The New Testament describes fellowship as something to be valued, built, and maintained among Christians. In his first epistle, John declared that the apostles taught the message of the gospel “so that you too may have fellowship with us” (1 John 1:3). When the apostles in Jerusalem wanted to demonstrate their acceptance and approval of Paul and Barnabas, they “gave to [them] the right hand of fellowship” (Galatians 2:9).

The word translated fellowship is the Greek word koinonia. It contains the idea of association, community, communion, and joint participation (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon). Because of this definition, this same word is used elsewhere in the New Testament to describe a contribution made for needy saints (Romans 15:26; 2 Corinthians 9:13) and participation in their support (2 Corinthians 8:4), a sharing in the body and blood of Christ as we partake of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 10:16), and a participation with Paul in the work of preaching the gospel (Philippians 1:5).

While we sometimes think of fellowship in a generic sense and talk about the “fellowship” we have with Christians around the world (even those we have never met or even know of), the way the term is used in the New Testament has a much more limited scope. It is true that all Christians – whether they know one another or not – have a common bond in Christ. We are all brethren (1 Peter 1:22; 2:17) and part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). But fellowship – the sense of community, the close association, the shared communion, and the way in which we jointly participate in the Lord’s work – demands a more personal and localized view of fellowship rather than one that is vague and impossible to see how far it extends.

The reason this is important is because of the limits that we see in the New Testament on fellowship. There are certain people to whom we must not extend fellowship (not associate with them, not welcome them into the local church community, not commune with them, and not work with them in the cause of Christ). It would be impossible to respect the limits placed on fellowship if we were automatically “in fellowship” with others, whether we knew about them or not. 

What are these limits? Notice some of the people or groups we are not to have fellowship with:

• Unbelievers – “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). It is impossible to avoid all contact with unbelievers, because we would “have to go out of the world” (1 Corinthians 5:10). But we cannot join into fellowship with them. Instead, we are to “come out from their midst and be separate” (2 Corinthians 6:17).
• False teachers – “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds” (2 John 9-11). It is common in the religious world for people to overlook doctrinal differences and accept anyone who claims to preach Christ, regardless of the message he teaches. However, John warned that anyone who went beyond the teaching of Christ would lose his fellowship with God. If we join into or maintain fellowship with such individuals, we stand to lose our fellowship with God as well.
• Christians living in sin – “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one” (1 Corinthians 5:11). Not only do many professed Christians overlook false teaching [previous point], they often will also overlook sin so as to not disrupt their “unity.” Some even pride themselves on how “tolerant” they are by ignoring people’s sin. The brethren in Corinth did the same thing, and Paul rebuked them for becoming “arrogant” over their acceptance of a brother in sin when they should have “removed [him] from [their] midst” (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). Paul told the Ephesians, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).
• Christians who ignore New Testament teaching – “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. […] If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14). The apostles were commissioned to teach disciples “to observe all that [Jesus] commanded” (Matthew 28:20). We are to hold firmly to the traditions taught by the apostles (2 Thessalonians 2:15) and keep the Lord’s commandments (1 John 2:3). If we have brethren who refuse to do this, we cannot maintain fellowship with them.
• Those we believe to be in sin – “When [Saul] came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). Prior to Saul’s conversion, he persecuted the church to such an extent that he was “entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, [and] would put them in prison” (Acts 8:3). When he returned to Jerusalem after his conversion in Damascus, many of the Christians there refused to accept him because they only knew him as “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent agressor” (1 Timothy 1:13). It was not until Barnabas explained to them that Saul was converted that they welcomed him into their fellowship. Before they knew that, they could not accept him. We are not omniscient like God is. We can only act based upon what we know. If we do not know that someone has been converted, or that a brother who has fallen away has repented and turned back to the Lord, we cannot have fellowship with them. We should be happy to accept them once we learn the truth about their good standing before God, just as the brethren in Jerusalem were with Saul (Acts 9:27-28). But until then, we cannot have fellowship with those we believe to be in sin.
• Those who refuse to have fellowship with us – “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church” (3 John 9-10). Diotrephes was so determined to maintain his control over this particular congregation that he would refuse to accept the teachings of the apostles. Those who did, he would “withdraw fellowship” from them, casting them out of the church so that others would not have fellowship with them either. Diotrephes needed to be confronted and called to repentance, and John said he would do that if the opportunity presented itself. However, until that happened, there was no way for the faithful brethren who were cast out by Diotrephes to maintain fellowship with their brethren in that group. Fellowship involves mutual acceptance and a willingness to work together. If there are brethren who refuse to accept us and will not work with us, fellowship is not possible with them.

Fellowship is one of the great blessings we have as brothers and sisters in Christ. However, there are limits to this fellowship – not just due to a lack of proximity to one another, but also due to sin, error, misunderstandings, and poor attitudes. To whatever degree we are able, we can work to remove these obstacles to fellowship. At the same time, we should strive to maintain fellowship with like-minded brethren as we all enjoy fellowship with God. Let us be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3) so that we can continue to enjoy the blessings and benefits of fellowship as the Lord intended.

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The New Testament is clear that Christians are to keep their speech pure (Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6; James 3:9-12; et al.). During the trial of Jesus, when Peter was desperate to convince others that he was not one of His disciples, he “began to curse and swear” (Matthew 26:74). Clearly, this type of language is not compatible with the life of a disciple.

