Top 12 Influential Books in My Life and Ministry

Photo courtesy of Jill Savage at www.jillsavage.org

In no particular order, here are the list of books and their authors that have influenced me the most in my Christian life and ministry:

1. Basic Christianity by John R. W. Stott. "Basic Christianity" is the first book on basic theology that I've read. It has increased my knowledge of my sinfulness and misery through Stott's clear exposition of the Ten Commandments. I was convicted of my sin. Stott also emphasizes in this book the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the Cross and how that sacrifice provided for me the assurance that all my sins are forgiven in Him. So I was also comforted and delighted to know that I don't need to add anything to Christ’s atoning sacrifice to save myself.


2. Knowing God by J. I. Packer. This book has been my favorite ever since I was introduced to it back in 1990s. It has deepened my knowledge of and devotion to God. Packer's scholarly yet pastoral exposition of God's sovereign grace in the salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ has left me dumbfounded. Through Packer’s various expositions I was able to understand the gospel better and became more grateful to God. I make it a habit to read this classic every year, or at least a few chapters of the book.


3. Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin. I've learned deeply about the Christian faith and the Christian life by reading Calvin.


4. Revelation: A Commentary by Gregory K. Beale. I've studied the book of Revelation and led Bible studies of it several times already. Beale's book has influenced a lot of my understanding of it.

5. Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts and The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. I've benefited a lot from Jerry Bridges's writings and these books have greatly influenced me in terms of understanding God's sovereignty and providence and holiness in the Christian life.


6. The Holy Spirit and The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction by Sinclair B. Ferguson. Ferguson’s book on the Holy Spirit is one of the best books on the subject. It was one of the required readings in seminary. His book on the Christian life is really a Biblical-theological introductory reading on the doctrine of salvation.

7. The Confessions by St. Augustine. One of the Christian classics one can't afford not to read.


8. Calvin's Doctrine of the Christian Life by Ronald S. Wallace. One the best and most helpful books I've read and reviewed during my seminary days.


9. The Heidelberg Catechism and its commentary by Zacarias Ursinus. Although not a book but a catechism, the Heidelberg Catechism is my favorite Reformation document and one that has helped me better understand the gospel of Christ and the Christian life.


10. The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande. This book was first recommended by my New Testament and Ethics professor. I've read it after seminary but the benefit I'm getting from it is just amazing.


11. The Holiness of God and Chosen by God by R. C. Sproul. These two books were instrumental in helping me understand Reformed Theology when I was being introduced to it. I still read these books every now and then.


12. The Book of Pastoral Rule by Gregory the Great. The book is a classic on pastoral theology. It contains ancient godly wisdom from someone who served God and the church of Jesus Christ with great zeal and knowledge. Every pastor will surely benefit in reading this book of practical wisdom of an ancient pastor.


There are other books that have strengthened me in the Christian faith one way or the other but I think these books are among the top twelve.

The Reformation’s Contribution to Our Present Age

by: Yuri Bernales

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. What he did was nothing unusual. It was just like posting an announcement on a bulletin board, inviting other scholars to debate with him on the validity of indulgences.

However, his action sparked the Protestant Reformation. Starting with that significant event, Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and many other Reformers joined together in an attempt to bring the medieval Church back into accordance with the Bible. Their work generated a huge change in Christian Europe. All this happened more than 500 years ago. How does the Reformation matter to us today?

The Reformation contributed mainly, but not exclusively, to the spiritual awakening of the people. Consider that, before Luther, most people were gullible enough to think that they could buy salvation! Some even went to ungodly conduct just to gain what the Pope or the Church authorities promised to be “forgiveness of sins”.

However, when the Reformers began their campaign against the profanities of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, the blinded people began to see the true essence of salvation. The Reformers preached the Word of God, rather than giving mere promises, so common men and women, who did not read the Bible, could know the truth. These people began to realize that they had to depend on God more than men, and they actually felt the true love of God.

Today, we can still see the legacy of the Reformation. We are not limited to the promises of men, but rather we have Biblical truth and preachers who preach it. We should be grateful for the men inspired by God to reform the blind world they lived in.

Today, we have more social freedom than the people who lived before the Reformation. Since the Roman church dominated Europe and only allowed acts that supported it, the people were not permitted to speak against it, and if they did, they would be excommunicated because of their “heresy” and become outcasts of society. One example of such injustice was an early Reformer, John Huss (from Bohemia, the present Czech Republic). This Bohemian Reformer was excommunicated repeatedly, declared a heretic, and burned at the stake.

Despite the injustices done to people such as Huss, many kept boldly protesting against the abuses and unbiblical teachings of the Roman church. In response, the Church reacted, usually with excommunication, torture, or burning at the stake. Hundreds of early Reformers were victims of these injustices, and the Church continued to persecute them during the Reformation. When their efforts to crush the Protestant opposition became futile, the Christians who chose to become Protestant were given the right to speak and worship freely. Until now we continue to do so.

Our education today has also been affected by the Reformation. The Bible and most of the books of the second millennium were written in Latin, which the majority of the European commoners could not read or understand. When Reformers who learned Hebrew and Greek and understood Latin translated the Bible into the vernacular, any literate person could read it for himself.

Although it was greatly discouraged for people to translate any book to the common tongue, more and more books were translated from Greek or Latin, and more common people read what was usually reserved for scholars and the upper class. As more books were read, a hunger for more knowledge arose. Commoners wanted a better education. Eventually, education became available to the middle and even lower classes.

Today, we tend to take everything for which the Reformers fought for granted, not realizing how difficult it was for a common person to live during their age. The Reformation was an extremely significant point in time, but it is also extremely easy to forget its significance. It is simple just to say, “It began some 500 years ago. It was led by a few rebellious men. What does it matter?”

The question is addressed again, so let us answer it. The Reformation mattered in the sense that we have better knowledge of God’s Word, more social freedom, and a much better education than those who lived before that period. Let us be thankful for the men whom God inspired to reform their dark world.

