Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Working Salvation in the Midst of the Earth
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Matthew 12:40
Some try to say that the phrase "in the heart of the earth" in Matthew 12:40 does not mean buried in a grave or tomb. Those who support this theory say that heart implies "middle of" or "midst of," and earth should really be translated as "country" or "world." Thus, the argument runs, Jesus is actually saying that He would be three days and nights in Jerusalem, since it was the center of the nations according to Ezekiel 5:5: "This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her." Supporters do not say how Jesus' being in Jerusalem for this amount of time can act as a sign of His Messiahship. However, this argument holds no water. First, the Greek is literally translated here, as it is from a Hebrew idiom found in Jonah 2:2-3, the place to which Jesus referred in giving His sign. In that place, "heart of the sea" parallels "into the deep," which Jonah in the previous verse calls "the belly of Sheol," which is the pit where the dead are laid or the grave. So, heart of the earth means "underground," just as heart of the seas means "underwater." "In the heart of the earth," then, was a Hebrew metaphor signifying being dead and buried. Second, the similar sign Jesus gave in John 2:19, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up," is explained plainly in verse 21: "But He was speaking of the temple of His body." Though they use different metaphors, the two signs are the same: Being in the heart of the earth is the result of having the temple of His body destroyed. Ergo, Jesus was not talking of His travel plans in Jerusalem but of His death, burial, and resurrection. Indeed, the Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35), as much as men try to cram their traditional beliefs into it. Would that they read the Bible for what it says rather than what they want it to say!
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
In the Heart of the Earth
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John 6:29
During these restless days in the church of God, we commonly wonder when the really exciting things will begin happening, what God is doing now, and where He is working. Because we define and measure our world with our physical senses, we try to catch glimpses of God at work by quantifying people and events. However, truly spiritually important things—like character, conversion, humility, a willingness to yield to God, and a vast number of other intangibles—cannot be humanly measured. We scan the world and the church for significant occurrences, yet if we do not have the proper light by which to see, we will end up groping in the dark. How can we know where God is working? Should we be looking for numeric growth as a sure sign of God's presence? If so, the first-century church must be accounted as entirely apostate, for after the entire earthly ministry of Jesus Christ Himself, there were only about a hundred and twenty names of disciples (Acts 1:15)! The epistles mention, not booming congregations, but households (Romans 16:10-11; I Corinthians 1:11; 16:15; II Timothy 1:16; 4:19; Titus 1:11). How big can a church get and still be the "little flock" of which our Savior spoke (Luke 12:32)? No, numbers are a poor measure of God's outworking, simply because He is not calling everybody at this time. Would miraculous signs and wonders be an ironclad indicator? Miracles are a double-edged sword because, on the one hand, God has performed many fantastic deeds through His prophets and other servants, but on the other, Satan and his demons can also manifest miraculous displays of power. Moreover, while miracles may be impressive, the biblical record is clear that they do very little—if anything—to instill true faith. The children of Israel who left Egypt witnessed more genuine miracles than any other nation, yet they still had a heart of unbelief. Before trying to determine where God is working, we first need to establish what God is doing: In short, He is creating men in His image (Genesis 1:26), working salvation (Psalm 74:12), and instilling belief in those whom He has called (John 6:29). These activities are all interconnected, all part of the same work. They all deal with transforming the human heart through a growing relationship with God. But the exact manifestation of that work has varied widely throughout history. Sometimes—like during the last century—God does a large and powerful external work. But, as the example of the first-century church shows, just because something humanly impressive is not occurring does not mean God is not doing anything. During Christ's ministry, He healed multitudes—perhaps hundreds or even thousands—of people. During the latter part of Acts and the epistles, the miracles—including healing—disappear. Does that mean God was not working with them anymore? Or does it mean He was working out far more than just relief from physical infirmity? Does it take more faith to heal or soldier on without healing? God often allows the physical conditions to go on for the sake of spiritual healing—for the sake of the character and discipline such trials produce. Paul's example is worth considering in this regard. From the scriptural record, he was among the most converted men to walk the earth, yet God did not use a miraculous healing to set him apart. Instead, God told him, "My grace [without physical healing; without a supernatural manifestation of power] is sufficient." God had likewise to teach Elijah that His work, in general, is not in the dramatic or the spectacular—the fire, the earthquake, the tempest—but in the "still, small voice" (I Kings 19:11-12). This revelation differs from the common conception of a "hell-raising" prophet—the kind human nature desires to observe, the one that dazzles and impresses. Jesus says an evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign (Matthew 12:39; 16:4). Thus, those who belong to God will recognize His voice (John 10:27), even if at times it seems to be still and small. The carnal man will look for the works and miracles, the evident manifestations of supernatural power, as a sign of where God is working. The dramatic and spectacular have their place, but it seems to be primarily for the benefit of the unconverted. The church should have little or no need for such displays since it is to walk by faith rather than sight. Elijah's concerns—"I alone am left a prophet of the LORD" (I Kings 18:22) and "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts . . .. I alone am left" (I Kings 19:10, 14)—seem to have been the point of contention between him and God. Elijah exaggerates his own importance—that God was working through him alone—and simultaneously limits Him by alleging that He had no other options and could use no one else. God quickly proves him wrong by telling him to anoint his successor. Mankind—even those servants He uses