Can Our Sins Mess Up God’s Plans?

October 29th, 2008 by Mark Altrogge

Sin can really mess up our lives, not to mention send us to hell.

Our sins play havoc with us, and sometimes we wind up eating the fruit of our disobedience for years. Sometimes it can seem like we’ve derailed God’s design for our lives and now he’s had to opt for plan B. But that is simply not true.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)

ALL things work together for good, including our sins.
God is in no way responsible when we blow it, for God is not the author of sin. But somehow even our worst sins and mistakes fall under the umbrella of his supreme plan for our lives.
God is so awesome he can take our wickedness and use it to accomplish his purposes. When Jacob duped his father and swindled his big brother Esau, God used it to fulfill his prophecy that the older would serve the younger. When Joseph unwisely boasted of his dreams to his brothers, God used his foolishness to provoke his brothers to sell him to slave traders who dragged him to Egypt where God exalted him to spare thousands from starving, including his scheming brothers.

When Jonah fled in the opposite direction from where God commanded him, God used Jonah’s rebellion to reveal himself to pagan sailors on the ship he’d taken:
Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. (Jonah 1:8-10)

David began his relationship with Bathsheba with adultery, deception and murder. Yet God gave them Solomon, author of Proverbs and one of Israel’s greatest kings. Not even the worst sins can stymie God’s purpose.

Regret can easily slide into self-pity. And excessive regret is an insult to God, because we are saying what Christ did on the cross was somehow not enough to remove all our guilt. Excessive regret is also an insult to God’s sovereignty, because we are saying that our sins are too hard for God to turn to good.

Now DO NOT go out and sin, thinking God will use it for good. For sin has painful consequences. But if you believe your sins have ruined God’s plans for you, know that the cross of Christ and the power of God is infinitely greater than your offenses. God hasn’t opted for plan B.

Mundane is Glorious

October 20th, 2008 by Mark Altrogge

But we urge you, brothers, to [love one another] more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. 1 Thess 4.10-12


You probably won’t hear this verse read at many college graduation ceremonies. Keynote speakers usually encourage graduates to aspire to greatness, not to live quietly and mind their own affairs.
When I first believed in Christ, I dreamed of becoming a Christian performer, singing before thousands at Jesus festivals. I didn’t yearn to trudge off to work every day in the same office for the next 25 years, get married, have kids, go to Little League games, serve in the church, then die. That seemed so ordinary, pedestrian, and bland. But there’s this little thing called making a living. So I became an elementary art teacher, bouncing among five different buildings, teaching buck-toothed kids how to cut out hearts, carve soap animals and make construction paper Christmas trees.I got married, had kids, went to Little League games for 19 years, and served in our church, where I’ve worked in 2 offices since 1980.
Most Christians lives aren’t remarkable. Most of us aren’t speaking at conferences, writing books or rocking at festivals. Most of us work at rather humdrum jobs, or labor with little thanks in our homes serving our families. We faithfully plod away, going to care groups and serving our church.
If someone made a movie about most of us it would probably be rated “B” for “boring,” or “U” for “uneventful”. But when, by God’s grace, we “live quietly”, and mind our own affairs, and work with our hands, God is honored. He’s no more glorified by the pastor preaching to thousands than he is by the Mom trying to get her one-year-old to eat his Gerber peas for the hundredth time. He’s no more blessed by the man who leads thousands in worship than by the dad who runs a high lift all day, plays catch with his kids after dinner, and falls asleep reading a Bible story to his kids before bed.
Mundane is glorious in the kingdom of God. Because it takes God’s grace to live quiet lives of faithfulness, serving, and loving. Aspire to do all you do, no matter how commonplace, for God’s glory.

