Articles https://www.rec-tt.org Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:40:26 -0400 https://www.churchplantmedia.com/ Why a Confession of Faith? https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/why-a-confession-of-faith https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/why-a-confession-of-faith#comments Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/why-a-confession-of-faith A defining feature of our church is our statement of faith, which is tethered to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. For this reason, as a gathered church on the Lord’s Day, we read and affirm its contents as the best expression of our doctrinal beliefs. This often leads to the misconception that the confession is our source of authority. Thus, the slogan “no creed but the Bible” became a rallying cry among modern non-denominational churches as they claimed to maintain biblical purity. At first glance, this rejection of a man-made document in favor of Scripture may seem like a well-meaning attempt to uphold the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, in which Scripture alone is the ultimate authority and rule for faith and practice. However, upon closer examination, this statement turns Sola Scriptura on its head, adopting the radical view of nuda scriptura, which holds that Scripture should be interpreted without influence from any historical teaching, creeds, or confessions. Essentially, it becomes “Just me and my Bible alone.” What many fail to realize is that creeds and confessions are not arbitrary, man-made opinions but carefully reasoned summaries of what the whole counsel of God teaches. In this light, confessions are significant for both doctrinal clarity and ecclesial unity. Therefore, the claim that the historic confession of faith is unhelpful and unnecessary in the lives of believers and the church is mistaken.

All Christians and churches have a confession of faith. The phrase “no creed but the Bible” is deceptive because every interpreter of the Bible relies on an unwritten, functional creed. When questioned about Christian doctrines, do we simply read the Bible aloud from Genesis to Revelation to give an answer? For example, how do you summarize that God is One and Three? The term “Trinity,” used to explain the Triune Godhead, isn’t explicitly given in Scripture but is derived from Scripture and formalized in a creedal statement (The Nicene Creed). We can say the same when we consider doctrines of the incarnation, the natures of Christ, or the attributes of God. Whether we realize it or not, no Christian simply believes in the Bible alone. Our understanding of the Bible’s meaning becomes our confession of faith, whether written or not. Denying creeds and confessions places primacy on the individual, leading us to seek to understand the Scriptures on our own terms, without any connection to history, the life of the church, or anything that came before. This isolates us as believers from the entire history of God's work among His people and from broader church history.

Claiming “I have no creed but the Bible” is also a contradiction. Scripture itself speaks of holding fast to traditions and teachings, prompting us to consider the use of creeds and confessions (2 Thess. 2:15; Romans 6:17). This is not to say that confessions have any authority of their own over what the Bible teaches. In fact, the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith begins with the doctrine of Scripture, affirming that it is God’s breathed-out Word (2 Tim. 3:16), which is authoritative, sufficient, and inerrant. To illustrate this relationship, we consider Scripture as the norming norm: the ultimate, unchangeable standard that defines, guides, and measures all other rules. It "norms" others but is not judged by anything else. By contrast, the confessions, such as the 1689 LBCF, are the normed norm: a secondary standard derived from the norming norm. The confession takes its cue from Scripture, and its theology is embedded in Scripture itself. Since, therefore, Scripture is the original authority of the Word of God, it alone should be seen as infallible and inspired. The norm that is normed by Scripture, that is, the confession, has its authority derivatively; it is not authoritative because of what it is in itself, but because it originates from what Scripture says. Therefore, a confession of faith is not a substitute for Scripture; it is subordinate to Scripture. The 1689 LBCF itself states: "The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined... can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture" (1689 LBCF 1.10). Therefore, to accuse confessionalism of placing documents above Scripture is to misrepresent what confessions claim about themselves.

Historically, creeds and confessions were exegetical reflections on what the Scriptures mean and how those govern our communities. They were also formalized statements deemed necessary to combat heretical errors within the church. Heresies such as Arianism, Modalism, and Pelagianism were defeated not by reading the Bible in isolation, but by those who confessed what Scripture taught, as at the Council of Nicaea. Therefore, not needing them today also makes us vulnerable to interpretive errors and unbiblical ideas. While we might think confessions are irrelevant, they are nothing less than Biblical truth. What we are confessing in our reading of the confession is agreeing that what it articulates is the very truth of God Himself, revealed in Scripture and systematically articulated in the confession. To think that the confessions are merely man-made documents which are of no use to us today is to grossly underestimate its use. Paul exhorts Timothy to guard the good deposit entrusted to him and to handle God’s word accurately (2 Tim. 1:13; 2:15). When we think the creeds and confessions offer us no benefit, we forget that they serve as both pedagogical tools in discipleship and apologetic tools in evangelism. A preacher doesn’t read the Bible from the pulpit; he expounds it. A pastor doesn’t just read the Bible; he applies its doctrines to his congregation's lives. As faithful Christian witnesses, we don’t merely pull out our Bible and read it; we explain what it means. Therefore, what we offer as we move from a Biblical text to a theological statement is something akin to a creed or confession.

Confessions are more than summary statements of biblical doctrine, though they are certainly not less. They are statements the church has historically agreed to and accepted as the fullest expression of what it believes the Bible teaches. Without confessions, the church cannot maintain unity and peace. A confession of faith is not an obstacle to Scripture but a faithful servant of it. It helps us, both individually and collectively, to know, confess, and live out the truths of the Bible for the glory of God and the good of Christ’s church. God has graciously provided us with a great cloud of witnesses throughout history who help us understand the Bible and apply it to our present day. To ignore such witnesses might be less a sign of biblical humility than of overbearing hubris and confidence in our own abilities and the uniqueness of our own age. Thus, if you take the Bible seriously, you will either have a creed or a confession, or something that fulfills the same basic role, such as a statement of faith.

Those who repudiate these ideas are unintentionally disingenuous: they still have a creed or confession. However, they will not write it down or allow you to look at it and scrutinize it in the light of Scripture. They are, in a sense, more authoritarian than the papacy.[1] A church that has a confession clearly understands what it believes. This belief shapes our preaching, teaching, singing, and praying, and, by God’s grace, is evident in the lives of its members. Therefore, what we find in the use of confessions is a healthy church united in its beliefs.

 

[1] Carl R. Trueman, The Creedal Imperative, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 107;161.

]]> A defining feature of our church is our statement of faith, which is tethered to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. For this reason, as a gathered church on the Lord’s Day, we read and affirm its contents as the best expression of our doctrinal beliefs. This often leads to the misconception that the confession is our source of authority. Thus, the slogan “no creed but the Bible” became a rallying cry among modern non-denominational churches as they claimed to maintain biblical purity. At first glance, this rejection of a man-made document in favor of Scripture may seem like a well-meaning attempt to uphold the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, in which Scripture alone is the ultimate authority and rule for faith and practice. However, upon closer examination, this statement turns Sola Scriptura on its head, adopting the radical view of nuda scriptura, which holds that Scripture should be interpreted without influence from any historical teaching, creeds, or confessions. Essentially, it becomes “Just me and my Bible alone.” What many fail to realize is that creeds and confessions are not arbitrary, man-made opinions but carefully reasoned summaries of what the whole counsel of God teaches. In this light, confessions are significant for both doctrinal clarity and ecclesial unity. Therefore, the claim that the historic confession of faith is unhelpful and unnecessary in the lives of believers and the church is mistaken.

All Christians and churches have a confession of faith. The phrase “no creed but the Bible” is deceptive because every interpreter of the Bible relies on an unwritten, functional creed. When questioned about Christian doctrines, do we simply read the Bible aloud from Genesis to Revelation to give an answer? For example, how do you summarize that God is One and Three? The term “Trinity,” used to explain the Triune Godhead, isn’t explicitly given in Scripture but is derived from Scripture and formalized in a creedal statement (The Nicene Creed). We can say the same when we consider doctrines of the incarnation, the natures of Christ, or the attributes of God. Whether we realize it or not, no Christian simply believes in the Bible alone. Our understanding of the Bible’s meaning becomes our confession of faith, whether written or not. Denying creeds and confessions places primacy on the individual, leading us to seek to understand the Scriptures on our own terms, without any connection to history, the life of the church, or anything that came before. This isolates us as believers from the entire history of God's work among His people and from broader church history.

Claiming “I have no creed but the Bible” is also a contradiction. Scripture itself speaks of holding fast to traditions and teachings, prompting us to consider the use of creeds and confessions (2 Thess. 2:15; Romans 6:17). This is not to say that confessions have any authority of their own over what the Bible teaches. In fact, the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith begins with the doctrine of Scripture, affirming that it is God’s breathed-out Word (2 Tim. 3:16), which is authoritative, sufficient, and inerrant. To illustrate this relationship, we consider Scripture as the norming norm: the ultimate, unchangeable standard that defines, guides, and measures all other rules. It "norms" others but is not judged by anything else. By contrast, the confessions, such as the 1689 LBCF, are the normed norm: a secondary standard derived from the norming norm. The confession takes its cue from Scripture, and its theology is embedded in Scripture itself. Since, therefore, Scripture is the original authority of the Word of God, it alone should be seen as infallible and inspired. The norm that is normed by Scripture, that is, the confession, has its authority derivatively; it is not authoritative because of what it is in itself, but because it originates from what Scripture says. Therefore, a confession of faith is not a substitute for Scripture; it is subordinate to Scripture. The 1689 LBCF itself states: "The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined... can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture" (1689 LBCF 1.10). Therefore, to accuse confessionalism of placing documents above Scripture is to misrepresent what confessions claim about themselves.

Historically, creeds and confessions were exegetical reflections on what the Scriptures mean and how those govern our communities. They were also formalized statements deemed necessary to combat heretical errors within the church. Heresies such as Arianism, Modalism, and Pelagianism were defeated not by reading the Bible in isolation, but by those who confessed what Scripture taught, as at the Council of Nicaea. Therefore, not needing them today also makes us vulnerable to interpretive errors and unbiblical ideas. While we might think confessions are irrelevant, they are nothing less than Biblical truth. What we are confessing in our reading of the confession is agreeing that what it articulates is the very truth of God Himself, revealed in Scripture and systematically articulated in the confession. To think that the confessions are merely man-made documents which are of no use to us today is to grossly underestimate its use. Paul exhorts Timothy to guard the good deposit entrusted to him and to handle God’s word accurately (2 Tim. 1:13; 2:15). When we think the creeds and confessions offer us no benefit, we forget that they serve as both pedagogical tools in discipleship and apologetic tools in evangelism. A preacher doesn’t read the Bible from the pulpit; he expounds it. A pastor doesn’t just read the Bible; he applies its doctrines to his congregation's lives. As faithful Christian witnesses, we don’t merely pull out our Bible and read it; we explain what it means. Therefore, what we offer as we move from a Biblical text to a theological statement is something akin to a creed or confession.

Confessions are more than summary statements of biblical doctrine, though they are certainly not less. They are statements the church has historically agreed to and accepted as the fullest expression of what it believes the Bible teaches. Without confessions, the church cannot maintain unity and peace. A confession of faith is not an obstacle to Scripture but a faithful servant of it. It helps us, both individually and collectively, to know, confess, and live out the truths of the Bible for the glory of God and the good of Christ’s church. God has graciously provided us with a great cloud of witnesses throughout history who help us understand the Bible and apply it to our present day. To ignore such witnesses might be less a sign of biblical humility than of overbearing hubris and confidence in our own abilities and the uniqueness of our own age. Thus, if you take the Bible seriously, you will either have a creed or a confession, or something that fulfills the same basic role, such as a statement of faith.

Those who repudiate these ideas are unintentionally disingenuous: they still have a creed or confession. However, they will not write it down or allow you to look at it and scrutinize it in the light of Scripture. They are, in a sense, more authoritarian than the papacy.[1] A church that has a confession clearly understands what it believes. This belief shapes our preaching, teaching, singing, and praying, and, by God’s grace, is evident in the lives of its members. Therefore, what we find in the use of confessions is a healthy church united in its beliefs.

 

[1] Carl R. Trueman, The Creedal Imperative, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 107;161.

