Blog – Come Let Us Reason

Published: 26 August 2026

Written by Dean Davis

4 Comments

Categories: Devotionals, Exegesis, Theology

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today,
that I have set before you life and death,
the blessing and the curse.
So choose life in order that you may live—
you and your seed—
by loving the Lord your God,
by obeying His voice,
and by holding fast to Him;
for this is your life and the length of your days,
that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers,
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Deuteronomy 30:19-20

In six days the LORD God created the heavens, the earth, the seas, and all that is in them (Ex. 20:11).

On the sixth and final day he created the man Adam and his wife; and he placed them in a garden he had planted in the east, in Eden.

In that garden there were many trees, all of them pleasing to the eye and good for eating (Gen. 2:9).

But two of them—the two he placed in the midst of the garden—were special: rich with meaning and profound in consequences . . . for the whole world.

The first he called the Tree of Life. With the benefit of New Testament (NT) hindsight, we now can understand what he meant. This tree symbolized eternal life: the kind of life that, in the fullness of time, he would give to the world in the Person and Work of his uniquely-begotten Son. As Watchman Nee liked to say, the fruit on the Tree of Life represented Christ: the receivable part of God (John 3:16; Rev. 22:2, 14, 19).

Had Adam chosen to eat of this tree, he would have received—both for himself and his future family—this special kind of life. In particular, he would have received the Holy Spirit as his eternally indwelling Helper; through the Holy Spirit he would then have come to know God the Son, the One through whom and for whom God the Father had created all things; through the Son he would then have come to know the Father, the One from whom all things had come; and through knowing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, both he and his family would then have come to know eternal life: the kind of life God lives, and that life lived forever (John 17:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:1-4).¹

The other tree was called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It too was a good tree. However, for wise reasons it pleased God that this tree should serve as a point of testing for Adam and his wife. Accordingly, it became the focus of his one and only prohibition: They must not partake of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for in the day they ate of it they will surely die.

For many years I have pondered this tree, trying to understand the significance of its name, its purpose in the economy of Eden, and its implications for our Christian life in these last days.

What exactly is the knowledge of good and evil? Is it a good thing (as many biblical texts suggest), or a bad thing (as Genesis 2 might seem to suggest)? Why did God issue this prohibition? What exactly was he warning them against? What exactly was he steering them towards?

Yes, I have long sensed that this particular tree points us to important truths, truths that are vital for a deep, fruitful, and joyful Christian walk. And though I also sense that there is further mystery here, this near-octogenarian believes the time has come to share with his fellow pilgrims what he has seen so far.

Two Trees in the Garden

Once again: Like all the things that God created, this tree was good. Certainly it was good for supplying pleasure to the eyes and nourishment to the body. But it was also good for supplying something else, and something far more important: the knowledge of good and evil. As we shall see, however, in God’s wise plan, such good knowledge was not to come by eating from this tree, but instead through obeying his command not to (Gen. 1:31).

How do we know that this knowledge was/is good? In part we know it because after Adam fell, God said, “The man has now become like one of Us, knowing good and evil.”² Here we see that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—the divine US—all know good and evil. Therefore, such knowledge cannot be bad, but must be good.

And indeed, in order to instruct his saints on this vital subject, God has given us a veritable sea of biblical texts. Thus, in a measure like Christ himself, a mature Christian—saturated in the Scriptures and walking in obedience to them—is styled as one whose senses have been trained by constant practice to discern both good and evil . . . and to abhor the evil and cling to the good (Gen. 3:22; Prov. 1-9; 14:16; Is. 7:15-16; Rom. 12:9; Heb. 5:14).

This conclusion, however, raises a difficult question: If the knowledge of good and evil is a good thing, why did God forbid our original parents to partake of this tree?

In reply, here is my best thought so far:

God issued this prohibition both to teach and to train Adam and Eve in what is truly good and truly evil.

And what is truly good? It is to believe and obey his word. To believe his word is to grow in the knowledge of his truth; to obey his word is to walk in the way of his truth; and (as we shall see in a moment) to do both is to know and walk in the way that leads to eternal life . . . an inexpressibly good thing.

But if all that is true, then the opposite must be true as well: What is truly evil must be to disbelieve and disobey God’s word. To disbelieve his word is to reject, forsake, and miss out on his truth; to disobey his word is to walk in the way of untruth; and (as we shall see in a moment) to do both is to walk in a way that leads to death . . . a inexpressibly bad thing.

In order to unpack this thesis further, let us revisit the probation in Eden.

In Eden, God was using the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to test Adam and Eve, to see if they would love and honor their creator, sustainer, provider, and ruler by exercising their free will to believe and obey his word. And as we learn from the great prohibition, his stated will was for them to refrain from eating the fruit of that particular tree.

Now since later biblical revelation shows that all God’s tests are temporary, we may safely assume that in due season this particular test would have come to an end. Perhaps it would have ended with God guiding Adam to the Tree of Life and inviting him to eat of it. Or perhaps it would have ended with Adam doing so on his own initiative, since it is clear from the text that there was no prohibition against it (Jonah 3:4; Matt. 4:1-11).

But in either case, through partaking of the Tree of Life something exceedingly wonderful would have occurred. In that holy moment our original parents would have learned—for time and eternity—that the fruit of belief in God’s word, and the fruit of obedience to his will, was the knowledge of the triune God, a knowledge that for them had become the very gateway to eternal life . . . and not only for them, but also for their family soon to come (John 17:1-3).

The Eschatological Tree of Life

Now, having considered the likely fruits of Adam’s passing his test in Eden—and also bearing in mind the actual fruits of his having failed it—let us turn our thoughts to the fullness of time, and let us consider the great anti-type of the spiritual test that God set before our original parents in Eden (Col. 1:13).

Here in the fullness of time, here in these last days, here in the domain of darkness, here in the howling waste of a wilderness that is the fallen world-system, God has manifested the one and only Savior and Redeemer of the world: the divine Person and all-sufficient Work of his uniquely-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is God’s eschatological Tree of Life, promised even before the founding of the world, sung by the prophets of old, and now planted in the very midst of the earth (Gen. 3:15; Psalms 2, 23; Is. 53; Ezek. 47:1-12; Matt. 13:31-311; John 3:16; Gal. 4:4-5; Titus 1:2; Heb. 1:1-4; Rev. 2:7; 22:2, 14, 19).

