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“The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph 6:17). This quote is one of the defensive weapons Paul refers to in his instructions to the churches of Asia Minor. There are six that complete “the full armor of God,” with prayer as the purpose of the six. This armor is for the churches to defend against the onslaught of “the world forces of darkness.” Each refers to the message revealed in the Bible.

Focusing on the sixth weapon, “the word of God,” the term translated “word” is rhema, rather than logos.

The term logos occurs 330 times in the New Testament. It refers to a complete thought. Frequently, it relates to the totality of God’s revelation. This is what John meant when he wrote:

In the beginning was the Word (logos), and the Word (logos) was with God, and the Word (logos) was God. (John 1:1-2)

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word (logos) of Life (1 John 1:1)

Rhema occurs 68 times. It refers to a message communicated in spoken or written language. When Satan was tempting Jesus, Jesus said:

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word (rhema) that proceeds out of the mouth of God.‘” (Matt 4:4)

John recalled an incident early in Jesus’s ministry when the Jews, not liking what He was doing, sought to kill Him. (Jn 5:18) For the next twenty-eight verses, Jesus condemns these Jews for not believing His works, which were performed to authenticate what He was saying. The duplicate, “truly, truly,” is quoted twenty-five times in John’s gospel account, three times in chapter 5. Each time, Jesus provided a new revelation.

Jesus accused them of seeking glory from one another rather than from God. They claimed to believe Moses but failed to believe the true meaning of what Moses wrote:

“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words (rhema)?” (John 5:45-47)

The first five books of the Old Testament reveal that God, through Moses, repeated the promise of a Messiah whom Jesus claimed to be. Instead of believing Moses’ full message, they were picking and choosing what they wanted to believe. By doing this, they were rejecting the very truth they claimed to believe; in this instance, the words (rhema) of Jesus.

Returning to Paul’s instructions in Ephesians 6:17, when we say we believe God’s Word, we mean that we believe the entire Bible (logos) and the words (rhema) of the original manuscripts. With the plethora of translations and paraphrases today, we need to take care not to lose the sword of the Spirit (rhema).

Samuel Butler, 17th-century English poet, wrote:

A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.

American social psychologist Leon Festinger, the first to develop Cognitive Dissonance Theory, co-authored the book When Prophecy Fails. (1956) In it, they wrote:

“A man with a conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you disagree, and he turns away. Show him facts or figures, and he questions your sources. Appeal to logic, and he fails to see your point.” (The above quotes are from Microsoft Copilot)

In this so-called information age, with all the technology at our fingertips, we are witnessing greater conflicts between opposing groups and increasing cognitive dissonance.

Paul wrote:

Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. (1 Cor 8:1-3)

Between Butler and Festinger, there was a decline of Western culture known today as postmodernism. How does Paul’s view differ from the previous two? The key phrase in Paul’s quote is love edifies (agape oikodomeo).

I have written extensively regarding the biblical meaning of love. It differs dramatically from the definition of love in our present culture. Biblical love is an act of the will. It involves choosing to obey God and to do what is right by God’s standard in every relationship, every day. This requires being continually bathed in the wisdom God has revealed in His Word. This wisdom can be defined as seeing things from God’s point of view. It involves humility. James wrote:

“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. (James 4:6-10)

The second term in the phrase “love edifies” is oikodomeo. It comes from the term oikos, meaning “to build.” Putting the terms together, we see that instead of seeking to “puff up” (KJV phusioo) ourselves, we should strive to understand and obey our Lord Jesus Christ and let God exalt us. In this way, we become edifiers, being built up in His Word and building up others.

We need to develop abiding principles from God’s Word, not rigid dogma. Rigid dogma leads to the inability to see reality. Such dogmatism is the charge that Festinger and his colleagues made against Christianity. It fuels the firestorm of cognitive dissonance so prevalent in postmodernism. It is the postmodernists who are rigid in their persistent denial of genuine reality.

Biblical love, being born of God, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, enables us to see reality as it is and live in it.

Years ago, at the end of my sermon, I announced that the following Sunday I would begin a series on good works in the epistle to Titus. As the congregation filed out, one couple announced that they would not be coming back. They did not want to attend a church that taught about good works. They were wrong. Good works are the key to understanding Paul’s teaching in this epistle. In Titus, we find four abiding principles regarding good works.

