Category: Uncategorized

How should Christians view the nation of Israel? This is a hotly debated topic that needs to be addressed with Biblical clarity. Please check out the two previous posts that have been written regarding this topic:

How Should Christians View Israel? (Pt. 1) – In this post, we began by looking at the foundation of this issue- the Abrahamic Covenant- Understanding this unconditional covenant that God made to Abraham and his descendants (the Israelites) is essential to understanding that God has not completely cast away the nation of Israel. In spite of Israel’s disobedience to God, God’s promises to Israel remain.

How Should Christians View Israel? (Pt. 2) – In this post, we looked at the dangers of a false doctrine often referred to as ‘Replacement Theology’ (or Supersessionism). To embrace Replacement Theology (the idea that the church has replaced or superseded Israel and that the promises God made to Israel now belong to the Church) requires ignoring or allegorizing clear statements of Scripture that speak of a future restoration of Israel (both nationally and spiritually).

In this final post on a Christian’s view of Israel, I want to answer the very important question: Does God have a future for Israel? We must allow the Word of God (not the opinions of men or the prevailing cultural ideas) to answer this question for us. When we look to the Word of God, we find that the Bible promises both a physical restoration and spiritual restoration of Israel. Consider the following:

Ezekiel 37 provides one of the clearest passages on the restoration of Israel. This passage speaks of the fact that Israel’s restoration will be in two parts. Let’s consider these one by one:

A Physical Restoration (Return to the Land)

The first part of the restoration is a physical restoration- where Israel returns to her land but in spiritually dead condition.

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.” (Ezekiel 37:1-8)

Who is Ezekiel referring to here? Verse 11 makes it clear: “…Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel…”.
There are many other passages that confirm that in the end times, Israel would be restored to her homeland in a state of unbelief (Isaiah 11:10-12; 66:7-8; Zech. 8:7-8). Though God scattered the nation because of her sin against God (Deut. 28:64-66; Jer. 24:9; Hos. 9:17), God also promised that He would not make He would not make a full end of Israel (Jer. 30:11) but would bring her back into her homeland (Ez. 37:21; Is. 11:11-12- the first regathering would have been Israel’s return from the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century B.C.- the second regathering happened in the 20th century on May 14th, 1948 when the modern state of Israel was born).

The physical preservation & restoration of Israel to her homeland after being scattered for almost 2,000 years is nothing short of a miracle- “No other phenomenon in history is quite so extraordinary as the unique event represented by the Restoration of Israel…At no other time in world history, so far as it is known, has a people been destroyed, and then come back after a lapse of time and reestablished itself. It is utterly out of the question to seek a parallel for the recurrence of Israel’s restoration after 2,500 years of former history.” (William Albright- Professor of Semitic Languages at Johns Hopkins University from 1930-1958)

This is the current state of modern Israel. Physically regathered, but spiritually dead. Israel has been gathered in unbelief in preparation for the coming judgement of the Great Tribulation.

A Spiritual Restoration (Return to the Lord)

Ezekiel’s prophecy continues: “Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:9-14)

The day is coming when God will breathe spiritual life into these ‘dry bones’- referring to Israel’s future spiritual restoration. Many other Bible passages speak of this spiritual restoration of Israel.

In Jeremiah 31, we learn that God has promised to make a New Covenant with Israel which would be in contrast with the Mosaic Covenant He previously made with them (vv. 31-32). This speaks of the future spiritual regeneration of Israel. Under this New Covenant, God promised to “put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (vv. 33-34). In Jeremiah 31:35-37, God’s covenant is declared as an absolute certainty- as certain as the laws of nature which govern the sun, moon, and stars.

In the New Testament, we find that Jesus affirmed a future restoration for Israel: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Luke 13:35- also see Mt. 23:39); “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)

Jesus made it clear that the Jewish people would be left in a state of spiritual desolation and that they would not see their Messiah “until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Jesus didn’t say- ‘You will never see me again’. Instead, they will see Him again when they recognize Him as their Messiah.

Jesus also it clear that Israel would suffer greatly as a people group and would be scattered amongst the nations “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Jesus warned of Israel’s judgment but also gave a promise of hope that their judgment would not be forever.

The Word of God is clear that dark days are ahead for the Jewish people. The Bible speaks of the fact that Jerusalem will become a burdensome stone to the nations (Zech. 12:3). The nations of the world will gather against Israel (Zech. 14:2). Two-thirds of Jews in Israel will die during the Great Tribulation (Zech. 13:8). Yet, the Jewish remnant that survives the Great Tribulation (“the time of Jacob’s trouble”) will look upon Him who they pierced [Jesus] and be saved (Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:26).