And here in the wilderness of the fallen world-system—through the gospel proclamation of the Church—God is bringing all men and nations before this Tree, and putting them to the test by it.

Observe how completely our Lord’s own words accomplish this very thing.

At the prompting of his Father—and now through the gospel proclamation of the Church—he has said to us all, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Do we believe these words? Will we obey his implicit command by coming to the Father through him?

If so, we will partake of the eschatological Tree of Life; we will pass the gospel test; we will receive from him the gift of the Holy Spirit; and we will also receive from him the gift of eternal life: the kind of life that God lives, and that life lived forever (John 3:16-21; 5:24; 14:6; 17:3; Acts 2:38).

We find, then, that NT revelation richly enables us to understand the Tree of Life.

But what light might it shed on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, on the nature of Adam’s sin in partaking of it, and on the consequences of his having done so? And what lessons can we learn from these things, the better to walk with Christ through the wilderness of the world bequeathed to us by our first father, Adam?

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

My thoughts here, which are informed by many NT texts, are twofold:

On the one hand, Adam’s sin consisted of ungratefully, rebelliously, and foolishly exercising his free will to turn away from the person, word, will, and glory of his benevolent creator, sustainer, provider, and ruler: the One who had so graciously given him life and breath and all things (Acts 17:22-31; Rom. 1:18-32).

On the other hand, Adam’s sin also consisted of his arrogantly, rebelliously, and foolishly exercising his free will to make himself the final arbiter of what is true and false, good and evil; to assert that he knew better than God what was truly best for him. Indeed, by sinning in this manner, Adam was effectively choosing to make himself his own god: an independent being, an autonomous being, a law to himself with no need of a creator, sustainer, provider, or ruler; a being altogether free to create his own truth, make his own way, and fashion his own life in the world (Luke 12:18-19; 1 Cor. 12:21; Rev. 3:17; 18:7).

Such was the profoundly evil nature of Adam’s sin; such was the new and fallen nature that he took upon himself and put upon his wife; and such was the new and fallen nature he would hand down to his entire family, so that henceforth the beautiful garden-home given to man by God would became a spiritual wilderness, a howling waste, a deep and deadly domain of darkness all the way down to the end of time (Deut. 32:10; John 1:1-5; Rom. 5:12-21; Col. 1:13; Rev. 12:1ff).

Two Trees in the World

The Garden of Eden is no more, swept away by a global Flood in the days of Noah (Gen. 6-9).

But strange to tell, solemnly to tell, and wonderfully to tell, the two trees of Eden are very much present in the earth. It will repay us well to consider them further with care.

On the one hand, there is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

No, it is no longer a physical tree as it was back in Eden. Rather, it is now a spiritual tree, a tree whose mighty tendrils have spread far and wide, now holding the whole world-system in its lethal grip.

It is a mind-set, a powerful spiritual bent, an operative theology and morality inherited from our first father, Adam.

This mindset revolves around an autonomous “I”— an “I” that Adam’s sin sundered from I AM, the One who is our true creator, sustainer, provider, and ruler. Whether explicitly or implicitly, all who remain in the grip of this mindset declare with Adam, “I depend on none but myself. I am in charge. I call the shots. I am free to choose or create my own worldview. I am free to choose or create my own morality. I decide what is good and what is evil, what is true and what is false, what is beautiful and what is ugly. I determine my own way, my own truth, and my own life. I am my own god” (Ex. 3:14; John 8:58).

Yet even there, in the deepest recesses of the domain of darkness, the voice of the one true living God can still be heard: “In the day you eat of this tree, you will surely die” (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 1:18-23; 6:23; 8:6).

On the other hand, there is also the Tree of Life.

No, it is no longer a physical tree as it was back in Eden. Rather, it is a spiritual tree. It is the God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, the divine-human Person who contains within himself all the precious fruits of his redemptive Work: of his virgin birth, righteous life, atoning death, vindicating resurrection, heavenly reign, and future return in glory to raise the dead, judge the world in righteousness, purge the fallen cosmos with fire, and create a glorious new heaven and new earth, a cosmic Eden: the eternal home of the redeemed (2 Peter 3).

And again: The High King is not silent. Knowing that all men and nations now stand before these two spiritual trees, the exalted Christ—from his throne in heaven, and through his Spirit-filled Church—is speaking to us all and putting us all to the gospel test.

First, he commands us to repent of our ingratitude, rebellion, and foolishness; of our self-centeredness, self-indulgence, self-righteousness, and self-exaltation; of following the deadly example of the world-system, and of embracing the deadly mindset of its unseen ruler, the mutant spirit who so foolishly said, “I will make myself like the Most High” (Is. 14:14; Luke 4:5-7; 24:46-47; Acts 2:38; 17:30; Rom. 1:18-32).

But then—in overflowing love, mercy, and grace—he also calls us to himself: to the one and only Tree of Life.

In so doing he calls us to simple faith in him, and through that faith to the forgiveness of our sins, to right-standing in the courtroom of our heavenly Father, to reconciliation, to spiritual adoption, to the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit, to growth in the gifts and fruits of the Spirit, to heaven above on the day of our death, and to a glorious new homeland on the day of his return.

And there is more!

For wonder of wonders, in all of this he is also calling us to the knowledge of good and evil.

For once again: In our time, what is truly good if not to believe and obey the Word of God in the gospel, and therefore to come to Christ, depend on him, and live in him?

And what is truly evil, if not to disbelieve and disobey the Word of God in the gospel, and therefore to spurn Christ, depend on oneself, and live and die in the grip the great deceiver, tempter, and ruler of this present evil age, who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy . . . and then to perish in the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41; John 8:21; 10:10; 12:31; Gal. 1:4; 1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 20:10, 15)?

Conclusion

As a near-octogenarian, I will soon be crossing the river Jordan. Therefore, I want to conclude this meditation by giving heart-felt thanks to my heavenly Father.

For over five decades he has lovingly, mercifully, graciously, faithfully, and repeatedly taught me that I must never again partake of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the way the first Adam did.

Rather, I may and must partake of it in the way the last Adam did.