However, a recent article from Time discussed the surprising health benefits of swearing. The article listed the following “benefits”:

1. It can help you tolerate pain.
2. You’ll work out harder.
3. It can help you regulate emotions.
4. It can make people feel closer.

Now, before we notice each of those points, we need to remember that this is a tactic Satan uses. He tempts us to sin by extolling the benefits (or perceived benefits) of sin. This is what he did when he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden:

“The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:4-5).

For more on this, see the article, The “Benefits” of Sin.

We need to remember that just because there is a perceived benefit to something does not mean it is good and right. And further, the “benefit” is inferior to the blessings that come from God when we follow His will.

So what about the so-called “benefits” of swearing? Let’s consider the claims made in the article in light of the Scriptures:

1. “It can help you tolerate pain.” Swearing may be a natural response if we are suffering, but it is not the best response. James said, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:13-14). Rather than using bad language, we need to pray to God and call upon others who can help us.
2. “You’ll work out harder.” Even if this were true, does that matter? How “hard” do we really need to work out? Paul reminded Timothy, “For bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8). Yes, exercise and working out are good, but whatever extra benefit we get from swearing during our workout is not worth compromising a life of godliness.
3. “It can help you regulate emotions.” Jesus said, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart” (Luke 6:45). We cannot hope for our heart (emotions, thoughts, motivations, etc.) to be right by using foul language. James wrote, “From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way” (James 3:10). If our heart is spiritually and emotionally healthy, it will not produce corrupt speech.
4. “It can make people feel closer.” If it does, it makes us feel closer to people whose hearts produce this type of corrupt speech. Paul wrote, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). If we want to build others up and develop closer relationships with them, we need to speak wholesome, edifying words.

While the world wants to view swearing as normal, acceptable, and even beneficial, Christians need to be different. As Paul wrote, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt…” (Colossians 4:6).

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This article first appeared on Plain Bible Teaching for Today on Substack.

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But why do people decide to become Christians? What motivates them to obey the gospel? We will briefly consider some possibilities in this article. However, we first need to understand what it means to obey the gospel.

Obeying the Gospel

When Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, he spoke about how they “became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed” (Romans 6:17). What is the “form” of teaching he referred to? He explained earlier in the chapter that they had followed the pattern of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

“Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).

The form of teaching they followed included repentance (becoming dead to sin), baptism, and continued faithfulness (walking in newness of life). Of course, belief is also implied (there is no reason to obey the gospel if one does not believe in Christ).

This is consistent with what we see in the preaching of the apostles and in Jesus’ instructions about carrying out the Great Commission. The “form of teaching” that we are to obey includes belief (Acts 2:37; Mark 16:16), repentance (Acts 2:38; Luke 24:46-47), and baptism (Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16). Following this, we begin our new life in Christ and follow the doctrine He gave His apostles to teach (Acts 2:42; Matthew 28:20).

The Result of Obeying the Gospel

In order to understand why someone would obey the gospel, we need to know what happens when they do.

When someone obeys the gospel, what happens?

• Their sins are forgiven – This was the promise from God that Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost: “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself” (Acts 2:38-39).
• They are added to the church – After the church was established on the day of Pentecost, God continued to add to it “day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
• They become a child of God – Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the need to be “born again” to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Paul explained to the Galatians that we are sons of God by faith, as we are “baptized into Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).
• They receive the hope of heaven – In his first epistle, Peter explained that Christians are “born again to a living hope…to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven” (1 Peter 1:3-4). This new birth is the same as the one Jesus described to Nicodemus (John 3:3, 5).

These are incredible blessings, but what motivates one to become a Christian in order to take advantage of them?

Different Motivations

There are a few possibilities as to why one would make the decision to surrender their life to the Lord and enter into Christ through the waters of baptism.

• Fear of hell – The Bible declares that it is “a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Hell is a place of “eternal punishment” that has been “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:46, 41). Yet it will also be the fate of those whose names are “not found written in the book of life” (Revelation 20:15). Anyone who understands how awful this is will want to seek after the Lord so they can avoid this place. This is why Paul wrote, “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men…” (2 Corinthians 5:11).
• Desire for heaven – Paul told the brethren in Philippi that “our citizenship is in heaven,” and we “eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” to return and bring us home with Him (Philippians 3:20). This is why Jesus told His disciples that He was going to “prepare a place for [them]” (John 14:2). The reward of heaven would motivate them to faithfully follow Him, just as it does for us today.
• Sense of obligation – When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He began by reminding His apostles of His authority: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). The authority of Christ is the reason why people were to obey the gospel when they heard it. Jesus said we are to adopt the mindset of “unworthy slaves” who simply do “that which we ought to [do]” (Luke 17:10).
• Love for God – The apostle John wrote, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments…” (1 John 5:3). Jesus made a similar statement to His apostles: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Love for the Lord should be sufficient motivation to obey the gospel He sent out to the world.

All of these are appropriate, and God put each in place in order to motivate us to follow Him. However, as we mature, our primary motivations should change.