Grateful or Grumbling?: How Sound Theology Keeps Us from Worrying

(this is an article written by Pastor Steven J. Cole in October 1997)

Helen Keller, born blind and deaf, wrote, “I have always thought it would be a blessing if each person could be blind and deaf for a few days during his early adult life. Darkness would make him appreciate sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.”

Her words lead me to ask, Do we truly appreciate each day as God’s gracious gift to us? Are we filled with gratitude for the many blessings He gives us? It’s so easy to slip into a grumbling, negative attitude, frustrated by the problems and irritations we face, not seeing even these things as sent from the hand of a loving God. As His redeemed people, our lives should daily overflow with gratitude for His gracious salvation, even in the midst of trials (see Col. 1:10-12; 2:7).

I just finished reading a wonderful section in [John] Calvin’s Institutes in which he argues that God’s providence rules over every aspect of His creation. Even inanimate powers, such as sun, moon, and stars, wind and rain, obey His every command. As he puts it, “It is certain that not one drop of rain falls without God’s sure command” (1.16.5). He reminds us that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father’s will. How much more, then, does He care for us!

I just read this yesterday. This morning during my quiet time, a small gray junco flew into the window outside where I was sitting and fell to the ground. It stayed there for a few minutes, so I went outside and picked it up. It seemed to be alive, but stunned by the impact. It sat on my finger for a few minutes, blinking as if it was trying to come back to full consciousness. I tried to put it on the limb of a tree so the cats would not get it, but it took off over my shoulder. I thought it had flown off and I was about to go back in the house when I realized that it was sitting on my shoulder. Finally, after a few more minutes, it flew off into a tree, seemingly okay. Having just read Calvin on God’s providence over such trivial happenings, I rejoiced in the loving care of God for all His creatures, especially for my family and me.

After citing many biblical references that show God’s fatherly care for His people, Calvin concludes, “Indeed, the principal purpose of Biblical history is to teach that the Lord watches over the ways of the saints with such great diligence that they do not even stumble over a stone [Ps. 91:12]” (1.17.6). In the next section, he applies this to the theme of gratitude: “Gratitude of mind for the favorable outcome of things, patience in adversity, and also incredible freedom from worry about the future all necessarily follow upon this knowledge [of God’s providential care].” He goes on to show how God’s servants should relate every incident in life, even everyday common blessings, to His beneficent care. He concludes the section, “Admonished by so many evidences, [the Christian] will not continue to be ungrateful” (1.17.8). The beauty of Calvin’s teaching here is how he relates all of life, even the so-called trivial and commonplace happenings, to the providential care of the loving Sovereign of the universe. As he states, “If you pay attention, you will easily perceive that ignorance of providence is the ultimate of all miseries; the highest blessedness lies in the knowledge of it” (1.17.11).

In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Lucy and Linus are looking out the window at a steady downpour of rain. “Boy,” said Lucy, “look at it rain. What if it floods the whole world?”

“It will never do that,” Linus replies confidently. “In the ninth chapter of Genesis, God promised Noah that it would never happen again, and the sign of the promise is the rainbow ”

“You’ve taken a great load off my mind,” says Lucy with a relieved smile.

“Sound theology,” states Linus, “has a way of doing that!”

Precisely! Sound theology should make us grateful people, not just once a year at Thanksgiving time, but every day, in every incident, no matter how trivial. And our grateful lives should radiate the loving care of God to a world filled with gloom. Are you growing in gratefulness, or groveling in grumbling? Maybe you’d better re-focus on your theology!

Theology of the Reformers: A Review

(This is my review of Dr. Timothy George's Theology of the Reformers)

In a time such as ours when many books and journal articles have already been written about the life and works of Protestant Reformers, particularly about Luther and Calvin, Timothy George's yet another volume on the subject deserves commendation. This book is well-researched, especially its frequent reference and quote of the primary sources. It is also carefully written that scholars, pastors, students of history, and interested Christians from every status and station in life can easily understand and appreciate.

Dr. Timothy George himself is Dean and Professor of History and Historical Theology at the Beeson Divinity School. As one of the most respected historians in the evangelical world, Dr. George is the author of more than 20 books and a hundred of journal articles, and editor of The Reformation Commentary on Scripture with InterVarsity Press. He has been active in the evangelical dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church. He is also a favorite conference speaker among many Baptist denominations and evangelical organizations on history and theology. He holds the Th.D. From Harvard University.

In Chapter One, which is the Introduction, one of the first issues that Dr. George tackles in this book is the matter of periodization of the Reformation. How does one rightly situate the Reformation? Is it at the end of the Middle Ages or at the beginning of the modern era? The author puts it nicely and correctly by saying that “it is best to see the Reformation as an era of transition, characterized by the emergence of a new kind of culture which was struggling to be born even as the old one was still passing away” (17).

Dr. George also addresses the issue of perspectives in Reformation studies. In other words, the question that every historian should ask in studying a particular period in history, say, the Reformation, is this: “How should one approach that period of history?” Every historian has his own idea and perspective on history. One may view it from a socio-economic or socio-political lens while another may focus on the religious or cultural side of it.

In this book, while he recognizes the complexities in studying the Reformation period, Dr. George rightly views it, through the 'eyes' of the Reformers themselves, essentially as ‘a religious event.’ Not that everything is religious, but the author asserts that one cannot properly understand the Reformation without taking it mainly as a religious matter that is deeply concerned with theological issues with significant implications on social, cultural, political, and economic life of that period and the succeeding ones.

The book beautifully weaves the life and theology of three Protestant Reformers and one Radical Reformer of the sixteenth century: Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, and Menno Simons. Most of the information written in the book are not totally new to students of history, particularly Reformation history, as these data have been around for centuries and are now available in different formats (books, articles, CD-ROMs, internet, movies, etc.). However, George has his own way of retelling them in a refreshing way that enables the reader not only to appreciate these 'human vessels' with great spirituality and courage but also to thank the Lord for raising up such men in such a period of great anxiety.