For he is our leader, pioneer, and example: this One who throughout his own time of testing in the wilderness of this world consistently rejected the word of the tempter, but instead believed and obeyed every word that came from the mouth of his God; the One who therefore spoke only what he heard his Father saying, and did only what he saw him doing; the One who therefore grew in wisdom, stature, and power, and also in favor with God and men; the One who thereby came to know good and evil, and also to cling to the good and detest the evil; and the One who, through all of this, won for himself and purchased for us the supreme good, which is eternal life (Math. 26:26-46; Luke 2:52; 4:1-13; John 5:30; 8:33; Rom. 5:12ff; 12:9; 1 Cor. 15:45; Heb. 5:8).

In other words, my heavenly Father has taught me that as much as may be possible for a poor way-faring stranger passing through this world of woe, I must always partake of the Tree of Life: of the Spirit, the Word, and the Will of his uniquely-begotten Son . . .

. . . that in manifold ways I must always live beneath the shadow of this holy Tree . . .

. . . that I must always come to him, rest in him, depend on him, wait on him, receive from him, listen to him, learn from him, walk with him, serve with him, suffer with him, delight in him, and (in all these ways) come to love him more and more . . .

. . . that then alone will I come safely to the knowledge of good and evil . . .

. . . that then alone will I come surely to the way, the truth, and the life . . .

. . . and that then alone will I come joyfully to eternal life: the kind of life lived by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that life lived forever.

Notes

1. Based on NT revelation, it seems reasonable to assume that for an appointed season—perhaps six or seven thousand years—Adam and his family, under the leadership of God’s Son, would have walked down the corridor of cosmic history, enjoying unimaginable blessings and accomplishments, until the happy day in which he (the Son) was pleased to glorify the universe and deliver it up as a love-gift to his heavenly Father (1 Cor. 15:20-28).

2. After saying this, God expelled the guilty pair from Eden and stationed holy cherubim, manned with flaming swords, at the east end of the Garden, lest they should take from the Tree of Life and live forever, not in eternal spiritual life in Christ, but simply in eternal biological life, in sin, and under punishment (Gen. 3:22-24). Thus, even in judgment God showed great mercy, and also wonderful tokens of the redemption he would soon provide through his beloved Son (Gen. 3:20-21).

Published: 27 July 2026

Written by Dean Davis

6 Comments

Categories: Devotional

“The Spirit intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.”
(Romans 8)

In today’s sermon, our pastor spoke about spiritual groaning.

From Day One in our Christian life, the Spirit lusts against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit, so that we cannot be and do the things we want (Galatians 5). So that we groan.

To illustrate this groaning, Pastor Josh recalled a visit to a cattle ranch. He was on site when the men were branding the calves. He saw them wrestling the animals down, recoiled at the hiss of burning hide and flesh, and (worst of all) endured the short but pain-filled groaning of the terrified calves.

Josh’s point: Branding would be abuse or torture if it were not well-intended and mercifully brief. The same is true with God. He means our groaning for good, and against the backdrop of eternity it is infinitesimally brief.

But while appreciating Josh’s point, a different thought sprang to my mind.

At the end of his letter to the Galatians, the apostle Paul—who had often gone toe-to-toe with heretical Christian Jews seeking to place the Gentile saints under the Mosaic Law—issued this stern warning: “From now on, let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the brand marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6). In his defense and confirmation of the gospel, Paul had been beaten many times. The state of his body proved it.

Here, then, is my thought.

The Christian life—though filled with many delightful seasons of spiritual refreshing, advance, fruitfulness, and joy—is nevertheless also a life of deep groaning. We groan to be free from residual sin. We groan to be holy as He is holy. We groan to see our friends and loved ones come to Christ. We groan to see justice done in our land, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob honored in her citadels. And the frailer we get, the more we groan to be clothed with “our tent from heaven” — our resurrection body, vouchsafed to us by the resurrected Christ (2 Corinthians 5).

Yes, all such groaning is painful, but it’s also profoundly encouraging. Why? Because it is a brand mark of Jesus. It is the good fruit of a benevolent, holy, and God-given wound, piercing to the depths of our being, making and marking us as his property, demonstrating that “He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep of His hand” (Psalm 95).

In short, spiritual groaning is a steppingstone to spiritual assurance. Now I have never met a Christian who, at least at times, did not wrestle with God, prayerfully seeking a deep and abiding assurance that he really does belong to Him. Such wrestling comes with the territory. It is part of the battle to which believers are born. The world, the flesh, and the devil stand opposed to the new life within us, and the inevitable result is onslaughts of spiritual doubt, fear, and insecurity.

Therefore, beloved fellow-wrestlers, let me ask you a question: In your walk with Christ do you find yourself groaning? In the face of all your groaning, do you find yourself doubting? And in the face of all your doubting do you find yourself pressing into God, continually seeking from Him overruling grace, deliverance, wholeness, justice, assurance, and eternal happiness of the heavenly kind?

If so, then by all means take heart: Yours is a holy groaning, and therefore a brand mark of Jesus Christ. It means you are indeed your beloved’s, and He is yours: now and forever.

And it means one thing more: In midst of all your groaning, rejoice!

Published: 21 July 2026

Written by Dean Davis

4 Comments

Categories: Ecclesiology, Theology

Fight the good fight of faith;
take hold of the eternal life to which you were called,
after which you confessed the good confession
in the presence of many witnesses.

(1 Timothy 6:13)

For wise reasons, God likes his children to go public with their faith. When they do, they are confessing, which is to say: beholding God’s truth, personally embracing it, and declaring one’s loyalty to it as opportunities arise or circumstances require. Such confessing is good and pleasing in his sight.

John the Baptizer, pressed by the religious authorities of his day, did not deny the truth, but confessed it: He was not the Messiah, but only his herald and a voice crying in the wilderness, “Straighten out the way of the Lord!”

Our Lord himself, interrogated and adjured by Israel’s high priest, was asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God?” In reply, he boldly confessed, “You have said it yourself. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth:Hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power on high and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

And only hours later, being similarly interrogated by Pilate—the mouthpiece and strong arm of Rome itself—he confessed that, yes, I am indeed a king, though not of this realm, but of a kingdom inhabited by all who hear and obey the truth.

As for the apostle Paul, when standing trial in Rome, the Lord stood with him and strengthened him, so that through him the gospel might be fully proclaimed to the Gentiles—in this case including, no doubt, many Roman officials in attendance at the judgment seat of Nero. It was a confession much like his Lord’s, and a good one indeed!