• Fear becomes less of a terror at the prospect of eternal punishment. We are able to “have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming,” because we “[practice] righteousness” and are “born of Him” (1 John 2:28-29). Instead, fear becomes more of a reverent respect for God that produces continued obedience to His will. The wise man succinctly summarized our purpose in life: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, ESV).
• We will still desire heaven because it is a place of rest (Revelation 14:13) where we will be free from the troubles of this life (Revelation 21:4). But as we grow in the Lord, we will also look forward more and more to being in His presence. As John described, “The throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face…” (Revelation 22:3-4).
• We must fulfill our duty to serve God because that is what “we ought to [do]” (Luke 17:10). However, the more we learn about God and His word, the more we see that His instructions are for our good. “His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
• We love God because of who He is and what He has done for us, and this love should increase as time goes on. As we have already seen, love leads us to obey Him (1 John 5:3; John 14:15). We must strive to “please Him in all respects” (Colossians 1:10) and give our entire lives as a “living and holy sacrifice” to Him (Romans 12:1).

Conclusion

There are several valid motivations for one to obey the gospel. The ones we considered can be helpful in leading one to make the decision to become a Christian. Then, after one is converted to Christ, he must continue to grow and mature in his faith, strive to follow the Lord in every area of life, and look forward to being with the Lord for eternity.

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There is one sin in the Bible that many point to as being the unforgivable or unpardonable sin. It was identified by Jesus as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

“‘Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’—because they were saying, ‘He has an unclean spirit’” (Mark 3:28-30).

What is this sin? Why will it not be forgiven? And is it truly unforgivable? In other words, is someone beyond hope if they commit this sin just one time? Let us consider what the Bible teaches about this.

Parallel Passages

Matthew records Jesus’ statement on the same occasion, but the wording is a little different:

“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32).

In both of these accounts (Matthew and Mark), an accusation was made against Jesus that He was casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul (Matthew 12:22-29; Mark 3:22-27). In other words, they accused Jesus of doing the work of Satan rather than the work of His Father in heaven. Yet Jesus said this amounted to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because it attributed the power of God to the forces of evil.

Luke records a similar statement from Jesus, but in a different context:

“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him” (Luke 12:10).

Here, Jesus spoke of the need for His disciples to be willing to confess Him before men and not deny their faith (Luke 12:8-9). He then promised His disciples on this occasion that when they faced persecution for proclaiming the message of Christ, the Holy Spirit would reveal to them in that moment what they should say (Luke 12:11-12). 

Defining Terms

There are a few key words that we need to define in order to understand what Jesus meant when He spoke about this sin.

• Blasphemy – This is to speak evil against or revile God. Other passages use the word slander in describing what is spoken against one’s fellow man (Mark 7:22; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8). However, in this context, the one being spoken against is a person of God – the Holy Spirit.
• Son of Man – This is Jesus, the second person of the Godhead. The description of Jesus as the Son of Man emphasizes His incarnation, in which He partook of flesh and blood in order to live and die as a man (Hebrews 2:14-15).
• Holy Spirit – This is the third person of the Godhead, and Peter referred to Him as God (Acts 5:3-4). The Holy Spirit’s role was to reveal God’s word (John 15:26; John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13).

Understanding Sin

We sin when we transgress God’s law. The apostle John wrote, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). This is a universal problem, as Paul declared that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

However, forgiveness of sins is available through Christ: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). The grace of God, which is closely connected to the love of God, is why He was willing to send His Son to the earth to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

When the gospel was first preached on the day of Pentecost following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, Peter explained how those who come to believe in Christ can be forgiven: “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). After obeying the gospel and having our sins washed away, we may fall back into sin. However, John explained, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

But this brings us back to the question about the unforgivable sin. If God appears to be willing and able to forgive us of sin, why would this particular sin be the exception?

Why Will This Sin Not Be Forgiven?

As Peter explained on the day of Pentecost, Jesus came to earth and was rejected by His people (Acts 2:22-23). However, this was part of the “predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). In other words, He knew it was going to happen. Jesus had to die on the cross to make forgiveness possible (cf. Hebrews 9:22, 26, 14).

Many who rejected Christ did so in ignorance. In his second gospel sermon, Peter condemned the people because they had “disowned the Holy and Righteous One” and “put to death the Prince of life” (Acts 3:14-15). However, he also acknowledged that they did this “in ignorance” (Acts 3:17), not realizing who Jesus was. They could be forgiven (Acts 3:19; 2:38), but they had to accept and follow Jesus as Lord.

Jesus was killed, raised from the dead, and then ascended to heaven. Since He was no longer on the earth, how would people learn to accept Him as Lord? It would be through the testimony of the apostles, the “witnesses” of Christ who were commissioned to “make disciples of all the nations” (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19). The apostles would receive their message from the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4), and would perform signs to confirm the message (Mark 16:20) through the power of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 2:3-4).

So what is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? It is a rejection of the Spirit-inspired message and attributing divine work to the devil. One blasphemes the Holy Spirit by asserting that the gospel He revealed is false and not from God.

Why can this sin not be forgiven? It is because the gospel is “the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16). The apostles acted as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) by serving as His official spokesmen as they carried out the Great Commission. We will be judged by the words of Christ (John 12:48), which the apostles taught throughout the world (Romans 2:16; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Peter 3:2). Therefore, if we reject the gospel, we will be lost.

This is not a sin we accidentally commit. It is a willful rejection of the revealed testimony about Christ. However, it is not wholly “unpardonable.” Notice the example of Paul:

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:12-16).

Paul was the “foremost of all” sinners, which included being a “blasphemer.” Yet he “found mercy” when he turned from being an enemy of Christ to following Him. As he explained, this serves “as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.” However, as long as someone rejects the Spirit’s message in the gospel, he cannot be forgiven.