]]> Understanding The Worship Service https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/understanding-the-worship-service https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/understanding-the-worship-service#comments Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/understanding-the-worship-service Have you ever wondered why we have a call to worship or a benediction in our Lord’s Day worship service? If you are like me, you have probably never encountered these elements in your previous church. Furthermore, these practices may have become so routine that no one really pays attention to the words anymore. For example, the call to worship may simply have become a Pavlovian signal to find your seat, settle the children, and look at the church’s program for the number of the first hymn.[1] In most of our minds, the “opening stuff” is an assortment of hymns and prayers we need to sit through prior to the “real thing” – the sermon. However, when we gather as a body of believers each week, every element of our worship service carries profound purpose and significance. The order of worship you hold in your hands is not merely an arbitrary formality, nor is it a collection of rituals passed down through human tradition that we are compelled to follow to make God happy. Rather, each component is intentionally rooted in the Word of God and thoughtfully arranged to guide us into a genuine encounter with our Creator/Redeemer God. Scripture warns us against honoring God with our lips while our hearts remain far from Him (Matt. 15:8–9), and it is precisely this warning that compels us to approach every aspect of our gathered worship with intentional reverence and awe. Each section of our liturgy has been carefully considered and prayerfully selected by the Pastors, not to impose a rigid structure, but to ensure that what we do in worship reflects what God Himself has revealed about how His people are to draw near to Him. Therefore, as we walk through the components of our service together, my prayer is that we will come to see each moment, not as routine and ritualistic, but as a sacred, Scripture-saturated invitation to glorify God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24).

Opening Welcome

How do you prepare to worship God? For most of us, it’s a victory if we and our families arrive on time and in one piece. But as you enter the sanctuary, know the room itself is not holy. Nor is there any biblical command to be as quiet as a mouse. But when you walk in, you see the congregational seating, the cross, the pulpit, and the communion table. They can act as a reminder: you are entering the assembly of the saints; you are setting aside other concerns to focus on Christ. Preparing to worship is much more than turning off one’s cell phone; it’s quieting your heart, it’s reading the Scripture passages in the bulletin ahead of time, and it’s praying. The Bible doesn’t tell us how loud or how quiet we should be when we walk in the door. Habakkuk 2:20 (ESV) says, “The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”[2] But Psalm 100 tells us to come into God’s presence with singing, to enter His courts with praise and thanksgiving. Hebrews 12:28 instructs us, “let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” Therefore, the Pastor’s opening is offering you a gift, helping you transition towards reverence. Use it well.

The Call to Worship

The Call to Worship is the official beginning to this time of public dialogue between God and His people, and God has the first word. A lot has been happening in our lives before we show up on Sunday morning. God has been preparing us our entire lives to meet with Him. While we might think we voluntarily chose to show up to church, ultimately, we are here because God called us, He created us to give Him glory, and He commands us to praise Him. In offering this invitation, God is both host and honoree, and God’s people are both invited and compelled by His mercy to give Him glory. [3] Usually, the “call to worship” is a cluster of verses from the Psalms in which the Pastor exhorts the rest of the congregation to set aside worldly distractions, focus their hearts, minds, and actions, and join him in praising the LORD. This would suggest that it is the Pastor, not God, who is calling us to worship. But the psalms are not only prayers to God but also inspired by the Holy Spirit; they are breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16).  If we recognize that we live, move, and have our being in Him and because of Him, then we can appreciate that it is God who has brought us to this place for the purpose of worship, for the purpose of making much of God. It would be arrogant for any of us to command others to praise us, but God knows that we are most deeply blessed when we are praising Him. God always speaks first – “Let there be light” – and there was light. Anything good that we bring to the worship service is a response to God’s prior work in us, a response He prepared in advance for us to do. Therefore, God not only calls us to worship, but He calls us to respond to His revelation and His redemption. He does not simply invite us to a “church service”, but into His awesome presence before whom all creation will bow and for whom all heaven now sings.[4]

Prayer

Since the worship service is a dialogue between God and His people, we aim to saturate the service with prayer. Sometimes we pray silently, sometimes out loud in unison, and sometimes a leader prays for us. But all our prayers are, as Paul says in Ephesians 5:20, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We pray in Christ; He is our access to the throne of the sovereign God. Early in the service we offer a brief prayer of adoration to the living God. A longer, pastoral prayer is offered in the middle of the service, praying for particular requests and for specific people who are in need. We sometimes pray for government leaders by name, not because we are endorsing them or their policies, but because Paul urges us in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” Before the appointed preacher preaches the word, we pray a “chorus of prayer” that God the Holy Spirit would illumine the pages before us, enabling us to understand what He has inspired. Through the Spirit working “by and with the Word in our hearts” (1689 LBCF 1.5), we would truly know conviction of our sin, release from our guilt and the joy of our salvation. Likewise, we pray at the conclusion of the sermon: having just heard God’s Word preached to us, we respond with thanks and with a request for heart-level and street-level change.

Hymns and Songs

Congregational singing combines prayer, teaching, and biblical meditation in a way that engages the whole person, body and soul. Whether we have musical talent or not, we set aside our musical preferences and join our voices as one to obey what Paul instructs in Ephesians 5:18b-19 – “be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” We aren’t trying to impress each other. Rather, our sole audience is the Lord Himself, the object of our worship. Most of the hymns we sing operate on two levels: vertically, they orient us upward in praise to God, and horizontally, they teach us about ourselves and God. Some of the lyrics are drawn directly from the psalms, and some are meditations on many Scriptures. Our song leaders gather songs that are biblical, reverent, and joyful. Often, selections are chosen because they fit the themes touched upon in the sermon, but care is also taken to choose songs that are accessible and worth shaping us over a lifetime. While the majority of the music is congregational, we follow the biblical pattern (Neh. 12:40; Hab. 3:19) of having a choir, gifted soloists, and musicians lead us in praise. Music has become so obsessively important to people that they refer to the musical portion of the service as “worship,” as if preaching and praying were somehow not worship. But music is just one part of worship, a powerful part that draws spirit and body together in praise to God.

Affirmation of Faith

To confess or affirm our faith is to state publicly what our foundational beliefs are, those truths which we have found plainly taught in Scripture, the basics of the gospel which describe the shape of our life as the people of God. Such confessions were part of Israel’s life in the desert in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 – “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” – and the life of the church in Ephesus in 1 Timothy 3:16 – “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” At key points in church history, believers have responded to heresies by returning to the Bible to formulate creeds that are worth teaching and repeating across generations. One benefit of the creeds is that they serve to unify the church, expressing what believers all over the globe throughout many centuries have believed. A merely private faith fails to acknowledge that together we are the body of Christ. A statement crafted by a single local church can easily contain too many blind spots. But a corporate confession of faith embraced by many congregations is a gift to the church, helping us remember how saints in the past read and interpreted the Bible. The Bible remains our only authority. Confessions (such as the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the 1689 London Baptist Confession) help us summarize what the Bible teaches.

Scripture Reading

Though we live in a culture where the literacy rate is quite high, the Word of God is seldom read, and seldom recognized as the supreme authority, the way the Holy Spirit has chosen to speak to us. For it is in Scripture that we have the most trustworthy revelation of God and His will, and it is through reading Scripture aloud that God speaks directly to all of us at the same time and in the same way. This practice dates back to the Old Testament, where the oral reading of Scripture was a form of worship as the people assembled to hear, learn, and fear the Lord (Deut. 31:9-12). Scripture reading in the worship service is so important that Paul places it at the start of a short list of priorities in 1 Timothy 4:13 – “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” It is because of what the written Word says about itself, in places such as Psalm 138:2, that we acknowledge the Scripture’s governing role in our worship, and stop everything else as a group to give it an audience – “I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” God’s Word not only rules us, it is the food by which the Spirit feeds us, as Christ said in Matthew 4:4 – “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” We may think, “I prefer to read the Bible on my own time in my own way. I don’t need to sit in church to listen to it.” But part of the beauty of the Word is found in humbly and patiently receiving it along with the rest of the congregation, allowing someone else to select the passage, and being reminded that this is God’s Word not merely to me privately, but to us as an entire community of faith.

Preaching of the Word

In an age of YouTube shorts, memes, and Instagram, a one-hour verbal exposition from ancient Hebrew and Greek seems like a tedious and hopelessly outdated form of communication. So why do we continue to devote the bulk of our worship service to preaching? Because though “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, to us who are being saved it the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). God has chosen preaching as the instrument by which to plant and grow His Word in our lives – “How are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Rom 10:14b). A sermon that belongs in a God-glorifying worship service is one that aims to explain the Scripture, not to advance the preacher’s own agenda – “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading” (Neh 8:8). A sermon that belongs in a Christ-centered worship service makes Jesus the climax of the message, not our new efforts – “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ” (Col 1:28). When Jesus sent Paul to preach the gospel to the nations, Jesus described the purpose of preaching (Acts 26:18) – “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Pray that the Spirit would bless both the preaching and the receiving of His Word.

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s supper is a victory meal, celebrating the new covenant that Jesus fulfilled in His death on the cross (Luke 22:20), and the life of faith He has called us into, in which we feed on Christ as the bread of life (John 6:33-35). The implied words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:20 indicate that we are to partake weekly. The bread and the wine (or juice) represent the body and blood of Christ, given for all who trust in Him (Matt 26:26-27), that we might receive genuine spiritual nourishment for our souls. Though the elements do not change physically, Christ is spiritually present with this ordinance (John 6:53-58). By partaking of the bread and wine we proclaim to ourselves and to others the death of Christ – with all its gospel significance – until He comes again (1 Cor 11:26). At His return, we will be seated at the wedding supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). Baptized believers who receive the Lord’s Supper should repent of their sin, and receive the supper in a spirit of unity with other believers, rather than eat and drink judgment to themselves (1 Cor. 11:29). While we may unknowingly place the primacy of the Word to eclipse the other elements of worship, the grace preached should provide the context for understanding the grace expressed in the Lord’s supper. Therefore, while the tone of the supper is serious, as it focuses on Christ’s death, it ultimately is a celebration of joy, a foretaste of the kingdom of God.

Offering

Money is such an idol in our culture. We worship it so regularly that we become hypersensitive if anyone in church talks about it. But generous giving has always been part of how believers return thanks to God, from Abel offering his firstborn lamb (Gen 4:4), to Moses telling Israel to stop giving because their offerings to build the tabernacle had been so generous (Ex. 36:6-7), to Paul grounding his call for generosity in “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Jesus endorsed giving a tithe (ten percent) to the Lord, though He boldly challenged His disciples to move beyond a legalistic approach to an entire life of grace: “For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others” (Mt 23:23). Paul encourages believers to give “on the first day of the week” (1 Cor 16:2), each person giving “as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion” (2 Cor 9:7). As we take time in the service to give, we acknowledge that money is a servant, not a master; that we are stewards of what God already owns; that there is joy in sharing each other’s financial burdens; that the ministry of the gospel is worth investing in; and that God is glorified in our use of His resources.

Benediction

A benediction is not simply a Scripture verse with a nice sentiment or a summary of the sermon’s message. A benediction is a blessing. It is literally a “good word.” In the worship service – a dialogue between God and His people – God not only has the first word (the call to worship), He also has the last word, dismissing us with His blessing. It is not as if by going through the rituals of worship we have somehow earned God’s benediction of peace. Rather, all our acts of worship are done in Christ, so that it is Christ’s own obedience, His service of worship, that is the foundation of the blessing given to us at the service’s end. The Trinitarian blessing from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit found at the close of Second Corinthians (2 Cor. 13:14) is foreshadowed in the blessing pronounced in Numbers 6:23-27 – “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.’” Since the benediction is God’s Word to us, rather than our prayer to God, one need not adopt the posture of prayer (traditionally, the closing of one’s eyes) to receive it. The entire worship service, with its adoration of God, its conviction of sin, its preaching of the gospel, and its instruction, has been leading up to this final moment of God’s promise of peace, a full-orbed promise of right relationships and eternal blessing. Although a benediction may simply be the perfunctory close to a worship service, it can also be a powerful instrument of pastoral care as members experience the grace from the voice of a pastor who understands the power of sending God’s people out with a promise of divine pardon, presence, and peace. Making it a significant and meaningful element of the worship service.[5]

In conclusion, God gave us worship that enables us to praise His glory and reflect it. Awareness of this great privilege compels us to shape our worship by the gospel. Our worship is not merely shackles of tradition or idols of our own making; it is the treasure we mine to offer Him radiant love and the highest honor. We use it to lift to God the hope of the gospel He provides, the greatest emblem of our praise and the greatest expression of His glory. Our worship program is designed to proclaim the gospel so others can see His glory dancing in our hearts.[6]

 

[1] Daniel I. Block, For the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2014), 146. 

[2] All Scripture verses quoted using English Standard Version translation (ESV)

[3] Bryan Chapell, Christ Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 160. 

[4] Ibid.,160.

[5] Ibid.,254.

[6] Concluding thoughts from section one. Bryan Chapell, Christ Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 155. 