George notes in Chapter Two that the prevailing anxieties of Late Middle Ages, just right at the eve of the Reformation include death, guilt, and emptiness or meaninglessness. And he can think of no other person in that period that epitomizes the hopes and fears of that age than Martin Luther himself, whom he rightly described as “just like everybody else, only more so” (23).

Luther, as a perceptive and sensitive soul that he was, understood the hopelessness and helplessness of the human race before a righteous and holy God. Thus, Luther's restlessness has providentially been used by God to ignite the fire of the Reformation. This Reformation spread and affected many parts of Europe that not even disease or death, nor sword nor Satan can stop the burning passion of the Reformers to proclaim the blazing sword of the Spirit that cuts the heart of sinners, on the one hand, and brings healing and comfort to their weary souls, on the other hand.

It is amazing how Dr. George can put together such a dramatic life and Word-centered and Spirit-powered theology as Luther's in 56 pages in Chapter Three. George characterizes Luther's theology as 'at once biblical, existential, and dialectical' (56). So Luther was not a kind of theologian who delights in speculation and speaks or writes above the head of his listeners and readers. He was an ardent Biblical scholar and theologian who carefully explains and applies the Word of God to the believer's daily life, which affects their eternal destiny. Luther then was concerned not only with the welfare of the people whom he ministered but also with the glory of God who called him to teach and preach the glorious gospel of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

While Dr. George recognizes the enormity and profundity of Luther's literary output, no one can deny that to the Reformer of Wittenburg justification by faith alone is the central summarizing doctrine of the Christian faith, “the article by which the church stands or fall” (62). George ends his chapter on Luther by reminding the readers that this Augustinian monk was a man with warts and vices. Yet in spite of his many weaknesses Luther has left us with “his spiritual insight into the gracious character of God in Jesus Christ, the God who loves us and sustains us unto death and again unto life” (106).

George then deals with the life and theology of Zwingli in Chapter Four. Zwingli, born on New Year's day of 1484 just 51 days after Luther, was aptly described as “both a pastor and patriot, a theologian and a politician” (111), whose “early development,” according to the author “was shaped by two factors which continued to influence his thought throughout his career: Swiss patriotism and Erasmian humanism” (110). As a preacher, Zwingli is famous for his departure from the traditional lectionary preaching to lectio continua which brought him through the Bible, beginning from the Gospel of Matthew (except the Book of Revelation, whose canonicity he doubted).

In spite of his shorter life, lesser corpus of theological work and disagreement with Luther on the Lord's Supper, his stature and spiritual courage as an early Reformer is comparable with Luther. George summarizes the heart of Zwingli's spiritual pursuit with one of the Zurich Reformer's last admonition: “Do something bold for God's sake” (160). This better explains his desire in life and ministry which is “to bring every realm of life, church and state, theology and ethics, magistracy and ministry, individual and community, into conformity with the will of God” (161).

John Calvin's life and theology is the subject of Chapter Five. Though a second generation Reformer, Calvin did not lack the spiritual zeal and motivation that Luther and Zwingli possessed. Moreover, Calvin was humble to acknowledge Luther's significant role in the battle for truth against the Roman Catholic Church. Calvin has “addressed Luther as his 'most respected father' and later declared: 'We regard him as a remarkable apostle of Christ, through whose work and ministry, most of all, the purity of the gospel has been restored in our time'” (166).

I like the way Dr. George gave tribute to Calvin's unique and great achievement by saying that the Genevan Reformer has labored “to take the classic insights of the Reformation (sola gratia, sola fide, sola scriptura) and give them a clear, systematic exposition, which neither Luther nor Zwingli ever did, and to adapt them to the civic setting of Geneva” (166). His teachings, however, did not only stay in Geneva but spread throughout Europe and the rest of the world and read, studied and assessed by many. Many who understood him and embraced his teaching loved him and tried to emulate him and his heart to please and serve God by the power of the Spirit.

But Calvin did not lack fierce critics and detractors who misread, disliked, disagreed with and despised him. I agree with George's assessment that “[f]ew people in the history of Christianity have been as highly esteemed or as meanly despised as John Calvin” (167). In all his preaching and theologizing Calvin never sought his own glory but the glory of God. “His life's goal,” writes George “was to be a faithful servant of the Word of God” (248), whose witness still shines “as a means of illumination to point men and women toward the adoration of the true God, whose glory is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ” (248).

In Chapter Six, George sympathetically describes the life and works of the Dutch Anabaptist leader Menno Simons. George is able to locate the purpose and life goal of this courageous Radical Reformer set forth in his Foundation Book wherein he says, “This is my only joy and heart's desire: to extend the kingdom of God, reveal the truth, reprove sin, teach righteousness, feed hungry souls with the Word of the Lord, lead the straying sheep into the right path, and gain many souls to the Lord through his Spirit, power and grace” (303). His hard journey in the faith which brought him through many years of struggle and persecution did not cause Menno to waver from this ideal (303). His work has been carried out by his followers – the Mennonites and others - who are sympathetic to his ideals and “are still moved by his piety, courage and hope” (303).

George closes the book in Chapter Seven with the enduring validity and significance of Reformation theology in our time. I think George has done a very fine job in writing this book to remind his Christian readers, especially Protestants and Evangelicals, not to set aside the theological fruits of the sixteenth century Reformers but to treasure them by taking those Biblical truths to address the unique issues that we face, emulating at the same time the Reformer's passion and diligence “to listen reverently and obediently to what God has once and for all said (Deus dixit) and once and for all done in Jesus Christ” (310). What I also like about Dr. George's presentation of the life and theology of each Reformer was that it was balanced, dealing not only with the particular Reformer's numerous achievements but also his many imperfections.

It is sad that in spite of the many literature on the Reformation and Reformational theology that were published recently (thanks to popular authors like R. C. Sproul, Michael Horton, John Piper, John MacArthur, and others), it is still observable that some, if not many, Evangelical churches are oblivious, to some degree, to the essence and implications of the Reformation to the life of believer and the Church today.