Conclusion

If we blaspheme the Holy Spirit by rejecting the gospel message that He revealed, we cannot be saved. Why? The message of the gospel tells us of Christ’s sacrifice and how to take advantage of it. This sin is not totally unforgivable. We can believe, repent, and obey the gospel to be forgiven. However, it will not be forgiven for those who refuse to repent because the gospel is God’s power for salvation.

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The list below contains links to the audio recordings:

• The God of Creation
• The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
• The God of Israel
• The Providence of God
• God the Father
• The Unknown God

The PowerPoint charts for these lessons are also available on the church’s website.

These lessons were livestreamed to the Warfield Blvd. church of Christ YouTube channel. You can find a playlist with all of the lessons here – Gospel Meeting: Warfield Blvd. church of Christ (April 23-26, 2026).

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Several passages in the Bible repeat a phrase to emphasize a thought and help us remember it. We will notice a few in this article.

But why is this necessary?

Oftentimes, we may hear something, understand it, but immediately think of an excuse to justify not doing it. We think, perhaps even subconsciously, “Yeah, but…” and then come up with a reason for not doing what we are told to do. Then we dismiss it. Yet when the instruction is repeated, our minds receive a signal that we really do need to take this seriously. So let us consider a few examples in the New Testament.

Repent

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish’” (Luke 13:1-5).

This discussion occurred as Jesus and some others were discussing current events (some who died at the hands of a wicked ruler and others who were killed when a structure collapsed). There are lessons to be learned from current events,* but these people were in danger of learning the wrong lesson. They heard of these events and thought that the victims of these tragedies were “greater sinners” than others (including themselves). However, Jesus emphasized a different lesson. They should have learned from these events that death is a reality and that we need to be prepared for it. For this reason, Jesus told them, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).

What does it mean to repent? This is a change of mind leading to a change in behavior. It involves turning from the world and turning to God. If we fail to repent, we are “storing up wrath for [ourselves] in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God” (Romans 2:5).

Do not dismiss Jesus’ statement! Many want to ignore the seriousness of sin. Some will even “pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality” (Jude 4, NIV) and claim that we can continue in sin because God’s grace will cover it. We need to repent – put away sin and follow the Lord.

Do Not Follow a Different Gospel

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:8-9).

In this passage, Paul addressed the problem of the Galatians turning away from the Lord (Galatians 1:6-7). They had been “called…by the grace of Christ,” yet they were falling from grace (Galatians 5:4). This happened because some were perverting the gospel, making it “a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6). Therefore, Paul said that anyone who preaches a different gospel was “accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

What is the gospel? The foundation of it is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We “re-enact” this when we are “obedient from the heart to that form of teaching” (Romans 6:17) by becoming dead to sin, being buried in baptism, and then being raised to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4). This was the message Jesus commissioned His apostles to teach (Matthew 28:19-20). We follow this teaching because Jesus has “all authority” (Matthew 28:18), and we must obey Him in all things.

Do not dismiss Paul’s statement! If we let our guard down, false teachers could lead us astray, as they “deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting” (Romans 6:18). We need to continue following the true gospel of Christ in its simplicity and purity.

Do Not Harden Your Heart

“Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness’” (Hebrews 3:7-8).

“While it is said, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me’” (Hebrews 3:15).

“He again fixes a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, ‘Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 4:7).

The Hebrew writer was using the example of the Israelites as a warning. They tried the Lord and were not able to enter the promised rest (Hebrews 3:9, 11). Similarly, we can “come short” of the reward the Lord has prepared for us (Hebrews 4:1). So the Hebrew writer amonished them to “be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11). He warned them not to “harden [their] hearts” (Hebrews 3:8, 14; 4:7)

What does it mean to harden our hearts? One sign of this is that we no longer feel guilt for sin. As Paul warned Timothy, those who continue in sin will eventually be “seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). When this happens, repentance can be very difficult, even to the point where it seems “impossible” (Hebrews 6:4-6).**

Do not dismiss this warning! We can miss out on our reward if we do not take this seriously. Even the apostle Paul took heed to this for himself: “But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Rejoice in the Lord

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

This instruction is more positive compared with the others we have noticed. Paul told these brethren to rejoice. Interestingly, he wrote this from prison. Yet he had “learned to be content in whatever circumstances” he was in (Philippians 4:11). So the apostle told them to “rejoice in the Lord always.”

What does it mean to rejoice in the Lord? This is to be filled with joy because of God and His blessings, and this is expressed through praise to Him. In order to do this, we must never lose sight of the blessings we have in Christ, as “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places [is] in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). We must also remember the hope that we have through Him, which is “an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19). We need to “[fix] our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Do not dismiss this admonition! Otherwise, we could get discouraged over the trials, tribulations, and temptations we face in life and give up. Let us instead “consider [Jesus] who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that [we] will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3).

Conclusion

Sometimes we need to have things repeated to us. Maybe we were not listening. It could be that we got distracted. Or perhaps we did not take what we heard seriously. However, these statements that we find repeated in the Scriptures are serious. We need to pay attention to them. Let us turn from sin, follow the gospel, obey God wholeheartedly, and rejoice in the Lord always.

———

* For more about lessons we can learn from current events, see the article, Should Christians Pay Attention to Current Events?

** For more on the difficulty of restoring one who has departed from the faith, see the article, Impossible to Renew the Fallen.

The post Repeated for Emphasis appeared first on Plain Bible Teaching.

“Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed’” (John 8:34-36).