Fight Club: Lesson 7 - Not a Lover of Money

From the selling of indulgences to the prosperity gospel, the church has been ravaged by what Paul calls “lovers of money” or those “greedy for filthy lucre”. Although we would never categorize ourselves among those of the prosperity gospel, we can be much more subtle at “earning” indecent/dishonorable gain. The overseer must fight these selfish desires. He must exemplify diligence in his work ethic and seethe with honorable motives. The overseer is an honest worker with healthy desires.

Discuss: What types of materialistic desires compete with your faith in your service to the Lord?

Paul describes for Timothy those who use the gospel for gain. He says, “They are puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissensions, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved of mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” (6:4-5) Paul goes on to exhort Timothy with contentment. He says, “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing in to the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”(6:6-8). In verses 9 and 10 Paul teaches Timothy that loving money results a plethora of others godless desires which make a shipwreck of the faith. Therefore in verse 11 Paul exhorts Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith”.

The overseer must fight off competing desires that would attempt to diminish holy affections for Jesus Christ and his church. Richard Baxter writes,

Nor is man fitted to be a minister of Christ who does not have the proper public spirit towards the Church. He needs to delight in its beauty, long for its happiness, seek for its good, and rejoice in its welfare. He must be willing to spend and to be spent fo the sake of the Church.[1]

Discuss: Theologically, how do we fight for Christ-centered affections?

Answer the following questions:

1. Do you give generously and sacrificially?

2. Are your investments heavenward or earthly-minded?

3. What is your philosophy about gain in this life?

4. Are your professional and personal decisions calculated to pursue gain?

5. Do you show more regard for money and ‘stuff’ than people?

6. How does your perspective of money affect your outlook on the church’s financial decisions?

Read: Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices, Satan’s Devices to Keep Souls from Holy Duties, To Hinder Souls in Holy Services, To Keep Them Off From Religious Performance, p. 102-141
[1] Baxter, Richard. The Reformed Pastor. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2007.

Some Questions to Ask When Considering a Job

By John Piper January 14, 1997

1. Can you earnestly do all the parts of this job “to the glory of God,” that is, in a way that highlights his superior value over all other things? “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

2. Is taking this job part of a strategy to grow in personal holiness? “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

3. Will this job help or hinder your progress in esteeming the value of knowing Christ Jesus your Lord? “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:7).

4. Will this job result in inappropriate pressures on you to think or feel or act against your King, Jesus? “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men” (1 Corinthians 7:23).

5. Will this job help establish an overall life-pattern that will yield a significant involvement in fulfilling God’s great purpose of exalting Christ among all the unreached peoples of the world? “Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

6. Will this job be worthy of your best energies? “Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

7. Will the activities and environment of this job tend to shape you or will you be able to shape it for the Christ-magnifying purposes of God? “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

8. Will this job provide an occasion for you to be radically Christian so as to let your light shine for your Father’s sake, or will your participation in the vision of the firm tend by definition to snuff your wick? “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

9. Does the aim of this job cohere with a growing intensity in your life to be radically, publicly, fruitfully devoted to Christ at any cost? “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

10. Will the job feel like a good investment of your life when these “two seconds” of preparation for eternity are over? “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14).

11. Does this job fit with why you believe you were created and purchased by Christ? “Everyone who is called by my name…I have created for my glory” (Isaiah 43:6-7). “You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

12. Does this fit together with the ultimate truth that all things exist for Christ? “For by him all…have been created by [Christ] and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

For the supremacy of God in all things,
Pastor John

Wouldst thou grow in the grace of the fear of God?: John Bunyan

What things they are that have a tendency in them to hinder the growth of the fear of God in our hearts.
And that I may yet be helpful to thee, reader, I shall now give thee caution of those things that will, if way be given to them, hinder thy growth in this fear of God, the which, because they are very hurtful to the people of God, I would have thee be warned by them. And they are these which follow:

First. If thou wouldest grow in this grace of fear, take heed of A HARD HEART, for that will hinder thy growth in this grace. "Why hast thou hardened our heart from thy fear?" was a bitter complaint of the church heretofore; for it is not only the judgment that in itself is dreadful and sore to God's people, but that which greatly hindereth the growth of this grace in the soul (Isa 63:17). A hard heart is but barren ground for any grace to grow in, especially for the grace of fear: there is but little of this fear where the heart is indeed hard; neither will there ever be much therein.
Now if thou wouldest be kept from a hard heart, 1. Take heed of the beginnings of sin. Take heed, I say, of that, though it should be never so small; "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." There is more in a little sin to harden, than in a great deal of grace to soften. David's look upon Bathsheba was, one would think, but a small matter; yet that beginning of sin contracted such hardness of heart in him, that it carried him almost beyond all fear of God. It did carry him to commit lewdness with her, murder upon the body of Uriah, and to abundance of wicked dissimulation; which are things, I say, that have direct tendency to quench and destroy all fear of God in the soul.
2. If thou hast sinned, lie not down without repentance; for the want of repentance, after one has sinned, makes the heart yet harder and harder. Indeed a hard heart is impenitent, and impenitence also makes the heart harder and harder. So that if impenitence be added to hardness of heart, or to the beginning of sin which makes it so, it will quickly be with that soul, as is said of the house of Israel, it will have a whore's forehead, it will hardly be brought to shame (Jer 3:3).
3. If thou wouldest be rid of a hard heart, that great enemy to the growth of the grace of fear, be much with Christ upon the cross in thy meditations; for that is an excellent remedy against hardness of heart: a right sight of him, as he hanged there for thy sins, will dissolve thy heart into tears, and make it soft and tender. "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, - and mourn" (Zech 12:10). Now a soft, a tender, and a broken heart, is a fit place for the grace of fear to thrive in. But,

Second. If thou wouldest have the grace of fear to grow in thy soul, take heed also of A PRAYERLESS HEART, for that is not a place for this grace of fear to grow in. Hence he that restraineth prayer is said to cast off fear. "Thou castest off fear," said one of his friends to Job. But how must he do that? Why the next words show, "Thou restrainest prayer before God" (Job 15:4). Seest thou a professor that prayeth not? that man thrusteth the fear of God away from him. Seest thou a man that prays but little, that man feareth God but little; for it is the praying soul, the man that is mighty in praying, that has a heart for the fear of God to grow in. Take heed, therefore, of a prayerless heart, if you would grow in this grace of the fear of God. Prayer is as the pitcher that fetcheth water from the brook, therewith to water the herbs; break the pitcher, and it will fetch no water, and for want of water the garden withers.

Third. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of A LIGHT AND WANTON HEART, for neither is such a heart good ground for the fear of God to grow in. Wherefore it is said of Israel, "She feared not, but went and played the harlot also." She was given to wantonness, and to be light and vain, and so her fear of God decayed (Jer 3:8). Had Joseph been as wanton as his mistress, he had been as void of the fear of God as she; but he was of a sober, tender, godly, considerate spirit, therefore he grew in the fear of God.

Fourth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of A COVETOUS HEART, for neither is that which is such an one good ground for this grace of fear to grow in. Therefore this covetousness and the fear of God are as enemies, set the one in opposition to the other: one that feareth God and hateth covetousness (Exo 18:21). And the reason why covetousness is such an obstruction to the growth of this grace of fear, is because covetousness casteth those things out of the heart which alone can nourish this fear. It casteth out the Word and love of God, without which no grace can grow in the soul; how then should the fear of God grow in a covetous heart? (Eze 33:30-32; 1 John 2:15).

Fifth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of AN UNBELIEVING HEART, for an unbelieving heart is not good ground for this grace of fear to grow in. An unbelieving heart is called "an evil heart," because from it flows all the wickedness that is committed in the world (Heb 3:12). Now it is faith, or a believing heart, that nourisheth this fear of God, and not the other; and the reason is, for that faith brings God, heaven, and hell, to the soul, and maketh it duly consider of them all (Heb 11:7). This is therefore the means of fear, and that which will make it grow in the soul; but unbelief is a bane thereto.