The Bible promises a glorious future for the Jewish people who will be spiritually regenerated and restored- when they look upon Jesus as their Messiah at His Second Coming.

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn… In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness… they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 12:10; 13:1, 9b)

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Rom. 11:25-29)

~Pastor Aaron Francis

In a previous post (How Should Christians View Israel- Pt. 1), we learned that God’s dealings with Israel are based on an eternal and unconditional covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants in Genesis 12. This covenant was not dependent on the faithfulness of Abraham or his descendants but is based on the faithfulness of God in keeping His promises. Numbers 23:19a makes it clear that “God is not a man, that he should lie…”. If God makes an unconditional promise, we can be certain He will keep it.

The Bible is clear that God has not forsaken His chosen people- the Israelites. Yet, over the years, a pernicious teaching has arisen and has even crept into churches which teaches that the church has replaced or superseded Israel and that the promises God made to Israel now apply to the church. This type of teaching is called ‘Replacement Theology’ or ‘Supersessionism’ and is commonly taught in Roman Catholic, Mainline Protestant, and some Reformed churches. This teaching has historically been taught by influential theologians such as: Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. This teaching has recently been promoted by prominent social media influencers such as: Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson. Those who hold to this teaching reject the idea that the Old Testament covenants and promises God made to Israel will be literally fulfilled to Israel- instead, God’s promises to Israel are now applied to the church. Basically, this teaching promotes the idea that God is finished with Israel (the Jewish people) and that the church has completely replaced ethnic Israel in God’s redemptive plan.

Tragically, Replacement Theology has historically been the theological basis from which many professing Christians have justified antisemitic behavior. Consider the following observation: “Replacement theology is the root of Christian antisemitism. By teaching that God has cast off Israel forever, it paves the way for centuries of persecution—from medieval pogroms to the Holocaust—because if Jews are no longer God’s people, their suffering becomes ‘proof’ of divine abandonment rather than a call to repentance and restoration.” (Dr. Renald Showers)

From a Scriptural standpoint, Replacement Theology requires ignoring or spiritualizing many straightforward passages of Scripture. Consider the following Scriptures that teach that God still has a plan for Israel that is distinct from the Church:  

• We have already learned about the Abrahamic Covenant which the Bible teaches is eternal and unconditional. For example, in Genesis 17:7-8, we find that the Abrahamic Covenant is “an everlasting covenant” and that the Promised Land is an “everlasting possession”- In other words, this Covenant still stands today!
• In Romans 9, Paul spoke of his Jewish brethren as his “kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.” (vv. 3b-4). In these verses, Paul makes it clear that the covenants and promises of God still belong to ethnic Israel.
• In Romans 11, we read that Israel (as an ethnic group) has not been cast away by God: “I say then, Hath God cast away his people [ethnic Israel]? God forbid. For I [Paul] also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew…” (v. 1-2a) God has not cast away the Israelites. God’s promises still stand. His eternal covenants are still in place. And though the Israelites have been temporarily (not permanently) set aside in spiritual blindness, God still has a future for His people- “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved…” (vv. 25-26a).

• In Scripture, Israel is symbolized as an ‘olive tree’ (Hosea 14:4-6). In Romans 11, this symbology is alluded to in describing how Gentile believers relate to Israel. Because of their rejection of Jesus as Messiah, some of the natural ‘branches’ (ethnic Jews) have been temporarily broken off from the tree (the place of blessing). One day the ‘natural branches’ will be grafted back into the olive tree (vv. 23-24). Gentile believers are described as being a ‘wild olive tree’ who are grafted into the natural olive tree. Gentile believers are grafted into the tree, yet nothing in this passage says that we replace the natural branches or that the natural branches won’t ever be grafted back into the tree. God warns Gentile believers against having an arrogant attitude towards the natural branches in Romans 11:18-24- “Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?”