In the verses leading up to Jesus’ statement above, He explained that the truth is able to make us free (John 8:32). Free from what? From sin. Sin enslaves those who commit it.

How does this happen? It does not somehow remove our free will. Even after we sin, we still have the ability to “choose…whom [we] will serve” (Joshua 24:15) and be persuaded to follow the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:11). So how does this “enslavement” happen?

In this article, we will notice seven ways that sin enslaves us. As we consider these, remember that most are actually accomplished by the devil and his ministers, who tempt us to sin, but they are attributed to sin itself.

Sin Enslaves Us by Telling Us There Are No Consequences

This is what Satan did in the Garden when he tempted Eve to sin. He told her, “You surely will not die” (Genesis 3:4), in an attempt to convince her that violating God’s law was inconsequential. Yet there are eternal consequences, as Paul pointed out, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Even in this life, sin produces hardship. The wise man said, “Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the treacherous is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). But it is much easier to continue in sin if we are led to believe that there are no consequences for it.

Sin Enslaves Us by Telling Us There Is No Chance to Overcome

Many portray the battle to overcome sin as being completely hopeless. They may even cite Paul’s words to make this point: “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me” (Romans 7:19-20). However, applying this passage to our lives as Christians ignores the context in which Paul described life before he was “in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). God has promised a “way of escape” with every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). To reject that is to disregard the fact that “God is faithful” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Furthermore, Jesus has shown us how to live a life “without sin” despite being “tempted in all things as we are” (Hebrews 4:15). Rather than remaining enslaved to sin, we need to follow the example of Christ and take the way of escape when we are tempted.

Sin Enslaves Us by Telling Us of All the Pleasures of Sin

Moses was cited as a hero of faith because he chose to give up “the passing pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:24-26). There is no point in denying that there is some pleasure to be derived from certain sins. Yet any pleasure we receive from sin is temporary. Therefore, we need to develop self-control and learn to deny self (Luke 9:23) so that we can avoid doing what is wrong.

Sin Enslaves Us by Telling Us That Everyone Is in the Same Condition

Sin is a universal problem: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). However, some act as though Christians are still like the world with regard to sin. Even though we “have sinned” (Romans 3:23), we are not to “continue in sin” since we have “died to sin” (Romans 6:1-2). We are to be different from the world, as Paul wrote, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2). Our lives have been given to God and must not be handed back over to sin.

Sin Enslaves Us by Becoming a Habit

When we do something often enough, it becomes our default behavior. This is dangerous with sin because we eventually reach the point where we no longer “know how to blush” (Jeremiah 6:15) and sin without thinking seriously about it. However, we must take care not to become “seared in [our] own conscience” (1 Timothy 4:2). Instead, like Tabitha, who was “abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did” (Acts 9:36), we need to develop a habit of doing what is right.

Sin Enslaves Us by Becoming a Coping Mechanism for Hardships in Life

Satan thought this would work with Job because it works so often with others. The tempter believed that if Job lost all of the blessings he had received from God, then he would “curse” God (Job 1:8-11). However, despite all that he suffered, “Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10). Even so, this temptation is very effective against many. Yet when we face hardships, we need to turn to the Lord instead of away from Him. Peter said we must “[cast] all [our] anxiety on Him, because He cares for [us]” (1 Peter 5:7). The more we focus on God’s promises, the “lighter” our troubles seem (2 Corinthians 4:17), and the easier it is to avoid sin.

Sin Enslaves Us by Shifting Our Focus Off of Jesus

Remember that when Peter walked on the water with Jesus, he began to sink when he lost focus on Christ (Matthew 14:21-31). By “fixing our eyes on Jesus,” we can “lay aside…the sin which so easily entangles us” (Hebrews 12:1-2). As we noted earlier, Jesus left us with a perfect example (Hebrews 4:15), and we are to “follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21-22), not “continually” go astray as we did before (1 Peter 2:25).

Conclusion

Jesus came to set us free from sin, and this is possible through the truth He proclaimed and His sacrifice on the cross. However, in order to take advantage of this freedom, we need to understand how sin enslaves us so we can learn to overcome it.

Even after being set free from sin, we do not want to become enslaved again. So understanding how this happens can help us be on guard against it.

The post How Does Sin Enslave Us? appeared first on Plain Bible Teaching.

In a letter to one of the sisters in Dixon Springs (Sister Rose), Kidwill spoke of the opportunity for the members of that congregation to spread the gospel in that area, while also warning about what could hinder their efforts.

“I hope that you will have at no distant day a goodly number of devoted Christians at Dixon Springs, who will not only contend for the Bible in opposition to all humanisms, but who will practice what they preach. I want Bro. Rose’s ear while I say that much, very much, depends on the few members that we have in your vicinity. The Savior compares the influence of example in his disciples to leaven in meal until all is leavened. May we realize that we are either stepping stones for our neighbors to a higher life or stumbling stones over which they may fall into ruin.” (Twenty-Five Years of Trust, p. 79)

As Kidwill pointed out, the success of a congregation’s efforts to spread the gospel will depend on their contending for the Bible. Jude admonished Christians to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3). The church in Thessalonica was commended because “the word of the Lord has sounded forth from [them]” to the surrounding areas and beyond (1 Thessalonians 1:8). If we are to help turn people to Christ, we must proclaim the gospel and hold forth the word of truth.

However, Kidwill recognized that any efforts to do so could be undermined by the behavior of the Christians in that place. Not only did they need to courageously spread the gospel, but they also needed to “practice what they preach.”