Sixth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of A FORGETFUL HEART. Such a heart is not a heart where the grace of fear will flourish, "when I remember, I am afraid," &c. Therefore take heed of forgetfulness; do not forget but remember God, and his kindness, patience, and mercy, to those that yet neither have grace, nor special favour from him, and that will beget and nourish his fear in thy heart, but forgetfulness of this, or of any other of his judgments, is a great wound and weakening to this fear (Job 21:6). When a man well remembers that God's judgments are so great a deep and mystery, as indeed they are, that remembrance puts a man upon such considerations of God and of his judgments as to make him fear—"Therefore," said Job, "I am afraid of him." See the place, Job 23:15. "Therefore am I troubled at his presence; when I consider, I am afraid of him"—when I remember and consider of the wonderful depths of his judgments towards man.

Seventh. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of A MURMURING AND REPINING HEART, for that is not a heart for this grace of fear to grow in. As for instance, when men murmur and repine at God's hand, at his dispensations, and at the judgments that overtake them, in their persons, estates, families, or relations, that their murmuring tendeth to destroy fear; for a murmuring spirit is such an one as seems to correct God, and to find fault with his dispensations, and where there is that, the heart is far from fear. A murmuring spirit either comes from that wisdom that pretends to understand that there is a failure in the nature and execution of things, or from an envy and spite at the execution of them. Now if murmurings arise from this pretended wisdom of the flesh, then instead of fearing of God, his actions are judged to be either rigid or ridiculous, which yet are done in judgment, truth, and righteousness. So that a murmuring heart cannot be a good one for the fear of God to grow in. Alas! the heart where that grows must be a soft one; as you have it in Job 23:15, 16; and a heart that will stoop and be silent at the most abstruse of all his judgments—"I was dumb, because THOU didst it." The heart in which this fear of God doth flourish is such, that it bows and is mute, if it can but espy the hand, wisdom, justice, or holiness of God in this or the other of his dispensations, and so stirs up the soul to fear before him. But if this murmuring ariseth from envy and spite, that looketh so like to the spirit of the devil, that nothing need be said to give conviction of the horrible wickedness of it.

Eighth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of A HIGH AND CAPTIOUS SPIRIT, for that is not good ground for the fear of God to grow in. A meek and quiet spirit is the best, and there the fear of God will flourish most; therefore Peter puts meekness and fear together, as being most suited in their nature and natural tendency one to another (1 Peter 3:15). Meekness of spirit is like that heart that hath depth of earth in it in which things may take root and grow; but a high and captious spirit is like to the stony ground, where there is not depth of earth, and consequently, where this grace of fear cannot grow; therefore take heed of this kind of spirit, if thou wouldest that the fear of God should grow in thy soul.

Ninth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of AN ENVIOUS HEART, for that is not a good heart for the fear of God to grow in. "Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long" (Prov 23:17). To envy any is a sign of a bad spirit, and that man takes upon him, as I have already hinted, to be a controller and a judge, yea, and a malicious executioner too, and that of that fury that ariseth from his own lusts and revengeful spirit, upon (perhaps) the man that is more righteous than himself. But suppose he is a sinner that is the object of thine envy, why, the text sets that envy in direct opposition to the fear of God; "Envy not sinners, but be thou in the fear of God." These two, therefore, to wit, envy to sinners and fearing of God, are opposites. Thou canst not fear God, and envy sinners too. And the reason is, because he that envieth a sinner, hath forgotten himself, that he is as bad; and how can he then fear God? He that envies sinners rejects his duty of blessing of them that curse, and praying for them that despitefully use us; and how can he that hath rejected this, fear God? He that envieth sinners, therefore, cannot be of a good spirit, nor can the fear of God grow in his heart.