 

]]> Have you ever wondered why we have a call to worship or a benediction in our Lord’s Day worship service? If you are like me, you have probably never encountered these elements in your previous church. Furthermore, these practices may have become so routine that no one really pays attention to the words anymore. For example, the call to worship may simply have become a Pavlovian signal to find your seat, settle the children, and look at the church’s program for the number of the first hymn.[1] In most of our minds, the “opening stuff” is an assortment of hymns and prayers we need to sit through prior to the “real thing” – the sermon. However, when we gather as a body of believers each week, every element of our worship service carries profound purpose and significance. The order of worship you hold in your hands is not merely an arbitrary formality, nor is it a collection of rituals passed down through human tradition that we are compelled to follow to make God happy. Rather, each component is intentionally rooted in the Word of God and thoughtfully arranged to guide us into a genuine encounter with our Creator/Redeemer God. Scripture warns us against honoring God with our lips while our hearts remain far from Him (Matt. 15:8–9), and it is precisely this warning that compels us to approach every aspect of our gathered worship with intentional reverence and awe. Each section of our liturgy has been carefully considered and prayerfully selected by the Pastors, not to impose a rigid structure, but to ensure that what we do in worship reflects what God Himself has revealed about how His people are to draw near to Him. Therefore, as we walk through the components of our service together, my prayer is that we will come to see each moment, not as routine and ritualistic, but as a sacred, Scripture-saturated invitation to glorify God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24).

Opening Welcome

How do you prepare to worship God? For most of us, it’s a victory if we and our families arrive on time and in one piece. But as you enter the sanctuary, know the room itself is not holy. Nor is there any biblical command to be as quiet as a mouse. But when you walk in, you see the congregational seating, the cross, the pulpit, and the communion table. They can act as a reminder: you are entering the assembly of the saints; you are setting aside other concerns to focus on Christ. Preparing to worship is much more than turning off one’s cell phone; it’s quieting your heart, it’s reading the Scripture passages in the bulletin ahead of time, and it’s praying. The Bible doesn’t tell us how loud or how quiet we should be when we walk in the door. Habakkuk 2:20 (ESV) says, “The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”[2] But Psalm 100 tells us to come into God’s presence with singing, to enter His courts with praise and thanksgiving. Hebrews 12:28 instructs us, “let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” Therefore, the Pastor’s opening is offering you a gift, helping you transition towards reverence. Use it well.

The Call to Worship

The Call to Worship is the official beginning to this time of public dialogue between God and His people, and God has the first word. A lot has been happening in our lives before we show up on Sunday morning. God has been preparing us our entire lives to meet with Him. While we might think we voluntarily chose to show up to church, ultimately, we are here because God called us, He created us to give Him glory, and He commands us to praise Him. In offering this invitation, God is both host and honoree, and God’s people are both invited and compelled by His mercy to give Him glory. [3] Usually, the “call to worship” is a cluster of verses from the Psalms in which the Pastor exhorts the rest of the congregation to set aside worldly distractions, focus their hearts, minds, and actions, and join him in praising the LORD. This would suggest that it is the Pastor, not God, who is calling us to worship. But the psalms are not only prayers to God but also inspired by the Holy Spirit; they are breathed out by God (2 Tim. 3:16).  If we recognize that we live, move, and have our being in Him and because of Him, then we can appreciate that it is God who has brought us to this place for the purpose of worship, for the purpose of making much of God. It would be arrogant for any of us to command others to praise us, but God knows that we are most deeply blessed when we are praising Him. God always speaks first – “Let there be light” – and there was light. Anything good that we bring to the worship service is a response to God’s prior work in us, a response He prepared in advance for us to do. Therefore, God not only calls us to worship, but He calls us to respond to His revelation and His redemption. He does not simply invite us to a “church service”, but into His awesome presence before whom all creation will bow and for whom all heaven now sings.[4]

Prayer

Since the worship service is a dialogue between God and His people, we aim to saturate the service with prayer. Sometimes we pray silently, sometimes out loud in unison, and sometimes a leader prays for us. But all our prayers are, as Paul says in Ephesians 5:20, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We pray in Christ; He is our access to the throne of the sovereign God. Early in the service we offer a brief prayer of adoration to the living God. A longer, pastoral prayer is offered in the middle of the service, praying for particular requests and for specific people who are in need. We sometimes pray for government leaders by name, not because we are endorsing them or their policies, but because Paul urges us in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” Before the appointed preacher preaches the word, we pray a “chorus of prayer” that God the Holy Spirit would illumine the pages before us, enabling us to understand what He has inspired. Through the Spirit working “by and with the Word in our hearts” (1689 LBCF 1.5), we would truly know conviction of our sin, release from our guilt and the joy of our salvation. Likewise, we pray at the conclusion of the sermon: having just heard God’s Word preached to us, we respond with thanks and with a request for heart-level and street-level change.

Hymns and Songs

Congregational singing combines prayer, teaching, and biblical meditation in a way that engages the whole person, body and soul. Whether we have musical talent or not, we set aside our musical preferences and join our voices as one to obey what Paul instructs in Ephesians 5:18b-19 – “be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” We aren’t trying to impress each other. Rather, our sole audience is the Lord Himself, the object of our worship. Most of the hymns we sing operate on two levels: vertically, they orient us upward in praise to God, and horizontally, they teach us about ourselves and God. Some of the lyrics are drawn directly from the psalms, and some are meditations on many Scriptures. Our song leaders gather songs that are biblical, reverent, and joyful. Often, selections are chosen because they fit the themes touched upon in the sermon, but care is also taken to choose songs that are accessible and worth shaping us over a lifetime. While the majority of the music is congregational, we follow the biblical pattern (Neh. 12:40; Hab. 3:19) of having a choir, gifted soloists, and musicians lead us in praise. Music has become so obsessively important to people that they refer to the musical portion of the service as “worship,” as if preaching and praying were somehow not worship. But music is just one part of worship, a powerful part that draws spirit and body together in praise to God.

Affirmation of Faith

To confess or affirm our faith is to state publicly what our foundational beliefs are, those truths which we have found plainly taught in Scripture, the basics of the gospel which describe the shape of our life as the people of God. Such confessions were part of Israel’s life in the desert in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 – “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” – and the life of the church in Ephesus in 1 Timothy 3:16 – “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” At key points in church history, believers have responded to heresies by returning to the Bible to formulate creeds that are worth teaching and repeating across generations. One benefit of the creeds is that they serve to unify the church, expressing what believers all over the globe throughout many centuries have believed. A merely private faith fails to acknowledge that together we are the body of Christ. A statement crafted by a single local church can easily contain too many blind spots. But a corporate confession of faith embraced by many congregations is a gift to the church, helping us remember how saints in the past read and interpreted the Bible. The Bible remains our only authority. Confessions (such as the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the 1689 London Baptist Confession) help us summarize what the Bible teaches.

Scripture Reading

Though we live in a culture where the literacy rate is quite high, the Word of God is seldom read, and seldom recognized as the supreme authority, the way the Holy Spirit has chosen to speak to us. For it is in Scripture that we have the most trustworthy revelation of God and His will, and it is through reading Scripture aloud that God speaks directly to all of us at the same time and in the same way. This practice dates back to the Old Testament, where the oral reading of Scripture was a form of worship as the people assembled to hear, learn, and fear the Lord (Deut. 31:9-12). Scripture reading in the worship service is so important that Paul places it at the start of a short list of priorities in 1 Timothy 4:13 – “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” It is because of what the written Word says about itself, in places such as Psalm 138:2, that we acknowledge the Scripture’s governing role in our worship, and stop everything else as a group to give it an audience – “I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” God’s Word not only rules us, it is the food by which the Spirit feeds us, as Christ said in Matthew 4:4 – “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” We may think, “I prefer to read the Bible on my own time in my own way. I don’t need to sit in church to listen to it.” But part of the beauty of the Word is found in humbly and patiently receiving it along with the rest of the congregation, allowing someone else to select the passage, and being reminded that this is God’s Word not merely to me privately, but to us as an entire community of faith.

Preaching of the Word

In an age of YouTube shorts, memes, and Instagram, a one-hour verbal exposition from ancient Hebrew and Greek seems like a tedious and hopelessly outdated form of communication. So why do we continue to devote the bulk of our worship service to preaching? Because though “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, to us who are being saved it the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). God has chosen preaching as the instrument by which to plant and grow His Word in our lives – “How are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Rom 10:14b). A sermon that belongs in a God-glorifying worship service is one that aims to explain the Scripture, not to advance the preacher’s own agenda – “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading” (Neh 8:8). A sermon that belongs in a Christ-centered worship service makes Jesus the climax of the message, not our new efforts – “We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ” (Col 1:28). When Jesus sent Paul to preach the gospel to the nations, Jesus described the purpose of preaching (Acts 26:18) – “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Pray that the Spirit would bless both the preaching and the receiving of His Word.

The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s supper is a victory meal, celebrating the new covenant that Jesus fulfilled in His death on the cross (Luke 22:20), and the life of faith He has called us into, in which we feed on Christ as the bread of life (John 6:33-35). The implied words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:20 indicate that we are to partake weekly. The bread and the wine (or juice) represent the body and blood of Christ, given for all who trust in Him (Matt 26:26-27), that we might receive genuine spiritual nourishment for our souls. Though the elements do not change physically, Christ is spiritually present with this ordinance (John 6:53-58). By partaking of the bread and wine we proclaim to ourselves and to others the death of Christ – with all its gospel significance – until He comes again (1 Cor 11:26). At His return, we will be seated at the wedding supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). Baptized believers who receive the Lord’s Supper should repent of their sin, and receive the supper in a spirit of unity with other believers, rather than eat and drink judgment to themselves (1 Cor. 11:29). While we may unknowingly place the primacy of the Word to eclipse the other elements of worship, the grace preached should provide the context for understanding the grace expressed in the Lord’s supper. Therefore, while the tone of the supper is serious, as it focuses on Christ’s death, it ultimately is a celebration of joy, a foretaste of the kingdom of God.

Offering

Money is such an idol in our culture. We worship it so regularly that we become hypersensitive if anyone in church talks about it. But generous giving has always been part of how believers return thanks to God, from Abel offering his firstborn lamb (Gen 4:4), to Moses telling Israel to stop giving because their offerings to build the tabernacle had been so generous (Ex. 36:6-7), to Paul grounding his call for generosity in “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Jesus endorsed giving a tithe (ten percent) to the Lord, though He boldly challenged His disciples to move beyond a legalistic approach to an entire life of grace: “For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others” (Mt 23:23). Paul encourages believers to give “on the first day of the week” (1 Cor 16:2), each person giving “as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion” (2 Cor 9:7). As we take time in the service to give, we acknowledge that money is a servant, not a master; that we are stewards of what God already owns; that there is joy in sharing each other’s financial burdens; that the ministry of the gospel is worth investing in; and that God is glorified in our use of His resources.

Benediction

A benediction is not simply a Scripture verse with a nice sentiment or a summary of the sermon’s message. A benediction is a blessing. It is literally a “good word.” In the worship service – a dialogue between God and His people – God not only has the first word (the call to worship), He also has the last word, dismissing us with His blessing. It is not as if by going through the rituals of worship we have somehow earned God’s benediction of peace. Rather, all our acts of worship are done in Christ, so that it is Christ’s own obedience, His service of worship, that is the foundation of the blessing given to us at the service’s end. The Trinitarian blessing from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit found at the close of Second Corinthians (2 Cor. 13:14) is foreshadowed in the blessing pronounced in Numbers 6:23-27 – “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.’” Since the benediction is God’s Word to us, rather than our prayer to God, one need not adopt the posture of prayer (traditionally, the closing of one’s eyes) to receive it. The entire worship service, with its adoration of God, its conviction of sin, its preaching of the gospel, and its instruction, has been leading up to this final moment of God’s promise of peace, a full-orbed promise of right relationships and eternal blessing. Although a benediction may simply be the perfunctory close to a worship service, it can also be a powerful instrument of pastoral care as members experience the grace from the voice of a pastor who understands the power of sending God’s people out with a promise of divine pardon, presence, and peace. Making it a significant and meaningful element of the worship service.[5]

In conclusion, God gave us worship that enables us to praise His glory and reflect it. Awareness of this great privilege compels us to shape our worship by the gospel. Our worship is not merely shackles of tradition or idols of our own making; it is the treasure we mine to offer Him radiant love and the highest honor. We use it to lift to God the hope of the gospel He provides, the greatest emblem of our praise and the greatest expression of His glory. Our worship program is designed to proclaim the gospel so others can see His glory dancing in our hearts.[6]

 

[1] Daniel I. Block, For the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2014), 146. 