And then there is beloved Timothy, who, like all Christians, heard the call of Christ, and then—in the presence of many witnesses (most likely attending his water baptism)—confessed the good confession . . . and went on to serve the Lord as well as he confessed him.

But good confessions change; and thankfully, they usually change for the better.

At the beginning of our Christian life our confession will indeed be good, but also quite simple: “He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20); “I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead,” (Romans 10:9); “I believe that Christ died for my sins according to the Scriptures,that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

In time, however—through meditation upon the Scriptures and by the illuminating work of the Spirit—our initial confession becomes more complex, more nuanced, more mature. Indeed, as in the case of the saints cited above, it grows into a worldview: a map of all reality, enabling skilled Christian mariners to navigate their way across the surging sea of this life to safe harbor and peace in the next.

Therefore, as one who deeply values mature confessions of faith, I would like in the pages ahead to share my own. And as a near octogenarian, I think it good to state at the outset that the affirmations contained in this confession have indeed ripened over the years, yet in essence remained unchanged for decades. As such, they have guided me in innumerable practical decisions, informed my preaching, teaching, and writing, equipped me for doctrinal controversy, and comforted and refreshed my soul time and again. Hoping they may do the same for you, I post them here.

I have sometimes wondered: In that Day, when we stand before the Lord of glory, might he ask, “Son, may I hear your good confession at its best—at its most mature? I know what you believed at the beginning, when I first called you. But now, after all those years of prayer, study, and service, tell me what you came to believe at the end.”

Well, to be honest, I rather doubt the Lord will query his kids in quite this manner. But just in case, here is my good confession at its best. It is a substantially modified version of the New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1833), and has served as the Statement of Faith of the ministry of Come Let Us Reason for many years. I hope it will be a blessing to you.

A Statement of Faith*

I. Of the Scriptures

We believe that the Holy Bible, comprised of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, was written by divinely inspired men, and is therefore a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, Christ for its center, salvation for its end, and truth—with no admixture of error—for its matter; that in conjunction with the gracious work of the Spirit of Truth and the gospel proclamation of the Church, it is God’s chosen instrument for the effectual calling, edification, exhortation, comfort, and preservation of his people; that it reveals the principles by which God would have us live, and by which also we shall be judged; and that, together with the living Word himself, it is—and until the end of the world will remain—the true center of Christian unity, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tested.

Psalm 19; Prov. 30:5-6; Is. 8:20; Mt. 7:24ff, 24:35; Luke 24:44-45; John 10:35, 12:48, 16:13; Acts 20:32; Rom. 10:14-15; 1 Cor. 1:10; 1 Tim. 6:3-4; 2 Tim. 1:13; 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21 / Mt. 25:14-23; Rev. 4:9-11

II. Of the One True God

We believe that there is one—and only one—true and living God; that he is an infinite, personal spirit; a necessary being owing his existence to none, and the creative fountainhead of all that has ever come to be; that in himself he is light, life, love, goodness, and joy; that he is immutable, omniscient, eternal, immense, and omnipotent; that in relation to his creation(s) he is holy, transcendent, immanent, loving, kind, faithful, righteous, and just; and that he is knowable by—yet also incomprehensible to—both men and angels. / We believe that God is intimately and intricately related to the universe, life, and man as their creator, sustainer, ruler, judge, and redeemer; and that before the founding of the world he foreordained—and now, by an all-controlling providence, continually brings to pass—all events in heaven and on earth, yet in such a way as to be neither the author of sin nor a violator of the will of free moral agents, whose decisions flow from themselves alone. / We believe that in the unity of the Godhead there are three divine persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; that the Father eternally begets the Son, and that the Father and the Son eternally breathe out the Holy Spirit, who is therefore said to proceed from them both; that these three share a common essence, and are therefore equal in every divine attribute and perfection; but also that they nevertheless dwell forever in a hierarchy of authority, such that the Father is over the Son, and the Father and the Son are over the Holy Spirit; and that each divine person executes distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of cosmic redemption, even as they labor together towards that end. / Finally, we believe that owing to the mutual knowledge and distinct relations ever holding between the three divine persons, the triune God eternally and immutably overflows with delight in who he is, what he knows, and what he does; that in the gospel he lovingly invites all men everywhere to share in this joyous knowledge and fellowship through simple faith in the divine person and all–sufficient work of Jesus Christ; and that this God, in both his person and works, is inexpressibly glorious in all his perfections, and therefore worthy of all possible gratitude, praise, honor, confidence, aspiration, adoration, and love.

Dt. 6:4, Mark 12:29, 1 Thess. 1:9; Ex. 3:13-15, Acts 17:34; Ps. 90:2, Is. 40:28, Jn. 8:58, 1 Tim. 1:17; Mal. 3:16, James 1:17; Psalms 139:1-6, 147:5, Dan. 2:20f, Mt. 6:8, Rom. 11:33f; Ps. 139:6-7, Jer. 23:23, Acts 17:24; Ps. 62:11, Jer. 32:27, Mt. 19:26; Ex. 15:11, Is. 40:25, Jn. 17:11, 1 Pet. 1:15; Deut. 7:9f, John 3:16, 1 Jn. 4:7 / Gen. 1:1, Is. 45:12-18, Jn. 1:1f, 1 Cor. 8:6; Ps. 104:27-30, Acts 17:27; Is. 26:8-9, Rom. 2:5-6, 8:20-22; Is. 45:7, Rom. 8:28; Ex. 6:6-8, Mark 10:45, Jn. 3:16, Eph.1:7; Is. 46:10, Am. 3:6, Acts 4:27-28, Rom. 8:28, Eph. 1:11, James 1:13f, 1 John 1:5; Eph. 1:14, Rom. 11:36, Rev. 4-5 / Mt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 8:6f, 2 Cor. 13:14, John 6:38-40, 10:30, 14:11, 15:26; Acts 2:33; Eph. 1:1-14, Heb. 10:5-10; 1 Pet. 1:1-3; Rev. 6:6 / Ps. 135:6, Neh. 8:10, Zeph. 3:17, Mt. 3:17; Jn. 15:11, 17:13, 2 Cor. 1:24, Gal. 5:22, 1 Pet. 1:8, 1 Jn. 1:1-4