Moreover, though there is a resurgence of Calvinism among youth today (see Christianity Today [CT] September 2006 issue), Emerging Church (see CT February 2007 issue) and Pentecostalism (see CT April 2006 issue) are also asserting their influence among many evangelicals who are not fond of good theology, particularly Reformational theology. There has also been several joint efforts between Evangelicals and Roman Catholic and between the Lutherans and Roman Catholics to 'bridge the gap' and 'heal the wound' cause by the Reformation, which often times undermine rather than promote the doctrines recovered or re-discovered by the Reformers.

I hope that books like Timothy George’s Theology of the Reformers would be put in the hands of pastors and church leaders so that they may be spurred to better understand the theology of the major Reformers who sought to conform their doctrines to the Word of God no matter how unpopular they may have been to the culture around them. I believe books like this one can play important role to open the hearts and minds of pastors and Christian leaders whom God can use to further His reforming work in the Church today by His Word and Spirit.

ON ALLEVIATING POVERTY

INTRODUCTION

I am aware that different people understand poverty differently. Everyone has his own concept of poverty because we see images of ‘poor’ people on television and internet every day. We daily hear their stories and situations over the radio and so we recognize the ‘face’ of poverty. Images and stories have power to create a certain concept in our mind shaped by our own unique personalities, experiences, backgrounds, cultures and thought processes.

However ‘we need to begin by reminding ourselves that poverty is the condition of people whom we describe abstractly as “the poor”.’ One definition of ‘poor’, for example, states that they are ‘those who barely survive. They struggle to obtain the necessities of life.’ One may consider poverty simply to be short of money or wealth. Another may associate it with hunger, malnutrition or homelessness. Still others may see it as a curse or bondage wherein one is bound and destined to suffer for the rest of his life.

Since there are so many ideas floating around us about poverty, we need to understand it and how we think and feel about the poor. How often do we tend to view the poor as a bunch of helpless people who need our money or goods? When we start thinking about them this way we give ourselves permission to play ‘god’ or ‘messiah’ in their lives.

This article is a shorter version of a paper I wrote way back in 2006 as part of my requirement in Pastoral Care and Counseling course. Here I briefly survey the Bible’s view on ministering to the poor. Then I’m proposing some courses of action in caring for the poor which individual Christian, families and even pastors could easily do.

A BRIEF BIBLICAL SURVEY ON MINISTERING TO THE POOR

Here I will try to summarize the Scripture’s view of and concern for the poor and the needy.

The expressed will of God in the Mosaic covenant regarding poverty is summarized in Deuteronomy 15:4. God says, “But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess…” This revealed will of God is deeply rooted in his goodness toward his people and his mercy toward the pitiable who looks to him as their only hope and help. While poverty is a social reality throughout history it is never idealized. The Scripture teaches that poverty is a need, a distressing situation and a form of suffering. This is not delightful in the eyes of God for even in creation, before man fell into sin, he provided man with everything he needs in order to glorify God and enjoy life in His presence (Gen. 1:29-30; 2:16).

But although God’s will on poverty is clear, its realization is conditioned by the people’s covenantal obedience to God. Deuteronomy 15:5 continues, “if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.” These commandments are embedded in many Old Covenant institutions and principles such as the observance of Sabbath (Ex. 20:6-7), the gleaning principle (Lev. 19:9-11; Deut. 24:19-21), Jubilee year (Lev. 25:39-43), Sabbatical year (Ex. 23:10-11), the law on credit (Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:35-36), the law on wages (Deut. 24:14-15), the special tithe for the poor (Deut. 14:28-29; 26:12-13), and many more.

Knowledge and faithful obedience to these laws mark the person as one who fears the Lord and is righteous before his eyes (Prov. 29:7; 31:9). But unfortunately Israel failed to keep them when they settled in Canaan and as a result “there will never cease to be poor in the land” (see Deut. 15:11).

These laws also were among the grounds for the charges brought by the prophets against Israel. They did not promote and protect the rights of the poor around them. According to Isaiah true piety includes care for the poor and genuine fasting includes sharing bread with the hungry (58:1-10). This teaching is echoed by James in the New Testament when he said, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (1:27).

God’s expressed will for the poor was never fully realized in history, but it became the basis for the prayers of the righteous for the hope that it would become a reality (Ps. 9:18; 132:15). Consequently, God’s will that there be no poor in the land continues to be mandated for the church, the ‘new Israel,’ as the obedience required by the kingdom of God that has been and will be given to those who acknowledge him as Lord and King (Luke 12:32-34).

In the Gospels, Jesus not only identified himself with the poor and the needy but also cared for them. In fact the Gospel writers present Jesus as the fulfillment of the hope of the poor and the needy when he inaugurates the kingdom of God in his person and work as the Lord’s Servant (Lk. 4:18-19; Mt. 11:2-5; cf. Isa. 61:1f.). He maintained the Old Testament teaching that the way of righteousness includes caring for the poor and his disciples assumed that this was so (Mk. 10:18-21; Lk. 18:22; Jn. 13:29). He strongly admonished his disciples to look for the poor (cf. Lk. 11:41; 12:33). In his epistles, Paul was consistent in urging the churches to give to the poor (Rom. 15:26-27; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; Gal. 2:10). James in his letter also emphasized that discriminating between the rich and the poor is both a sin against God (2:9) and an insult to the poor (2:6).

Ultimately the problem of poverty will cease and poor people will be no more when Christ will consummate his kingdom in his second coming. Until then the church’s responsibility remains to take care of the poor, the needy and the orphans around them.

HOW DO WE CARE FOR THE POOR?

Our ministry as a church toward anyone who is in need must be motivated first and foremost by the love of God and love for our neighbor (Mk 12:28-31). This is the summary of God’s law. Just as God has blessed us with his goodness and mercy so also our work among the poor and the needy must be characterized by grace, compassion and kindness. The help we extend to the poor should be an expression of our gratitude for the manifold blessings God has given us in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Biblically and historically this is always the case. Ministry to the poor springs from the fact that the church throughout redemptive history has been called by God to minister to the poor not only because this is the right posture to receive his blessing but also because God’s undeserving grace constrains the church to be generous and compassionate. This generosity is first extended to but not limited within the covenant community, the church (Lev. 25:25; Gal. 6:10). Then our generosity should also go to those outside the church, the non-believers: (1) neighbors in need (Lk. 10:25-27); (2) strangers or sojourners within our gates (Lev. 19:10; 23:22; Mt. 25:25, 43); and (3) enemies, on the basis of God’s benevolence to them (Mt. 5:45; Lk. 6:32-36).