Tenth. Lastly, Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed of HARDENING THY HEART at any time against convictions to particular duties, as to prayer, alms, self-denial, or the like. Take heed also of hardening thy heart, when thou art under any judgment of God, as sickness, losses, crosses, or the like. I bid you before to beware of a hard heart, but now I bid you beware of hardening your soft ones. For to harden the heart is to make it worse than it is; harder, more desperate, and bold against God, than at the present it is. Now, I say, if thou wouldest grow in this grace of fear, take heed of hardening thy heart, and especially of hardening of it against convictions to good; for those convictions are sent of God like seasonable showers of rain, to keep the tillage of thy heart in good order, that the grace of fear may grow therein; but this stifling of convictions makes the heart as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. Therefore happy is he that receiveth conviction, for so he doth keep in the fear of God, and that fear thereby nourished in his soul; but cursed is he that doth otherwise—"Happy is the man that feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief" (Prov 28:14).

Philippians 2:6-11

Our hearts must take into account the mindset/attitude of Christ in order that we might correctly live out his humility. There are three principles to consider from Phil. 2:6-11.

First, verses 6-7. "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."

1. Christ-likeness embraces God-given roles. (vs. 6-7)

(Who though he was in the form of God,) In the greater biblical narrative we are informed that God is Triune and that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who participate in definite roles and relationships. Specifically, the Father stands in a position of authority and the Son stands in submission. It is this relational structure in which infinite love and joy has flourished from eternity past. And although Christ maintained infinite glory with his father he…

(…did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped) Hence, before the foundations of the world the Father, the Missio Dei, summons the Son and lovingly sends him (according to Ps. 2 and Eph 1) to purchase up a people from their sin. But this required Christ to give up his glory with the Father …
(…and made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men) Christ seeks a lowly mission to the point of robing himself in human flesh; being born to a young and inexperienced couple. He made himself completely vulnerable. He entered time and space and embraced all the limitations of man without giving up an ounce of his divinity.

Does this not astound you? That Christ, in his glory, would come… demonstrating complete submission to the Father in embracing his role. And consider this, God has created us in his image with relationship structures that stand to glorify the authority/submission structure in God. Consider marriage: God has given you a role. Consider the church: God has given you a role. Consider employment: God has given you a role.

Are you thwarting your God-given role due to a selfish sense of elitism or partiality? Do you sulk because you think you deserve a better job? Or Do you use your authority to demean your wife; perhaps it’s just by the nuance of your tone? Or have you embraced your God-given role recognizing that…As Bruce Ware mentions, that whether our role is one of authority or submission, it is just as God-like to correctly embrace a role of biblical authority as God-like it is to embrace a role of biblical submission…

Second, What does Christ-likeness look like? First it embraces its God-given role and second...

2. Christ-likeness embraces difficult tasks with simple obedience/faith. (vs. 8-11)"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Does this not beg the question, “Who was Christ obedient to?” Well obviously with a Trinitarian perspective we understand that to be the Father. Never do we see Christ losing focus of his purpose. Christ spent numerous nights in prayer seeking the will of his Father. In John 4, when Christ is speaking to the woman at the well his disciples had gone into the city to get food, and when they returned exhorting Christ to eat but he says “My meat/satisfaction/nourishment is to do the will of the Father.”. Simple obedience!

Furthermore in John 8 Christ mentions that he always does the will of the Father but then in the next couple verses speaks of liberty/freedom which is to say that Christ experienced perfect liberty in being enslaved to the purposes of his Father, …the purposes that would soon lead to suffering, to death and to a relational abandonment… as Christ cried out “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. Why can Christ be so sure of liberty being found in obedience to his Father? Because as verse 9 says, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord," Christ knew his Father’s love and trusted that his Father was seeking his good.

It is often times hard to obey and trust God when he gives you difficult tasks and circumstances. It is within those circumstances that we feel the urge to give up or take the reins of our life in our own hands doubting that God has good intentions.