III. Of the Creation of the Universe, Life, and Man

We believe that in the beginning God brought into being—not out of nothing, but out of his eternal purpose and plan—a good, fully formed, fully functioning, geocentric, time-space-matter universe, and that he did so in six literal (solar) days; that on the sixth day he created the man Adam out of the dust of the earth, and his wife Eve from one of Adam’s ribs; and that both of them, in contradistinction to the angels and higher animals, were created in God’s own image and likeness, and granted—with a view to their joy and his glory—life, knowledge, purpose, privilege, freedom, authority, and responsibility under the benevolent rule of their sovereign creator and Lord. / We believe that in a sublime foreshadowing of future relations between Christ and his Church, God ordained the institution of marriage, putting the man to sleep, opening his side, extracting a rib, fashioning the rib into a woman, and bringing the woman to the man in order to be joined to her as his companion, helper, lover, and mother of his children; and that in doing so, as well as by later biblical precept and example, he set forth monogamous, life-long marriage as the norm for all his children, and the sole context in which sexual relations may lawfully be enjoyed. / We believe that the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the ensuing (partial) curse laid upon all creation, the global flood that occurred in the days of Noah, and the confusion of language and the dispersion of mankind at the tower of Babel were true historical events, and—together with the primordial act of creation—responsible for the existence and condition of the universe, life, and man as we know them today. / Finally, we believe that holy Scripture, common sense, and sound history and science all join together in manifestly refuting every effort to relegate Genesis 1-11 to the category of myth, polemic, or poetry; and that every effort to accommodate biblical cosmogony to millions of years of cosmic evolution or progressive creation is therefore culpable, dangerous, and utterly in vain.

Gen. 1:31, Ex. 20:11, Eccl. 7:29, Rom. 8:20, 2 Pet. 3:5; Gen. 2:18ff, Mark 10:6, Rom. 5:12f, 1 Cor. 15:45f; Gen. 1:26ff, 2:17-17, 3:8, 5:2, Psalms 8:3f, 115:16 / Mt. 24:37f, 1 Pet. 3:19f; Luke 3:23-38, John 8:44, Eph. 5:30-31, 1 Tim. 2:13-14, Heb. 4:1-10, 11:1-7, 1 Jn. 3:12

IV. Of the Holy Angels, Satan, Evil Spirits, and the World-System

We believe that in the beginning God created a spiritual heaven embedded in, or situated above, the physical heavens; that it was (and now is) home to an innumerable host of personal spiritual beings called angels; that the angels were graciously created to experience and enjoy the contemplation of God through his self-manifestation(s) in heaven, worship him accordingly, and (at the proper time) serve as his ministers to the heirs of salvation on the earth below; and that they, like Adam and Eve, were also subject to a test of their love and obedience to God. / We believe that one of these angels—an extraordinarily intelligent, beautiful, and privileged cherub originally called Day Star—failed his probation by committing, in a manner not fully disclosed by Scripture, the primordial sin in the universe, with the result that ever since he has sought to exalt himself above his creator, and to usurp the worship rightfully belonging to him; that to this end he induced a large minority of the other angels to follow him in his rebellion; that to this same end he also purposed in his heart to target and entice the family of man; and that in doing these things he became Satan (i.e., the adversary, the accuser): the proud, self-centered, cunning, hateful, powerful, deadly, and irredeemable enemy of God and all that God loves. / We believe that the man Adam, through his (act of) unbelief and disobedience in Eden, surrendered the family of man to the rule of Satan instead of the rule of God; that this sin marked the onset of the world-system, also called the domain of darkness; that the world-system, like Satan himself, is hostile to God and driven by a spirit of self-exaltation, rebellion, and manifold forms of perverted human desire (lusts); and that the world-system—despite divinely granted seasons of redemptive advance—will continue to trend from bad to worse until the consummation of all things at the return of Christ; but also that through the redemptive work of Christ and the gospel proclamation of the Church, God will most certainly fulfill his eternal purpose and plan by extracting his elect from the world-system; by transferring a chosen and believing people out of the domain of darkness into the eternal kingdom of his beloved Son. / We believe that Satan is a formidable foe, ever seeking to deceive, entice, persecute, divide, condemn, frighten, afflict, and—if it were possible—destroy the children of God; that the resulting spiritual conflict poses considerable spiritual danger to the saints, requiring on their part constant sobriety, watchfulness, and perseverance; but also that Christ himself has prayed for them, so that through their close attendance upon the means of grace, and through their constant pursuit of spiritual growth and fellowship with God, they will—despite manifold tests, temptations, and occasional failures—never again fall back into Satan’s evil domain, but will, on the contrary, mature in their most holy faith, to the praise of the glory of God’s wisdom, power, and over-ruling grace. / Finally, we believe that towards the end of the present evil age Satan will seem to achieve his age-old ambition(s) by indwelling and empowering a personal antichrist, who, through lying wonders (i.e., deceptive miracles) and a counterfeit gospel, will induce the entire world-system to worship and follow him, even as he severely persecutes the true spiritual Church, whose members will most certainly be preserved in the faith; and that shortly after his arrival on the scene, the antichrist—together with his followers and Satan himself—will be consigned to gehenna (hell, the lake of fire) for eternal destruction at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the praise of the glory of his perfect justice and mighty power.

Col. 1:6, Heb. 8:9; Is. 6:1f, Heb. 1:14, Rev. 4:5f, 5:11ff / Is. 14:12-15, Ezek. 28:11-19; Jude 6, Luke 10:17, Rev. 12:1f / Gen. 3:1-6, Luke 4:6; Jn. 7:7, 8:23, 14:30, 15:19, 1 Jn. 2:16; Jn. 12:31, 16:11, Eph. 6:12; Gal. 1:4, Col. 1:13; Jn. 12:31, 16:13, 1 Jn. 4:4, 5:4-5 / 2 Cor. 10:4, Eph. 6:12, 1 Tim. 4:1f, Rev. 12:13ff; 1 Pet. 5:8, James 4:7, 1 Jn. 4:1-2; Luke 22:31f, John 17:11-12, 1 Pet. 1:5, 1 Jn. 5:18 / Gen. 3:15; Dan. 7:1f, Rom. 9:22-23; 2 Thess. 2:1ff, 1 Jn. 2:18, Rev. 13:6-9; 16:14; 20:7-10