In the epistle to Titus, there are two Greek terms used interchangeably for good: agathos and kalos. Agathos refers to that which is good in character and beneficial. Kalos is that which is intrinsically good or beautiful. (W. E. Vine) I use the illustration of Grandma saying to Johnny, Here is a piece of cake. It is good. This would be kalos. At another time, she might say to Johnny Here is a tablespoonful of cod liver oil. It is good. For those of us who are old enough to remember, she meant it was good (agathos) for us, not that it tasted good (kalos).

Paul left Titus in Crete to “set in order what remains, and to appoint elders in every city.” (v. 1:5). The elders, also known as overseers (v. 1:7), needed to be men who were “above reproach” in all aspects of daily life. Cretans had a reputation for being “rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers. . .” (v. 1:10). These overseers needed to “be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” (v. 1:9) The individuals to whom Paul was referring “professed to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good (agathos) deed.” (1:16) The first abiding principle is: To correct others, one must exemplify good (agathos) works. (Titus chapters 1-2)

Paul reiterated this principle in v. 2:7, but this time used the term kalos. While exhorting overseers, the context applies to everyone who professes faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The purpose was to put opponents to shame and maintain a good testimony. Paul moved his focus from overseers who teach in chapter 1 to every believer in chapter 2. The second abiding principle is: Good (kalos) works adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. (v. 2:10) The third abiding principle is: God’s people need to be zealous for good (kalos) works. (v. 2:14)

In chapter 3, believers are to be exhorted to do whatever is beneficial, “to be ready for every good (agathos) work.” (v. 3:1) Everything we do is an opportunity to do good (agathos) works. What appears to be good (kalso) works (v. 3:8a, b) might be used by God to bring someone to Himself. We were not saved through our own works but by the good (kalos) works of others who, by so doing, demonstrated God’s love. (3:14)

The fourth outstanding and abiding principle is: Believers need always to be engaged in good (kalos) works.

For additional reading, see:

Good Works in the Book of Titus –

Let’s Talk About Good Works –

In my October 26th post (see), the importance of combining spiritual with spiritual was noted. (1 Cor 2:13) The term, combing (sunkrínontes, from sun, together, and krino, to judge), refers to determining what spiritual matters correspond to other spiritual matters. In this post, we will focus on the importance of the division of soul and spirit (Heb 4:12). The Greek noun, merismos, is translated ‘division’. The verb form is merizo, to divide or separate.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul was doing both. Paul continued in chapter 3:

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. (1 Cor 3:1-3)

In other words, individuals in the church at Corinth were not correctly putting together spiritual truth nor separating the eternal spiritual truths of God from the temporal human wisdom under the sun.

Once, I asked a brother in Christ about his chosen profession. I referred to him as a “Christian Psychologist.” “No, I am a psychologist who happens to be a Christian,”  was his response. He taught an adult Sunday school class, and his response explained a lot. I noticed him allegorizing a biblical passage. He was combining human wisdom, psychology, with biblical truth. As Christians, we can accept some of the tenets of Psychology if we understand that it is fallen man examining fallen man and recognize whether it is consistent or inconsistent with God’s Word.

One time, after preaching a sermon, I was confronted by an individual who insisted my teaching was not consistent with her church’s doctrinal statement. My response was, “Show me where what I said was inconsistent with the Bible.” She could not. A doctrinal statement is a document that reflects the church’s basic theological teachings. It should never be used to contradict God’s Word.

In the past five decades, many theories and philosophies became popular for a season but quickly faded. Some were helpful. Many only detracted from the Bible’s fundamental truths. These became the focus of study rather than the Scriptures. Those who were able to combine spiritual with spiritual and separate soul and spirit may have found something helpful, if consistent with God’s Word.

One example is the Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis. It is a tool to assess personality traits. In the proper venue, this can be an effective tool. However, viewing man psychologically is a human construct of limited value. We know that only by being transformed by the renewing of the mind (Rom 12:2) can human nature be permanently changed.

