Paul planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the increase. Sunday, December 28, 2025 was a special day for my wife and me. A church in Siparia, Trinidad, West Indies had their 50th anniversary. My wife and I helped plant, along with a couple of other missionaries, that church when it first began 50 years ago during the 3rd year of our work in Trinidad. We moved to Siparia and lived there that 3rd year before moving eventually to Colombia, South America. We began the church by having a “crusade” (gospel meeting) in the community center in Siparia. We baptized only a few but one of those was a lady who had several younger children. She has been a faithful rock of that church for 50 years. Her children have become strong Christians with Christian families. They all helped the church grow in Siparia.
To be honest, I actually was pretty discouraged after that year in Siparia. The church was not growing as it had in several of our other church plantings in Trinidad. I did not have an optimistic view of the future of the church after we left. The church continued after we left, survived, and over the years grew. They started meeting in a member’s house with 30 or so members. They eventually received a plot of land and built a building. I’m not sure how many members they have now, but they had over 100 people at the 50th anniversary Sunday. I was able to zoom and we could see each other and I spoke for a few minutes. My wife spoke and talked about our first child who was born during that last year that we were in Siparia.
Well the members were all thanking me for helping plant the church in Siparia, but the whole time I’m thinking, “I really had almost given up on that church after working with it for that year. So I should get very little credit. Instead, others watered. A few men from the School of Preaching that our 4 missionaries started and worked with preached for and worked with the church over the past 50 years. Christians from other congregations helped the church attain stability over the years. But God gave the increase. God gets all the credit and glory.”
What’s the point? Sunday was a great day for me and my wife. Paul said that his converts were his joy and crown. 1 Thessalonians 2:19 For who is our hope, or joy or crown of pride, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Or is it not indeed you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.” Those whom we directly or indirectly converted to faith in Jesus are our joy and crown. As I look back over my 76 years, what really matters? What can I look back and really take great joy and pride in? My savings accounts, my house, my cars (I love my Prius), my career as a teacher and principal? Not really. The only thing that really matters is how many people I can lead to Jesus. The only memories that I will cherish as I die are memories made with my family and memories of those we helped lead to Jesus.
Are you seizing upon the opportunities God gives you to reach souls for Jesus? I’m so glad that we went to Trinidad. I can’t imagine what our life would have been like if I had just continued to work with my engineering degree at Alabama Power instead of going to a school of preaching in Louisiana which led to us going to Trinidad. There are other converts and congregations we worked within Trinidad. I have memories of working with them. I will have this memory of the 50th anniversary celebration Sunday in Siparia. I can’t imagine not having these memories which would be the case if we had never gone to Trinidad. Again, God gets the credit and glory. I believe that He had a plan to get us to Trinidad to do what we did in our 3 years there.
God will give you opportunities if you will look for them. There is someone that you will see today that perhaps God wants to use you to help them to come to know Jesus or to grow closer to Jesus. Don’t be shy and timid. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7, KJV) Share your faith with anyone that you can.
Maybe you can’t do mission work and convert others in foreign countries as we did. Then find an organization or some missionaries that are evangelizing and planting churches in foreign countries and support them financially. My wife and I support EEM (Eastern European Missions): they print and distribute Bibles in over 30 different languages in 30 countries. We send some support for a couple of our graduates of the school that we have taught in as they work in Muslim countries in Asia and Africa. A long time friend of ours is working with Baja Missions to plant churches over that long strip of Baja, Mexico next to the Pacific Ocean, and we send support there. That’s not bragging. If anything, I am ashamed that I didn’t continue to work as a foreign missionary these past 50 years. I might have had many more memories like the one we enjoyed this past Sunday. Of course, God has a plan. He gave us other opportunities here in the U.S. and maybe we seized upon some of them and have converts here also. Some of my students over the years are my joy and crown also.
But this is not about me. This is a challenge to you. Maybe God has you are where you are right now for a reason. Mordecai told Queen Esther about Haman’s plot to annihilate all the Jews and told her to go to the king and plead for saving the Jews. Esther was fearful and not willing to do so at first. Even the queen didn’t approach the king without being invited. But Mordecai told her, “who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14) She found the courage to go to the king and eventually saved the Jews and foiled Haman’s plot. So maybe God has you where you are for a reason. Looking for that reason gives excitement to the daily work grind. It gives you a reason to reach out to the less fortunate, to reach out to strangers at church. You have financial resources. Enjoy them, but also maybe God has given you financial resources that allow you to support missionaries and help the poor worldwide instead of just buying things for yourself that you don’t really “need”.
I have never looked at my McDonald’s App to see how many points I have. We checked it this morning and I had 27,000 points! I have never used any points in the past. They expire periodically and I had lost thousands that I had never used. Of course it takes 5,000 points to get a Egg McMuffin, so it’s not like I lost a lot of money from unused points, but I’m cheap and it still irritated me to find out all that!
So, what’s the cute little blog spiritual comparison to this? Probably not much, but I’ll give it a go. A saved believer in Jesus can know that he is saved. He can go to McDonald’s (church) and pay for his breakfast (give money, maybe even tithe) and kinda “earn” his way to heaven by going to church and doing good works. But he can miss out on the extra “free” blessings that come with the “abundant life”. John 10:10 “I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.”
So how can we describe this abundant life? AI: “An abundant life in Christ, from John 10:10, means a spiritually rich, full life, not necessarily material wealth, characterized by God’s love, joy, peace, purpose, and fellowship, found through a restored relationship with Jesus, daily reliance on the Holy Spirit, obedience, prayer, and living to glorify God, even amidst life’s trials. It’s a life “beyond measure,” filled with divine blessings, not worldly possessions.” So how many Christians, even church going Christians, punch the clock but don’t have the joy, peace, love, prayer life, Spirit led life, or “purpose driven life” (Rick Warren’s book)? In other words, they have all those extra spiritual points that they never use. And if you don’t use them, you lose them. Past missed opportunities expire and you can’t get them back.
Probably a stretch with the McDonald’s points comparison but I gave it a try. BTW I’m going to use some of those 27,000 points at my next visit to McDonald’s before they expire! Maybe I will use my spiritual points to enjoy the abundant life in Jesus more!
I begin my daily prayer with “A” (Adoration) in the “ACTS” (Adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) prayer model that I use. I use the throne scenes in Revelation 4 and 5.