V. Of the Fall of Man and Nature

We believe that the man Adam was created in a state of innocence, and also under a law, in a covenant, and on probation in the sight of his maker, such that by eating from the Tree of Life he would have received the indwelling Holy Spirit, come to know the Father through the Son, and lived and walked in perfect holiness under the headship of the Son down the corridor of human history to its appointed consummation in glory; whereas by eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil he would surely break God’s law, end his probation in failure, and die, both spiritually and physically; that in Eden Adam stood as the head and representative of the entire family of man; that through his voluntary transgression, which consisted of unbelief and disobedience, he fell from his state of innocence into a state of sin, and therefore also under divine wrath, condemnation, and the peril of eternal punishment; that Adam’s transgression was imputed (or credited) to all mankind, and his (new) sinful nature imparted to all mankind, so that henceforth all men, though loved by God and the recipients of his many mercies and good gifts, were/are nevertheless sinners from birth in (legal) standing, nature, attitude, thought, word, and deed; that despite their being victims of Adam’s sin, they are without excuse in the sight of God, the knowledge of whose existence, holiness, goodness, sovereignty, law, and way of salvation—granted through creation, conscience, and the proclamation of the gospel—they willfully and culpably suppress in unrighteousness; and that they, being altogether unable to rescue and restore themselves, altogether stand in need of a merciful and gracious redemption from God. / We also believe that because of Adam’s transgression, the creation itself—in accordance with God’s wisdom, and by his own hand of judgment—was and is, in diverse ways, burdened and marred by a partial curse, resulting in the regime of calamity, conflict, violence, predation, decay, frustration, suffering, and death that we see around us in the world today; and that a world thus fallen is meant to stand as a palpable reminder of the character, consequences, and gravity of man’s sin, but also as a merciful inducement to turn from our sin and come home to our loving creator through the divine person and all-sufficient work of the redeemer whom he has sent.

Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:9, 16-17; 3:7-22; 6:12; Ps. 51:5; Matt. 3:7; Mark 7:21f; Jn. 3:18-21; 17:3; Rom. 1:18f; 3:9f; 5:12ff, 8:7, 20f; 1 Cor. 11:2f, 15:20f; Gal. 3:10-14; 5:15, 19-21; Eph. 2:1f; Rev. 21:4; Rev. 22:1-3, 14, 19.

VI. Of Christ and the Way of Redemption

We believe that the redemption (i.e., the rescue and restoration) of sinners is, and must be, wholly by grace; that such redemption comes to us through the preeminent gift of God: the divine person and all-sufficient work of his uniquely begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that in accordance with the Father’s eternal purpose and plan, and with the outworking of the one eternal covenant by which his people are redeemed, his Son freely took upon himself our human nature; that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, and was therefore without the contamination of original sin; that like the first Adam in Eden, Christ stood before God as the Last: as the head and representative of his people, whose we are if we believe in him. / We believe that throughout his entire life Christ obeyed his Father’s will, passing every test set before him; that he victoriously completed the course of the first Adam, and so became the perfect man; that he victoriously completed the course of the Mosaic Law, and so became the perfect Israelite; and that by victoriously completing both, he acquired a perfect righteousness, later to be imputed and imparted, through faith, to a new humanity and the eternal Israel of God. / We believe that by his substitutionary death on the Cross, Christ further fulfilled, in behalf of his believing people, the righteous requirement of God’s law by making full payment (atonement) for all their sins: past, present, and future; and that in so doing he satisfied God’s justice, propitiated his wrath, and secured for his flock the blessings of eternal life. / We believe that the Father bore witness to the truth of Christ’s teaching and the efficacy of his redemptive mission in life and death by granting him to speak, teach, and prophesy the very Word of God; to inspire saving wonder by performing innumerable mighty miracles; to fulfill numerous Old Testament messianic types (i.e., symbolic persons, places, things, events, and institutions) and predictive prophecies; and, above all, to rise from the dead to eternal life at his own right hand, thereby manifesting to the whole world his appointed object of saving faith. / We believe that the Father also raised up numerous eyewitnesses to these events, some of whom were moved by the Holy Spirit to record their testimony in Holy Scripture for all posterity; and that in her proclamation and defense of the gospel the Church is instructed to set forth all these evidences, so that all who hear the Word of God may, like Adam in Eden, take the gospel test, and—by believing and obeying the message about Christ—be redeemed. / Finally, we believe that the exalted Lord Jesus Christ now sits enthroned in heaven above as the God-appointed Prophet (Teacher), Priest, Sacrifice, and King of the world; that in (further) fulfillment of these offices he is presently administering from heaven the redemption that he previously accomplished on earth; and that by uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies, the fullness of his divine perfections, and the merits of his redemptive work in life and death, he is in every way qualified to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient redeemer to all who humbly call upon him for pardon, righteousness, and eternal life.

Eph. 1:6, 2:3, 2 Tim. 1:9f, Titus 2:11f; Jn. 3:16, 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Cor. 1:30ff, 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 2:14, 10:5; Is. 7:14, Mt. 1:18-22, Jn. 8:46, 1 Pet. 1:19; Rom. 5:12f, 1 Cor. 11:1, Eph. 1:22, 4:15, 5:23, Col. 1:18, 2:19 / Mt. 3:15, 4:1-11, John 8:29, Gal. 4:4, 2 Cor. 5:21; Is 53:1f, Mt. 20:28, Jn. 1:29-36, 6:22-59, Rom. 3:21-26, 4:25, 1 Cor. 15:1-3, Heb. 1:3, 7:27, 9:12, 1 Pet. 3:18, 1 Jn. 2:3 / John 3:2, 5:31ff, John 20:31-31; Acts 1:3; Acts 2:14-38, Rom. 16:25ff, 2 Pet. 1:16f; / Heb. 2:1-4; Acts 2:33, 5:31, 7:55f, Rom. 8:34, Heb. 8:1-2, 10:12, 12:2, Rom. 8:34, 9:24, Phil. 3:20-21, Col. 3:1, Mt. 11:28f, Acts 2:21, Rom. 10:12-13.

VII. Of the Free Gift of Salvation

We believe that in accordance with the Great Commission it is the privilege and responsibility of the Church to make known and available the blessing(s) of salvation to all men everywhere through the proclamation of the gospel: the good news that eternal redemption is not a wage to be earned by the work(s) of sinful man, but a gift of God to be received through faith in the divine person and all-sufficient work of his incarnate Son, Jesus Christ; that it is therefore the immediate duty and precious opportunity of all men everywhere to cordially, penitently, and obediently place their faith in Christ for salvation; and that nothing prevents the greatest sinner on earth from doing so except his own inherent depravity and a willful rejection of the gospel, which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.