The church’s responsibility toward the poor can be summarized as “Word and good works.” James writes to the believers, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:15-17). The Belgic Confession also declares that the first mark of the true church is the faithful preaching of the pure doctrine of the gospel and that her members are known with their love for the one true God and their neighbors (Article 29).

I understand that there are many ways to care for the poor in our community as a church and individuals. Some churches and individual Christians have attempted to address the problem of poverty – including its roots (like injustice, oppression, exploitation, etc.) and its consequences (like malnutrition, hunger, homelessness, illiteracy, etc.) by getting involved in socio-political arena.

Two prominent examples of individuals in history who promoted the cause of the poor are John Calvin and William Wilberforce. The former, being a pastor and a theologian, led the Reformed church in Geneva in putting into action many social and economic reforms in the city. Calvin not only taught godliness and holy living but also good economics and work ethics. He promoted godly education to prepare the children for ministry and involvement in the civil government. The latter, being a parliamentarian, advocated for the abolition of slavery in 18th century England. Wilberforce’s effort to outlaw slave trade and slavery was finally rewarded by God after more than 30 years of patient and persistent introduction of anti-slavery legislation year in year out in the British Parliament.

While examples like that of Calvin and Wilberforce have widespread and dramatic outcome in society, my proposed church involvement in alleviating societal poverty in this article is rather modest and common every day participation. Every conceivable act of service by the church and her members toward the poor people can be classified either by ‘Word’ or ‘good works.’ The ministry of the ‘Word’ includes preaching and teaching, evangelism and discipleship, while ‘good works’ entails generous charitable giving, relief work, training and education, volunteer work, and many other ways.

Word and good works must go together as we reach out to the poor and needy. The Great Commission involves not only the proclamation of the gospel and training the people unto holiness but also the observance of all that our Lord Jesus has commanded, which include feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting the sick and the prisoner for his name's sake (Mt. 25:34-40). We should not only minister to the poor in terms of telling them that they are sinners and need to be reconciled with God through Christ but also in terms of providing them food to eat, clothes to wear, and job or skills to earn their keep.

Assuming that the church does her job in the faithful preaching of the Word of God, the things that church members could do as acts of mercy for the poor are captured in this amazing passage from the 4th century Apostolic Constitutions. In this collection of apostolic teachings the churches are instructed to provide: (1) to the orphans the care of parents; (2) to the widows the care of the husbands; (3) to those of suitable age, marriage; (4) to the artisan, work; (5) to the disabled, sympathetic response; (6) to travelers, a house; (7) to the hungry, food; (8) to the thirsty, drink; (9) to the naked, clothing; (10) to the sick, visitation; (11) to the prisoner, help…(12) to young, assistance that they may learn a trade. These apostolic commands are not that hard to apply in our context.

Regarding pastoral responsibility toward the poor, I think Thomas Oden’s insight on this is not a bad place to start. Oden, an American Methodist pastor-theologian who has been converted from liberalism to ‘classical Christianity’ after reading the church fathers, has written in his book Pastoral Theology a sound advice for pastors and elders on taking responsibility in ministering to the poor. He said,

In seeking to understand pastoral responsibility to the poor, pastors do well to begin with serious self-examination of their own attitudes, class interests, biases, potentially idolatrous relation to personal wealth, and temptations to exaggerate the importance of possessions for genuine happiness.

This self-examination according to Oden may be a difficult one for it involves honest assessment of the things that really matters to us. Reality sometimes hits us that our own attitude toward God and self are simply informed by our own intuition and not based on the knowledge of God. We need a good dose of self-examination that would lead to self-transformation, by the grace of God. It may mean to adopt a moderate lifestyle (Heb. 13:5), to learn to be content in every situation (1 Tim. 6:6), or to learn to give sacrificially without neglecting our own needs and the needs of our family. If we are to minister effectively to others we must learn to be self-disciplined and generous but not neglectful to the point that our families or we ourselves become a liability or burden to others.

Sometimes it is lamentable that our concept of the poor is simply shaped by the images we see in the television detached from the real world of the poor and the oppressed. What this means for individual Christians, and especially for pastors, then in terms of the ministry to the poor is to learn and to have firsthand experience of the situation of the poor themselves. We need to go out where the poor people live in order to see in their faces the pain they try to hide, listen with their voices the needs they aspire, and feel their sufferings behind every sigh they sound. With this kind of experience a minister will be able to identify the real issues involved and can start an intelligent course of action that would truly help the poor, either those in his congregation or those outside.

Firsthand experience of poverty will not only help minister in identifying its real issue and sympathize with the poor but also it can deepen his teaching and preaching ministry in his congregation, emphasizing the importance and urgency of obeying Christ in caring for the poor and needy. He should also patiently teach the congregation until every family and individual, if possible, will be moved by the grace of God to own the responsibility and start engaging themselves in actual outreach or relief work among the poor.

In his letter to the Roman Christians Paul made mention of his relief work for the Jerusalem church. The relief or gifts came from the Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia for, he said,

Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings (Rom. 15:26-27).

When one body of believers is in need and another body of Christ responds in generous giving, the Lord is pleased and the whole body is edified. Pastors play a significant role in effecting this ministry among needy brethren. The recent calamity that hit the Philippines in November 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda (International Name: Haiyan), has moved many pastors and churches in the Philippines and all over the world to send aid and meet the immediate need of millions of families devastated by the typhoon. Emails from pastors and mission agency heads from various churches and denominations from North America has reached my email inbox asking how they can help the people affected by the calamity. They responded well to the needs of the poor and needy in our country. As a result many thanked the Lord and those who were skeptical to gospel preaching have started listening to God's Word.

