Even more fundamental than the change in behavior is the change that is wrought in our thinking. Because of Jesus’ appearing, we want to do right. This “renewal of [the] mind” (Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 4:23; Col. 3:10) comes to us via Jesus’ appearing: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us… according to his own mercy…” (Titus 3:4-5) The appearance of this grace trains our minds “to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives…” (Titus 2:11-12)
3. The appearances of Jesus change who we are — Deeper still is the transformation of our identity. Those who repent and believe the gospel no longer identify with Adam, the first man characterized by sin and death, but with Christ, the second man characterized by grace and life (Rom. 5:12-21). In him, our situation is reversed from darkness to light, slavery to freedom, condemnation to justification, brokenness to renewal.

A changed identity leads to changed thinking which, in turn, leads to a changed life—all this because Jesus appeared to take away sins and he “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Heb. 9:28)

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is all about living under God’s rule, what he calls “the kingdom of heaven.” In the first half of Matthew 6, Jesus describes the disciple’s private life, where our devotion to God in giving, praying and fasting is carried out “in the secret place.” The second half of Matthew 6 explains how faith intersects with public life in how we view money, possessions, food, drink and clothing. Christians are called to be unique in both spheres of life, public and private, distinct from the hypocrisy of the religious (6:1-18) and the materialism of the irreligious (6:19-34).

Beginning in verse 19, Jesus sets before us choices in pairs starting with a question of treasure: “treasures on earth” and “treasures in heaven.” Jesus emphasizes the difference in durability between the two. Whereas “treasures on earth” are corruptible, and, therefore, insecure and unworthy of our trust, “treasures in heaven” are incorruptible, and, therefore, secure and worth pursuing and trusting in. Which treasure are we busy “laying up” or accumulating? The treasure we are pursuing indicates the position of our heart. Our hearts will follow our treasure, whether down to earth or up to heaven. Therefore, Paul says to “seek the things above.” (Col. 3:1)

Obviously, this is not a complete ban on possessions. Jesus is not forbidding his followers to own or gain “treasures on earth,” things like private property, a savings account, a life insurance policy. Other passages teach that we ought to be good stewards of our wealth, caring for our family and others in need (Prov. 6:6-11; Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:8). Paul teaches wealthy Christians to enjoy God’s gifts responsibly and be ready to share generously (1 Tim. 4:3; 6:17).

Rather, what Jesus is forbidding is the selfish and obsessive accumulation of goods, the kind of extravagant, covetous, uncharitable living which lacks concern for the needy. In another place, Jesus tells a story about such a person in response to the view that life consists in the abundance of possessions (see Lk. 12:13-21). Materialism tethers our heart to this world, which is passing away (1 Jn. 2:15-17). That is why Jesus warns us against making “treasures on earth” our goal and security—because they don’t last. Earthly treasures can be devoured by pests, eaten by rust and stolen by thieves. Attempts to protect them through mousetraps, Rust-Oleum and sophisticated alarm systems fail against inflation, devaluation, economic recession and “time and chance.” (Ecc. 9:11) Even if some of our earthly treasures last, we can’t take them with us (Job 1:21). Someone said, “Life is the distance between two points of nakedness; it is best to travel light.”

Even though Jesus does not specifically identify heavenly treasure here, we can determine it from context. Jesus goes on to describe two kinds of vision, one healthy and another sick (Mt. 6:22-23). Those whose eyes are “healthy” can “see.” That is, they have their priorities in order. They choose not serve “wealth” but “God” as their master (Mt. 6:24). Therefore, to serve God and live for heaven—and not this earth—is to “lay up… treasures in heaven.”

By serving God (v.24) with a pure heart (vv.22-23) we make the greatest possible investment because our reward is eternal: “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” (1 Pet. 1:4) This is no mercenary affair—as if we only serve God for a heavenly payout. The reward for living in obedience to God is God himself. When we live for him, our reward is his eternal presence. Therefore, “seek the things that are above, where Christ is.” (Col. 3:1) Where is your treasure?

The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Ecclesiastes 12:11-12

In Ecclesiastes, the Preacher teaches us about “life under the sun.” All of its pursuits are “vanity” (1:2), dead ends that disappoint and don’t deliver. Before the conclusion of his investigation of the meaning of life, which is to “fear God and keep his commandments” (12:13-14), he tells us why we ought to listen to its message.

First, the pithy sayings in the book have the power to spur us into action “like goads.” His wisdom lends us valuable perspective and saves us from wasting our lives on vain endeavors. “Like nails firmly fixed,” these sayings are both dependable and memorable. We can rely on them, indeed build our lives upon them (see Mt. 7:24-27), because of their source: “they are given by one Shepherd,” the guiding God of Israel (Gen. 49:24; Psa. 23:1; 80:1).