[2] All Scripture verses quoted using English Standard Version translation (ESV)

[3] Bryan Chapell, Christ Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 160. 

[4] Ibid.,160.

[5] Ibid.,254.

[6] Concluding thoughts from section one. Bryan Chapell, Christ Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009), 155. 

 

]]> Persistent Prayer https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/peris https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/peris#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/peris “One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1 NLT - New Living Translation quoted throughout.)

The story that Jesus told His disciples is known as the “Parable of the Persistent Widow” (Luk. 18:1-8). In the parable, Jesus contrasted an unjust judge, who eventually grants justice to avoid being worn out by a widow's nagging, with a loving God who will surely grant justice to His children, though He may delay. At the end of the parable, Jesus asked this sobering question: “But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?” (Luk. 18:8). This question should prompt Christians in our time to reflect prayerfully as we witness the unfolding of the prophecy of the great apostasy in the latter days.

It is unlikely that our Lord Jesus was expecting an answer from His disciples to the question in Luke 18:8 but He was certainly indicating to them that there is a link between persistent prayer and the survival of faith or belief on the earth in the difficult times that will prevail at His return. Jesus foretold: “And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other” (Mat. 24:10). The Apostle Paul added, “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (2 Tim. 3:5a).

The year 2025 has been described as the death year of the Church in America. Recently, the American National Council of Churches reported on the imminent closure of 100,000 Churches across the nation due to empty pews and rising costs! This estimate includes Baptist Churches that Billy Graham once called, “America’s spiritual backbone” because they helped shape American culture and values over the past four centuries. We are now told that an average of six Baptist Churches are closing every week in America! These properties are eventually sold and converted into apartments or businesses.

Some reasons given for the decline in church attendance include the disruption of the last pandemic/lockdowns, the lack of fulfilment of personal needs, widely reported scandals within church leadership, and church affiliations to political parties in a sharply divided nation. Meanwhile, there has been growth is other exotic forms of “church”, such as the house church movement.

Many American Church leaders have been discussing how they may adapt and conform to the demands of their communities to stay relevant. Some are even seeking advice from secular consultants. Such advice may include recommendations to update worship styles and to emphasize grace instead of condemnation! This has already led to the growth of the seeker sensitive church movement. And therein lies a major problem - the Church is supposed to be conformed to Christ and not to the world! (Rom. 12:2). The Apostle Paul warned of these days: “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear” (2 Tim. 4:3).

Christianity in the United States of America is not unique in this regard. Over on the other side of the Atlantic, Europe has outpaced America in Christian decline. For example, northern Europe was strongly influenced by Protestant Christianity. Today, however, countries like Sweden are identified as the most atheistic in the world. In the United Kingdom, this year’s month of Ramadan was marked by a shocking display of idolatry in the historic Bristol Cathedral. Muslims in that area were invited to break their fast in this Anglican cathedral. It seemed not to matter to the Church that, included in the Iftar ceremony, is a call to prayer that refers to a false god as the greatest!

What does all this mean for the relatively young Reformed Evangelical Church (REC) that has been in the forefront of preaching the Biblical gospel in Trinidad & Tobago and beyond for the past four decades? Firstly, there is need to remain faithful to Biblical worship and preaching the gospel. Avoid the temptation to yield to the demands of the world. REC today may be compared to Israel preparing to enter the land of Canaan after four decades of experiencing God’s provision in the wilderness. At that time, Moses rehearsed God’s covenant with the people and pleaded with them: “And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you” (Deu. 4:1-2).

Secondly, the fear of God must not depart from the REC. When God made the covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, the people were afraid because He spoke in a loud voice to them out of a fire that burned on the mountain, surrounded by clouds and deep darkness (Deu. 5:22). After that fearsome sight, the people really thought they would die so they begged Moses to be the mediator between God and them. They promised to obey whatever Moses heard from God, but they feared hearing directly from God (Deu. 5:23-27). It is noteworthy that God did not comfort the people by saying, “Fear not”! Instead, God commended the people for their healthy fear of His presence: “Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever” (Deu. 5:28-29). This clearly proves a strong link between the fear of God and obeying His commands.

Thirdly, let us not be complacent in the knowledge that, as beneficiaries of the Protestant Reformation, we have the truth of the Biblical gospel and need not be continually alert to the attacks of our spiritual enemy. The devil is not resting, and we are not ignorant of his devices. Martin Luther was leader of the Reformation, but he would be disappointed to see the practices of the modern Lutheran Church today. We need to constantly remind ourselves about the critical importance of the weekly prayer meeting so that the Church might prosper through future generations. In his book, “Only a Prayer-Meeting”, Charles Spurgeon denounced some church members’ view of the gathering for prayer as, “only a prayer meeting”. Spurgeon asked, “How could we expect a blessing if we were too idle to ask for it? How could we look for a Pentecost if we never met with one accord, in one place, to wait upon the Lord?”

It is to be noted that, as early as the first century, the Apostle John was already delivering letters from the Lord Jesus to the seven Churches in Asia Minor. These letters acknowledged the Churches’ good works but also highlighted serious complaints and warnings against them. Typically, the letters would read, “I know all that you do but I have this complaint against you.” If there were a letter from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the Reformed Evangelical Church today, how would it read? May God keep us committed to persistent prayer that we would remain faithful until He returns. Weariness will certainly come, but we dare not give up. “Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted” (Psa. 127:1).

]]> “One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1 NLT - New Living Translation quoted throughout.)

The story that Jesus told His disciples is known as the “Parable of the Persistent Widow” (Luk. 18:1-8). In the parable, Jesus contrasted an unjust judge, who eventually grants justice to avoid being worn out by a widow's nagging, with a loving God who will surely grant justice to His children, though He may delay. At the end of the parable, Jesus asked this sobering question: “But when the Son of Man returns, how many will He find on the earth who have faith?” (Luk. 18:8). This question should prompt Christians in our time to reflect prayerfully as we witness the unfolding of the prophecy of the great apostasy in the latter days.

It is unlikely that our Lord Jesus was expecting an answer from His disciples to the question in Luke 18:8 but He was certainly indicating to them that there is a link between persistent prayer and the survival of faith or belief on the earth in the difficult times that will prevail at His return. Jesus foretold: “And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other” (Mat. 24:10). The Apostle Paul added, “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (2 Tim. 3:5a).

The year 2025 has been described as the death year of the Church in America. Recently, the American National Council of Churches reported on the imminent closure of 100,000 Churches across the nation due to empty pews and rising costs! This estimate includes Baptist Churches that Billy Graham once called, “America’s spiritual backbone” because they helped shape American culture and values over the past four centuries. We are now told that an average of six Baptist Churches are closing every week in America! These properties are eventually sold and converted into apartments or businesses.

Some reasons given for the decline in church attendance include the disruption of the last pandemic/lockdowns, the lack of fulfilment of personal needs, widely reported scandals within church leadership, and church affiliations to political parties in a sharply divided nation. Meanwhile, there has been growth is other exotic forms of “church”, such as the house church movement.

Many American Church leaders have been discussing how they may adapt and conform to the demands of their communities to stay relevant. Some are even seeking advice from secular consultants. Such advice may include recommendations to update worship styles and to emphasize grace instead of condemnation! This has already led to the growth of the seeker sensitive church movement. And therein lies a major problem - the Church is supposed to be conformed to Christ and not to the world! (Rom. 12:2). The Apostle Paul warned of these days: “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear” (2 Tim. 4:3).

Christianity in the United States of America is not unique in this regard. Over on the other side of the Atlantic, Europe has outpaced America in Christian decline. For example, northern Europe was strongly influenced by Protestant Christianity. Today, however, countries like Sweden are identified as the most atheistic in the world. In the United Kingdom, this year’s month of Ramadan was marked by a shocking display of idolatry in the historic Bristol Cathedral. Muslims in that area were invited to break their fast in this Anglican cathedral. It seemed not to matter to the Church that, included in the Iftar ceremony, is a call to prayer that refers to a false god as the greatest!

What does all this mean for the relatively young Reformed Evangelical Church (REC) that has been in the forefront of preaching the Biblical gospel in Trinidad & Tobago and beyond for the past four decades? Firstly, there is need to remain faithful to Biblical worship and preaching the gospel. Avoid the temptation to yield to the demands of the world. REC today may be compared to Israel preparing to enter the land of Canaan after four decades of experiencing God’s provision in the wilderness. At that time, Moses rehearsed God’s covenant with the people and pleaded with them: “And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you” (Deu. 4:1-2).

Secondly, the fear of God must not depart from the REC. When God made the covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, the people were afraid because He spoke in a loud voice to them out of a fire that burned on the mountain, surrounded by clouds and deep darkness (Deu. 5:22). After that fearsome sight, the people really thought they would die so they begged Moses to be the mediator between God and them. They promised to obey whatever Moses heard from God, but they feared hearing directly from God (Deu. 5:23-27). It is noteworthy that God did not comfort the people by saying, “Fear not”! Instead, God commended the people for their healthy fear of His presence: “Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever” (Deu. 5:28-29). This clearly proves a strong link between the fear of God and obeying His commands.

Thirdly, let us not be complacent in the knowledge that, as beneficiaries of the Protestant Reformation, we have the truth of the Biblical gospel and need not be continually alert to the attacks of our spiritual enemy. The devil is not resting, and we are not ignorant of his devices. Martin Luther was leader of the Reformation, but he would be disappointed to see the practices of the modern Lutheran Church today. We need to constantly remind ourselves about the critical importance of the weekly prayer meeting so that the Church might prosper through future generations. In his book, “Only a Prayer-Meeting”, Charles Spurgeon denounced some church members’ view of the gathering for prayer as, “only a prayer meeting”. Spurgeon asked, “How could we expect a blessing if we were too idle to ask for it? How could we look for a Pentecost if we never met with one accord, in one place, to wait upon the Lord?”

It is to be noted that, as early as the first century, the Apostle John was already delivering letters from the Lord Jesus to the seven Churches in Asia Minor. These letters acknowledged the Churches’ good works but also highlighted serious complaints and warnings against them. Typically, the letters would read, “I know all that you do but I have this complaint against you.” If there were a letter from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the Reformed Evangelical Church today, how would it read? May God keep us committed to persistent prayer that we would remain faithful until He returns. Weariness will certainly come, but we dare not give up. “Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted” (Psa. 127:1).

]]> Give God Thanks This Christmas https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/give-god-thanks-this-christmas https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/give-god-thanks-this-christmas#comments Wed, 24 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0500 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/give-god-thanks-this-christmas The Christmas season is once again upon us. And with another Christmas season comes another opportunity for us Christians to reflect upon and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In addition, the celebration of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ at this time of year gives us another opportunity to give thanks to God. In this article, I will list five reasons to give God thanks this Christmas (and, Lord willing, throughout the new year).

In Psalm 136, the Bible reveals the two fundamental reasons we must give thanks to God. And they are as follows: First, we must give God thanks because of who He is. And second, we must give God thanks because of what He has done. These two fundamental reasons, revealed in Psalm 136 and, in fact, all of Scripture, serve as the foundation for the five reasons listed in this article. With that in mind, here are five reasons to give God thanks this Christmas.

  1. Because God is good.

In the first part of vv. 1 in Psalm 136, the Psalmist says, “1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good...” In the NKJV, this verse says, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good...” Here, the Psalmist summons God’s people to give thanks to the Lord. The Hebrew verb for “give thanks” is yadah, which means to give thanks and praise to God. It is worth noting that yadah always includes, but is not limited to, verbal thanksgiving. True thanksgiving involves both the mouth and the heart (life).

The verb yadah is in the imperative mood in this verse, so it is not a suggestion but a command. Here, the word of God commands us to give God thanks and praise with our mouths and our lives. Why? The Psalmist provides the reason in v. 1: “For/because, He is good.” God is Good by nature; He is the standard of all goodness, moral excellence, and all things pleasant. He is the epitome of goodness; therefore, He cannot be anything but Good. As a result, everything God says and does will always be good because He is the good God.

Therefore, you must give God thanks this Christmas because of who He is. He is Good!

  1. Because He gave you life.

In Gen 1:1, the word of God says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” And in Gen 1:27, the Bible says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” The Good God, who created the heavens and the earth by the word of His power, is the same Good God who created you. And you must not think of God’s creation of you as a general/ordinary act, no! It was extraordinary. God intricately and intimately “knit you together in your mother’s womb.”