In his letter to the saints in Rome, Paul described what happens when God’s people fail to live up to His standard:

“You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,’ just as it is written” (Romans 2:21-24).

To blaspheme God is to speak evil of Him. Paul explained that some unbelievers might speak evil of God, not because He did anything wrong – after all, He is perfect (Matthew 5:48) – but because they saw the wicked behavior of God’s people and blamed Him for that. Would they be right to blaspheme God? Obviously not! However, the sinful actions of God’s people were seen by these unbelievers as justification to reject God.

This is why Kidwill said that we are “either stepping stones for our neighbors…or stumbling stones over which they may fall into ruin.” We can either lead people to God or push them away from Him, and this can be done while also trying to teach the gospel.

It is essential that we live our lives in such a way that helps draw people closer to God rather than driving them away. Yes, some will be driven away by the teachings of Christ, no matter how we act (cf. John 6:60, 66); but we need to give people the opportunity to reject the gospel themselves, not behave in a way that leads them to refuse to consider the gospel because of how we acted around them. Instead, we need to live in such a way that could help draw people to the Lord.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).

We have an opportunity to lead people to the truth by the way we live our lives. As they see us living in harmony with the will of God, we will find more open doors to teach them the gospel.

While we go through our daily lives, we can either be “stepping stones,” helping to lead people to Christ through our example of faith, or “stumbling stones” that hinder those around us from finding the way that leads to eternal life. Will we be an influence for good?

The post Stepping Stones or Stumbling Stones appeared first on Plain Bible Teaching.

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:26-29).

In this passage, the Hebrew writer addressed the problem of those who would “go on sinning willfully” (Hebrews 10:26). These individuals previously had their “hearts sprinkled clean” and their “bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22). In other words, they were Christians – forgiven of their sins after obeying the gospel. However, in the verses above, the Hebrew writer made three indictments against the ones who were “sinning willfully.”

What do we mean by using the term indictment? An indictment is a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. In the passage above, the Hebrew writer was not just indicting these brethren of sin. It was more than that. There were three things they were doing because they continued in sin.

The warning in this passage is helpful for us to consider. Understanding this passage will help us recognize the severity of sin and how we should behave instead.

Who Was Being Indicted?

The Hebrew writer used three traits to describe the ones under consideration:

1. Those who “go on sinning willfully” (Hebrews 10:26). Sin is a serious offense against God. It is defined by the apostle John as “lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). He warned, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). This is not to be taken lightly. Paul wrote, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). When we become a Christian, we are putting away our old life of sin. Therefore, it should be unthinkable for us to “go on sinning willfully” and continue in the practices that we should have given up.
2. Those who have already received “the knowledge of the truth” (Hebrews 10:26). God’s desire is for “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Therefore, we can conclude that since these brethren received “the knowledge of the truth,” they had been saved. Knowledge of the truth leads to obedience, which results in salvation. The Hebrew writer declared that Jesus is “to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). If we know the truth, we should practice the truth.
3. Those who are under the law of Christ (Hebrews 10:28-29). Throughout the book of Hebrews, the writer described the superiority of Christ over every part of the old covenant. He did this to admonish his brethren not to turn back to the old law which had been “nailed…to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). Just after explaining that he was “under the law of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:21), Paul described how he would “discipline [his] body and make it [his] slave,” so that he would “not be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). When we recognize that we are “under the law of Christ,” we must do what He has instructed, not do what is contrary to His will.

Remember what we noticed at the beginning – these were Christians. So as Christians, we should ask ourselves a few questions:

1. Are we under the law of Christ? Yes.
2. Do we have a knowledge of the truth? Yes.
3. Are we sinning willfully? 

To answer that third question requires some honest self-evaluation. Some will dismiss the question because they refuse to entertain the thought that they could be wrong and need to change. Others will dismiss the question because they have been led to believe that, because they are in the flesh, they cannot help but sin. Neither of those responses is correct because they lead us to become so used to sin that we remain in it. The Hebrew writer was addressing Christians who were expected to overcome sin. That same expectation exists for us today, so it is important that we heed this warning.

What Was the Punishment?

First of all, notice that he said there is “no longer…a sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26). The animal sacrifices under the law of Moses could not take away sins. In fact, the Hebrew writer told them that it was “impossible” for these sacrifices to provide forgiveness (Hebrews 10:4). However, these sacrifices looked ahead to the perfect sacrifice of Christ. They taught the people that “all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22), and it is “the blood of Christ” which is able to “cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14).

Without the sacrifice of Christ, we have no hope. Paul described the condition of the Gentiles when they were “separate from Christ” as “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). However, through His sacrifice, those who “formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Yet if we reject His sacrifice by “sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth,” we end up in the same hopeless position and with the same “terrifying expectation of judgment” (Hebrews 10:26-27).

Paul warned the brethren in Corinth about the certainty of our appearing before the Lord to be judged by Him: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). After this, there will be punishment for those who are not faithful, as John described in the revelation he received of the judgment scene: “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14-15). This punishment was “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41; cf. Revelation 20:10), but it will also be for the unfaithful. It is what we “earn” for our sin, as Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

What Are the Three Indictments?

The Hebrew writer issued three additional indictments against these brethren beyond the charge that they were “sinning willfully.”