powerfully—cannot limit where God works. As He must inform Elijah, He had reserved—sanctified—to Himself 7,000 faithful men, about whom the prophet had no knowledge. So, where is God working? He is working in the lives of individuals He has called into a relationship with Him. One cannot measure or chart the evidence of such work on graphs. Instead, it will be seen in things like unity with God, and because of that common unifying Source, they will be united with each other (John 17:20-23). Our unity with other Christians—or lack thereof—will be a natural outgrowth of our unity with God. Additionally, His work in the lives of His children, to whom He has given His Spirit, will be evident by the fruit that it produces: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). In the same context, Paul contrasts these fruits with divisive elements like ". . . contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies" (Galatians 5:20). He then concludes by admonishing his readers to make use of God's Spirit: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:25-26; emphasis ours) The best indicator of where God is working is where we see His mind and character being inculcated and where His children are responding by allowing that mind—heart, spirit—to transform their lives as they take off the carnal man and put on the new. This is a miracle in itself. No further proof of supernatural power is needed.
David C. Grabbe
Where Is God Working?
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1 Corinthians 3:7
"The days of our lives are seventy years," writes Moses in Psalm 90:10. King David concurs: "Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow" (Psalm 144:4). Unlike God, "who inhabits eternity" (Isaiah 57:15), we mortals have a limited existence. Because of our finite time, we tend to view things through the lens of immediacy. We continually take stock of where we are and how much progress we have made toward this or that goal. We take a short-term view of time—relative to God, at least—and in our zeal for efficiency, we measure where we are against where we have been to get an idea of how things are going. This natural aspect of humanity is readily seen in business, where all manner of data is collected and analyzed to evaluate where a company is and where it seems to be headed. Companies publish press releases to highlight quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year growth. If a given metric can be massaged into a chart to show an upward trend, it will be the talk of the company. But unless their disclosure is required by law, the downward trends are typically boxed up and hidden in a dark closet. Companies highlight the metrics that make them look superior to their competitors, and downplay the impressive numbers their rivals trot out for display. Such is business in the Western world. But problems—serious problems—arise when such practices are applied to the church because numbers cannot tell the whole story. In the relationship between God and man, the things that truly matter cannot be measured—and those that can do not really matter. Members, co-workers, visitors, and subscribers can all be tallied, yet who save God can track the increase of faith or the building of character of members of a church? No minister can present a yearly report to a church board on the ratios of sheep to goats or wheat to tares. Managers can keep close tabs on income and expenses, but no quarterly reports can be given on the ripening of the fruit of the Spirit. No chart can mark the increase or decrease of the poor in spirit, the meek, or the pure in heart. Humans cannot measure such things, yet paradoxically, those are precisely the matters about which a church should be most concerned. We need to look no farther than the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) to see that impressive membership numbers and abundant income are profoundly poor indicators of spiritual health. Before the scattering of the church, WCG had upwards of 140,000 members. It had eight million subscribers to the Plain Truth magazine, and radio and television programs that blanketed the globe, not to mention its own television studio and publishing department to handle all of its media. It had full-time ministers in nearly every corner of the world and an increasingly active youth program. It had a four-year college spread across three stunning campuses, complete with multiple gardens, fountains, streams, paths, and ponds. On every count, the metrics and markers pointed to growth and vibrancy. The people took these indicators as proof that God was with—and pleased with—them. Yet their spiritual state went unmeasured—and immeasurable, except through anecdotes—and eventually, the WCG imploded. This suggests that a focus on preaching to the world does not give church members the staying power that they need to grow and persevere in the face of doctrinal confusion. The vast majority of the WCG's infrastructure and support used to preach the gospel—very impressive on paper—crumbled. When things fell apart, it became evident that only a small percentage of those supporting that work was truly converted. If we follow the same pattern today—focusing on financial and membership growth rather than "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God [and growing] to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13)—will the result be any different? Can a church make a faithful and true witness of God to the world if its members do not resemble Him? It is helpful to recall what God is doing. If we examine the many examples and statements in the Bible, we see that God's work is not defined as preaching the gospel of the Kingdom to the world. That is only a facet of what He is doing. God is creating men in His image (Genesis 1:26). Psalm 74 says He is working salvation. John 6:29, the closest thing to a definition scripture in this regard, says clearly that the work of God is that we believe in Him whom God sent. In short, the work of God is centered on changing people—bringing them into alignment with Him so that they are ready to live with Him for eternity. The announcement of a major step in this process—the establishment of His Kingdom on earth—is not His overriding concern. It will happen, to be sure, in the time and manner that He has ordained, for "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14). Paul gives the proper approach in I Corinthians 3:7: "So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." The ones doing the planting and watering should not be the focus. God is the One leading His work and the One determining its results. While it may be natural—and harmless enough by itself—to want to measure the number planted or watered, we must remember that such metrics cannot tell the whole story. The vital measurement is the spiritual increase that He gives—in faith, in character, in humility, in love, in unity with Him and with the brethren—the metric only He can track.