But God really does have good thoughts toward you. It is why Paul encourages the Philippians to embrace their union with Christ by suffering for his sake (1:29). That is why he encourages them with the promise, “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (1:6) And is it why he establishes his testimony in chapter 3 by saying that he counts all things as dung for the sake of Christ and to share in Christ sufferings, becoming like Christ in his death, that by any means possible he might attain the resurrection. Paul’s concern is for sanctification to be taking place while holding firm to the hope of a future day of glorification.

Growing in sanctification, on the outset, in not a safe place to be. But knowing that God, through our union with Christ, loves and cares for me, and is seeking my good – there is no other place I would want to be.

So what does Christ-likeness look like? I.) it embraces its God-given roles 2.) it embraces difficult tasks with simple obedience and third…

3. Christ-likeness embraces greatness by deflecting the glory to God. (vs.11b) to the glory of God the Father.

The relationship of the Father and Son demonstrate the most wonderful acts of love. God the Father graciously gives the Son center stage in redemptive history and exalts the Son in his mission so that reverence, adoration, worship, respect, and honor is given to the Son but the Son turns around and loving points it all glory back to the Father. Just as 1 Cor. 15:28 says “When all things are subjected to him (the Son), then the Son will also subject himself to him(the father) who put all thing in subjection under him(the Son), that God (the Father)may be all in all.”

Greatness is not ours! As John Calvin mentioned, “our hearts are idol factories”. It is often times when God exalts us in our simple obedience that we become a repository of that exaltation for the sake self-worship rather than deferring that success or praise as a worshipful gift to God - the one who alone is worthy of it.

Fight Club:Lesson 6 - Sober, Gentle, Peacemaking

The next three character qualities that Paul mentions have been strung together most likely because they tend to complement one another. Sobriety refers to an individual who is not controlled by an addiction to substances. Specifically, Paul is writing about the use of alcohol. Ryken mentions, “An alcoholic cannot serve as an overseer because he is incapable of the kind of sober judgment that good spiritual leadership requires.”[1] The overseer must be a man of discernment; therefore he must be free from addictions in all areas of life.

Discuss: Define addiction. What areas of my life tend toward addiction? What are possible addictions besides pornography and substance abuse?

The Greek philosophers at times referred to a drunkard as a brawler.[2] Drunkenness carried with it the idea of violence or rage. The overseer must not be impatient or easily agitated by the people he is responsible to care for. In 2 Timothy 2:24, Paul exhorts Timothy to be gentle in correcting the false beliefs of those at the church of Ephesus. Therefore, gentleness does not condone passivity. Rather it is a life being lived out with Christ-like meekness (power/authority under control).

Discuss: What areas of my life do I tend to be passive in? What areas of my life do I lack patience and gentleness?

Finally, an overseer must not be quarrelsome, divisive, or argumentative. Consequently, it is necessary for the overseer to be selective on what battles are worthy to engage (1 Tim. 4:6-10; 2 Tim. 3:14-26). As the overseer engages in battles he must exemplify sobriety and gentleness, yet unwavering commitment to the Word of God.

Discuss: What theological issues am I most concerned about? What is my attitude when the terms fundamentalism, evangelicalism or reformed theology are mentioned?

Answer the following questions:

1. How do you measure appropriate sobriety?

2. Do you partake of alcohol and if so is it with appropriate sobriety?

3. What are some cardinal issues of the faith and what are some contemporary “foolish and stupid arguments”?

4. In regards to church-life and theological issues, at what times do you tend to be impatient or lack gentleness?

5. In regards to family life, at what times do you tend to be impatient or lack gentleness?

6. In what ways do/can you seek to be a peacemaker?

Read: Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices, 25-49
[1] Ryken, Phillip. 1 Timothy. (Phillipsburg, NJ: PandR Publishing, 2007) 112.

[2] Paraphrased from Ryken, Phillip. 1 Timothy. (Phillipsburg, NJ: PandR Publishing, 2007) 112.