In Revelation 4 John is shown the throne scene with Father God represented by precious, bright stones on a throne, 24 elders on their thrones, 4 living creatures, 7 lamps, lightning and thunder, and a rainbow. The 4 living creatures worship 24/7, saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” The 24 elders bow down and worship, saying “11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
So I begin by worshipping the Father on the throne. But there’s more in Revelation 5. Father God on the throne in chapter 4 has in His hand a sealed scroll that predicts the events to happen soon but no one is found worthy to open the scroll except the Lamb, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David. Then the Lamb appears by the throne, standing but as if slaughtered (apparently bloody). The Lamb takes the scroll from the Father and will presumably open the scrolls one by one. The 4 living creatures and the 24 elders sing a new song (the song of Moses and the Lamb) and worship the Lamb: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.You have made them into a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” Then thousands of thousands of angels join the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures in worship: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.” Then every living creature in heaven, earth, or sea begin to worship both the one on the throne (the Father) and the Lamb by the throne: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.” The 4 living creatures say “Amen” and the 24 elders bow and worship.
So I hope this will help you with your daily worship of the Father and the Son. A couple of notes:
The song of Moses and the Lamb. AI: “The Song of Moses and the Lamb is a biblical hymn from Revelation 15:3-4, sung by the redeemed in heaven, combining praise for God’s deliverance (like Moses at the Red Sea, Exodus 15) with recognition of Jesus, the Lamb, for His ultimate victory and salvation, uniting Old and New Testament themes of God’s mighty, just deeds. It praises God as Almighty and King of nations, acknowledging His holy, marvelous, and true ways, and serves as a hymn of triumph over evil. ” Well said, AI, no doubt taken directly from a great article somewhere!
The church is those purchased with the blood of the Lamb who are the new kingdom of God, a spiritual kingdom. All Christians are spiritual priests who offer up to God spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5-9). Christians are reigning with Christ in this spiritual kingdom now. We are not waiting for Jesus to return to set up a physical kingdom. He never intended or planned to set up a physical kingdom. John 18:36 “My kingdom is not of this world”. Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
The Gospel of Philip says that Jesus loved Mary Magdelene more than the other disciples and that Mary was a “companion” of Jesus and that he kissed her on the (and the rest is missing from the text). The word “companion” does not necessariy mean “spouse” but even if it did, why would we believe that the Gospel of Phiilip was an authentic inspired gospel just like our 4 gospel (Mt, Mk, Lk, Jn)? The Gospel of Mary Magdelene also says that Jesus loved Mary more than the others, but was it an authentic inspired gospel? When were these 2 gospels (Philip and Mary) written? Most scholars think they were written in the laste 2nd century. The Gospel of Philip was in the Coptic Nag Hammadi books found in Egyypt in 1945 and the Gospel of Mary was also found in Egypt in the late 19th century.
They probably were around in the late 2nd century because the church father Irenaeus “fiercely condemned them, along with other Gnostic writings, in his work Against Heresies, arguing they were heretical, illegitimate, and contrary to the four canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), which he championed as the only true witnesses to Jesus, established by apostolic tradition and reflecting creation’s order. He saw these Gnostic books as undermining the true Church’s faith, promoting secret knowledge, and challenging the apostolic succession, viewing them as dangerous fabrications.” Irenaeus lived in the 2nd century AD.
Now we can’t trust everything Irenaeus said. He believed in chiliasm (that Jesus was going to come set up an earthly kingdom), which I disagree with. Jesus said that his kingdom was not of this world (John 13:36) and that some of those he was speaking to would be alive to see Him coming back in His kingdom (Matthew 16:27-28). He also said that Jesus’ ministry lasted 20 years and that he died at age 50. But his comments about the gospels are compelling: “In his central work, Adversus Haereses Irenaeus denounced various Christian groups that used only one gospel…as well as groups that embraced the texts of new revelations.…Irenaeus declared that the four he espoused were the four pillars of the Church: ‘it is not possible that there can be either more or fewer than four’ he stated, presenting as logic the analogy of the four corners of the earth and the four winds (1.11.8).”
So was this an isolated opinion of just one of the early church fathers? No. The following chart shows how many times the early church father (2nd-4th centuries AD) quoted or cited the gospels (and the rest of the New Testament).
Justin Martyr lived from 100-165 AD; Clement was 150-215 AD; Irenaeus was 125-202 AD; Origen was 185-254 AD; Tertullian was 155-220 AD; and Eusebius was 260-339 AD. So we have almost 19,000 quotes of the 4 gospels by the early church fathers by the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. So around the 2nd century AD (about 100 years after the original gospel were written) we have all the church fathers quoting the 4 gospels as inspired writings of the apostles. I believe that these early church fathers living in the 2nd century knew very well which gospels that had been passed down by the church were authentic inspired writings.
In contrast to that, the early church fathers never quotred from the gospels of Philip, Mary, or Thomas (the gospel of Thomas was another gospel found in the Nag Hammadi books. Irenaeus’ comment about the gospels of Philip and Mary shows that those books were around by the late 2nd century but that they were clearly considered to be uninspired, heretical gospels. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if the gospel of Philip suggested that Jesus was married (his “companion”) to Mary or not. It wasn’t an inspired gospel so it just doesn’t matter what it says. The Dan Brown Da Vinci Code book and movie throws in a comment that the gospel of Philip said that Mary was the wife of Jesus, but, again, that is taken from an uninspired gospel that the early church rejected. A great movie with Tom Hanks, but entirely fiction.
Maybe this article is more about the trustworthiness of the 4 gospels (Mt, Mk, Lk, Jn) that we do have in our Bibles than it is about the gospels of Philip and Mary. The early church father quotes should give us confidence that we can trust the 4 gospels as being written early and written by those 4 men. If we can’t trust our 4 gospels, then we can’t trust the miracles and resurrection of Jesus that they record.
AI: “Bart Ehrman says the four Gospels (Mark, Matthew, Luke, John) were written anonymously, with names added later, but generally dates them as: Mark (c. 70 CE), Matthew & Luke (c. 80-85 CE), and John (c. 90-95 CE), acknowledging the consensus among critical scholars that they weren’t eyewitness accounts but emerged decades after Jesus, long after the apostles’ deaths, to gain authority.” I believe that all the gospels were written before 70 AD. How do we know that? Because all 4 gospels quote Jesus predicting the destruction of Jerusalem that he said would happen within the generation of those he was speaking to (Matthew 24:34) and yet none of the 4 state that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD had already happened at the time of writing. What if we found an old, old book about persecution of the Jews in history but we didn’t know when it was written? What if that book told about many events where the Jews were persecuted but stopped without mentioning the holocaust? When would you say that book was written, before or after the holocaust? It was written before the holocaust. It is the same with the 4 gospels and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. If that event had already happened at the time of writing the gospels then the gospel writers would surely have used that fulfilled prediction to show that Jesus was truly a Prophet. If the gospels were written before 70 AD, then early Chrisitans would have been able to verify that the writers really were Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Also, if the gospels were written before 70 AD, then that would be within about 30 years of the resurrection of Jesus and people could be able to check out the veracity of the gospel claims. If someone claimed a resurrection from a local cemetary 30 years ago, then we are living close enough in time to check out that claim. The early church rejected many spurious gospels and other books, so they knew which books were authentic that had been passed down to the early church.