In this era of Artificial Intelligence, every child of God needs to learn to partake of the solid food (1 Cor 3:2) and pure (i.e., unadulterated) milk (1 Pe 2:2) of God’s Word through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Heb 5:12-13).

What is so bad about pride? In our language, pride is often viewed as negative. Something to avoid. When asking this question, Microsoft Copilot answers:

Pride becomes harmful when it turns into arrogance, blinds us to our faults, and damages relationships. Healthy pride motivates growth, but unchecked pride can isolate and corrupt.

An overview of the Greek terms for pride, proud, and boasting provides a clear understanding of this human characteristic. Take for instance boasting. One Greek term is alazoneia and refers to bragging. It only occurs twice in the New Testament. However, another term, kauchaomai, is also translated as boasting. It occurs 37 times, with two instances in James. The rest occur in Paul’s epistles:

But as it is, you boast (kauchaomai) in your arrogance; all such boasting (kauchaomai) is evil. (Jas 4:16-1)

God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast (kauchaomai) before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts (kauchaomai), boast (kauchaomai) in the Lord.” (1 Cor 1:28-31)

Paul was quoting from Jeremiah 9:

Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast (halal) of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast (halal) of his might, let not a rich man boast (halal) of his riches; but let him who boasts (halal) boast (halal) of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, “declares the Lord. (Jer 9:23-24)

The Hebrew term translated boast is halal. It occurs 168 times in 148 verses in the Old Testament. Halal is often translated as praise, or glory.

A second Hebrew term is barak. The term, barak, occurs 330 times in 289 verses in the Old Testament. Most often it is translated to bless or praise. However, the first occurrence where it is translated boast in the NASB is Deut 29:19-20:

And it shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast (barak), saying, ‘I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry.‘ (Deut 29:19-20)

Moses warns Israel of the blessings and curses they will receive once they enter the land, depending on their obedience to God. He warns that those who say that they have conquered the land, taking credit when they should be giving the glory to God, will be cursed. This warning occurs repeatedly.

David wrote:

Some boast (barak) in chariots, and some in horses; But we will boast (barak) in the name of the Lord, our God.
(Ps 20:7)

As sons of God, we need to be a proud people. The object of our pride must be God and not self. Regardless of how we attain our station in life, we must give God the glory.

In 1688, Edward Lloyd, the owner of a coffee shop on Tower Street in London, observed that overseas trade was becoming increasingly risky, and investors were reluctant to invest in overseas trading due to the substantial losses incurred in ships and cargo. So, he conceived a plan to spread the risk over large numbers of ship owners and hence began the worldwide insurance industry. (Microsoft Copilot)

Today, it is impossible to enjoy the benefits of ownership without insurance. The law requires auto insurance to drive. Farmers rely on crop insurance in the event of a catastrophic crop failure. Healthcare is so expensive that failure to have the appropriate health insurance plan can lead to bankruptcy. Nearly every aspect of life requires some form of insurance.

The simple concept of spreading risk over a large number has been turned on its head. Insurance companies are so powerful that they determine the risk pool, even when it includes individuals who pay nothing into the pot. Individual members often lack knowledge of the risks, how losses will be covered, or who is contributing to the plan. The government is currently shut down. One of the primary issues is insurance. Because the concept of insurance has become so distorted from Edward Lloyd’s original vision, many Americans live in fear of losing their home, their livelihood, and the security insurance is supposed to provide.

We need to be informed and disciplined in managing our income and know what insurance we need to protect against material loss. We need to avoid taking risks that are greater than we can afford to take. The best way to do this is to avoid unnecessary debt. Due to the high cost of big-ticket items like houses, vehicles, and appliances, the average person cannot live a debt-free life. Yet, the misuse of credit and insurance can become akin to trusting in a false god. It can lead to pushing our Lord Jesus Christ out of His proper place in this life under the sun.

Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ brings assurance, not insurance. Biblical salvation through Christ assures both life after death and a quality of life with God now under the sun. Concerning Abraham, we read:

.. . with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. (Rom 4:20-21)

There were times when Abraham acted irrationally and did not wait upon the Lord. Yet God’s testimony concerning Abraham is that he was “the friend of God.” (Jas 2:23b) Isaiah wrote:

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isa 40:31)

We need to manage the resources God provides now and not yield our freedom in Christ to the bondage of the false securities the world offers.