Let’s consider some common verses that are wrongly used to teach Replacement Theology:

• Galatians 6:16- “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” Is the church here referred to as the ‘Israel of God’? No, it is not. Instead, Paul is addressing two groups within the church: Gentile believers (referred to as “as many as walk according to this rule”) and Jewish believers (“the Israel of God”). The conjunction ‘and’ makes it clear that these are two distinct groups Paul is speaking about.
• Matthew 21:43- “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” This verse is used by some to teach that the church has replaced Israel and that God is done dealing with Israel. To interpret this verse in such a way, however, ignores the plain teaching of Scripture that: 1) God’s covenants with Israel cannot be broken (Jeremiah 33:19-22); 2) God still has a future for Israel after the ‘Church Age’ (Romans 11:25-26, 29). By comparing Scripture with Scripture, we know that whatever this verse is teaching, it is NOT teaching that the Church has replaced Israel. Just a few chapters later, Jesus said to the Jewish people- “For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matthew 23:39) The Israelites will not see their Messiah TILL they recognize Christ as their Messiah. That generation of Jews that rejected Jesus as Messiah at His first coming forfeited the kingdom, yet a future generation of Jews will receive Jesus as Messiah at His second coming and will inherit the promised Kingdom.
• Romans 9:6b- “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:”. Paul here is distinguishing between national/ethnic Israel (which is in a state of unbelief) and a spiritual Israel (the believing remnant of Jews). Those who believe Replacement Theology would say that ‘spiritual Israel’ is the Church (made up of believing Jews and Gentiles). However, Paul is not speaking of Gentile believers or the church as a whole in this passage. Instead, Paul is making a distinction between national/ethnic Israel and the remnant of Jewish believers. This verse does not teach that the church is the new Israel or that the church has replaced Israel. Though national/ethnic Israel is in a spiritually dead condition, this verse does not negate the promises that national/ethnic Israel will be spiritually restored in the future.
• Galatians 3:28-29- “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” In this passage, Paul is emphasizing equality in salvation- not sameness in role and identity. This passage speaks of oneness in spiritual standing before God but does not erase natural distinctions such as ethnicity, social standing, or gender. This passage does not say that there are not ethnic Jews and ethnic Gentiles today- in the same way it does not say there are not biological males and biological females today. Instead, this verse is speaking about our equal standing before God in the matter of salvation. According to verse 29, it is true that all believers (Gentile and Jew) are Abraham’s seed in a spiritual sense and are ‘heirs according to the promise’. Believing Gentiles inherit God’s spiritual blessings through God’s promise to Abraham that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. But this does not mean that Gentile believers are ethnic Israel or that the Church has replaced Israel.

Ultimately, Replacement Theology is a dangerous distortion of God’s Word that undermines the integrity of God’s promises, contradicts plain Scripture, fuels antisemitic beliefs, and denies any future hope of salvation for the Jewish people. As Bible-believers, we must stick with the Word of God and reject the error of Replacement Theology. God’s Word is clear: “Hath God cast away his people? God forbid” (Romans 11:1)

To be continued…

~Pastor Aaron Francis

In recent years, there has been much talk about how Christians should view the nation of Israel. Some have claimed that Christians who believe that the Jewish people still have a right to their ancestral homeland have a ‘brain virus’ and believe ‘heresy’ (Read more at: https://harbingersdaily.com/the-real-brain-virus-isnt-christian-zionism-its-antisemitism/). Others have adopted the idea that the Church has replaced Israel and that God is finished with the Jewish people. Sadly, this idea has been growing in recent years and is promoted in many churches and is promoted through many media outlets. Yet, this idea of Replacement Theology (i.e., ‘Supersessionism’) does not align with very clear passages of Scripture that speak of God’s unconditional covenant with Israel and God’s future plans for Israel. Believing Replacement Theology requires ignoring or allegorizing clear and straightforward passages of Scripture.

It is vital to understand how Israel fits into God’s prophetic plan for the ages if one is to “rightly divid[e] the Word of Truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Understanding God’s dealings with Israel in the past and how God will deal with Israel in the future is a key that unlocks so much of the Word of God!

Understanding God’s plan for Israel begins by understanding God’s historical dealings with and promises to Israel. It all begins with a promise God made to Abraham called the Abrahamic Covenant.

What is the Abrahamic Covenant?

Genesis 12:1-3- “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

In Gen. 12:1-3, we read of God’s call of Abram (who would later be named Abraham) to leave his homeland and move to a land that God would show him! We also read of God’s covenant (promise) to Abraham and his descendants. This covenant forms the basis for understanding God’s promises to Israel.

First, this was an unconditional covenant.

This covenant that God made with Abraham was ‘unconditional’- that is, without conditions to be met by Abraham or his descendants. Instead, this covenant was completely based on the faithfulness of God to fulfill His Word.

The Abrahamic Covenant was unlike other covenants in the Bible that were ‘conditional’- that is, their fulfillment was dependent on the people meeting certain conditions (such as obedience to God).  