Who was the “man of sin or man of lawlessness” in 2 Thessalonians 2? Who was the antichrist in 1 John 2? Was the antichrist one person? Was the antichrist the same person as the man of sin? Who were the many antichrists going out mentioned in 1 John 2?
First, the man of sin. That “man of lawlessness or man of sin” was predicted by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 that he would come before the 2nd coming.
Let’s focus on the “man of sin” first. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
The Thessalonian Christians could identify who man of sin would be if they followed the events happening in their times. Even if they weren’t sure who it would be, a few facts stand out. 1) Someone was restraining the man of sin, keeping him from fully implementing his evil, and that process was “already at work”. That means that the restrainer was a person living at the time Paul wrote to them, and thus that the man of sin whom the restrainer was restraining would be someone living in their near future. This letter was written about 50-52 AD. So this prediction would be fulfilled in their lifetime.
2) Who could this man of sin be then? Paul said that the man of sin would sit in the temple of God and display himself as God. Many commentators think that was Nero, who would indeed be an evil killer of Christians in the near future, but Nero never sat in the temple of God. But the emperor Titus did in 70 AD when he destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. AI: “Historical accounts, primarily from Josephus, state that Titus did enter the inner sanctuary (Holy of Holies) of the Second Temple in Jerusalem just before its complete destruction in 70 CE, finding it empty, and then ordered soldiers to loot its treasures, including the Menorah, which was famously depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome. He entered with his commanders amidst the fiery chaos, was awed by its beauty but found it deserted, and then the Romans plundered it for the triumphal procession.” Titus also was an emperor who claimed to be God, so he fits the bill completely. I believe the man of sin was Titus. The temple has not been rebuilt since then. If some future antichrist appears, the temple would have to be rebuilt first.
3) This man of sin would be “eliminated” at the coming of Jesus. Since the man of sin was someone living at the time Paul wrote, then that means that this coming in 2 Thessalonians 2 would also have to be in their lifetime. Even if you are not a full preterist who believes that that all predictions of the 2nd coming were fulfilled in 70 AD when Jesus came in judgment on the Jews, it would seem that this coming would be in their lifetime.
4) There would be an “apostasy” that would happen before the man of sin came. The Greek word for “apostasy” is apostasia: Apostasy, rebellion, defection, falling away. Since the word can mean, rebellion, some have thought this to be the rebellion of the Jews against the Romans in 63 AD which led to the wars of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Usually the word refers to a falling away from the faith, as in 1 Timothy 4:1 (the word apostasy is not used there however). Jesus also predicted a falling away of many from the faith that would happen before the temple was destroyed (Matthew 24:10). Jesus predicted false Christs to come before 70 AD (Matthew 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘He is over here,’ do not believe him. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and will provide great [t]signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” All these predictions would come true before that generation that he was talking to would pass away (Matthew 24:34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.)
Bottom line, the man of sin would be someone living and dying in the first century. I believe it was Titus. But even if that is not correct, we can know that it was not someone living after the first century, that it was not one of the many people put forth to be the man of sin in the last 2,000 years.
Now let’s focus on the “antichrist”. 1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be evident that they all are not of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.”
Was John predicting that a certain individual would be “that antichrist” who is coming? If so, the man of sin of 2 Thessalonians 2 could be the antichrist that Paul is speaking of. That has been the most common view of Christian commentators. AI: “the Antichrist is widely understood in Christian eschatology as a specific, powerful individual who will appear before Jesus’ return, embodying ultimate evil and opposing Christ. Throughout history, figures like Nero, the Roman Papacy/Catholic Church (especially during the Reformation), and more recently political leaders like Hitler, Stalin have been identified as the Antichrist. Luther left no doubt where he stood concerning the Papacy when he wrote, “This teaching [of the supremacy of the pope] shows forcefully that the Pope is the very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above, and opposed himself against Christ, because he will not permit Christians to be saved without his power”.
So maybe John was predicting an individual to be the Antichrist. He added “just as you have heard”, so some prophecy or prediction had been made of an Antichrist arising. Was this a reference to Paul’s prediction of the man of sin, thus equating the man of sin with some Antichrist? So was the Antichrist in 1 John 2:18 Titus?
But for sure, the term also applies to any person or movement denying Jesus, as “many antichrists have already come” (1 John 2:18). So, it could be both a singular figure (also called the “man of lawlessness”) and a general term for Christ-opponents.
So what was the error taught by the generic antichrists when John wrote 1 John? First notice that John said that it was already the “last hour” at the time he wrote. That would have to be the last hour of the last days. The last days referred to the 40 years from AD 30 to AD 70, the last days of the Jewish Age, the last days of the old covenant before it “disappeared” in 70 AD (Hebrews 8:13), the last days of the Jewish kingdom being God’s chosen people (Matthew 21:43). The phrase “last hour” indicates that John is writing at some time near the end of the last days. Otherwise, “last hour” would make no sense. Now that means that John wrote 1 John before 70 AD. Some might object to that view since most think that John lived to the age of 100, wrote 1,2,3 John and Revelation in the 90’s, and died a peaceful death at the age of 100. But a very early church father, Papias (60-130 AD), said that John died a martyr’s death at the hands of the Jews just as Jesus predicted that the brothers James and John would die a martyr’s death in Mark 10:35-40. That would have be some time before 70 AD since the Jews did not have the power to kill anyone by the end of the 1st century. So if John was martyred before 70 AD (his brother James was killed by Herod in Acts 12), just as James the brother of Jesus was martyred by the Jews before 70 AD, then John must have written 1,2,3 John and Revelation before 70 AD. So the phrase “it is the last hour” makes more sense that it refers to writing 1 John at some time close to 70 AD. BTW if John lived till the age of 100 and died a peaceful death as many claim, then Jesus’ prediction of his martyrdom is a failed prediction and Jesus is a false prophet.
It is interesting that the antichrists of 1 John 2 “went out from us (i.e. us apostles) but were not really of us”, so they were false teachers who once were part of the Christian fellowship. So what error were the antichrists teaching that John was condemning. They were denying that Jesus was the Christ (the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah). 1 John 4:22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?” 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now it is already in the world. 1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the child born of Him.” We don’t know the nature of their arguments against Jesus being the Messiah.
John adds another teaching that the antichrists were probably denying. 1 John 5:5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 9 If we receive the testimony of people, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” At Jesus’ baptism, God declared “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”. John’s gospel is full of declarations that Jesus is God’s Son, equal to the Father in essence. If the antichrists were denying that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah), then surely they were also denying that he was the Son of God.