In Psalm 139 vv. 13 – 18, David, by the grace and power of God, acknowledged that:

  1. God intentionally and intimately formed his inner parts. God personally formed all of his internal organs while he was in his mother’s womb 13.
  2. God’s work of creating him was an awesome, honorable, and unique work of God 14.
  3. God skillfully made him in secret, that is, in the womb, and that even his bones, though hidden from sight, were not hidden from God 15
  4. God saw him and knew him before he was even fully formed, and God ordained all the days of his life, long before he even lived one of them (outside the womb) 16.
  5. David acknowledged that God’s thoughts concerning him, even in his underdeveloped state, were precious, vast and immeasurable 17 & 18.

What an astounding truth! The good God of heaven and earth, intentionally, intricately, intimately, and uniquely made David. And what was true of David is also true of you. God created you. He gave you life. You are not an accident, and you are not here by chance. It is the LORD our God who “made us, and not we ourselves” (Ps 100:3); therefore, give thanks to the Lord for your life!

  1. Because He protects & preserves you.

Not only did the good God intentionally and personally knit you together in your mother’s womb, but He also protects and preserves you right now. In other words, if it had not been for the Lord, you would not be alive today. It is because of His mercies that you are not consumed. In Psalm 121 vv. 3-8, the Lord reminded His Old Covenant people, Israel, that He was their protector. In those verses, the Hebrew word shamar, which means to hedge about, keep, guard, watch over, protect, and preserve, appears in verses 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8.

God put Adam in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep/shamar it (Gen 2:15). Adam was to keep, protect, and preserve the garden. Well, in Psalm 121, God says He is the protector and preserver of His people. God was Israel’s protector, preserver, and keeper. And in like manner, God is the protector, keeper, and preserver of His new covenant people, the Church.

During His High Priestly prayer, Jesus said to God the Father in Jn 17:12, “12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” In Jude 24-25 the word of God says “24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

The words guarded in John 17 & keep in Jude are translations of the same Greek word that is equivalent to our Hebrew word shamar in Psalm 121. Dear Christian, this Christmas, give thanks to God for protecting and preserving you. He promises to do so for eternity (Jn 10:27-28).

  1. Because He provides for you and prospers your way

The word of God reveals that it is the Lord our God who provides for our every need, and it is He who prospers our way. In Psalm 37:25-26, the psalmist says, “25 I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread. 26 All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.” The good God provides for you and gives you the power to get wealth.

It is not your own power and strength that have increased your wealth or even made it possible for you to do so; instead, it is the Lord your God (Deut 8:18). Furthermore, He is the One who provides your daily needs and gives you many good gifts. In Matt 6:25, Jesus says, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Then in vv. 32-33 Jesus says, “32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” In James 1:17, the word of God reminds us that “17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Has this reality gripped your heart? All that you have, big or small, has been given to you by the good God! Therefore, give Him thanks.

  1. Because He has given us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ

Thus far, we have considered four reasons to give God thanks. But this last reason is by far the most significant for us as Christians because it is the greatest God given gift of all.  We must give God thanks because He gave us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and eternal life in His name. In Gal 4:4-5, the apostle Paul said, “4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

The reason Christmas is so important to us as Christians is because it points us to the celebration and significance of Easter and the empty cross on Calvary’s mountain. In the fullness of time, God sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world to die for us and save us from our sins and its penalty. At God’s appointed time 2000 years ago, Jesus, the Messiah, came. He was born of the Virgin Mary, and He lived the perfect life we failed to live.

But His love did not end there. Afteward, the holy, innocent, sinless Son of God died the death of a murderous, God-hating criminal, the death we all should have died. On the cross, Jesus took the penalty for our sins upon Himself as the divine wrath of God fell upon Him. Yet through His death, He lovingly freed us from an eternity in hell. But it doesn’t end there, because on the third day, He rose from the grave and secured our redemption.

In the words of the apostle Paul, “He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Through Jesus’s life, death, burial, and resurrection, we who believe in Him have been reconciled to God and enjoy the joys and delights of eternal life. And all of this was given to us by God’s loving grace and goodness. So, whether you have plenty of earthly possessions to give this year or very little to share with others, know that you have more than enough to thank God for.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

]]> The Christmas season is once again upon us. And with another Christmas season comes another opportunity for us Christians to reflect upon and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In addition, the celebration of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ at this time of year gives us another opportunity to give thanks to God. In this article, I will list five reasons to give God thanks this Christmas (and, Lord willing, throughout the new year).

In Psalm 136, the Bible reveals the two fundamental reasons we must give thanks to God. And they are as follows: First, we must give God thanks because of who He is. And second, we must give God thanks because of what He has done. These two fundamental reasons, revealed in Psalm 136 and, in fact, all of Scripture, serve as the foundation for the five reasons listed in this article. With that in mind, here are five reasons to give God thanks this Christmas.

  1. Because God is good.

In the first part of vv. 1 in Psalm 136, the Psalmist says, “1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good...” In the NKJV, this verse says, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good...” Here, the Psalmist summons God’s people to give thanks to the Lord. The Hebrew verb for “give thanks” is yadah, which means to give thanks and praise to God. It is worth noting that yadah always includes, but is not limited to, verbal thanksgiving. True thanksgiving involves both the mouth and the heart (life).

The verb yadah is in the imperative mood in this verse, so it is not a suggestion but a command. Here, the word of God commands us to give God thanks and praise with our mouths and our lives. Why? The Psalmist provides the reason in v. 1: “For/because, He is good.” God is Good by nature; He is the standard of all goodness, moral excellence, and all things pleasant. He is the epitome of goodness; therefore, He cannot be anything but Good. As a result, everything God says and does will always be good because He is the good God.

Therefore, you must give God thanks this Christmas because of who He is. He is Good!

  1. Because He gave you life.

In Gen 1:1, the word of God says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” And in Gen 1:27, the Bible says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” The Good God, who created the heavens and the earth by the word of His power, is the same Good God who created you. And you must not think of God’s creation of you as a general/ordinary act, no! It was extraordinary. God intricately and intimately “knit you together in your mother’s womb.”

In Psalm 139 vv. 13 – 18, David, by the grace and power of God, acknowledged that:

  1. God intentionally and intimately formed his inner parts. God personally formed all of his internal organs while he was in his mother’s womb 13.
  2. God’s work of creating him was an awesome, honorable, and unique work of God 14.
  3. God skillfully made him in secret, that is, in the womb, and that even his bones, though hidden from sight, were not hidden from God 15
  4. God saw him and knew him before he was even fully formed, and God ordained all the days of his life, long before he even lived one of them (outside the womb) 16.
  5. David acknowledged that God’s thoughts concerning him, even in his underdeveloped state, were precious, vast and immeasurable 17 & 18.

What an astounding truth! The good God of heaven and earth, intentionally, intricately, intimately, and uniquely made David. And what was true of David is also true of you. God created you. He gave you life. You are not an accident, and you are not here by chance. It is the LORD our God who “made us, and not we ourselves” (Ps 100:3); therefore, give thanks to the Lord for your life!

  1. Because He protects & preserves you.

Not only did the good God intentionally and personally knit you together in your mother’s womb, but He also protects and preserves you right now. In other words, if it had not been for the Lord, you would not be alive today. It is because of His mercies that you are not consumed. In Psalm 121 vv. 3-8, the Lord reminded His Old Covenant people, Israel, that He was their protector. In those verses, the Hebrew word shamar, which means to hedge about, keep, guard, watch over, protect, and preserve, appears in verses 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8.

God put Adam in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep/shamar it (Gen 2:15). Adam was to keep, protect, and preserve the garden. Well, in Psalm 121, God says He is the protector and preserver of His people. God was Israel’s protector, preserver, and keeper. And in like manner, God is the protector, keeper, and preserver of His new covenant people, the Church.

During His High Priestly prayer, Jesus said to God the Father in Jn 17:12, “12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” In Jude 24-25 the word of God says “24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

The words guarded in John 17 & keep in Jude are translations of the same Greek word that is equivalent to our Hebrew word shamar in Psalm 121. Dear Christian, this Christmas, give thanks to God for protecting and preserving you. He promises to do so for eternity (Jn 10:27-28).

  1. Because He provides for you and prospers your way

The word of God reveals that it is the Lord our God who provides for our every need, and it is He who prospers our way. In Psalm 37:25-26, the psalmist says, “25 I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread. 26 All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.” The good God provides for you and gives you the power to get wealth.

It is not your own power and strength that have increased your wealth or even made it possible for you to do so; instead, it is the Lord your God (Deut 8:18). Furthermore, He is the One who provides your daily needs and gives you many good gifts. In Matt 6:25, Jesus says, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Then in vv. 32-33 Jesus says, “32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” In James 1:17, the word of God reminds us that “17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Has this reality gripped your heart? All that you have, big or small, has been given to you by the good God! Therefore, give Him thanks.

  1. Because He has given us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ

Thus far, we have considered four reasons to give God thanks. But this last reason is by far the most significant for us as Christians because it is the greatest God given gift of all.  We must give God thanks because He gave us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and eternal life in His name. In Gal 4:4-5, the apostle Paul said, “4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

The reason Christmas is so important to us as Christians is because it points us to the celebration and significance of Easter and the empty cross on Calvary’s mountain. In the fullness of time, God sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world to die for us and save us from our sins and its penalty. At God’s appointed time 2000 years ago, Jesus, the Messiah, came. He was born of the Virgin Mary, and He lived the perfect life we failed to live.

But His love did not end there. Afteward, the holy, innocent, sinless Son of God died the death of a murderous, God-hating criminal, the death we all should have died. On the cross, Jesus took the penalty for our sins upon Himself as the divine wrath of God fell upon Him. Yet through His death, He lovingly freed us from an eternity in hell. But it doesn’t end there, because on the third day, He rose from the grave and secured our redemption.

In the words of the apostle Paul, “He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Through Jesus’s life, death, burial, and resurrection, we who believe in Him have been reconciled to God and enjoy the joys and delights of eternal life. And all of this was given to us by God’s loving grace and goodness. So, whether you have plenty of earthly possessions to give this year or very little to share with others, know that you have more than enough to thank God for.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

]]> After Darkness, Light https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/after-darkness-light https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/after-darkness-light#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/after-darkness-light “Post tenebras lux” is the Latin phrase that means "After darkness, light” It was one of the rallying cries of the Protestant Reformation. This motto symbolized the rediscovery of Biblical truth in the 16th century after a period of spiritual darkness. It can be found inscribed on the famous Reformation Wall that was erected in Geneva, Switzerland to honor the Protestant Reformation and its leaders, including John Calvin. The phrase is also inscribed on the Huguenot Monument in South Africa to commemorate the settlement of French Protestants who suffered severe persecution for their beliefs.

Matthew confirms that when the Lord Jesus moved His ministry from Nazareth to Capernaum on the northern end of the Sea of Galilee, He did so in fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah (Isa. 9:2): “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined” (Mat. 4:16, NLT – New Living Translation quoted throughout). This region of Galilee was inhabited by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. The region’s location in the north meant that it would have been the first to suffer from the Assyrian invasion (2 Kin. 15:29). These people lived in an area where death cast its shadow. But the Lord Jesus, who is the Light of the world (Joh. 8:12) came and dwelt among them.

There is, also, a wider fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy to come. The Lord Jesus promised His disciples: “And the Good News [gospel] about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations [peoples] will hear it; and then the end will come” (Mat. 24:14). The Great Commission that the risen Christ gave to His Church (Mat. 28:18-20) will surely be fulfilled! This is awesome good news if we pause to consider the present state of theology in the world today.

The global map below shows a highlighted region that lies between 10 deg. – 40 deg. North latitude.

This region covers North Africa, the Middle East and much of Asia. It stretches from Morocco in the east to Japan in the west. Christian missionary groups have long identified this geographical zone (the 10/40 window) as a critical gospel target for several reasons.

First, it is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population live there. Second, this area has the most unreached people groups – people who live and die without ever hearing the gospel! Some estimate that three billion people in this zone have never heard the good news of Christ! Third, this zone of great spiritual darkness has also become known as the “Resistant Belt” due to its widespread political instability and severe restrictions to preaching the gospel, such as anti-conversion laws and the banning of Bibles. This could explain the low level of missionary activity in the zone.

How do we respond to this description of the 10/40 window, which includes the nation of Israel? We can learn from the Lord Jesus, the God-Man, who walked among a people that sat in darkness in Israel. “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields’” (Mat. 9:36-38).