“Western society has moved from Romanticism to German Idealism to Positivism to Modernism to Postmodernism“ (Microsoft Copilot).

We might characterize the present as The Age of Confusion. I recently forwarded a video I thought was real, but later learned it was AI-generated. How will we, and future generations, differentiate AI from reality? We originalists who believe the Bible to be the Word of God have reason to be cautious. AI is useful. However, some believers will use it as a shortcut or crutch rather than a genuine transformation, as Paul exhorted the church at Rome:

.. . do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. . . (Rom 12:2)

This transformation is not automatic and requires diligence, as Paul taught Timothy:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15)

It is tempting to bury our heads in the sand and let the world go by. But generations that follow depend on us to hold the line. God has equipped us to navigate the confusion of our day through spiritual rebirth and the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote:

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. (1 Cor 2:12-14)

The last phrase, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words, highlights the confusion in translating and interpreting this entire chapter. (Omit the terms crossed out) The conclusion some draw is that Paul is only addressing those who preach and teach. However, this passage is about the wisdom of God in providing His crucified Son (v. 2) and the application of this event to all of life. Paul wrote:

Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. (1 Cor 2:6-10)

The last term, combining, in v. 2:13b, is sunkrínontes, from sun, together, and krino, to judge. It is a Participle and Predicate Adjective modifying we (vs. 6a and 12a). The use of the Present Active Participle emphasizes the character of the one doing the action. To paraphrase, we… combiners of spiritual matters with spiritual matters. (DJB) By inserting this phrase, Paul summarizes what he has just said in chapter 2 regarding all whom the Spirit of God teaches the wisdom of God. In the remainder of this epistle, Paul addresses issues that require correction by those who have the mind of Christ (v. 16b). This involves combining spiritual matters with spiritual matters.

The term, peace, occurs 358 times in the KJV. In Hebrew, it is shawlowm. In Greek, it is eirene.

H.G. Wells, in 1914, coined the phrase, “the war to end all wars.” In 1938, Neville Chamberlain coined the phrase “Peace in Our Time.” History records the truth about both. Only time will tell what the present efforts for peace will bring.

What does peace look like? As with so many terms, there are multiple connotations depending on the context. In the present context in the Middle East, the release of all living hostages, for some, is what peace looks like. However, for the hostages, the sense of peace may never come as they deal with PTSD.

Looking back at the history of Israel during the pre-exilic periods before the Assyrian captivity of the 8^th century BCE and the Babylonian captivity of the 7^th and 6^th centuries, each was preceded by a period of apparent peace and prosperity. However, these were marked by cultural decadence and rebellion against God. The prophets denounced this cultural corruption and warned of impending judgment. The outstanding and abiding principle of this sad history is that Genuine Peace Requires Peace with God. Repeatedly through the prophets, God offered this genuine peace. Finally, He sent His Son, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, but He too was rejected.

Peace is a constant theme throughout the New Testament. When the context is ‘peace on earth,’ every attempt at lasting peace has failed. Many skeptics already predict that the present attempts will fail to bring lasting peace because Genuine Peace Requires Peace with God.

The good news is that peace with God is achievable right now. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, wrote concerning the resurrected Prince of Peace:

For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (Col 1:19-20)

Regardless of how the present attempts at peace in the world turn out, Paul wrote concerning the future:

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly. . . (1 Thess 5:1-6)

We are exhorted to pray for:

. . . all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (1 Tim 2:2)

While the world seeks peace, God’s people need to be at peace with God (cf. Phil. 4:4-9), then at peace with all men (Rom 12:18-19), and finally ambassadors for peace (2 Cor 5:20-21). Genuine Lasting Peace Requires Peace with God.

“—you are gods—” (John 10:34)

Those who are born again are called to judge. In the first part of this series, we noted that we need to take care of how we judge and let truth be the judge rather than ourselves. In the second, proper judgment requires time, information, and integrity. The final judgment will be in our Lord’s time. In the third, churches need standards of behavior. We need to let God judge outsiders.