Is. 55:1; Mt. 11:20-24, 23:37, 28:18f; Mark 1:15; Luke 14:23, 24:44-49; John 3:16-21, 5:40; Acts 2:38, 13:46, 17:30, 28:23f; Rom. 4:1-8, 10:14-15, 2 Thess. 1:8; Rev. 22:17

VIII. Of the Holy Spirit and His Work

We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, who is one in essence with the Father and the Son, who proceeds from them both, and who shares with them both all the divine attributes; that he was and is active in all of God’s works, including creation, providence, and redemption; that in accordance with the will of the Father, he was the agent of Christ’s virgin birth and the animating power behind his mighty words and deeds. / We believe that in the economy of redemption the Spirit’s special mission is to be a Helper, both of Christ in heaven, and also of his people on earth; that under Christ, the Spirit therefore grants and secures to God’s people such blessings as regeneration, repentance, faith, sanctification, the various fruits and gifts of the Spirit, power for Christian living, guidance, illumination, perseverance, perfection of spirit in heaven after death, and glorification of body in the world to come following Christ’s return. / We believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is performed by the exalted Christ, occurs at the moment of surrender to Christ, and seals the new believer in Christ, uniting him with the risen Lord and his Body (i.e., the Church) for time and eternity. / We believe that the panoply of spiritual gifts revealed in Scripture, though operative exclusively at God’s good pleasure, has nevertheless not been withdrawn from the Church; but also that, with the closure of the biblical cannon, God’s preferred method for the sanctification of his people is through interaction with his inscripturated Word; and that every genuine or supposed exercise of a spiritual gift must be in accordance with Scripture and judged by it. / Finally, we believe that the Body of Christ is the eternal dwelling place of God by the Spirit, so that believers should always desire and pray for the fullest possible operation of the Spirit in their lives and gatherings, even as they consistently yield themselves to the Spirit’s supreme pleasure, which is to exalt the person and work of Christ, to the glory of God the Father.

Mt. 3:16-17, 12:28, John 14:16-17, 15:26, 16:7-8, 13, Rom. 8:9, Gal. 4:6, 2 Cor. 3:17, 13:4; Gen. 1:1-2, Ps. 104:30; Mt. 12:28, Luke 1:35, 4:14, 5:17 / John 3:4-8, 14:26, 15:26, 16:5-15, Acts 5:32, 16:14, 1 Cor. 12, 14, Gal. 5:22f, 2 Thess. 3:13, Titus 3:5, 1 Jn. 2:27 / Mt. 3:11; Jn. 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts 2:3; 10:15-18, 1 Cor. 12:13, Eph. 1:13, 4:30 / 1 Cor. 12:1f, 13:8ff, 14:1-33, Heb. 13:8, 1 Pet. 4:10; Jn. 17:17, Acts 20:32, 1 Tim. 4:11-16, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; John 8:31, 15:7, 1 Thess. 5:20-22, 1 Jn. 2:14, 4:1 / Is. 66:1f, Ezek. 37:27, 43:4f, Luke 11:13, John 16:14, Acts 13:2, 19:1-7, 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 14:1f, Eph. 2:22, 1 Thess. 5:16f, Rev. 1:10, 21:3

IX. Of the Grace of Regeneration

We believe that for sinners to be redeemed they must first be regenerated or born again; that regeneration is a gracious gift of God the Father, consisting of the supernatural creation of a holy disposition of the mind, heart, and will; that it is effected by the secret working of the Holy Spirit, at a time and in a manner of God’s own choosing, but always in conjunction with the proclamation of the essential truths of the biblical gospel: salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone; that it unfailingly results in repentance from sin, trust in Christ, and a life-long walk in the Spirit with him, not in perfection, but in the grace of faithfulness amidst all the tests, troubles, and triumphs of the developing Christian life; and that the evidence of its genuineness consists of perseverance in the faith, growth in knowledge, character, and service to God and man, and a joyful assurance of one’s eternal adoption as a beloved son or daughter of God through faith in Christ.

Jer. 31:31f; Ezek. 37:1-12, 36:26; Mt. 5:1-9, 7:15-20, 13:18-23, 16:14; Mark 4:26-27; John 1:12-13, 3:1-21, 12:32; 16:8-11; Acts 11:18; Rom 5:5, 6:4; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 2:4f; Phil. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:3; Heb. 8:7ff, 12:10; 1 Jn. 5:1, 4, 18.

X. Of the Grace of Repentance and Faith

We believe that repentance and faith are the sacred duties of all who hear the gospel, as well as inseparable graces purchased by Christ and wrought in the souls of his people by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit; that through the grace of repentance we are convinced of our radical sinfulness, ungodliness, and guilt; of our exposure to the wrath of God and eternal punishment; of our utter helplessness to save ourselves; and that as a result of such conviction we turn (and are turned) back to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy. / We also believe that through the accompanying grace of faith we are convinced of the love and good will of God towards the world; of the divine nature of his incarnate Son; of the redemptive efficacy of his life, death, and resurrection; and of our need to flee to Christ alone for refuge from wrath, forgiveness of sins, and the enjoyment of eternal life; and that as a result of such conviction, we come (and are brought) to Christ, prayerfully receive him as Savior and Lord, and wholly place our trust in him for all things, henceforth endeavoring to walk with him in the Spirit before the face of his Father and our Father, of his God and our God. / Finally, we also believe that if anyone is sincerely willing to do God’s will, he need only ask, seek, and knock in prayer, and God will grant him the saving gifts of conviction, repentance, and faith.