The Abrahamic Covenant was ‘unconditional’- it was not based on Abraham’s obedience or the obedience of Abraham’s descendants- it was based on the promises of God. Even in spite of Israel’s disobedience to God, this covenant has never been revoked. God is faithful! All that is contained in this covenant still stands today!

Second, this covenant involved personal blessing for Abraham. (‘I will bless thee, and make thy name great’)

Abram was truly blessed by God! His name is well-known and is revered by many people to this day. He is the Father of the Jews. Even in Islam, Abraham is second only to Mohammed. In Christianity, we consider Abraham to be one of the great men of faith.

His name is mentioned is sixteen books of the OT and eleven books of the NT.

Abraham is the Father of the Jews but also to all who believe (Rom. 4:11) (i.e., Christians).

Third, this covenant involved national blessing for Abraham’s descendants (the Israelites). (‘I will make of thee a great nation’)

In Gen. 22:17, God promised Abraham- “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed [descendants] as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed [descendants] shall possess the gate of his enemies;”

The Abrahamic covenant was passed down through Isaac and Jacob (Israel) and to the nation of Israel through Jacob’s twelve sons.

This promise of blessing to the Israelites included:

The multiplication of the Jewish people. God promised that they would “multiply…as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore.” (Genesis 22:17)

The title deed to the land of Canaan.

Genesis 12:7a- “And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land…”

Genesis 13:14-15, 17- “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever… Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.”

Genesis 15:7- “And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.”

How much land?

Genesis 15:18- “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:”

The title deed to the land measured from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates River- a huge plot of land that the Jews have never fully occupied but will one day in the Millennial Kingdom.

The Bible is clear that the promise to this land is unconditional and eternal.  

Genesis 17:8 speaks of this land as “an everlasting possession” for Abraham and his descendants.

This promise of the land was repeated to Isaac (Genesis 24:7; 26:3), to Jacob (Genesis 28:4, 13), and to the descendants of Jacob (Israel) (Genesis 35:12).

The promise of an eternal throne and kingdom. This would come through the Messiah- the Son of David (2 Sam. 7:10-17).

A blessing to those who bless Israel and curse to those who curse Israel (‘bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee’– Genesis 12:3)

I believe this applies to nations! I believe one reason why God has been so longsuffering to America (in spite of her sin against God) is because America has historically stood with Israel. Lord willing, that will continue in the future! The United States was among the first nations to recognize the state of Israel in 1948 and has historically been a close ally to Israel.

On the other hand, consider nations that have persecuted Israel- such as the Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans (these empires were judged by God and no longer exist)! Antisemites are under the curse of God. Read the histories of antisemites such as Haman, Hitler, Stalin, and many others! In modern times, antisemitism is on the rise again (from those on the left and those on the right politically speaking)! Christians should never endorse, support, or be involved in antisemitic behavior.

The preservation of the Jewish people through the ages. One of the greatest testaments to the Bible’s accuracy is the existence of Israel. An ancient nation that still exists today!

In 1754, Bishop Thomas Newton said about the Jews- “Their preservation is really one of the most illustrious acts of Divine Providence. They are dispersed among all nations, yet not confounded with any…They can produce their pedigree from the beginning of the world…After wars, massacres and persecutions they still subsist; they are still quite numerous. What but a supernatural power could have preserved them in such a manner as no other nation on earth has been preserved.”

Have you ever met an Assyrian? A Babylonian? A Roman? A Philistine? NOPE! These mighty nations are now extinct! But Israel exists to this very day (even after being persecuted, scattered, and almost exterminated)!

Fourth, this covenant involved universal blessing for all the families of the earth.

How would all the world be blessed through Abraham?

It would be through the seed of Abraham- Jesus Christ (the fulfillment of Gen. 3:15- “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”)

This blessing applies today to people who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:6-9, 13-14).

This blessing will continue when Christ returns and establishes His kingdom!

There are four major ways that God has blessed (and will bless) the world through Israel: 1) The giving of Scripture (Rom. 3:1-2). The Word of God was primarily written by Jews (with the exception of Luke). God used the Hebrew nation to give us the Word of God!; 2) The giving of the Law (Rom. 3:19; Gal. 3:24); 3) The giving of the Savior (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 9:4-5). Through the Hebrew nation came Jesus Christ the Redeemer of mankind! 4) The giving of the coming Kingdom (Is. 9:6-7)

Understanding God’s unconditional and eternal covenant that was made with Abraham and passed down to his descendants (via Isaac and Jacob) provides the historical background for why Christians today believe that God still has a future for Israel. God’s future dealings with Israel are based upon His unconditional covenant made with Abraham and his descendants. What that will look like will be dealt with in a future post. Believing that God has a future for Israel based upon His past promises to Israel is not the symptom of a ‘brain virus’ but comes from searching the Scripture and taking God at His Word! 