There are so many antichrist religions in history and today that teach these same errors that the antichrists of John’s day taught. The Jews deny that Jesus is the Messiah. Many groups deny that Jesus is the Son of God. The Jews tried to stone Jesus for claiming to be equal with the Father (1 John 5:18). Mohammed in the Koran said that God did not have a Son. Many groups deny the deity of Jesus, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists, and Unitarian Universalists (and many smaller Christian groups). Notice that, like in 1 John 2, these are “Christian” groups and not non-Christian beliefs. We don’t have to fully understand how Jesus can be fully God and fully man at the same time, but we must believe that Jesus is the Son of God in order to be saved. There can be no compromise on that doctrine.
So there is no prediction of some powerful world leader in our future who will be the Antichrist just before the 2nd coming, but there are many false teachers of the antichrist spirit today.
What about the antichrist in the book of Revelation? AI: “While the specific word “Antichrist” isn’t in Revelation (it appears in John’s epistles), Revelation 13 describes a powerful, deceptive figure known as the “Beast” from the sea, widely interpreted as the Antichrist figure, who rises to global power, demands worship, persecutes saints, and is associated with the number 666. This beast embodies the spirit of antichrist described by John, opposing Christ and leading people to worship him instead.” That might be true, but there is no certainty that the Beast in the book of Revelation is the Antichrist of 1 John 2. Luther and the Reformers definitely taught that the beast and Antichrist were the same in Revelation and that it referred to the papacy.
AI: “A blog article should aim to genuinely help readers by solving problems, answering questions, or sharing valuable insights, while establishing your authority and building trust within your niche, all presented in an engaging, scannable, and SEO-friendly format with a clear call-to-action (CTA) to guide them further. It needs to attract, engage, and convert readers by being informative, authoritative, and readable.” “Provide genuine solutions, guides, tips, or insights that address reader needs. Understand who you’re writing for and what they care about.”
But how can a blogger know the needs of his readers and understand his readers and what they care about? Impossible. He can only hope that most of his readers agree with some of his beliefs, opinions, even rantings at times. Otherwise he assumes that a disagreeing reader would simply quit reading the blogs and unsubscribe, which I think a couple of atheists have done that with my blog and that is their right to do so. I would like to think that all readers are open to studying even things they might initially disagree with, like my teachings on full preterism (go back and read some of early blog about that if you wish). Or my condemnation of LGBQT although I think that is an absolutely critical topic today and one that I can’t compromise with.
But hopefully, many of my blogs are just expository examination of Scriptures. I think I got the following from Allister Begg:
Expository preaching should allow the text to do its convicting work rather than relying on human persuasion. • Counseling must present Scriptural proof that exposes sinful patterns while offering the substantiated hope of the Gospel. • Evangelism should appeal to the Spirit-wrought certainty that the resurrection of Jesus is “proof to all men” (Acts 17:31).
“Expository preaching is a method of preaching that seeks to “expose” the meaning of a specific biblical text by carefully explaining its original context, meaning, and message. It should include possible application of truths discovered from the text. Paul said of his preaching: 1 Corinthians 2:4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God.” Too much preaching is based on the cleverness of the preacher and his speaking ability to persuade listeners. A lot of stuff from the internet that keeps your attention but is shallow in Biblical exposition. Why do we think that we have to add so much human persuasion to exposition of Scripture? The Spirit works through the Word and is powerful and we should rely on that power to persuade people. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Expository preaching and teaching is simply trying to dig into what the Spirit is saying in each text and then allow the Spirit to do His work on listeners and readers. That should be sufficient.
Someone might say, “Well why not just read the Scriptures and add nothing?” That might not be a bad idea at times. Paul told Timothy: 1 Timothy 4:13 Until I come, give your attention to the public reading, to exhortation, and teaching.” The Jews had a scheduled reading of the Law in the synagogues. AI: “Jews have a long-standing tradition of scheduled Torah readings in synagogues, following a yearly cycle where the entire Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) is read aloud, divided into weekly portions called parshiyot (singular: parsha) read every Shabbat (Sabbath). This custom, deeply rooted in Jewish life, involves reading a portion from the Torah followed by a related passage from the Prophets (haftarah), with the whole cycle completed annually.” I’m sure Paul would include the public reading of any New Testament books as they were written, circulated, and copied. Paul told the Colossians: Colossians 4:16 When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part, read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.”
But in 1 Timothy 4:13 Paul added exhortation and teaching to the public reading of Scripture. That’s what happened when Ezra read the Law to those who had returned from Babylonian captivity. Nehemiah 8:1 And all the people gathered as one person at the public square which was in front of the Water Gate (not the Nixon water gate!), and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Then Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it before the public square which was in front of the Water Gate, from early morning until midday (try doing about a 6 hour sermon in your church this Sunday), in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose (so that’s where preaching podiums started?). 5 Then Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” with the raising of their hands; then they kneeled down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground (does the reading of the Word evoke such a response from you and your church?). 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained (bin: To understand, discern, perceive, consider) the Law to the people while the people remained in their place. 8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, translating (parash: To declare, to explain, to make distinct) to give the sense (sekel: Insight, understanding, prudence, wisdom) so that they understood (bin) the reading.”
Ezra and the Levites read from the Law, explained the text to the listeners could understand the meaning, and then encouraged the listeners to obey the Law. Ezra made the 2nd return from Babylon b/c the people had rebuilt the temple (the 1st return) but had not been keeping all the Law like they should. Nehemiah 8 goes on to tell “the rest of the story” (Paul Harvey). The people were weeping when they heard and understood some of the laws of God that they had not been keeping since they returned from Babylon. The 2nd return from Babylon under Ezra occurred in 458 BC and the 3rd return under Nehemiah to rebuild the walls occurred in 445 BC. Nehemiah joins in with Ezra and the Levites to encourage the people to quit weeping but instead to go get ready to celebrate a “great feast” that they had just understand that they weren’t keeping properly based on the reading of the Law by Ezra. So Nehemiah 8 occurs after the 3rd return and Ezra is still in Jerusalem leading the people. Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had firmly resolved to study the Law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.”
This “great feast” that they began to celebrate was the Feast of Booths. Nehemiah 8:14 And they found written in the Law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. 15 And that they were to proclaim and circulate a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of other trees with thick branches, to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courtyards and in the courtyards of the house of God, and in the public square at the Water Gate, and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. Indeed, the sons of Israel had not done so since the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was very great rejoicing. 18 He read from the Book of the Law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a festive assembly in accordance with the ordinance.” AI: “The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles (Sukkot) commemorates two main things: the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in temporary shelters (booths or sukkot) in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, and the final fall harvest, celebrating God’s provision and blessing. It’s a week-long Jewish holiday where people build and live in temporary huts, remembering their ancestors’ journey and God’s faithfulness while also giving thanks for the year’s agricultural bounty.”