Look at India, for example. It is recognized as the most religious country in the world; nevertheless, a country that is filled with false religion. Many Christians who visit India attest to feeling like the Apostle Paul when he passed through Athens (Acts 17:16). Paul was “deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere”. India is now the most populated country in the world, surpassing China in recent years. Churches there face many challenges.

It is in this context that we should understand and appreciate our Pastor’s recent visit to India. We sometimes hear exciting news of church planting among the unreached peoples but, in most instances, we don’t get many details about the content of the gospel that is taught in those churches. There is always a danger of syncretism creeping into churches in these dark areas of the world if sola Scriptura is not emphasized and taught. The Apostle Paul showed great concern in his Pastoral Letters to Timothy and Titus for the teaching of sound (healthy) doctrine in the churches that he planted (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 1:13; Tit. 1:9). This is the critical task that our Pastor would have executed among the Pastors during his time in the subcontinent. May God use his work to keep the Indian Pastors grounded in His Word and produce much fruit to His glory.

Spiritual conditions in the 10/40 window may be daunting, but the Lord’s hand is not shortened to save. In addition to spiritual poverty, this zone is also marked by material poverty, corruption, and natural disasters. Reports indicate that a significant amount of youths now have a desire to escape this satanic death trap. Some analysts attribute the desire to the increased access to social media, which provide more freedom to examine and question their religions with relative safety. The Apostle John’s vision will be realized: “a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9). In the words of the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, we should be encouraged to pray:

“Pity the nations, O our God!

Constrain the earth to come;

Send thy victorious Word abroad

And bring the strangers home”

]]> “Post tenebras lux” is the Latin phrase that means "After darkness, light” It was one of the rallying cries of the Protestant Reformation. This motto symbolized the rediscovery of Biblical truth in the 16th century after a period of spiritual darkness. It can be found inscribed on the famous Reformation Wall that was erected in Geneva, Switzerland to honor the Protestant Reformation and its leaders, including John Calvin. The phrase is also inscribed on the Huguenot Monument in South Africa to commemorate the settlement of French Protestants who suffered severe persecution for their beliefs.

Matthew confirms that when the Lord Jesus moved His ministry from Nazareth to Capernaum on the northern end of the Sea of Galilee, He did so in fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah (Isa. 9:2): “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined” (Mat. 4:16, NLT – New Living Translation quoted throughout). This region of Galilee was inhabited by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. The region’s location in the north meant that it would have been the first to suffer from the Assyrian invasion (2 Kin. 15:29). These people lived in an area where death cast its shadow. But the Lord Jesus, who is the Light of the world (Joh. 8:12) came and dwelt among them.

There is, also, a wider fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy to come. The Lord Jesus promised His disciples: “And the Good News [gospel] about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations [peoples] will hear it; and then the end will come” (Mat. 24:14). The Great Commission that the risen Christ gave to His Church (Mat. 28:18-20) will surely be fulfilled! This is awesome good news if we pause to consider the present state of theology in the world today.

The global map below shows a highlighted region that lies between 10 deg. – 40 deg. North latitude.

This region covers North Africa, the Middle East and much of Asia. It stretches from Morocco in the east to Japan in the west. Christian missionary groups have long identified this geographical zone (the 10/40 window) as a critical gospel target for several reasons.

First, it is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population live there. Second, this area has the most unreached people groups – people who live and die without ever hearing the gospel! Some estimate that three billion people in this zone have never heard the good news of Christ! Third, this zone of great spiritual darkness has also become known as the “Resistant Belt” due to its widespread political instability and severe restrictions to preaching the gospel, such as anti-conversion laws and the banning of Bibles. This could explain the low level of missionary activity in the zone.

How do we respond to this description of the 10/40 window, which includes the nation of Israel? We can learn from the Lord Jesus, the God-Man, who walked among a people that sat in darkness in Israel. “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields’” (Mat. 9:36-38).

Look at India, for example. It is recognized as the most religious country in the world; nevertheless, a country that is filled with false religion. Many Christians who visit India attest to feeling like the Apostle Paul when he passed through Athens (Acts 17:16). Paul was “deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere”. India is now the most populated country in the world, surpassing China in recent years. Churches there face many challenges.

It is in this context that we should understand and appreciate our Pastor’s recent visit to India. We sometimes hear exciting news of church planting among the unreached peoples but, in most instances, we don’t get many details about the content of the gospel that is taught in those churches. There is always a danger of syncretism creeping into churches in these dark areas of the world if sola Scriptura is not emphasized and taught. The Apostle Paul showed great concern in his Pastoral Letters to Timothy and Titus for the teaching of sound (healthy) doctrine in the churches that he planted (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 1:13; Tit. 1:9). This is the critical task that our Pastor would have executed among the Pastors during his time in the subcontinent. May God use his work to keep the Indian Pastors grounded in His Word and produce much fruit to His glory.

Spiritual conditions in the 10/40 window may be daunting, but the Lord’s hand is not shortened to save. In addition to spiritual poverty, this zone is also marked by material poverty, corruption, and natural disasters. Reports indicate that a significant amount of youths now have a desire to escape this satanic death trap. Some analysts attribute the desire to the increased access to social media, which provide more freedom to examine and question their religions with relative safety. The Apostle John’s vision will be realized: “a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9). In the words of the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, we should be encouraged to pray:

“Pity the nations, O our God!

Constrain the earth to come;

Send thy victorious Word abroad

And bring the strangers home”

]]> Jesus Wept (John 11:35) https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/jesus-wept--john https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/jesus-wept--john#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/jesus-wept--john The context of this verse is the death of Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. Lazarus was Jesus’ friend. Martha’s message was, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” Lazarus died and Jesus came four days later. He listened to Martha and Mary and entered into their grief. Even though Jesus knew what He was about to do, we are told, “Jesus wept.” Jesus did not celebrate the life of the dead Lazarus. He wept in the face of death and grief. The verb used to describe Jesus’ weeping is found only here in the N.T. This verb does not describe uncontrolled sobbing. It simply means that the tears began rolling down Jesus’ face.

In our world today, the death of a person has become a celebration. The funeral service is now called, “the celebration of the life of ….” Death came into the world because of the fall into sin. (cf. Rom.5:12). Death is the evil result of and penalty for sin. Maybe I am odd, but it strikes me as strange that that which ends a life, brings permanent separation on earth, grief, loss, pain, is now a cause for celebration. (cf.Gen.23:2; 50:10-11).

In recent days, a young man, Charlie Kirk, was brutally murdered. And we have seen two types of celebrations. Firstly, those who loved Kirk have been mourning his death and celebrating his life. Secondly, we have seen the bloodthirsty, hate-filled, utterly depraved celebrations of those who hated him. Some of what I have seen on YouTube and TikTok are too disgusting to even reference. Without any sense of shame, some of the vocal haters are those who profess and aspire to be national leaders. Many have wondered aloud and silently if this man was murdered because of the violent rhetoric of these so-called leaders. Truly, it seems that we are now living in a culture that encourages and celebrates murder over religious, social, and political disagreements. The frightening reality is the growing number of women who support this mindset.

The man who murdered Charlie Kirk will answer to the laws of the land. We wait to see. One leftist politician has publicly stated that committing a crime does not necessarily make you a criminal. So the man who murdered Kirk is not necessarily a murderer. And sinners are not necessarily sinners. I guess it is for this reason we now have so many mentally sick people in the world. One thing we are certain about, Tyler Robinson will have to answer to God for his crime of murder. And on that day, his sin will be defined as lawlessness, (1Jn.3:4), and there will be no battery of lawyers to defend him.

Furthermore, I want to make it clear to all those who are celebrating the murder of Charlie Kirk, you are one with Tyler Robinson. Let me put it this way : you ARE Tyler Robinson and there is the blood of murder on your hands. Charlie Kirk’s murder has revealed that there are multiplied thousands of Tyler Robinsons in our midst who, in their morally twisted mindset, cheer on those who commit murders on their behalf. (cf. Rom.1:32).

Now let me make it clear, I do not know Charlie Kirk. From time to time, I have watched his videos on YouTube and I have marveled at the gifts God blessed him with and the fact that he did not bury that which God gave to him. He put his gifts to work while knowing he was doing so at great risk to himself. Faithfulness to God and risks tend to go together.

Kirk reminds me of Paul’s defense before Governor Festus and King Agrippa. Acts 26:24-25 says, “While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth (lit. “of truth and rationality”).” Paul would be murdered for the rational truth of the gospel. The leftist approach of calling you ignorant, mad, a hater, a bigot, etc., is not new. One shrieking leftist female politician described Kirk as ignorant and uneducated.

Charlie Kirk did not die before his time. The years God ordained for him in eternity (Psa.139:16) had come to an end. God is the one who is in sovereign control of life and death. (cf. Deut.32:39). Medical research does not have the ability to extend life. When your God-ordained years are finished, you will keep your appointment with death and final judgment. (Heb.9:27).

From all I have heard and read, it seems evident that Charlie Kirk was a Christian by conversion to Christ. A man who knew Charlie wrote, “Throughout his shortened mission on this earth, Charlie Kirk demonstrated his eager willingness to be used by God as he relentlessly preached the gospel. He told millions of people that the truth of the gospel is the only important thing in this life, and that Jesus is all that really matters.”

So I will not say to Charlie, RIP. Rev.14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”  2Cor.5:8 describes death as being absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. In 2Tim.4:6 Paul described death as “departure”. You say “goodbye” and in the next instant you say “hello”. Charlie fought the good fight, finished the race God gave him to run, and kept the faith. And His Lord would have said to him, “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.” (Matt.25:21). Charlie is beholding the glorious face of his Savior. And by this time, he would have shaken hands with his martyred forerunner, Abel. In his life on earth, Charlie was not perfect and would have made many regrettable mistakes. But on September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk became perfect and will be perfect for all eternity.

Charlie, we grieve over your murder, but we do not grieve like those who have no hope. (1Thess.4:13). Our living hope is in our risen and returning King, the Lord Jesus Christ.

One final word. Charlie, your martyrdom has reminded me of the martyrdom of Jim Elliot in 1956. The fruit of Elliot’s martyrdom was an army of Christians going into the mission field. May God raise up an army of truth and rational voices in your place and who, like you, will be rooted in the gospel. The increasing irrational voices of moral and spiritual insanity need persistent pushbacks from truth and rationality even if it means more martyrdoms.

]]> The context of this verse is the death of Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. Lazarus was Jesus’ friend. Martha’s message was, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” Lazarus died and Jesus came four days later. He listened to Martha and Mary and entered into their grief. Even though Jesus knew what He was about to do, we are told, “Jesus wept.” Jesus did not celebrate the life of the dead Lazarus. He wept in the face of death and grief. The verb used to describe Jesus’ weeping is found only here in the N.T. This verb does not describe uncontrolled sobbing. It simply means that the tears began rolling down Jesus’ face.

In our world today, the death of a person has become a celebration. The funeral service is now called, “the celebration of the life of ….” Death came into the world because of the fall into sin. (cf. Rom.5:12). Death is the evil result of and penalty for sin. Maybe I am odd, but it strikes me as strange that that which ends a life, brings permanent separation on earth, grief, loss, pain, is now a cause for celebration. (cf.Gen.23:2; 50:10-11).

In recent days, a young man, Charlie Kirk, was brutally murdered. And we have seen two types of celebrations. Firstly, those who loved Kirk have been mourning his death and celebrating his life. Secondly, we have seen the bloodthirsty, hate-filled, utterly depraved celebrations of those who hated him. Some of what I have seen on YouTube and TikTok are too disgusting to even reference. Without any sense of shame, some of the vocal haters are those who profess and aspire to be national leaders. Many have wondered aloud and silently if this man was murdered because of the violent rhetoric of these so-called leaders. Truly, it seems that we are now living in a culture that encourages and celebrates murder over religious, social, and political disagreements. The frightening reality is the growing number of women who support this mindset.

The man who murdered Charlie Kirk will answer to the laws of the land. We wait to see. One leftist politician has publicly stated that committing a crime does not necessarily make you a criminal. So the man who murdered Kirk is not necessarily a murderer. And sinners are not necessarily sinners. I guess it is for this reason we now have so many mentally sick people in the world. One thing we are certain about, Tyler Robinson will have to answer to God for his crime of murder. And on that day, his sin will be defined as lawlessness, (1Jn.3:4), and there will be no battery of lawyers to defend him.

Furthermore, I want to make it clear to all those who are celebrating the murder of Charlie Kirk, you are one with Tyler Robinson. Let me put it this way : you ARE Tyler Robinson and there is the blood of murder on your hands. Charlie Kirk’s murder has revealed that there are multiplied thousands of Tyler Robinsons in our midst who, in their morally twisted mindset, cheer on those who commit murders on their behalf. (cf. Rom.1:32).