So the minister should preach, pray for, and practice generosity and compassionate giving until the church actively seeks to help people in need. Like the Samaritan in Jesus’ parable who rescued the dying man on the road to Jericho, the church should learn to pray and look for opportunity to do the same (Lk. 10:37).

If the church does not have a concrete ministry yet that meets the need of the poor and needy in the community, I think the pastor can initiate that ministry together with the elders and deacons. They can take smaller steps at first but should aim at establishing a more orderly and systematic approach of helping the poor, first in the congregation, and then to the community where the church is located. Again needy people in the church community should be the priority but not the only recipients of the aid. Maybe the church can set up a steady fund for benevolent purposes or gather all kinds of stuff from church members who have more than enough that can be given to the poor members of the church and the community.

While doing this, a team led preferably by a deacon should also be assigned to investigate facts like: 1) who are the most needy people in the church and the community; (2) what are their needs; and (3) what can the church do and cannot do with the situation. Then the team could analyze, summarize, and communicate their findings to the whole congregation for prayer and consideration.

Then if the church decides to embark in a concrete and regular ministry to the poor, I think, the idea of working with other local congregations or even with a non-government organizations with the same concern should also be explored. In all of these dynamics, the minister though should not neglect his primary ministry of the Word, the sacraments and prayer.

CONCLUSION

Blessing is promised to those who care for the poor and the needy for “he who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed” (Prov. 19:17). Our Lord Jesus echoed the same note when he related the parable of the sheep and the goat saying,

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (Matt. 25:34-40).

The church, as God’s covenant community should take the lead in doing every good work to mete out mercy, justice and truth. The famous Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper said,

Jesus set apart and sent out his church among the nations to influence society in three ways. The first and most important influence was through the ministry of the Word…. The church’s second influence was through an organized ministry of charity…. Third, the church influenced society by the equality of brotherhood – in contrast to differences in rank and station…. Indeed, as a direct consequence of Christ’s appearing and extension of his church among the nations, society has been remarkably changed.

For the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and for the good of the poor, especially those in the covenant community let us learn to open our hand to the poor and lend them sufficient for their need, whatever it may be (Deut. 15:8). The Lord summons his people in Deuteronomy 15:10 to be generous to the poor when he said, “You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.” As members of God’s family in Christ Jesus let us therefore hear this Word of the Lord and rejoice in his promise.

God's Sovereign Election

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!"
- Psalm 33:12

The Lord God has indeed chosen us in Christ and has purposed our good and that He will not be frustrated in fulfilling that purpose. That is very clear in verse 12 as the psalmist shifts his thought from God’s active providence to God’s sovereign election.

Verse 12 reads, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” John Calvin captures the connection between God’s providence with His electing love that is evident in this passage when he said, “The prophet, therefore, in proclaiming that they are blessed whom God receives into his protection, reminds us that the counsel which he had just mentioned is not a secret which remains always hidden in God, but is displayed in the existence and protection of the Church, and may there be beheld.”

The providence of God is clearly shown in the life and ministry of God’s people today, even in these trying moments of our history. The psalmist here highlights Israel’s unique status by using the word blessed. Israel is called “blessed” because among the nations of the earth God the Creator and Ruler of the universe chose her and made her His treasured possession. This privileged position of Israel is solely based upon God’s loving kindness and in keeping with His covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God made a promise to Abraham that He will bless him and his descendants with great posterity and heritage in order that through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Calling to mind such privilege must evoke the people of God to praise and gratitude. And that’s what the psalmist is doing here in verse 12. He declares the blessedness of Israel as the nation whose God is the LORD, who out of His sheer grace, made Israel His own.

You and I need to understand that when Christ put His covenant seal in our baptism, He owns us. And we need to believe with all our heart and mind that we also are true descendants of Abraham by faith and recipients of those blessed promises of God (Galatians 3:26-29).

Just as God has His eye on Israel who hope and wait in Him in times of fear and danger, so God has His eye on us also, the church of Jesus Christ, who hope and wait patiently for His help and deliverance from our present anxiety and to lead us to a glorious future.

And that’s what really makes this psalm so appropriate to our situation because even though we do not know who wrote this psalm and the particular circumstance that prompted its writing, we can identify with the psalmist’s expressed dependence on God in times of need as he affirms in verse 20 that the Lord is “our help and our shield.”

Whatever was the situation behind Psalm 33, the author understands the truth that the Lord is the only One who can meet his needs. So he enjoins his fellow believers to praise God probably even in the face of death or the threat of famine (v. 19).

Oh how fitting it is that we should turn to this psalm in times of uncertainty. For the psalmist ends this psalm with confident trust in God. He concludes, “In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You” (vv.21-22).

So my dear brothers and sisters, would you, with confidence, praise the Lord for His faithful love to you? God delights in calling you His inheritance, chosen and called to be saints in Christ Jesus. God's sovereign election is clearly conveyed in verse 12.

That is what the psalmist calls a true state of ‘blessedness,’ to be called by God His own children, His treasured possession. It is not in your prominent status in society nor in the abundance of your material possession that you are blessed. It is not even in beautiful and secured houses or in the stability and security of your jobs and income. But your blessedness comes from the unchangeable fact that you and I belong to God by faith in Christ Jesus.

In His providence, the Lord will ultimately foil the plans of the wicked but He will bring to completion what He has purposed for us, that is, our redemption and eternal happiness with Him. And for that we rejoice!

Whatever kind of wickedness men have willed in their heart it will not prosper. Only God's purpose will succeed. God can use even the most wicked program of an individual or nation in order to accomplish His electing purpose and to advance His kingdom agenda. God alone can do this because He is the sovereign Creator and Ruler of all the earth. He rules the world and supervises the course of history for the sake of His elect.

While we do not know why the economy is getting worse and some businesses are going bankrupt, we know that these are in the hands of God. So while some of you may have been alarmed and distressed by the turn of events in our world, you should not lose sight of the fact that God continues to reign and rule over the nation and over the world. So you listen to God and to His Word for wisdom and direction. You turn to Him for comfort and assurance.