The Spirit of God wrote the Law of Moses through Moses. Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites explained the readings to the people, but the power was in the Word of God. The people were humble and open to doing what the Spirit was telling them to do through His Word in the Law. Later that same month they celebrated the Feast of Booths they made a great confession of sin. Nehemiah 9:1 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. 2 The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the wrongdoings of their fathers. 3 While they stood in their place, they read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.” All the leaders of the people then signed a document stating all the things they were going to do as repentance for their sins (like not buying and selling on the Sabbath and eliminating marriages to non Israelites).
Wow! That’s revival! It does seem that there is a global revival happening today. AI:”Churches are experiencing revival, particularly among young adults (Gen Z), with growing interest in Jesus, increased prayer/worship/baptism, and rising Bible/Christian app usage, signaling a spiritual awakening despite some Gen Z church withdrawal. This movement is seen globally, often involving fervent prayer, repentance, and new life, with many churches holding special revival meetings to foster this spiritual hunger and unity, reflecting historic patterns of renewal in Christianity.” Just one example: “Significant Christian revival events have occurred at Auburn University, especially starting in September 2023, centered around the “Unite” movement led by figures like Tonya Prewett, featuring large gatherings (5,000 showed up), powerful worship, and spontaneous mass baptisms of hundreds of students (over 200) at local spots like the Red Barn lake, leading to increased local church attendance and a broader campus spiritual shift.” My granddaughter is a student at Auburn and witnessed that night of baptisms at the lake. The Asbury University Revival (2023): Sparked a national wave of spiritual interest after students refused to leave a worship service. Other such college revivals at FSU where 4,500 showed up and 350 were baptized. This is happening on many other college campuses and may God be glorified.
I realize there is a lot more to “discipling” those baptized and hopefully those who are being baptized will continue in fellowship with other believers and continue in their study of the Word. These mainly Gen Z revivals are encouraging however. Only time will tell if these revivals really change our nation.
But I say that churches need such revival. Too many churches are content with running the “church business”. They do a lot of good and meet a lot of needs. But are the members rededicating themselves to keeping the commands of the Word that is preached to them. Are men getting off of porn. Barna research shows that 68% of church-going men and 75% of Christian men view it regularly or at least occasionally, with even higher rates among young adults. Over half of pastors have struggled with porn use at some point. More than half of Christians who use porn are comfortable with it, though many experience guilt and isolation. That’s a spiritual and moral epidemic in the church. Are the preachers and the leaders really trying to deal with that or do they just accept that and preach their nice little sermons and take their pay checks. The divorce rate among church going Christians is 20-30%, which is lower than the 33% for the general population, but that still means than about 1 of every 4 marriages in church goers will end in divorce. That needs to be addressed. From baptist.org “The new normal in churches today is that people are struggling with drug addiction in unprecedented numbers. Opioid abuse in all its forms is epidemic. The reality is that in the confines of any church, someone is suffering in silence, enslaved to some addictive substance or behavior.” Are churches addressing that problem? Many are trying to and have help available for addiction.
When will churches and church leaders take a hard look at how they spend church money? This was a post from an atheist: “Churches only spend an average of ~3% of their budgets on “Charity”, with over 60% going to “employee” costs, 20% on building/facility, 10% on “programs”. Those stats may vary a lot from church to church, but are about true for most churches who spend about 75% of their collections on buildings and staff and less than 10% on benevolence in general. When will churches look at the need to use the money collected for helping the poor globally, disaster relief, refugee care, care for children globally in poor countries who don’t have good medical care or education, drilling clean water wells, helping persecuted Christians in foreign countries, and printing and distributing Bibles worldwide in the “heart language” of the people so that the Spirit can do His work in conversion? When will churches say, “We are going to make whatever changes we need to make to start using the vast majority of our money collected on the things God would want us to use the money for”? Instead of paying a preacher 100k plus, we will use talented Bible teachers as our speakers (for free) and use that preacher salary to do those things listed above. Instead of paying so many salaries for staff and secretaries, we will challenge our deacons to take charge of the different ministries (for free) and use that money per above.
I realize that what I am saying is radical, opinionated thinking, but is it valid? Do we need a revival among churches? Some churches like the LGBQT churches need a revival to just getting back to even believing that the Bible and Paul’s teachings on homosexuality are the Word of God and not the word of men. Unfortunately I don’t see that happening and millions of dollars given to churches is being used to support such false churches. But maybe all churches really need to sit down and evaluate themselves.
So, let us pray for revival in general. Our country and churches need revival. Our country has gotten periodic “spiritual shots in the arm” to spur moral and spiritual reform over the past 200 years (about every 50 years). AI:”Major revival movements in the U.S. include the First Great Awakening (1730s-40s, sparked by Edwards & Whitfield), the Second Great Awakening (1800-1840, fueling camp meetings, social reforms like abolition), the Businessmen’s Prayer Revival led by Jeremiah Lamphier (1857-58, a lay-led prayer meeting explosion), the Azusa Street Revival (1906, birth of Pentecostalism), the 1905 Student Volunteer Movement on many collge campuses, the 1950’s campus revivals led by men like Billy Graham in Campus Crusades for Christ, and the Jesus Movement (late 60s-70s, impacting youth culture). These movements significantly shaped American Christianity and culture by promoting evangelicalism, social reform, and new denominations.” Many thought that 9/11 would bring about such a grass roots revival, but the moral and spiritual decline in America since that tragic event don’t show much of a revival, if any.
Again, join with me to pray every day for revival. Thanks for reading.
My last blog laid the groundwork for the special collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem that Paul was taking up from the mainly Gentile churches on his 3rd missionary journey, so please read that before you get into this blog. I intended to send this tomorrow but couldn’t wait.
I want to summarize what he told the church in Corinth about that special collection. AI: “Paul wrote 2 Corinthians around AD 55-57, most likely from Macedonia, possibly Philippi or Thessalonica, during his third missionary journey, shortly after a difficult visit to Corinth that prompted a more painful, lost letter before the 2 Corinthian letter which expresses relief and defends his apostolic authority.” Paul had been in Ephesus for 3 years, from where he made that difficult visit and from where he wrote 1 Corinthians. “After the 3 years he left Ephesus for Troas, grew anxious waiting for Titus (who was bringing news from Corinth and was supposed to meet him in Troas but was late), and then traveled to Macedonia where he finally met Titus, receiving good news about the Corinthian church’s repentance after receiving Paul’s letters (the severe lost letter and the 1 Corinthians letter).” Titus probably delivered both these letters to the Corinthians, but for sure he delivered the 1 Corinthians letter.
2 Cor 8:16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness in your behalf in the heart of Titus. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. 18 We have sent along with him the brother (some early church fathers thought that this “brother” was Luke but we really don’t know who it was),whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; 19 and not only that, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, 20 taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; 21 for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of other people. 22 We have sent with them our brother (some think this was a 2nd unnamed brother; Trophimus has been mentioned as a possibility) whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.” What a great compliment to Titus. We know that Timothy was Paul’s special “child in the faith” but Titus is highly praised by Paul here. Later Paul will trust Titus as an evangelist to stay in Crete and correct false teachers there and to teach sound doctrine.