Second, the Preacher takes on a paternal tone to warn us against “anything beyond these” wise sayings. Instead of following his instruction, we may be tempted to continue our research. This is vanity and folly because he has already given us a comprehensive account of “life under the sun.” He has left nothing out. There are no other avenues to pursue or doors to open. Still, there are some who, in their discontent, go beyond God’s word to their own hurt (1 Cor. 4:6; Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Rev. 22:18-19).

Research can quickly turn into an addiction, especially in our postmodern world where we fall in love with questions, even embracing gray areas. To some people, a concrete answer would spoil everything. There will always be mystery in this broken world, but we can fall into the trap of trying to prove what cannot be proven: “[God] has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Ecc. 3:11; See also 3:14, 22; 7:14). While God has revealed what we need to know (2 Tim. 3:16-17), he has left some “secret things” (Deut. 29:29) out of our reach, perhaps to impress upon us our contingent, dependent and finite nature.

There will always be books trying to explain the key to life’s secrets and while these may attract us with their novelty, in light of the Preacher’s words of wisdom, they are a never-ending “weariness.”

It has become acceptable, even virtuous to be searching for truth. But to claim to have actually found truth is deemed arrogant. C. S. Lewis captures this attitude in a conversation between the White Spirit and a lifelong seeker in The Great Divorce:

“I can promise you… no scope for your talents: only forgiveness for having perverted them. No atmosphere of inquiry, for I will bring you to the land not of questions but of answers, and you shall see the face of God.”

“Ah, but we must all interpret those beautiful words in our way! For me there is no such thing as a final answer. The free wind of inquiry must always continue to blow through the mind, must it not?”

“Listen!” said the White Spirit. “Once you were a child. Once you knew what inquiry was for. There was a time when you asked questions because you wanted answers, and were glad when you had found them. Become that child again: even now.”

“Ah, but when I became a man I put away childish things.”

Paul warns Timothy of those in Ephesus who are “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Tim. 3:7) Let us be content with what God has revealed, build our lives upon the truth we learn and never go beyond what is written.

Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

(Proverbs 30:5-6)

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;

sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

Psalm 135:3

Do we really need religion to be good? Can’t a person be moral without appealing to an ancient book to tell them right from wrong? These questions are often asked of Christians who argue that we receive our ethics from God in Scripture, his revealed will. The short answer to these questions is, yes, of course unbelievers can and often do act in accordance with true moral principles to some extent. The apostle Paul says as much in Romans 2:14-15:

“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.”

But there is an even deeper question that needs answering. Where does this sense of morality originate? Why do humans even have a moral awareness, a “conscience”, in the first place? To be sure, we all have some capacity for goodness and though we are not as bad as we could be, we are certainly not as good as we ought to be. But where does this ought come from? Why should we be good in the first place? The words ought and should speak of moral obligation. But unto whom are we obligated?

A solid case for the existence of God can be made from morality. First, there is such a thing as objective morality. Across cultures, time and space, there are universal principals of right and wrong that include honoring elders, honesty, justice, mercy, care of children and so on. This is what Paul means when he says “the work of the law is written on their hearts.” Thus, throughout the Old Testament, God, through the prophets, held pagan nations accountable to this universal moral law. Even though these nations did not have the Law of Moses which stipulated right and wrong behavior, they knew enough of morality to incur guilt before a good and just God.

Therefore, morality is not relative to one’s culture or individually subjective but is generally universal. Things like rape, theft, torture and the like are always wrong irrespective of the time or culture in which we live. When a person suffers injustice, they cry out against it because they intuitively know the moral law has been broken. If morality is not relative, then we are faced with an objective moral order of some kind. How can we best explain it?

The moral argument is abductive, meaning the evidence leads to the best possible explanation. How do we sufficiently account for the existence of objective moral values?

1. If a personal God does not exist, then objective moral values do not exist — Buddhism, Hinduism and other pantheistic religions teach that God is not a personal, moral agent but a universal, amoral Reality (transcending distinctions between good and evil). Therefore, pantheism cannot support objective moral values because it overtly denies them or it vainly attempts to affirm and deny them simultaneously. Naturalism is out because there is no evolutionary mechanism that can adequately explain the development of moral awareness. And atheism is out because it provides no foundation upon which to build objective moral standards.
2. Objective moral values exist — As we have argued above.
3. Therefore, a personal, moral God exists — We are left with the theistic worldviews of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Which one is best? Only Christianity, which is Judaism fulfilled, teaches that humans were created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-28). Thus the human conscience is one of the unique ways in which we reflect our personal and moral God. Furthermore, only Christ can provide violators of God's moral law with hope to stand before him justified.