Now let me make it clear, I do not know Charlie Kirk. From time to time, I have watched his videos on YouTube and I have marveled at the gifts God blessed him with and the fact that he did not bury that which God gave to him. He put his gifts to work while knowing he was doing so at great risk to himself. Faithfulness to God and risks tend to go together.

Kirk reminds me of Paul’s defense before Governor Festus and King Agrippa. Acts 26:24-25 says, “While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth (lit. “of truth and rationality”).” Paul would be murdered for the rational truth of the gospel. The leftist approach of calling you ignorant, mad, a hater, a bigot, etc., is not new. One shrieking leftist female politician described Kirk as ignorant and uneducated.

Charlie Kirk did not die before his time. The years God ordained for him in eternity (Psa.139:16) had come to an end. God is the one who is in sovereign control of life and death. (cf. Deut.32:39). Medical research does not have the ability to extend life. When your God-ordained years are finished, you will keep your appointment with death and final judgment. (Heb.9:27).

From all I have heard and read, it seems evident that Charlie Kirk was a Christian by conversion to Christ. A man who knew Charlie wrote, “Throughout his shortened mission on this earth, Charlie Kirk demonstrated his eager willingness to be used by God as he relentlessly preached the gospel. He told millions of people that the truth of the gospel is the only important thing in this life, and that Jesus is all that really matters.”

So I will not say to Charlie, RIP. Rev.14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”  2Cor.5:8 describes death as being absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. In 2Tim.4:6 Paul described death as “departure”. You say “goodbye” and in the next instant you say “hello”. Charlie fought the good fight, finished the race God gave him to run, and kept the faith. And His Lord would have said to him, “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.” (Matt.25:21). Charlie is beholding the glorious face of his Savior. And by this time, he would have shaken hands with his martyred forerunner, Abel. In his life on earth, Charlie was not perfect and would have made many regrettable mistakes. But on September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk became perfect and will be perfect for all eternity.

Charlie, we grieve over your murder, but we do not grieve like those who have no hope. (1Thess.4:13). Our living hope is in our risen and returning King, the Lord Jesus Christ.

One final word. Charlie, your martyrdom has reminded me of the martyrdom of Jim Elliot in 1956. The fruit of Elliot’s martyrdom was an army of Christians going into the mission field. May God raise up an army of truth and rational voices in your place and who, like you, will be rooted in the gospel. The increasing irrational voices of moral and spiritual insanity need persistent pushbacks from truth and rationality even if it means more martyrdoms.

]]> The Upside Down World https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/the-upside-down-world https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/the-upside-down-world#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/the-upside-down-world “Justice means standing with the victims, not excusing the guilty.” God has said to show no pity and do not support the murderer. (Deut.19:13; Prov.28:17). Today, there is a lot of excusing, justifying, and even financial support given to those charged with or found guilty of murder. There are those who even celebrate with great rejoicing when certain individuals are murdered. Rom.1:32 says the wicked gives hearty approval to those who practice wickedness. In the eyes of God premeditated murder is never justifiable.

The hatred of those who support free speech and rational debate before violence will continue to increase. Herein lies the reason for the deep implacable hatred for Biblical Christianity. Jesus was a debater. The Jewish religious leaders knew they could not win the debate, so they murdered him. Paul was a debater until Rome executed (murdered) him. Charlie Kirk was a debater until a “trans” lover who hated Kirk murdered him.

The left knows they cannot support free speech and win the debate, so their only answer is suppression, violence, and destruction. The examples of communist countries and religious theocratic countries are there for all to see. But the leftists have chosen to close their eyes (blindness) and to remain irrational.

We are now living in a world that is turning all morality upside down and manifesting a deepening hatred of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. But God has warned,

18 Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood,
And sin as if with cart ropes;
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!
23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!  (Isa.5:18, 20, 21, 23).

Prov.17:5, “He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.”

Prov.17:15, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
                     Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”

Ezek.25:6-7, “ For thus says the Lord God, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against [the righteous], 7 therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you….”

Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matt.6:22-23). Indeed, how great is the moral darkness that is descending upon and taking hold of our world!!

It is beginning to feel like Rev.20:3 and the prelude to the loosing of Satan. The hatred of Christians will be increasing. Quite likely, like Stephen of old, Charlie Kirk has the honor of being the first martyr in the so-called free world that is growing in its hatred of Christ, His disciples, and the proclamation of Christ as THE truth in a world of lies, false gods, and the worship of Satan and his demonic hosts.  

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, [courageous], always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1Cor.15:58; cf. 16:13).

]]> “Justice means standing with the victims, not excusing the guilty.” God has said to show no pity and do not support the murderer. (Deut.19:13; Prov.28:17). Today, there is a lot of excusing, justifying, and even financial support given to those charged with or found guilty of murder. There are those who even celebrate with great rejoicing when certain individuals are murdered. Rom.1:32 says the wicked gives hearty approval to those who practice wickedness. In the eyes of God premeditated murder is never justifiable.

The hatred of those who support free speech and rational debate before violence will continue to increase. Herein lies the reason for the deep implacable hatred for Biblical Christianity. Jesus was a debater. The Jewish religious leaders knew they could not win the debate, so they murdered him. Paul was a debater until Rome executed (murdered) him. Charlie Kirk was a debater until a “trans” lover who hated Kirk murdered him.

The left knows they cannot support free speech and win the debate, so their only answer is suppression, violence, and destruction. The examples of communist countries and religious theocratic countries are there for all to see. But the leftists have chosen to close their eyes (blindness) and to remain irrational.

We are now living in a world that is turning all morality upside down and manifesting a deepening hatred of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. But God has warned,

18 Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood,
And sin as if with cart ropes;
20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!
23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!  (Isa.5:18, 20, 21, 23).

Prov.17:5, “He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.”

Prov.17:15, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
                     Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”

Ezek.25:6-7, “ For thus says the Lord God, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against [the righteous], 7 therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you….”

Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matt.6:22-23). Indeed, how great is the moral darkness that is descending upon and taking hold of our world!!

It is beginning to feel like Rev.20:3 and the prelude to the loosing of Satan. The hatred of Christians will be increasing. Quite likely, like Stephen of old, Charlie Kirk has the honor of being the first martyr in the so-called free world that is growing in its hatred of Christ, His disciples, and the proclamation of Christ as THE truth in a world of lies, false gods, and the worship of Satan and his demonic hosts.  

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, [courageous], always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1Cor.15:58; cf. 16:13).

]]> Shed Blood Polutting The Land Part 4 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polutting-the-land-part-4 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polutting-the-land-part-4#comments Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polutting-the-land-part-4 In this final article I want to turn your attention to Romans chapter 13. But before I do, I am aware that the argument has been made that the laws against murder and for capital punishment belong in the Old Testament and do not apply to today. That argument is nonsense. God gave the law against murder when He made His covenant with Noah. This was a new beginning after the flood and God reaffirmed the Creation commands, added the law against murder, and changed man’s diet.

Rom.13 makes it very clear that God is involved in the ruling affairs of the nations. The teachings found in this chapter are repeating what is already taught in the Old Testament. Consider the following verses :

Psalm 9:7 “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for justice.”

Psa.103:19, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.”

Dan.2:21, “He (God) removes kings and establishes kings.”

Da.4:17, 32, “The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And [He] bestows it on whomever He wishes.”

Rom.13:1, “there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

The ruler is a minister (servant) of God (vss.4 & 6) regardless of gender or religious persuasion. He/she is chosen by God to serve the nation and will answer to God for his/her rule. The chapter makes it clear that rulers are under God’s authority, and hence they are called to rule responsibly and justly, since God Himself will judge them in accord with what they have done as His servants.

God requires that their rule must encourage (even compel) good behavior. The ruler must have an iron fist in a velvet glove. Those who do good must see and experience the velvet glove.

Those who do evil must be made to fear the rulers by seeing and experiencing the iron fist. The ruler is God’s “avenger who brings wrath (punishment) on the one who practices evil.” The God who said in Rom.12:19, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay”, has delegated His authority into the hand of the ruler to take vengeance on those who break the laws of the land.

The ruler must be “a cause of fear … for evil”. That which God has required is very clear. Punishment must be of such a dreaded nature, it must instill fear and even the willingness to change in the evildoer (self-rehabilitation). The primary responsibility God has given to the ruler for dealing with the lawless is punishment that instills fear. But today, in rebellion against God, and in the name of humanity and compassion, etc., the focus has changed and shifted away from punishment that instills fear. The great concern is for the humanity of the lawless without a thought for the humanity of the victims and those who must suffer because of the crime committed.

Furthermore, God has given to the ruler, as His avenger, the power of the sword. (vs.4). The ruler “does not bear the sword for nothing.” The sword is not a meaningless display, without cause and purposeless. The sword is the symbolism of the death penalty. The ancient magistrate habitually carried a sword to make clear his power to punish, and to do so even with the death penalty.

Now let us get this clear. Jesus was unjustly put to death by the wicked Jewish religious rulers and the cowardly Pilate. Peter did not mince his words when he brought his accusations against the Jews in his Pentecost sermon. Paul stated in Acts 25:11, “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die.” Eventually, Paul would be executed on Nero’s orders for the crime of being a Christian. Herod put James to death for the crime of being a Christian. (Acts 12:2).

The Bible recognizes that unjust/corrupt rulers will execute innocent men. But, even in the face of this fact, God did not rescind the death penalty. When rulers rescind or refuse to carry out the death penalty, they are servants of God who are rebelling against God. And they will stand before God in the final judgment with hands filled with the blood of the murdered who are still crying out for justice.

The ultimate death penalty will be imposed by God for sin. 1Jn.3:4 defines sin as lawlessness. This death penalty is called the “second death, the lake of fire” (Rev.20:14). All who are without salvation in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Jesus described the lake of fire as “eternal fire” and “eternal punishment” (Matt.25:41, 46). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31).

]]> In this final article I want to turn your attention to Romans chapter 13. But before I do, I am aware that the argument has been made that the laws against murder and for capital punishment belong in the Old Testament and do not apply to today. That argument is nonsense. God gave the law against murder when He made His covenant with Noah. This was a new beginning after the flood and God reaffirmed the Creation commands, added the law against murder, and changed man’s diet.

Rom.13 makes it very clear that God is involved in the ruling affairs of the nations. The teachings found in this chapter are repeating what is already taught in the Old Testament. Consider the following verses :

Psalm 9:7 “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for justice.”

Psa.103:19, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.”

Dan.2:21, “He (God) removes kings and establishes kings.”

Da.4:17, 32, “The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And [He] bestows it on whomever He wishes.”

Rom.13:1, “there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

The ruler is a minister (servant) of God (vss.4 & 6) regardless of gender or religious persuasion. He/she is chosen by God to serve the nation and will answer to God for his/her rule. The chapter makes it clear that rulers are under God’s authority, and hence they are called to rule responsibly and justly, since God Himself will judge them in accord with what they have done as His servants.

God requires that their rule must encourage (even compel) good behavior. The ruler must have an iron fist in a velvet glove. Those who do good must see and experience the velvet glove.

Those who do evil must be made to fear the rulers by seeing and experiencing the iron fist. The ruler is God’s “avenger who brings wrath (punishment) on the one who practices evil.” The God who said in Rom.12:19, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay”, has delegated His authority into the hand of the ruler to take vengeance on those who break the laws of the land.

The ruler must be “a cause of fear … for evil”. That which God has required is very clear. Punishment must be of such a dreaded nature, it must instill fear and even the willingness to change in the evildoer (self-rehabilitation). The primary responsibility God has given to the ruler for dealing with the lawless is punishment that instills fear. But today, in rebellion against God, and in the name of humanity and compassion, etc., the focus has changed and shifted away from punishment that instills fear. The great concern is for the humanity of the lawless without a thought for the humanity of the victims and those who must suffer because of the crime committed.

Furthermore, God has given to the ruler, as His avenger, the power of the sword. (vs.4). The ruler “does not bear the sword for nothing.” The sword is not a meaningless display, without cause and purposeless. The sword is the symbolism of the death penalty. The ancient magistrate habitually carried a sword to make clear his power to punish, and to do so even with the death penalty.