Seek refuge in His sovereign grace and mercy, for even in the most difficult time of our country’s history you and I will find perfect peace and rest knowing that God's purpose for us, as a body of Christ, will stand. If you serve the Lord faithfully and hope in Him only, no matter what the situation is, His promise remains in you which says, “Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:12).

Drawing Near God With Confidence

Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

The verse tells us to draw near the throne of grace with confidence. The word confidence is sometimes translated as “boldly” or “with boldness”. Confidence describes the manner or attitude of our approach to God’s throne. That throne itself is characterized as a place of grace. So anyone who comes to this throne must admit his unworthiness, his undeserveness, and recognize that access to it is only through the gracious privilege granted by God.

Through Jesus our Great High Priest we can come boldly before God and expect to find His grace rather than His wrath. Unlike the Old Testament people of God under Moses who were terrified and trembling at the presence of the Lord, we as the new covenant people may come boldly before Him in prayer. We can always stop and pause at work, at school, or at home and reach out in prayer to approach our heavenly Father. This is true any time and anywhere. All this is possible when we come before God in prayer through our perfect mediator. How often do you commune with God in prayer?

John Calvin notes that the author of Hebrews “encourages those who believe in [Christ] to be bold in presenting themselves before the sight of God without any hesitation.” As our high priest who understands our every weakness, Christ is presented in the Scripture as the One who holds out His hand to us, even holding us by the hand, ushering us into the presence of the Father whose love and delight for His children is unmeasured. So Calvin asks, “Indeed if we were so persuaded that Christ was holding out His hand to us, who would not [grab] the full boldness of approaching?”

Boldness of course does not mean presumption. We do not presume that because we feel holy or righteous or mature we have earned our right to approach God. No. This confidence does not come from our own effort or determination. It does not even come from our being Reformed or Calvinist. Boldness here implies faith, characterized by utter dependence on Someone's merit, on Someone's name. This confidence therefore in coming before God is not our own but was purchased for us by the blood of our Lord and Savior and inspired within us by the Holy Spirit.

So our confidence in coming to God comes from the fact that through our faith union with the One who died and rose again from the dead God will hear us. And how do you grow in this spiritual union with Christ? It is by constant fellowship with Jesus, who breathes by His Spirit into your soul the strength and courage of faithful service for the sake of God's kingdom.

As you and I are in constant communion with the living Word of God in the preaching of His Word and in the regular administration of the means of grace, and in prayer, our confidence, that is, our faith is also being nurtured. We want to grow in our faith and confidence in Him so that when we go out, ministering and witnessing to others the greatness and goodness of our God, they would see Jesus in us.

I think those of you who constantly battle against the pressure of life in this broken and sinful world can testify that it is not easy. Trials come. Difficulties abound. Relationships turn sour. We need strength. We need help. We need forgiveness. And the Bible tells us to come to God through His Son Jesus Christ and we will find mercy and grace in time of need.

The Word of God is not Chained

A meditation on 2 Timothy 2:8-9

October 31, 2010 marks the 493rd anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. One of the many accomplishments of the Reformation is the recovery and the propagation of the gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. After being set aside by many for centuries, the powerful Word of God has spread in many parts of 16th century Europe, conquering many hearts with the message of salvation in Christ alone. However, the victory of the gospel has also cost the lives of many faithful believers, including preachers.

It is a fact that when the gospel advances persecution and suffering also intensify. Today, almost 500 years after the Reformation, the gospel of God continues to go out to the nations, conquering many souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. But with this conquest also comes an on-going resistance and opposition. Yet, by the power of the Holy Spirit, God's people and God's faithful ministers continue to labor in proclaiming this glorious gospel throughout the world. There are good reasons why ministers of the gospel are greatly motivated to persevere in this ministry in spite of its accompanying challenges and hardships.

In 2 Timothy 2:8-9, the Apostle Paul presents two living examples of perseverance in suffering for the sake of the gospel. First, he presents our Lord Jesus Christ (v.8); then he mentions himself (v. 9).

First, we have the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of Paul's repeated exhortations in this letter is for Timothy to share in suffering for the gospel as a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. In 1:8 he says, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,...”

Again in 2:3, Paul urges Timothy saying, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” This call to share in suffering, of course, is in the context of laboring for the gospel. In verses 4-6, Paul underscores “the need for suffering hardship as a good soldier of Christ with the imagery of the soldier (v.4) being supplemented with that of an athlete (v.5) and a farmer (6)” (George W. Knight, The Pastoral Epistles, p. 392). These three images (of soldier, athlete, and farmer) convey the idea of disciplined and enduring service that would eventually be rewarded.

Then in verse 8 Paul calls Timothy to focus his attention on Christ. “Remember Jesus Christ,” he says. Paul is urging Timothy here to 'keep in mind' and to 'think about' Jesus as the one raised from the dead and as the one who descended from David. The reason why Paul mentions Jesus Christ this way may not be obvious, especially as it relates to his calling Timothy to share in suffering.

However, if we'll take Paul's word that this is his gospel, that this is the good news that he preached, then we know that the two descriptions of Christ are but a shorthand of the content of the gospel. This gospel centers on the person of Jesus Christ. This gospel should encourage Timothy 'for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes' (Rom. 1:16).

In this gospel Jesus Christ is being preached as the one who has risen from the dead and the offspring of David. In saying this Paul is implicitly telling Timothy of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in remembering the death of Christ Timothy is also reminded of the many sufferings of Christ, especially His death on the cross.

Through His death Christ paid for the penalty of our sin, and in His death He died for sinners, like us. So the underlying truth in this is that Jesus Christ suffered and died before He was resurrected. Therefore “Timothy is to remember that Jesus is raised from death itself, and that triumph is to encourage him when he contemplates suffering hardship for Christ” (Knight, p. 397).

Also by stating that Jesus is the offspring of David, Paul is declaring that He was born from the line of David, thus underscoring His humanity, His royal descent, and His Messianic identity. His death and resurrection as the Christ, the kingly Messiah from the line of David have secured for His people eternal salvation.