1. They had “trampled under foot the Son of God” (Hebrews 10:29). Jesus died on the cross for our sins (1 Peter 2:24); not so that we could “continue in sin,” but that we might be “freed from sin” (Romans 6:1, 7). Paul wrote, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Romans 6:15-16). Yet when a Christian continues in sin, he shows contempt for the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.
2. They had “regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant” (Hebrews 10:29). It was “through the blood of His cross” that we are reconciled to God (Colossians 1:20). But by continuing in sin, one aligns himself with the chief priests who considered Jesus’ death to be no different from the execution of a criminal (John 19:21).
3. They had “insulted the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29). Paul explained that the Holy Spirit revealed God’s will to us: “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. […] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:10, 12). Disregarding the teachings revealed by the Spirit is like the “blasphemy of the Spirit” that Jesus warned so strongly against (Matthew 12:31).

How Do We Avoid This?

While this warning was for specific brethren in the Hebrew writer’s audience, it is just as important for us today. If we sin willfully, we are guilty of the same things that they were doing. How do we keep from “sinning willfully” and being guilty of the very things they were indicted for?

1. Instead of trampling under foot the Son of God, we must honor Christ. The psalmist wrote, “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psalm 2:12). We treat Jesus as Lord by doing His will. If we refuse to do His will, we have no right to claim Him as our Lord. Jesus Himself said, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). If we want to honor Christ, we must obey Him.
2. Rather than regarding the blood of Christ as unclean, we need to recognize the great value of His sacrifice. Peter explained that we were “not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold…but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). This precious blood of Christ was shed to “redeem us from every lawless deed” so that we would be “zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14). If we appreciate the great price that was paid to redeem us from sin, we must put away sin and practice good works.
3. Instead of insulting the Spirit of grace, let us follow the instructions of the Spirit. Paul said that those who are “led by the Spirit of God…are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). The Spirit was sent to “guide [the apostles] into all the truth” (John 16:13), and they were commissioned by Christ to make disciples and teach them “to observe all that [He] commanded” (Matthew 28:20). Rather than disregarding the message that was handed down from the Holy Spirit to the apostles and other inspired men, we need to do the things He has revealed for us to do.

Conclusion

Sin is not to be taken lightly, nor are we to continue in it. When we sin willfully, we disrespect Christ, disregard His sacrifice, and insult the Holy Spirit. Rather than doing this, let us take advantage of Jesus’ sacrifice, follow the word that the Spirit revealed, and honor Christ in all that we say and do.

The post Three Indictments appeared first on Plain Bible Teaching.

There are several passages in the Bible that talk about fasting, yet it is a topic that is sometimes ignored or glossed over. Because of this, many people have questions about it. The biggest question that we should be concerned about is this: Are Christians to fast today?

This is a good question, and to answer it, we need to consider what the Bible – particularly the New Testament – has to say on this topic. In this article, we will examine what the New Testament teaches about fasting and how it applies to us.

What Is Fasting?

Generally, fasting refers to the practice of abstaining from food for a period of time, though it could also include “washing, anointing, sleeping” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). It means to “afflict soul or self” (ISBE) and involves denying ourselves of certain comforts and desires.

Fasting could be done for religious or non-religious reasons. Notice two examples:

• Religious reasons – “So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed…” (Daniel 9:3-4). This passage shows fasting connected with prayer, as Daniel made an appeal to God on behalf of His people.
• Non-religious reasons – “All the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days” (1 Samuel 31:12-13). Following the death of King Saul and his sons, his valiant men buried them and then fasted. This was not done for some religious reason, but it was a sign of mourning.

What Does the New Testament Say about Fasting?

As we see fasting in the Old Testament, it was also practiced in the New Testament:

• Jesus fasted before going to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-2).
• The teachers in the church in Antioch were fasting before the Holy Spirit called Saul and Barnabas to go out and preach (Acts 13:1-3).
• The prophetess Anna fasted while serving in the temple (Luke 2:36-37).
• The disciples of John the Baptist said that they fasted, which was in contrast with Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 9:14).

However, there were differences.

• In the Old Testament, in addition to the individual acts of fasting that we noticed above with Daniel and Saul’s warriors, there were some fasts which took place at specific times as the Lord directed: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace’” (Zechariah 8:19). At other times, the rulers of God’s people called upon them to fast (2 Chronicles 20:3; Esther 4:16).
• In the New Testament, fasting was practiced individually. Jesus said, “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18). While someone might decide to “fast twice a week” (Luke 18:12), this was not done because the Lord taught for His disciples to do it this way.

In the New Testament, fasting is connected with certain activities:

• Prayer – We already noticed this in two of the examples above (Luke 2:37; Acts 13:3). In Luke’s account of John’s disciples talking to Jesus about how they fasted, they mentioned doing so while they offered prayers (Luke 5:33). When the disciples had trouble casting out a demon from a man’s son, Jesus said it could only be done “by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).
• Mourning – When John’s disciples asked Jesus why His disciples did not fast, He said it would be inappropriate for them to do so because He was still with them. However, when the time came for them to mourn, they would fast (Matthew 9:14-15).
• Decision-making – When it was determined that Saul and Barnabas would be sent out from Antioch, the teachers in the church there were fasting (Acts 13:2-3). When Paul (as he came to be known) and Barnabas returned to the churches they helped establish on this preaching tour, they prayed and fasted as they “appointed elders…in every church” (Acts 14:23).

The New Testament also describes fasting as an individual matter. Remember what Jesus said about it in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18).