The above quote from John’s Gospel account is taken from Psalm 82:6. There, the Psalmist laments the lack of justice in Israel. In it, Asaph views God as sitting in judgment of His representatives on earth who were failing to judge His people correctly. It is in this vein that Paul, in 1 Corinthians 6, warns against taking one’s neighbor to court before unbelieving judges.

We live in a litigious society. The term “lawfare” has become a common term, suggesting the use of law to achieve one’s objectives rather than pursuing justice. Paul’s admonition warns against this. However, there are times when going to court cannot be avoided. Do you have automobile insurance? Have you read the fine print? Jesus addresses this same issue in Matthew 5:21-26.

Judging is a necessary part of life. In this series, the purpose has been to warn against improper judging. God has called us to judge by His standards and, at times, in His stead until the time when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will judge the nations and we will judge with Him. (1 Cor 6:3)

In verse 3, an interesting term requires highlighting. The term is translated as matters of this life (Gk. biotikos). The root term is bios, meaning the physical life we live now under the sun. Biotikos is repeated in verse 4. Human judges who are outside the faith judge matters of this life. Believers should be much more qualified than they are to judge matters of this life. We should be the judges rather than them. (see my book)

God has called us to Himself as a body of believers to judge and discipline each other. These terms seem harsh in our individualistic Christianity today. However, Paul speaks boldly here in terms that are also sharp and harsh to his readers. The doctrine of our God depends upon our being righteous judges (Tit 2:10). Spreading the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ depends upon our being righteous judges.

Numerous texts in the New Testament provide insight and instruction on when and how to judge. I have spent years studying the subject to help churches make informed decisions through proper discernment. Most churches avoid the topic. Those who attempt it often fail to understand the fundamental New Testament foundation of biblical judgment. We are at a time in history when we must become righteous judges of one another that we may adorn the doctrine of our God. (1 Peter 2:10)

We will be judged by the standard by which we judge. The abiding principle of Judging: Part I from Matthew chapter 7 was Let truth be the judge rather than ourselves.

The context for Judging Part II was 1 Corinthians 4. In it, we noted that the connotations regarding the term ‘judging’ are broad, spanning a continuum from discerning to condemning. To judge correctly, we need time and information, coupled with personal integrity, to make correct judgments. The final judgment will be by our Lord in His time.

The context for Judging: Part III is 1 Corinthians 5. The churches of Achaia and Attica were troubled by the culture in their day. The Corinthians worshipped the goddess Aphrodite, known for cultic practices including ritual prostitution. The Athenians worshipped Athena, the virgin goddess of purity. Microsoft Copilot notes the difference between the two:

The worship of Aphrodite and Athena reflected two vastly different aspects of ancient Greek life — sensuality versus intellect, emotion versus reason, and earthly pleasures versus civic virtue.

The contrasting worship of Aphrodite and Athena shaped cultural norms, gender roles, and moral expectations in Paul’s day—especially in cities like Corinth and Athens, where their cults were prominent.

This distinction is readily apparent in today’s culture. It is also appearing among churches. Many churches today eschew Church Covenants, choosing to be more inclusive, while others recognize the need to set standards of behavior for membership and require its members to live by them.

Paul was informed about a situation at Corinth involving an individual who was living with his father’s wife. (1 Cor 5:1). He noted that even society would reject this behavior, but the high-minded Corinthians overlooked it. His concern was about the effect this behavior would have on the church. Most of all, he was critical of the church leadership and their arrogance in thinking that overlooking such behavior was the correct course of action.

The correction he prescribed, excluding the individual from the fellowship, might seem harsh by today’s standards. But as God’s Church, we must hold to biblical standards requiring discernment and, at times, condemnation. Individuals involved in such behavior should be asked to leave the fellowship. This requires godly leaders who personally observe and know how to apply God’s standards. Such action may result in the offender’s salvation.

His instructions regarding the incident led to a misunderstanding by those who accepted the biblical lifestyle and rejected the cultural norms. This led them to mistakenly apply the biblical standards to outsiders. Paul corrects this misunderstanding:

But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be 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. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? (1 Cor 5:11-12)

Churches need to establish biblical standards of behavior for their membership, apply them in sincerity and truth, and let God be the judge of outsiders.