There are so many lessons about giving in 2 Cor 8 and 9. I really enjoyed re-studying those 2 chapters.
1) The Macedonian churches had already given liberally out of their poverty, according to their ability and beyond their ability, toward this special collection. They gave voluntarily and begged Paul for the favor of participating in this collection. Reminds you of the widow’s 2 mites, doesn’t it? They even first “gave of themselves” before they gave their contributions. I imagine there a lot of church goers that still give out of guilt without giving themselves to the Lord.
2) Paul encouraged the Corinthians to fulfill their pledge they had made toward this special collection one year earlier. They were the first to make such a pledge and now they needed to finish what they pledged. Titus had apparently helped them make that pledge a year earlier and he would take this 2 Corinthian letter to Corinth (while Paul was still in Macedonia waiting to go visit Corinth one last time) to make sure the Corinthians fulfilled their pledge. Paul said that their pledge should be a proof of the sincerity of their love and according to their ability.
3) Paul had boasted about the Corinthian pledge to the Macedonian churches (Philippi, etc.) and about the Corinthian zeal from a year earlier that had stirred up the Macedonian churches to give liberally (which they did). So he sent Titus and 2 other brothers to make sure that the Corinthians fulfilled their pledge lest his boasting be in vain. He sent them from Macedonia ahead of his last visit to Corinth to arrange for the Corinthian collection to be ready for him to pick up when he would visit (1 Corinthians 16:1-4). But Paul is quick to point out that he did not want this generous gift they had pledged to be reluctant or under compulsion (one made by a greedy person but who feels compels to make the contribution under force almost or out of guilt or even to grudgingly fulfill their pledge). He wants them to be cheerful givers. It is interesting to note that Paul used the example of the churches in Galatia giving toward this collection to motivate the church in Corinth (1 Cor 16:1-4), and then he used the Corinthian generosity to motivate the churches in Macedonia. The power of the example of sacrificial giving. Quite often I read of someone basically donating all his/her assets to a great work of the Lord somewhere, usually in some poor country overseas. That inspires me to look at my assets and make generous donations. Still working on that!
4) Paul then gave a great principle on giving. God will supply “seed for the sower” is he/she gives liberally, generously, and cheerfully. He will supply more “seed money” for the one who gives like that. God will multiply your seed money for sowing. If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, but if you sow generously, you will reap generously. God will be glorified by generous, cheerful giving. I don’t believe this giving has to be to a church budget fund. Churches spend about 75% of the money they collect on buildings and staff. I like the giving habits of the early church. The only collections they took up were for benevolence and the spreading of the gospel. They did not have buildings to pay for and staff salaries, etc. They met in house churches. Acts 2:44 And all the believers were together and had all things in common; 45 and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need. Acts 4:34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each to the extent that any had need.” AI: “Justin Martyr, in his First Apology (c. 155 AD), describes 2nd-century Christian communities collecting voluntary offerings during Sunday meetings, managed by the church president (bishop) for communal welfare, specifically helping orphans, widows, the sick, imprisoned, and needy strangers, showing a system of communal care funded by voluntary, generous giving from the wealthy and willing.” Why are churches not using all that money they collect to feed the poor, drill clean water wells, and print Bibles to spread the gospel?
4) Paul says that the motivation for all our giving is what God has given us by sending His Son to die and save us from our sins. 2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich (i.e. rich spiritually). There is no “prosperity gospel” that if you give liberally you will be blessed materially for your own selfish use although it is true that you might be blessed with more money to share with others if you give liberally but there is not guarantee of even that. 2 Cor 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable (anekdiégétos: Indescribable, inexpressible: properly, inexpressible (beyond words); indescribable (inexplicable), impossible to estimate (used only in 2 Cor 9:15) ) gift!”
One of my favorite movies is “The Ultimate Gift”. Great movie. Jason, the protagonist, is a spoiled young adult who never had to work. HIs grandad, whom he resents, dies and gives him a list of gifts which are actually chores and lessons for him to learn in order to get finally “the ultimate gift” and he has no clue what that ultimate gift. I won’t spoil the movie for you if you haven’t seen it, but in the end he truly receives the ultimate gift. God blesses us with so many physcial blessings and spiritual blessings every day. It is my 76th today and I sat with my 3 grown children (no spouses or grandchildren present) at my favorite breakfast place, McDonalds for my usual egg McMuffin and Sr Coffee and I sat as they laughed and laughed and made fun of each other and told stories about their kids and some of our trips. For about 45 minutes, non stop laughing and fun and memories. I thought, I could not get a better material present on my birthday than that! Thank you Lord. That will be a memory I cherish till the day that I die. I wish many such happy memories for you.
Every day thank God his His indescribable, inexpressible, words that cannot express gift in sending His Son to die for us. Imagine a situation where someone in on death row and you are told that if you swap your son to die instead that the death row inmate can go free. Could you give such a gift?
I don’t know what troubles you will face today, but that gift makes it all bearable as you wait for the day when you can leave this trouble filled life and start enjoying eternal life with Jesus, and hopefully with your loved ones someday.
A very important part of Paul’s 3rd missionary journey was collecting money from the churches to take to the poor saints in Jerusalem. He said that this was a way for the mainly Gentile churches that he had established (Corinth, Philippi, Galatia, etc.) to show their appreciation for the role of the Jerusalem church in spreading the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul’s base of operation for his 3 missionary journeys was Antioch of Syria, but that church in Antioch was started by Jewish Christians fleeing persecution in Jerusalem (Acts 11:19-26). The persecution of Christians in Jerusalem first started in Acts 8:1-3 and they spread through Judea and Samaria, but in Acts 11 they had spread north to Antioch, establishing a mainly Gentile church there. Acts 11:19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks as well, preaching the good news of the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 The [q]news about them reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off [s]to Antioch. 23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; 24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And considerable numbers were added to the Lord. 25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they [w]met with the church and taught considerable numbers of people; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” So the Jewish Jerusalem church was considered the “mother church” of the Gentile churches.
Paul, in his Romans letter written from Corinth during his 3rd journey, comments on this 3rd journey collection in Romans 15:22 For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you (i.e. to the Christians in Rome); 23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you 24 whenever I go to Spain—(tradition and the Muratorian Canon said that he did make a visit to Spain after his release from 2 years of house arrest in Acts 28) for I hope to see you in passing (he did get to go to Rome but as a prisoner Acts 27-28), and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while— 25 but now, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to do them a service also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.” Perhaps the Jewish saints in Jerusalem were still suffering from an earlier famine, predicted by the prophet Agabus, in the reign of Claudius for which the church in Antioch had taken up a collection and sent it via Paul and Barnabas (Acts 11:27-30).
Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians written during his 3 year stay in Ephesus while on his 3rd journey, spoke of this collection: 1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints (i.e. the poor saints in Jerusalem), as I directed the churches of Galatia (no actual record of this in his letter to the Galatians), so you are to do as well. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save as he may prosper, so that no collections need to be made when I come. 3 When I arrive, whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem; 4 and if it is appropriate for me to go also, they will go with me.” There were several delegates from the different churches who traveled with Paul toward the end of his 3rd journey all the way to Jerusalem carrying the contributions from their respective churches. AI: “When Paul traveled to Jerusalem with church contributions (the “collection”) for the poor saints, he was accompanied by several delegates representing the Gentile churches, including Luke, Sopater (son of Pyrrhus) of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus (both from Thessalonica), Gaius (from Derbe), Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus (from Asia/Ephesus). These men served as witnesses to ensure the funds from churches in Macedonia, Achaia (Greece), and Asia were delivered faithfully, building unity and preventing suspicion.”
AI: “The early church in Corinth, like many New Testament churches, met in various homes (house churches) but had a regular, collective assembly on the first day of the week (Sunday), primarily for worship, fellowship, and to take collections for the needy in Jerusalem, as described in Paul’s letters, particularly 1 Corinthians. This Sunday gathering was a significant, unified event for the whole congregation, even as daily fellowship occurred in smaller home groups, emphasizing both intimate community and broader unity. Evidence suggests that early Christians, including those in the Corinthian era, met on Sunday mornings before dawn specifically because Sunday was a regular work day in the Roman world. Sunday became a non-work day in the Roman world on March 7, 321 AD, when Emperor Constantine issued a civil law decreeing that all judges, city dwellers, and craftsmen should rest on “the venerable day of the sun,” though agricultural labor was still permitted. This decree, reflecting both Christian and pagan sun-worship influences (like Mithraism), marked the first national legal recognition of Sunday as a day of rest, establishing it as a public holiday alongside existing festival days. Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) teach that Sunday worship originated from pagan sun worship and was later adopted by the Catholic Church, eventually becoming the standard Christian practice, which they see as a deviation from the biblical Saturday Sabbath. They argue that early Christians, influenced by Roman culture and the “apostate” church, shifted worship from Saturday (the biblical Sabbath) to Sunday (the pagan “Lord’s Day” or “Sun’s Day”), a change solidified by Roman Emperor Constantine in 321 AD.”
A couple of points here. It is obvious from 1 Corinthians 16:1 and Acts 20:7 that the early Christians had already (by around 55 AD) had begun to have their main assembly on Sundays, the first day of the week. No doubt the Jewish Christians, during the transition period from AD 30 to AD 70, still observed the Sabbath and gathered in their synagogues for Saturday worship and instruction. But the Gentile Christians were never commanded to keep the Sabbath. The Sabbath keeping was a special sign and command for the Jewish (Exodus 31:16-17) and Gentiles were never commanded to observe the Sabbath. Some protestants taught that “Sunday was the Christian sabbath” but that is not true. The Sabbath was and still is Saturday, but Gentile Christians do not have to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” as commanded in the 10 commandments. So saying that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath in order to say that one is keeping the 4th commandment (of the 10) is not accurate.
In the 2nd century, “historical accounts, particularly from Pliny the Younger (c. 110 AD) and writings from early Church Fathers, confirm that 2nd-century Christians regularly met on the first day of the week (Sunday) before dawn to worship Christ, sing hymns, and share a meal, celebrating Jesus’ resurrection and new creation, even as some continued Jewish practices while shifting focus to this “Lord’s Day”. The Didache (Early 2nd Century): An early Christian manual that speaks of gathering to break bread on the Lord’s Day. Justin Martyr (Mid-2nd Century): Described Christians meeting on Sunday (the “Lord’s Day”) for worship, scripture, and the Eucharist, noting the shift from the Jewish Sabbath.” (AI)
BTW, the church I was raised in used 1 Cor 16:1-4 as the basis for a command for Christians today to give every Sunday as part of the “5 acts of acceptable worship” but that it obviously a misuse of Scripture. The command in 1 Cor 16 was a special contribution that would end when Paul made his visit to Corinth and took the money from them to carry to Jerusalem. How can that be a command for us today? Of course it’s permissible to give when we assembe on Sundays, but not a command taken from 1 Cor 16.
I have digressed from the 3rd journey collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem, but I find the AI research on the early Christian assemblies to be interesting, accurate, and helpful. I know that AI is copying from articles and I can’t give their sources b/c they don’t give them, but I usually find the AI info to be great. In my next blog I want to go into Paul’s comments on this collection in 2 Corinthians 8,9.
I teach Bible to Gen Z’s every day. Most say Gen Z’s were born 1997 to 2012, making them 13 to 28 as of 2025. I teach 15-17 year old Gen Z’s. AI: “Gen Z’s biggest concerns revolve around ** economic, financial insecurity (cost of living, job security, housing, home ownership), climate change, and mental health (stress, loneliness, anxiety from tech/future uncertainty), alongside significant worries about social justice, gun violence, and AI’s impact on jobs, showing deep engagement with global and personal futures. Generation Z is often cited as the most stressed generation, reporting higher rates of mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. This is linked to growing up with constant exposure to social media, academic and economic pressures, and global uncertainties like climate change and political turmoil.” About 25% of Gen Z identify as LGBQT. About 70% of Gen Z approve of homosexuality. Gen z make up about 20% of the population.
Having stated all those alarming stats (i.e. alarming if you believe the Bible to be the word of God), about 38% of Gen Z identify as Christians. 48% are religiously unaffiliated (which could mean atheist, agnostic, or “no religion in particular”. Gen z is the most secular generation yet and is the first generation ever to have a higher non Christian percentage than Christian. There is hope with all the TPUSA rallies on Christian campuses. What this means, though, is that the moral gap among younger Christians is wider than ever. If 70% of Gen Z approve of homosexuality, that only leaves 30% of Gen Z who might possibly believe that the Bible is the word of God and that the Bible clearly condemns homosexuality. That is a wide gulf that is hard to cross. The Christian rallies on college campuses are wonderful, but probably involve a relatively small % of Gen Z.
So what’s the point? Just concern. How can we convince that 70% (i.e. those who accept homosexuality) that the writings of the apostle Paul are the word of God and that his condemnation of homosexuality is from God and not from some homophobic whose opinions mean nothing? We can only keep sowing the seed of the word of God, but the liberal trends are very concerning for the future of the U.S. in my opinion. There are many minor doctrines that Christians can disagree on, but the homosexual issue is the litmus test for whether someone accepts the Bible as the word of God or not.