To be continued…

~Pastor Aaron Francis

Lack of proper communication is often at the heart of relational issues in marriage, in the home, in the church, and even in the workplace. In attempting to remedy these communication problems, an emphasis is often placed on the importance of speaking in a proper way. This is a great truth to emphasize! Our speech should be guided by the principles of God’s Word.

However, there is another aspect of communication that is often overlooked and not emphasized enough. That aspect of communication is being a good listener!

What does it mean to be a good listener?

First, we must recognize that God is a good listener! The Bible says of God the Father: “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Pet. 3:12a). God the Son (Jesus) said: “…All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” (Jn. 15:15). His ears were always attentive to the Father. The Bible says of God the Holy Spirit that “…he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak…” (Jn. 16:13). Whatever the Spirit heard from the Son, He would deliver to the apostles.  “The fact that our triune God is a good listener should powerfully motivate us to improve in this area. The three persons of the Trinity listen carefully to each other and, amazingly, to us!” (Wayne Mack)  As believers, we are called to “be ye…followers [lit. ‘imitators’] of God” (Eph. 5:1).  Imitating God means learning to be a good listener!

Second, to be a good listener we must learn to listen with our whole person! Both the inner man (our heart/mind/emotions) and the outer man (the ear/body language) should be involved in listening.

How do we listen with the outer man (the ear/body language)?

In the book Your Family, God’s Way, Wayne Mack provides some tips on the physical aspects of good listening.

He uses the acronym ‘SOLER’ to detail some helpful aspects of good listening with the ‘outer man’.

‘S’ stands for ‘squared stance’- “When listening, don’t turn your side or back to the person who is attempting to communicate with you. By facing the speaker you are indicating, ‘What you are saying is really important to me.’”

‘O’ stands for ‘open stance’- “A closed stance communicates: ‘I’m not going to let you close to me. I want to keep you at a distance.’ In an open stance, the listener relaxes his arms, hands, and shoulders as if to say: ‘I am here to receive whatever you want to communicate.’”

‘L’ is a reminder that good listener ‘leans slightly forward’ when talking with another person- “By doing this he communicates, ‘I really want to make sure I hear everything you have to say.’”

‘E’ stands for ‘eye contact’- “A good listener looks right at the other person and avoids giving the impression that he is in a hurry or that his thoughts are elsewhere.”

‘R’ stands for ‘relaxed posture’- “This tells the speaker that the listener is not nervous, ill at ease, or impatient, and sets the speaker more at ease.”

How do we listen with the inner man (the heart/mind/emotions)?

This involves listening with your mind engaged in what the person is saying (i.e., not allowing your mind to wander; not thinking of something else; not thinking of the next thing you want to say).

This also involves listening with your emotions engaged and trying to feel what the other person is feeling. This principle is found in Romans 12:15- “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”

Consider the following: “We have no good basis for responding to what another person is saying until, to some extent, we have begun to feel what they are feeling. When we respond to people without investing the time and effort to empathize, our relationships and communication will be hollow. People will conclude that we neither understand nor care…Families often violate this principle of good listening. As we listen to another family member, our intellect may tell us that he has no valid cause for what he is thinking or feeling. When a child expresses irrational fears, parents often jump in quickly and explain why his fears are unfounded. When a wife is anxious or upset about a situation, many a husband hurriedly responds with what he considers incontrovertible evidence for the foolishness of such concerns. When a family member gets excited about an opportunity or activity in which you see no value, how easy it is to prick that person’s balloon of enthusiasm. Certainly there is a time for using logic, a time for giving explanations and corrections, a time for showing why certain feelings and responses are unfounded. In general, though, we will be much better prepared to offer words of wisdom and the other person will be much more likely to receive them if we have taken the time to listen with our inner as well as outer man.” (Mack- Your Family, God’s Way)

Third, to be a good listener requires self-control & discipline.

Learning to listen well does not come naturally but takes self-control and self-discipline. Many verses command us to learn to listen well:

Psalm 78:1- “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.”

Proverbs 7:24- “Hearken [listen] unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.”

Jeremiah 13:15- “Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.”