David C. Grabbe
The Impossible Metric
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2 Peter 3:9
The subject of God's sovereignty has sparked endless thoughts, conversations, debates, and commentary. Most professing Christians will at least agree that God is sovereign, but there is a wide range of beliefs with regard to just how involved God is in their lives. Some believe—and act—as if God wound up His Creation, set limits on it through a set of immutable physical and moral laws, and now merely watches things progress. On the other end of the spectrum, some believe in predestination and sovereignty that relegates humanity to a collection of pawns with every move on the chessboard already planned out for them in advance. In this view, the statement that God is "not willing that any should perish" is seen as proof positive that all of mankind will eventually be saved. The root word will in II Peter 3:9 primarily means "to have a purpose," "to be minded," or "to will deliberately." The secondary meaning is "to desire." Is it God's eternal purpose that none should perish? Has He already ordained that none will be lost? Or is it only God's desire that none should perish, with the recognition that some will? It should be plain that it is at least God's desire that none should perish. Psalm 74:12 says that God is "working salvation in the midst of the earth." II Timothy 2:4 likewise says that our Savior "desires [will[s] (KJV); wishes (Amplified)] all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Undoubtedly, mankind's salvation is one of the things that God is working toward—though certainly not the only thing. But has God already set it in stone that all of mankind be saved? If II Peter 3:9 were the only scripture on the subject, the scales would be tipped in favor of this proposition. But a number of other scriptures must be factored into this equation. Innumerable verses exhort us to be zealous and faithful in our responsibilities and obedience. Earlier in Peter's second epistle, he tells us to make our calling and election sure, implying that they are not sure right now (II Peter 1:10). Paul exhorts us to work out our own salvation—with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). The book of Hebrews is written to stir up Christians who were slipping away and neglecting their salvation (Hebrews 2:3). Why would such an exhortation even be needed if salvation were universally assured? Furthermore, we know that God's threat of punishment in the Lake of Fire is not an idle one—He would not warn us about it if He were not prepared to follow through (Hebrews 10:26-31). Six times in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ warns of a rejection by God that involves "weeping [or wailing] and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30). He gives all these warnings, even though He is still "not willing" that any should perish. But it is already recorded definitively that at least two men will not be saved: the Beast and the False Prophet (Revelation 20:10). It certainly is God's will—His desire—that all come to repentance, but He is not going to force it on anyone. Human nature does not willingly accept God's sovereignty. Most people will fight tooth and nail rather than accept that they do not have complete control over their own lives. Others will accept God's sovereignty but then abuse its ramifications by diminishing their own responsibility in the sanctification process. They may believe the events of each day are already ordained ahead of time, even though the Psalmist beseeches God to "teach us to number our days [set them in order], that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). We are told to set the priorities of our days, rather than assuming that God will do it all for us, or assuming that, if something happens, God must have willed it. Such an approach by men unwittingly involves God in their own sins—if He has predetermined all the events in a day, He must have also "willed" each sin. Another abuse of the doctrine of the sovereignty of God comes when its application blots out the instructions that God has already recorded. Some willingly acknowledge God's sovereignty without also paying heed to the fact that God works in set patterns. His standards are identifiable, and consequently, those individuals who are being called to salvation at this time are also readily identifiable by the conduct of their lives. It is a serious presumption to believe that because God is sovereign and can work through any situation that He will work through any situation. Throughout the Bible, there is a tension between God's sovereignty and mankind's choice. Both factors are intricately involved in the salvation process. While God's sovereignty is categorically the stronger of the two, there is a danger when one focuses on it to the exclusion of the part we have to play. God unquestionably desires everyone to be saved. What is more, He desires that everyone also come to be "a perfect man," according to "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13), which requires tremendous spiritual growth. He desires sons and daughters in His image, and He is working to this end. This requires tremendous effort on the part of the individual, in conjunction with everything God willingly supplies. But the choice to have a place in His Kingdom is one that He has set before us—not forced upon us.
David C. Grabbe
An Abuse of Sovereignty
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