Now let us get this clear. Jesus was unjustly put to death by the wicked Jewish religious rulers and the cowardly Pilate. Peter did not mince his words when he brought his accusations against the Jews in his Pentecost sermon. Paul stated in Acts 25:11, “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die.” Eventually, Paul would be executed on Nero’s orders for the crime of being a Christian. Herod put James to death for the crime of being a Christian. (Acts 12:2).

The Bible recognizes that unjust/corrupt rulers will execute innocent men. But, even in the face of this fact, God did not rescind the death penalty. When rulers rescind or refuse to carry out the death penalty, they are servants of God who are rebelling against God. And they will stand before God in the final judgment with hands filled with the blood of the murdered who are still crying out for justice.

The ultimate death penalty will be imposed by God for sin. 1Jn.3:4 defines sin as lawlessness. This death penalty is called the “second death, the lake of fire” (Rev.20:14). All who are without salvation in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Jesus described the lake of fire as “eternal fire” and “eternal punishment” (Matt.25:41, 46). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31).

]]> Shed Blood Polluting The Land Part 3 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polluting- https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polluting-#comments Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polluting- In the first article we looked at Gen.9:5-6. In the second article we looked at Cain’s murder of Abel. In this article I want to set before you a series of verses with minor comments here and there.

Exod.20:13, “You shall not commit murder.”  This is the sixth commandment, and its primary emphasis is on premeditated murder. 

Exod.21:12, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” However, as  vs.13  makes clear, if the action is not premeditated, the death penalty does not apply.

“He shall surely be put to death” is emphatic and the literal rendering is, “executed he shall be executed”. This is God’s seriousness about the death penalty. This reminds us of what the LORD said to Adam in Gen.2:17, “you shall surely die” or “dying you shall die.”

Exod.21:14-16,  “If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

15 “He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

16 “He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed).”

The safest place of sanctuary for a Jew was laying hold of the horns of God’s altar. But God said that even His altar must not be a safe sanctuary for the murderer, so very wicked is the sin of murder. You must note also that God made kidnapping a serious capital crime and the punishment was the death penalty. Sadly, this is a punishment modern governments have rejected.

Deut.24:7,  “If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall PURGE the evil from among you.” (cf. 1Tim.1:9-10).

Lev.24:17, 21,   “If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed)….  the one who kills a man shall be put to death”.

Deut.19:11-13,  “But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities  (of refuge),  12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.  13 You shall not pity him, but you shall PURGE the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you.”

As we have seen, murder pollutes the land. God had said the death penalty purges the blood of the murdered from the land and “that it may go well with you.”

“You shall not pity” the murderer. Prov.28:17 says, “A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood will be a fugitive until death; (now note), let no one support him.” Showing pity and support for a murderer are violations of God’s commands. 

Num.35 :30, 31, 33,  “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed)….  (Now note  vs.33  very carefully). So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood POLLUTES the land and no EXPIATION can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.” Psa.106:38

Once again, we have the emphasis that the blood of murder pollutes the land, and expiation must be made for that pollution. But God has said that the only expiation is the blood of the murderer. Without expiation, and murdered blood constantly crying out to God for justice, it will not go well for the nation. When there is expiation through execution, as noted above, it will go well for the land. 

Deut.22:8,  “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.” 

The point here is the moral importance and necessity of protecting life. If someone dies because of your willful carelessness, God says that you have “bloodguilt”, that is, you are guilty for their death. Ancient houses had flat roofs that were used for a variety of things. The owner of the house was responsible for putting in a parapet or guard rails to protect those who used the roof for any activity. If he failed to do so and a death occurred, he would bring upon himself “bloodguilt”. Road deaths that take place because of lawless and irresponsible driving bring “bloodguilt” before God. Medical carelessness and malpractice that result in death bring “bloodguilt” before God. Man may not judge you, but God will be waiting for you and your bloody hands in the final judgment.

]]> In the first article we looked at Gen.9:5-6. In the second article we looked at Cain’s murder of Abel. In this article I want to set before you a series of verses with minor comments here and there.

Exod.20:13, “You shall not commit murder.”  This is the sixth commandment, and its primary emphasis is on premeditated murder. 

Exod.21:12, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” However, as  vs.13  makes clear, if the action is not premeditated, the death penalty does not apply.

“He shall surely be put to death” is emphatic and the literal rendering is, “executed he shall be executed”. This is God’s seriousness about the death penalty. This reminds us of what the LORD said to Adam in Gen.2:17, “you shall surely die” or “dying you shall die.”

Exod.21:14-16,  “If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

15 “He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

16 “He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed).”

The safest place of sanctuary for a Jew was laying hold of the horns of God’s altar. But God said that even His altar must not be a safe sanctuary for the murderer, so very wicked is the sin of murder. You must note also that God made kidnapping a serious capital crime and the punishment was the death penalty. Sadly, this is a punishment modern governments have rejected.

Deut.24:7,  “If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall PURGE the evil from among you.” (cf. 1Tim.1:9-10).

Lev.24:17, 21,   “If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed)….  the one who kills a man shall be put to death”.

Deut.19:11-13,  “But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities  (of refuge),  12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.  13 You shall not pity him, but you shall PURGE the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you.”

As we have seen, murder pollutes the land. God had said the death penalty purges the blood of the murdered from the land and “that it may go well with you.”

“You shall not pity” the murderer. Prov.28:17 says, “A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood will be a fugitive until death; (now note), let no one support him.” Showing pity and support for a murderer are violations of God’s commands. 

Num.35 :30, 31, 33,  “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed)….  (Now note  vs.33  very carefully). So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood POLLUTES the land and no EXPIATION can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.” Psa.106:38

Once again, we have the emphasis that the blood of murder pollutes the land, and expiation must be made for that pollution. But God has said that the only expiation is the blood of the murderer. Without expiation, and murdered blood constantly crying out to God for justice, it will not go well for the nation. When there is expiation through execution, as noted above, it will go well for the land. 

Deut.22:8,  “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.” 

The point here is the moral importance and necessity of protecting life. If someone dies because of your willful carelessness, God says that you have “bloodguilt”, that is, you are guilty for their death. Ancient houses had flat roofs that were used for a variety of things. The owner of the house was responsible for putting in a parapet or guard rails to protect those who used the roof for any activity. If he failed to do so and a death occurred, he would bring upon himself “bloodguilt”. Road deaths that take place because of lawless and irresponsible driving bring “bloodguilt” before God. Medical carelessness and malpractice that result in death bring “bloodguilt” before God. Man may not judge you, but God will be waiting for you and your bloody hands in the final judgment.

]]> Shed Blood Polluting The Land Part 2 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polluting-the- https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polluting-the-#comments Sat, 22 Nov 2025 13:00:00 -0500 https://www.rec-tt.org/blog/post/shed-blood-polluting-the- In the first article we looked at Gen.9:5-6 where God, in making a His covenant with Noah, instituted the death penalty for murder. In this second article we will look at Gen.4, which records for us the first crime after the fall of Adam. That first crime is murder : Cain murdered his brother, Abel. Interestingly, Cain’s arrogant great grandson, Lamech, committed the second murder.

Cain and Abel brought offerings to the LORD (vs.3ff). Cain’s offering was rejected and we are told, “Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.” (vs.5). The literal meaning is, “it burned Cain exceedingly.” Using the same verb, God asked Cain (literally), “Why are you glowing with anger?” Such anger is usually coupled with hate. (cf. 1Jn.3:15). Cain’s murder was rooted in this burning anger and hate. It is clear from Cain’s anger and actions that his murder of Abel was premeditated. 

Secondly, note the verb “crouching” in vs.7. This verb is related to demonic activity. The translation, “sin is a crouching demon at the door” is acceptable. If murder, as God said, is an attack on the image of God in man, or an attempt to destroy the image of God, one can understand why murder is demonic. In vs.7 God said to Cain very emphatically, “you, you must master it”, that is, you must master this crouching demon.  But tragically, Cain failed to do so.  Instead, Cain’s sin mastered him and took control of him. In vs.8 we see three verbs describing Cain’s actions towards Abel : he spoke; he rose up; he killed.

Thirdly, vs.10. God said to Cain, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.” It is of interest to note that when Abel finally speaks, his shed blood did the speaking, crying out to God for justice. The ground that God cursed when Adam sinned is now polluted by the sin of murder. There are two points here that must be kept in mind : (1) the shed blood of murder pollutes the land; (2) the shed blood of murder cries out to God for justice. 

Fourthly, vss.10-11 – the statement of God’s punishment. “Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” In Gen.3 God cursed the snake and the ground. Here, for the first time in the history of mankind, a human being is cursed. “The result is Cain’s being driven away from the land – loss of community, loss of belonging, and indeed, loss of identity, a fate perhaps worse than death.” (Abraham Kuruvilla – Genesis, p.83). God did not put Cain to death because the death penalty was not yet given.

In vss.13-14, Cain complained about the unfairness of his punishment and the potential threat that he could now be murdered. This is quite ironic coming from one who has just murdered his brother. Today, murderers (and their liberal bleeding heart lovers) follow Cain and complain about the unfairness and harshness (brutality) of the death penalty or life sentences without parole. The murder they committed is not unfair, harsh, brutal, wicked. Like Cain, their murderous acts, in which they acted as prosecutor, jury, and judge, are justifiable and righteous in their own eyes.

You would note in the account that Cain displayed no remorse or repentance. And he never asked for or received forgiveness. He remained arrogant and self-pitying to the very end. If a murderer is truly remorseful and repentant before God for what he has done, then he must follow the Zacchaeus principle (Lk.19:8) and embrace the God-commanded death penalty for what he has done. Until then, all declarations of remorse and repentance are abominable lies with the ulterior motive of receiving sympathy and a soft punishment.  

]]> In the first article we looked at Gen.9:5-6 where God, in making a His covenant with Noah, instituted the death penalty for murder. In this second article we will look at Gen.4, which records for us the first crime after the fall of Adam. That first crime is murder : Cain murdered his brother, Abel. Interestingly, Cain’s arrogant great grandson, Lamech, committed the second murder.

Cain and Abel brought offerings to the LORD (vs.3ff). Cain’s offering was rejected and we are told, “Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.” (vs.5). The literal meaning is, “it burned Cain exceedingly.” Using the same verb, God asked Cain (literally), “Why are you glowing with anger?” Such anger is usually coupled with hate. (cf. 1Jn.3:15). Cain’s murder was rooted in this burning anger and hate. It is clear from Cain’s anger and actions that his murder of Abel was premeditated. 

Secondly, note the verb “crouching” in vs.7. This verb is related to demonic activity. The translation, “sin is a crouching demon at the door” is acceptable. If murder, as God said, is an attack on the image of God in man, or an attempt to destroy the image of God, one can understand why murder is demonic. In vs.7 God said to Cain very emphatically, “you, you must master it”, that is, you must master this crouching demon.  But tragically, Cain failed to do so.  Instead, Cain’s sin mastered him and took control of him. In vs.8 we see three verbs describing Cain’s actions towards Abel : he spoke; he rose up; he killed.

Thirdly, vs.10. God said to Cain, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.” It is of interest to note that when Abel finally speaks, his shed blood did the speaking, crying out to God for justice. The ground that God cursed when Adam sinned is now polluted by the sin of murder. There are two points here that must be kept in mind : (1) the shed blood of murder pollutes the land; (2) the shed blood of murder cries out to God for justice. 

Fourthly, vss.10-11 – the statement of God’s punishment. “Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” In Gen.3 God cursed the snake and the ground. Here, for the first time in the history of mankind, a human being is cursed. “The result is Cain’s being driven away from the land – loss of community, loss of belonging, and indeed, loss of identity, a fate perhaps worse than death.” (Abraham Kuruvilla – Genesis, p.83). God did not put Cain to death because the death penalty was not yet given.

In vss.13-14, Cain complained about the unfairness of his punishment and the potential threat that he could now be murdered. This is quite ironic coming from one who has just murdered his brother. Today, murderers (and their liberal bleeding heart lovers) follow Cain and complain about the unfairness and harshness (brutality) of the death penalty or life sentences without parole. The murder they committed is not unfair, harsh, brutal, wicked. Like Cain, their murderous acts, in which they acted as prosecutor, jury, and judge, are justifiable and righteous in their own eyes.

You would note in the account that Cain displayed no remorse or repentance. And he never asked for or received forgiveness. He remained arrogant and self-pitying to the very end. If a murderer is truly remorseful and repentant before God for what he has done, then he must follow the Zacchaeus principle (Lk.19:8) and embrace the God-commanded death penalty for what he has done. Until then, all declarations of remorse and repentance are abominable lies with the ulterior motive of receiving sympathy and a soft punishment.  

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