James 1:19- “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

Many more verses could be given that talk about the importance of hearing well! We need to learn how to listen attentively to God’s Word but we also need to learn to listen attentively when others speak to us. This takes discipline and hard work because it does not come naturally. Our natural (fleshly) response is to invert James 1:19 and to be quick to wrath, quick to speak, and slow to hear. Instead, we are to be ‘swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath’.

Learning to listen well means not interrupting others when they are speaking to us. It means really listening (with your whole person- giving your full attention) to what they have to say before giving your opinion.  

Fourth, to be a good listener requires selflessness and humility.

The selfish person lives as though the world revolves around themselves. They think of themselves first, they put their own needs/desires first, their conversations are filled with talking about themselves (their accomplishments, their good deeds, their talents), their goal in life is self-preservation, self-exaltation, and self-gratification.  

Clearly this is contrary to the spirit of true Christianity which calls us to a life of selflessness and humility:

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” (Phil. 2:3-4)

In the book Your Family, God’s Way, Wayne Mack says the following:

“It is pride that says: ‘Make sure you draw attention to yourself. Choose the topics for discussion. What you want to talk about is more relevant than what other family members may want to talk about. Your problems and concerns are more serious than theirs. Take every opportunity to tell people who you know, how much you know, what you have accomplished. Everyone will be interested in a rehearsal of your experiences and achievements.’

Humility stands diametrically opposed to this kind of thinking and behavior. According to the Bible, if you are a wise and humble person you will: (1) appreciate and listen to the counsel of others (Prov. 12:15); (2) respectfully hear what others have to say before you give your opinion on issues (Prov. 18:2); (3) refrain from drawing conclusions or giving counsel until you have really listened carefully (Prov. 18:13); (4) recognize that your viewpoint on an issue may be biased because it is based on insufficient data or colored by selfish interests (Prov. 18:17); (5) carefully consider the insights and perspectives of other people (Prov. 26:12, 16); (6) ‘be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath [anger]’ (James 1:19).

Listening is a way of serving other people. It’s a way of esteeming others to be better than yourself (Phil. 2:3). It doesn’t take any humility to talk, but it takes a lot of humility to really listen.”

Concluding Thoughts

In closing, it is important to realize that God calls His children to be wise in how they speak but also to be wise in how they listen. Listening well will grow us in our vertical relationship with God but it will also grow us in our horizontal relationships with others (our spouse, parents, children, pastor, church members, friends, family, coworkers, etc).  

I would encourage you to read and meditate upon the following verses that encourage godly listening:

Prov. 18:2- “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.”

Albert Barnes commentary on Prov. 18:2- “Another form of egotism. In “understanding,” i. e., self-knowledge, the “fool” finds no pleasure; but self-assertion, talking about himself and his own opinions, is his highest joy.”

Prov. 18:13- “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”

Prov. 18:15- “The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.”

Prov. 19:20- “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.”

Prov. 29:11- “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.”

James 1:19- “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”

~Pastor Aaron Francis

By: David L. Cummins (The following is excerpted from “This Day in Baptist History I”, pp. 180-181)

“Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born in 1834, the second of ten children born to Pastor John Spurgeon and his wife. For a number of years in his childhood, young Charles lived with his grandparents in Stambourne, England, where his grandfather…was the minister of the Congregational (Independent) Church. Up to the age of sixteen, the young man had no real assurance of salvation, though he thought deeply of Christian doctrine.

Then, on the first Sunday in January, 1850, a snowstorm kept him from visiting a certain church toward which he had started, and he entered a little Primitive Methodist building with about twelve other worshippers. The scheduled speaker could not keep his appointment, and one of the men attempted to preach. The text was Isaiah 45:22, ‘Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.’ Soon the preacher exhausted his thoughts but looking straight at young Spurgeon, he cried: ‘Young man, you look very miserable! You always will be miserable- miserable in life and miserable in death, if you don’t obey my text: but if you obey now, this moment you will be saved. Young man, look to Jesus! Look! Look! Look! You have nothing to do but look and live.’

Young Spurgeon heard, not the voice of the inept preacher, but the voice of the Spirit of God and was gloriously saved. He wrote out a covenant with the Lord and signed it. In it he declared his intention of serving the Lord the rest of his life. His service began immediately.

The young man remembered the time when as an unsaved youth he had determined ‘that if ever Divine grace should work a change in [him], [he] would be baptized.’ But the closest Baptist pastor was eight miles away! He began to correspond with the Reverend W.W. Cantlow, and in time, a date was set for a baptismal service….On May 3rd 1850…Rev. Mr. Cantlow buried him with Christ in baptism.