Fasting was not done by a congregation or by all of God’s people together. At most, it was done by a handful of people at a time (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23). But Jesus explained that if His people were to fast, others should not be able to tell they were fasting.

Must Christians Fast?

This is an important question. Jesus spoke of His disciples fasting, but does that mean we are required to fast?

On one hand, there is no command in the New Testament for Christians to fast. We should refrain from binding a command that God has not bound upon His people, lest we become guilty of “teaching as doctrines the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:9). Jesus told Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). This means that Peter and the rest of the apostles would command this to be done if it was required by God. However, if God did not require it, there would be no command from the apostles. When we examine the New Testament, we find no such command in the apostles’ teaching.

On the other hand, some will argue that, even though it is not commanded, it is spoken of as if it were assumed that the Lord’s disciples would fast. After all, when Jesus gave instructions about fasting to those who were gathered for His Sermon on the Mount, He said, “when you fast” (Matthew 6:17), not if you fast. However, consider a few points:

• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about more than just fasting. He also mentioned the practice of offering sacrifices: “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” (Matthew 5:23-24). The fact that Jesus mentioned something on this occasion (whether fasting or animal sacrifices) did not mean it was a requirement for His people once His kingdom was established. Instead, He addressed both of them because those were common practices, and He was teaching them the attitude they were to possess as they did them. His point was not to say that His people under the new covenant were required to fast, but that any fasting we do is between us and God. We are not to fast to be noticed by men.
• When Jesus answered the question from John’s disciples about why Jesus’ disciples did not fast, He said, “But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15). However, like the statement from the Sermon on the Mount, He was not talking about an act of obedience under the new covenant. This was about a time of mourning, “when the bridegroom is taken away.” This would occur when Jesus was put to death.
• As we noted, the example in Antioch before Saul and Barnabas were commissioned by the Holy Spirit describes something done by seven men (Acts 13:1). It was not being done by the whole church.

Jesus’ statement in the Sermon on the Mount is no more a requirement to fast than His statement about offering sacrifices. The disciples’ mourning of Jesus’ death before His resurrection does not constitute an ongoing practice bound upon the church. Christians may fast as the individuals in Antioch did, but it is not something we are required to do.

Why Would We Fast?

Fasting is not commanded, but a Christian may fast voluntarily. Why would a Christian choose to fast? Consider a few reasons:

• Fasting can help one practice self-control – Self-control is listed as a “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) and is a necessary trait for us to possess as Christians. As Paul explained to the brethren in Corinth, “food is for the stomach,” but we must “not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12-13). It is good to enjoy food as a blessing from God (cf. 1 Timothy 4:3-5). However, if we have difficulty exercising self-control in our consumption of food, fasting can be helpful from time to time in order to help us learn to enjoy the blessing of food as God intended, rather than eating in excess because we lack self-control.
• Fasting can help one focus on spiritual things – This is why the practice is often connected with prayer in both the Old and New Testaments. In Paul’s instruction to the Corinthians about food and the stomach, he reminded them that “God will do away with both of them” (1 Corinthians 6:13). This life is temporary, so we need to focus on what is lasting. After miraculously feeding the five thousand, Jesus said to them, “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you…” (John 6:27). Food is a blessing, but we must not allow it – or any blessing from God – to distract us from what is eternally important.
• Fasting can be done when in mourning – Jesus said His disciples would mourn His death (Matthew 9:15). This is a natural response when a loved one passes away. The wise man said, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). When we go through periods of mourning, we may find it helpful to fast.

Fasting is not commanded, but it can help remind us of certain spiritual truths. Therefore, it can be beneficial to us in certain circumstances.

Warnings about Fasting

While Christians have the liberty to fast, and it can be helpful at times, the New Testament also contains warnings about fasting that we should heed before deciding to fast.

• Do not fast to be noticed by others – Jesus strongly warned against “practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them,” because then we will have “no reward with [our] Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). This included the practice of fasting. Whenever His disciples would fast, Jesus forbade them from portraying themselves in a miserable condition in order to draw attention to their fasting (Matthew 6:16). Instead, any fasting done by His disciples was to be done “in secret” and not practiced in order to be “noticed by men” (Matthew 6:17-18). Fasting is to be personal, not performative.
• Do not think that God is obligated to show you approval because you fast – In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus described the Pharisee bragging in his prayer about how he would “fast twice a week” (Luke 18:12), among other things. The reason Jesus gave the parable was to teach those who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt” (Luke 18:9). Despite the Pharisee’s outward show of piety, he was not justified before God (Luke 18:14). Likewise, fasting today does not mean God will be pleased with us.
• Do not think that fasting is a substitute for actual self-control – Paul warned of those who practiced “self-made religion,” which involved “self-abasement and severe treatment of the body” (which could include fasting), but was “of no value against fleshly indulgence” (Colossians 2:23). As we noted earlier, fasting can help us learn self-control. However, refraining from enjoying food (which is a blessing from God) is useless if we fail to refrain from sins like sexual immorality (which Paul addressed in his comments to the Corinthians about food, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20). One may appear righteous by practicing something like fasting, but still be spiritually dead. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees because they were in this condition: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28). If fasting is practiced, it must be done for the right reasons, not to mask other sins while giving others the impression that we are righteous.

Conclusion

The New Testament certainly talks about fasting, but it is not commanded of Christians to practice. If you fast, do so for the right reason and not for any of the wrong reasons we are warned against.

In all things, whether we fast or not, we must exercise self-control and focus on spiritual things.

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