Through His death He redeemed His people from their sin; through His resurrection He conquered the power of death and the devil. Paul is telling Timothy, “Remember your risen and ever-present Lord.” He went through suffering. He died but He conquered death. Now He is alive!

We all recognize the motivational and inspirational power of an extraordinary life. Some of us may have been deeply influenced, for example, by the lives of John Calvin, Martin Luther, and many other godly ministers of the past in the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition. Although inspiring, these faithful soldiers of Christ can’t help us. They are dead and their bodies rot in the ground. But listen to the testimony of the Word concerning Jesus, “Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession … He always lives to make intercession for [us]” (Heb. 4:14, 7:25). Remember Jesus Christ. He lives and empowers us by His Holy Spirit. He is the essence of the gospel. And this gospel is the message that Paul has preached.

But this gospel was offensive to many people then, as it is now. Not only because of its simple call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, but also in its exclusive claim, that is, that apart from Jesus Christ, salvation is nowhere to be found. And this uncompromising claim to exclusivity is what makes the gospel so provocative and what gets those who preach it in trouble, especially in our relativistic and pluralistic society today. Certainly this was true in Paul’s case.

So I want to focus, secondly, on Paul's own example. The gospel that Paul has preached centers on the person of Jesus Christ. Paul received this message concerning Christ by revelation (Gal. 1:12). This is the message he preached in public places (Acts 16:13). This is the message he put forth in places of worship (Acts 17:17). This is the message he shared with people in small groups from house to house (Acts 20:20). This is the message he entrusted to others (2 Tim. 2:2).

Now in v. 9 he is telling Timothy that because of this gospel he is suffering. It was in the course of advancing the message of Christ that Paul endured suffering (1:8, 12; 2:8); that he is chained and treated as a common criminal. His chains, of course, refer to his imprisonment in Rome. This was a much worse situation than the house arrest of his first imprisonment (cf. Acts 28:16-31). This prison was a pit without normal sanitation jammed with people awaiting execution. Paul's word translated "criminal" here is the same word used for those thieves crucified with Jesus. So we may understand the shame Paul was talking about in 1:8, having been classified by the Roman government in the same way as those he was incarcerated with.

But in spite of his suffering in chains in that Roman dungeon, Paul is confidently sure that the word of God is not chained. The gospel of Christ cannot be bound by anyone. One pastor beautifully puts it this way,

It is true of the gospel enterprise that although the messenger may be fettered, the message is always free. The word of God is not chained. Chain the man and the message circulates throughout the prison (Phil. 1:13). Restrain the messenger and the other saints are rejuvenated to speak the word of God without fear (Phil. 1:14). Incarcerate the man and he writes Spirit-inspired letters which last for all eternity and which God uses to liberate untold millions from the bondage of sin. Isolate the man in jail and he, like Bunyan, writes books which God will use to draw men and women to Himself and to cause the saints to persevere in the way of holiness. Silence one preacher and another will step up to take his place. Burn martyrs like Cranmer and Ridley and God uses their dying words to quicken others to life. Burn Bibles and individual pages of Scripture and memorized verses will spread from house to house, saint to saint. Imprisonment and death in no wise slow or stop the advance of the gospel. It will accomplish the purpose for which God has sent it out (Tom Ferrell).

John MacArthur also says, “Paul affirmed that even though he was imprisoned, the gospel could never be imprisoned. That's an important message for those who say we need to soften the gospel message so we don't lose the freedom to preach it. They say we need to take away the offense of the gospel, but that would rob the gospel of its power (cf. 1 Cor. 1:23-25). Some will respond, ‘If we boldly proclaim an offensive gospel we may be arrested and jailed.’ But if that's where the Lord wants us to be, then that's great! Paul wrote to the Philippians, ‘All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household’ (Phil. 4:22). Paul was a prisoner at the time he wrote that, yet many in Caesar's household had come to faith in Christ through his witness in such circumstances. Paul viewed the circumstances of imprisonment as an opportunity to evangelize his guards.”

We know that God may permit his servants to be imprisoned, silenced or even killed, but the truth remains that the word of God is not chained and cannot be chained. And Timothy must be strengthened by that truth. We, too, must be encouraged by that truth today, but most especially when we are facing tough times in the ministry.

Some years ago, my wife borrowed a book from a friend about a man named Brother Yun, a Christian leader of the underground church in China. The book is entitled The Heavenly Man. It is an intensely dramatic story of how God took this young, half-starved boy from a poor village in Henan Province and used him to preach the gospel despite horrific opposition and persecution. Brother Yun is a man who from his youth has suffered prolonged tortures and imprisonments for his faith. However, throughout the book he kept pointing to the character and heart of Jesus.

Many Christians in North America or Europe are casually aware that outside the West, Jesus' followers experience difficulty because of their faith. I am aware that in November many churches observe a Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, but afterward people go on with their lives. You cannot read this piercing biography of Brother Yun, whose real name is Liu Zhenying, and remain unchanged. The recorded experiences show in a concrete way what it is for Chinese Christians to live hard lives of extreme danger because of their faith: police raids in the night, long imprisonment without trial, beatings, forced abortions and sterilizations, starvation, dehydration, isolation, nakedness.

However, from these, God produces lives of commitment to Christ, lives of joy, and intense motivation to carry the message of the gospel around the world, at any cost. After reading this book, you'll appreciate the impact Jesus has on civilization as the West know it. You'll see how dark and brutal civilization becomes without Christ. You'll understand why the freedom and protection you and I, from a free country, take for granted are a treasure. But you will also see how dangerous peace, safety and material prosperity can be to your spiritual health and to your commitment to serving the cause of Christ.

Almost 500 years have passed since Luther penned that famous line in his hymn that goes, “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill, God's truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.” Yet in those words we can still hear the confidence of Luther that even though his enemies may silence him, God's word will prevail. And it did, and it does and it will prevail forever.

May we not be disheartened by the many hardships in the gospel ministry but be encouraged by the words of the Apostle Paul to Timothy saying, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead...Remember that I may be in chains but the Word of God is not chained.”