Some time later his mother said to him, ‘Ah, Charles! I often prayed the Lord to make you a Christian, but I never asked that you might become a Baptist.’ With his typical humor, Spurgeon replied, ‘Ah, mother! The Lord has answered your prayer with His usual bounty, and given you exceedingly abundantly above what you asked or thought.’

Spurgeon testified continually of the spiritual impact that his baptism had in his life, and soon afterwards he was preaching. Volumes have been written concerning his accomplishments, but perhaps the most important contribution he made to Baptists was the restoration of evangelism to its true place, as he made it the very center of his whole life’s ministry!”

By: David L. Cummins (The following is excerpted from “This Day in Baptist History I”, pp. 22-23)

“Conrad Grebel was from a prominent and wealthy Swiss family. His father served as magistrate in Gruningen, just east of Zurich, and Conrad enjoyed educational advantages. Soon after his marriage, young Grebel was saved, and by 1522 he publicly defended the gospel and expressed a desire to become a minister. Falling in with the teachings of Ulrich Zwingli, Grebel gave himself to the Scriptures. Grebel and other young so-called Anabaptists owed much to Zwingli, but they owed more to the Bible. These two loyalties soon came to a head, and it was Grebel who initiated believer’s baptism on that historical night in January 1525. As such, young Grebel emerged as a champion of the Anabaptist reformation.

Early in 1525 a child was born to the Grebel household. Conrad Grebel did not baptize his baby because he had become convinced that christening finds no support in the New Testament. This development soon caused a stir in Zurich, and the city council moved against the heretic by arranging a confrontation which had all the earmarks of a trial. The session was held on January 17, 1525, and resulted in an edict ordering all parents who had unbaptized infants to present them for baptism within eight days or face expulsion from the city.

As men measure success, it is tragic that Grebel had only one year and eight months to proclaim the gospel, for in spite of numerous imprisonments and increasingly poor health, the accomplishments of those months were little short of phenomenal. He preached, visited from door-to-door, baptized those who were saved, and was again arrested and imprisoned in Gruningen Castle. Being brought to trial Grebel, Blaurock, and Manz [See ‘Faithful Unto Death’] were sentenced to an indefinite term of internment in November 1525. They were allowed no visitors and were given only a diet of bread and water. Again Grebel was able to escape, but his freedom was short-lived, for he died in the summer of 1526, probably a victim of the plague, but a hero of the faith that lives on even today!”

By: David L. Cummins (The following is excerpted from “This Day in Baptist History I”, pp. 6-7)

“The Anabaptists believed in a ‘free church’ composed of regenerate members who had experienced believer’s baptism. As Felix Manz expressed it, their ambition was to ‘bring together those who were willing to accept Christ, obey the Word, and follow in His footsteps, to unite with these by baptism, and to leave the rest in their present conviction.’

Felix Manz was born an illegitimate son of a Roman Catholic priest who served as Canon in Zurich. It is apparent that the young Manz was given the education of the privileged classes, for he was well trained in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. As a young Greek scholar, he joined with others in studying the New Testament with the reformer Ulrich Zwingli and was converted under the reformer’s teaching. As the young student continued his study, he became dissatisfied with Zwingli’s position of reform, and others joined Manz as they met regularly at his home. It was from these studies in Felix Manz’s home that the first believer’s baptism among the Brethren was administered in 1525…many others soon followed in ‘believer’s baptism’.

The reformers looked upon these Anabaptists as a threat, and on October 8, 1525, several of the Anabaptists were arrested and imprisoned. Manz escaped that arrest but was soon apprehended and incarcerated…Manz was rearrested on several occasions and reminds us of the Apostle Paul with his constantly repeated imprisonments.

On January 5, 1587, Felix Manz was sentenced to death ‘because contrary to Christian order and custom he had become involved in Anabaptism…because he confessed to having said that he wanted to gather those who wanted to accept Christ and follow Him, and unite himself with them through baptism.’ The reformers had demanded the death penalty for rebaptizing in March of 1526, but Felix Manz would be the first victim.

‘Manz, according to the sentence, was taken bound from the Wellenberg prison past the fish market to the boat. All along the way he witnessed to the members of the dismal procession and to those standing on the banks of the Limmat River. His mother’s voice was heard…entreating him to remain true to Christ in the hour of temptation. Quietly the boat slipped out into the lake. As his arms and legs were being bound, he sang out with a loud voice, in manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum (‘into thy hands, O Lord, I commend by spirit’). A few moments later the cold waters of Lake Zurich closed over the head of Felix Manz.’