Where do we start to try to change this trend? I think we need to go back to the same method that Paul used in his letters to defend his apostleship. Paul’s enemies tried to convince his followers that he was not an apostle equal to the other apostles. They said that his teaching of not circumcising of Gentile converts was wrong and that they must be circumcised. Paul defended his apostleship often, showing that his teachings were the word of God. He said the “distinguishing marks of a true apostle” were signs, wonders and miracles that they did, and then said that he did those same miraculous proofs showing that he was a true apostle, equal in authority to the other apostles (2 Corinthians 12:11 I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, since I was in no respect inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. 12 The distinguishing marks of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs, wonders, and miracles).”
In the Galatian letter, he wrote: Galatians 1:11 For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is not of human invention. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” He is thus claiming that his teachings were directly from Jesus Himself. His enemies were claiming that he got his teachings from the other apostles but that he didn’t get it correctly on the issues of circumcision of Gentiles.
After giving instructions on how to use miraculous gifts to the church at Corinth, Paul said this: 1 Corinthians 14:37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. 38 But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.” He is claiming that his teachings are the commands of the Lord.
He had already told the Corinthians that his words were from the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
Paul said this to the Thessalonians that he converted to Jesus: 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.” That’s a bold claim that the words he spoke to them were the words of God and not mere men.
Then there is the account of Paul’s conversion to Christianity. He had been persecuting, torturing, imprisoning, even killing Christians (he was known as Saul at that time) until the risen Jesus appeared to him on road to Damascus where he was going to persecute more believers. That changed him to become a witness of the resurrection, later being beheaded for his testimony. One of the qualifications for being an apostle was that the person had to have seen the risen Jesus, so this was essential for Paul becoming an apostle. He made that point in 1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? ” He obviously is referring to seeing the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. In 1 Corinthians 15:8 he claimed that Jesus appeared to him as He did to the other apostles (and to many others). What could have changed this enemy of Christianity to become a martyr for Jesus? He lost power, fame, and money to become a Christian. His conversion is a great proof of the resurrection of Jssus.
Now if this is not enough to convince someone that Paul’s teachings against homosexuality are the words of God, then I don’t know what to show them. The belief that Paul was an apostle and that his teaching was the word of God is not just some brainwashing that some Christian parents gave their children. This belief is backed by the conversion story of Paul himself.
Just some somber thoughts about Gen Z and the future of America. In the meantime, I will continue to sow the seed of the word of God. Please pray for Gen Z (and all generations) and for America!
I was listening to “You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin”, “Unchained melody”, and “(You’re My) Soul and inspiration” by The Righteous Brothers. Maybe my favorite songs of the 60’s as I was in high school (graduated in 67). So many other great songs in the 60’s.
But then I saw a video of the 12 “rebellion songs” of the 60’s, like Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the wind”, Barry McGuire’s “Eve of destruction”, and the Beatles “Revolution”. These songs were often banned by radio stations but very popular among youth. The 60’s were troublesome times in the United States.
AI: “Yes, the 1960s were incredibly turbulent in the U.S., marked by intense social upheaval, political violence, and cultural clashes (Woodstock), driven by the Civil Rights Movement, the divisive Vietnam War, countercultural shifts challenging sexual norms (hippies, free love), drug use of LSD, marijuana, and others, “duck and cover nuclear drills”, and shocking political assassinations (JFK, MLK Jr., RFK), all against a backdrop of Cold War fear and growing generational divides.” There were a lot of good things in the 60’s (color TV sets introduced to homes; the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Beatlemania (their early songs like “I want to hold your hand” were great); Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind); Motown Magic with the Supremes and the Temptations; drive-in movie theaters. But the troubles of the 60’s overshadowed the good for the most part.
It was a weird time for religious movements to begin in the 60’s (we would expect nothing less). AI: “The 1960s in America sparked diverse religious movements, including the countercultural Jesus Movement (evangelical Christian response to hippies), the rise of Eastern traditions (Hare Krishna, Buddhism, Transendental Meditation), the emergence of the New Age Movement (yoga, astrology, spiritual transformation), and new spiritual paths like Satanism (Church of Satan and Anton LaVey), and Wicca. Supreme Court rulings in the early ’60s ended mandatory prayer and Bible reading in public schools. Billy Graham crusades thrived, and new evangelical institutions formed, though debates over theology (Calvinism vs. Arminianism) continued.
So what do we have today? The cultural clashes are at a new heighth (or depth). Gay marriage and the LGBQT movement, and the steep rise of the nones, those who say they have no religious affiliation, are probably the two main cultural shifts that affect and have split religious fundamentalists and denominations.
There is hope. AI: “Gen Z Is Hungry for Spiritual Growth. A staggering 74% of Gen Z seeks to deepen their spiritual lives. This isn’t merely about religion; it’s about genuine encounters with Jesus. Campus revivals are Igniting all over. Students are leading worship nights, prayer gatherings, and baptisms worldwide, and they are making a tremendous impact.” Many non-profit organizations are feeding and providing medical care for the poor worldwide, drilling clean water wells in Africa, providing disaster relief, and supporting persecuted Christians.
So, might we have a nationwide revival like the 1st and 2nd Great Awakenings, or the “prayer revival” of the 1850’s in major U.S. cities? Maybe. But to do so we wll need to get back to the belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that homosexuality is condemned by God in the Bible. The homosexual issue is perhaps the “litmus test” for fundamentalists today. We can disagree over many Christian issues and minor doctrines, but there are some basic doctrines that fundamentalist Christians cannot reject, like the Deity of Jesus Christ, salvation by grace through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and not “practicing sin” that God defines as damnable (like the LGBQT doctrines). AI: “About 64% of U.S. adults in 2023/2024 considered same-sex relations morally acceptable (Gallup). 67% of Americans support same-sex marriage (PRRI, 2024).” What’s even more disturbing is that Pew Research shows broad acceptance of homosexuality of 59% among religious people in 2023-24). “In 2015, 51% of Millennial evangelicals felt homosexuality should be accepted by society, a significant shift from older generations.”
The bottom line is that you can’t have a revival if you disagree on what sin is. People are not going to repent of sin if they don’t even think it is sin that needs to be repented of. What can we do? We can pray for our nation. Pray that God will do whatever it takes to humble us back to a full belief in the inspiration of Scriptures. We must defend the apostleship of Pau just as he had to defend his apostleship in the New Testament. After all, it is the inspired writings of Paul that condemn homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). Many want to accept the teachings of Jesus but not the teachings of Paul, but we can’t do that. The apostle Peter, whom almost every Christian would accept as an inspired apostle, said that Paul’s writings were on the same level of inspiration and authority as those of the Old Testament Scriptures (2 Peter 3:15-16).
Again, pray and preach. 2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
Nicky's Notes 