However, the cause of Christ did not die, and we thank God that we stand in such a strong spiritual heritage!

By: David L. Cummins (The following is excerpted from “This Day in Baptist History II”, p. 655)

“The 1520s were momentous days in the religious world! Martin Luther was declared a heretic and was excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1520. Luther finished the translation of the German New Testament in 1522. Zwingli abolished the Catholic mass at Zurich in 1524. William Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament was printed by Peter Schoeffer at Worms in 1525, and in 1528 Balthaser Hubmaier, the Austrian Anabaptist, was burned at the stake in Vienna. The Reformation was in full bloom, but the Anabaptists, who had preceded the Reformers, were to be disillusioned at every turn. Rather than finding compatriots in the battle for truth, our Anabaptist forefathers discovered that they were in a pincers movement with Rome on one side and the Reformers on the other. Rather than being considered colleagues, the Anabaptists discovered that the Reformers looked upon them as combatants.

On November 30, 1525, the following proclamation against the Anabaptists was published in Zurich by the Zwinglians: ‘Therefore, we ordain, and it is our will, that henceforth all men, women, young men, and maidens, abstain from repbatism, and from this time practice it no more; and that they bring their children to be baptized. For whosoever shall act contrary to this public order, shall, as often as it occurs, be punished by a fine…and if any shall be altogether rebellious, they shall be dealt with severely…”

Five years later, harsher measures were adopted and proclaimed, and the death penalty was assured…The Anabaptists became the target of such inhuman abuses as defy description from both Rome and the Reformers…

As children of God, we cannot harbor malice within our hearts. The attitude of God’s children is to be that exhibited by Stephen in his martyrdom. He cried out, ‘Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’ However, when we consider the price that our Baptist forefathers have paid to provide us the freedom to worship God according to His precious Word and the dictates of our own hearts, we are faced with the wonderful legacy of truth that is ours. We dare not carelessly dissipate truth by amalgamation with error. Only ingratitude could allow us to enter into ecumenical endeavors of the day. Surely we must stand in a position of separation unto God and away from error…Let us thank the Lord for our heritage of holiness.”

As a child, I remember regularly attending a midweek church program that was called “JOY Club”. The “JOY” in JOY Club was an acronym that stood for “Jesus” first, “Others” second, “You” last. Our theme song expressed this simple truth:

“Jesus And Others Then You;

What A Wonderful Way To Spell Joy!

Jesus And Others Then You;

In The Life Of Each Girl And Each Boy.

J Is For Jesus, For He Has First Place;

O Is For Others We Meet Face To Face.

Y Is For You In Whatever You Do;

Put Yourself Third And Spell Joy.”

This simply stated truth may seem basic, yet it is life-transforming, joy-producing, and Christ-exalting when put into practice!  

In 3 John, the Apostle John was writing to a “wellbeloved Gaius” who was commended for walking in the truth. John said that he found “no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (v. 4). Whoever Gaius was, he was an exemplary Christian. At the end of the letter, John also commended a man by the name of Demetrius who had a “good report of all men, and of truth itself” (v. 12). Demetrius’s righteous actions testified of his right relationship with God. These two men clearly had a “Jesus first, others second, me last” attitude.

However, in 3 John, there is a third man that is mentioned by the name of Diotrephes. This man flipped the acronym of “JOY” on its head. Rather, than Jesus being first and others being second, Diotrephes had a me-first attitude. Verse 9 says that he “loveth to have the preeminence.” In other words, Diotrephes desired to have first place in the church. Diotrephes obviously had an inflated view of himself, and this was manifested in his slandering of the Apostle John and his fellow workers. Diotrephes had assumed an authority that did not belong to him and through his selfish pride ended up injuring the church instead of helping the church.

Every single Christian has the potential to become a “Diotrephes” if pride is not kept in check. Every Christian must resist the spirit of “Diotrephes.” We must not allow the hunger for power to creep into our hearts. Rather, we must adopt the mind of Christ which teaches us to be “lowly minded” not “high minded.” We must adopt the mind of Christ which teaches us to “esteem other[s] better than” ourselves. We must adopt the attitude of Christ who “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant.” We must remember the words of Christ who said “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mk. 9:35). This is true greatness. True greatness is not found by having a “me-first” attitude. Rather, it is having a “God-first, others-second, me-last” attitude.  May God help us resist the spirit of “Diotrephes” and may we remember the path to true joy is found in putting Jesus first, others second, and self as last and servant of all.

~Pastor Aaron Francis