Ps. 51; Mt. 23:8; Mark 1:15; Luke 15:18-21, 18:13; John 1:12, 16:8-11, 18:9-14; Acts 2:36-37, 11:18, 16:25-30, 17:30, 20:17; Phil. 3:3-4; Col. 2:1-3; 1 Pet. 3:18; Heb. 4:14f; Rev. 1:5, 17:14. / Jn. 7:17; Mt. 7:7; Eph. 1:18; Heb. 6:4, 10:32

XI. Of the Grace of Justification

We believe that justification is the great foundational blessing of the gospel; that it is altogether a gift of God’s free mercy and grace; that God alone is the one who justifies sinners, which is to say that God, having brought his people to faith in Christ, imputes to them the very righteousness of Christ (i.e., credits it to their account), and so declares them to be righteous in his sight and before his Law. / We therefore believe that justification is not through our obedience to the Law, or through any other works that we have done, but exclusively through active, persevering faith in the righteous work of Christ, both in his life and in his death; that through his active obedience he fulfilled the righteous requirement of God’s law by perfectly obeying not only the Law of Moses, but also also every other command of his heavenly Father; that through his passive obedience he again fulfilled the righteous requirement of God’s law, this time by suffering—in our place—its just penalty for our sins; that justification is therefore based upon “double imputation”: first upon the imputation of our sins to Christ on the cross, and later upon the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us; and that God imputes this perfect righteousness to us once and for all, at the moment of saving faith, when, in repentance and faith, we prayerfully welcome Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives as savior and Lord. / We also believe that justification secures for us every other blessing of redemption, both for time and eternity; and that these blessings include definitive spiritual union with Christ, reconciliation with God, spiritual adoption as his beloved sons and daughters, sanctification, preservation, glorification, and more.

Luke 24:46-47, Acts 13:39, Rom. 1:16-17, 5:1-3; Rom. 4:16, 6:23, Eph. 2:8; Zech. 3:2-4, Rom. 8:33, 1 Cor. 1:30-31; Rom. 5:1f, 1 Cor. 1:30-31, Acts 10:43, Eph. 2:8, Phil. 3:7-9, Titus 3:5; Is. 53:11-12, Zech. 3:2-4, John 5:24, Rom. 4:23-25, 2 Cor. 5:21 / John 1:12; Rom. 5:10, 8:15-17, 29-30, 1 Cor. 1:30-31, 2 Cor. 5:18, Gal. 4:1-6, Eph. 1:3

XII. Of the Grace of Sanctification

We believe that sanctification is the ongoing process by which God himself, in accordance with his eternal purpose and plan, purifies his children from sin, makes them partakers of the divine nature, and conforms them to the image of his holy Son; that sanctification is a progressive work, begun in regeneration, carried on throughout this life, spiritually consummated at the moment of death, and bodily consummated at the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead; that sanctification is indeed a work of the sovereign God, but that it also involves, on the part of his people, the faithful use of the biblically appointed means of grace, which include personal meditation on the Word of God, regular participation in the life and ordinances of the Church, and the exercise of one’s spiritual gifts in ministry; that in order to accomplish and expedite our sanctification, our heavenly Father has called us to separate ourselves from the world, the flesh, and the devil; to come to him through Christ; to set our minds on the Spirit and on the things above; to contemplate—through the window of Scripture—the glory of the person, work, and offices of the redeemer; and—by his enablement—to walk with him in the Spirit in the fullest possible submission, dependency, child-likeness, gratitude, humility, obedience, prayerfulness, purity, diligence, watchfulness, longsuffering, fervency, faith, hope, love, and joy. / Finally, we believe that just as sanctification is one of God’s greatest gift to us, so too is it one of our greatest gifts to God.

Mt. 7:24f, 26:41; Jn. 15:1-11, 17:17; Rom. 8:20, 12:1f; 1 Cor. 11:27-32, 14:26; 2 Cor. 13:5, 18; Gal. 5:22-26, 6:1; Eph. 4:11-16, 20-24, 6:18, Phil. 1:9-11, 2:12-13, 3:12-16; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 1:3, 6:1, 10:23-25, 11:1ff; 1 Pet. 2:2, 4:10; 2 Pet. 1:4-8, 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:3, 21. / Mt. 25:14-23; Rev. 4:9-11.

XIII. Of the Grace of the Preservation and Perseverance of the Saints

We believe that those whom God has chosen, called, justified, reconciled, adopted, and sealed in Christ through the gift of the Holy Spirit can never fully or finally fall away from the faith, but are eternally secure, and will indeed continue in the faith to the very end; that this persevering attachment to Christ is a gracious work of the triune God himself and a grand mark that distinguishes his true children from superficial professors; that such preservation is not only consistent with, but also positively requires, the active participation of believers, in that they must—and will—abide in Christ and keep themselves in the love of God; that scriptural warnings to the saints against their falling away must be taken with utmost seriousness, and are in fact instruments used by God to preserve them in the faith; that from time to time, and possibly to their great injury, the saints may fall into various temptations and sins, so as to grieve the Holy Spirit and fall under the chastening hand of their loving heavenly Father; but also that in the end, through the intercessions of their faithful High Priest, they will renew their repentance and faith, be restored, and go and strengthen their brethren.

Jn. 6:35-40, 10:11-16, 25-30, Rom. 8:29-39, Phil. 1:6, Heb. 13:5, 1 Jn. 3:9, 4:4, 5:18; Ps. 121, Jer. 32:40, Jn. 10:28-29, 14:16-18, 17:9-19, 1 Pet. 1:5, Jude 1; Job 17:9, Mt. 13:20-21, Jn. 6:60ff, Jn. 13:18, 1 Jn. 2:19; Jn. 15:1f, Phil. 2:13, 3:12f, Heb. 6:12, 11:6, Jude 1:21; Jn. 15:5-8, Acts 27:27-32, Rom. 11:12, Col. 1:21-23; Luke 22:31-34, 22:54-62, Jn. 21:15-19, Rom. 8:27, 2 Cor. 2:6-7, Gal. 6:1, Heb. 7:25, James 5:19-21.

XIV. Of the Two Paradigms of God’s Plan of Salvation

We believe that it pleased God to reveal his plan of salvation in accordance with two distinct paradigms whose harmony is sure, yet also mysterious and inscrutable to the human mind. // The first is the paradigm of God’s absolute sovereignty in the salvation of his people. In accordance with this paradigm, we believe that in eternity past, out of his mere free grace, and without reference to human works or decisions foreseen, God chose, out of fallen, sinful humanity, a great multitude of persons drawn from every tribe, tongue, family, and nation, that they might be given to his Son and come to belong to his holy family; and that in the fullness of time, by that same free grace, God sent his Son to accomplish their redemption, after which he, through Christ, (has) sent the Holy Spirit to apply that redemption by effectually calling them to faith in Christ through the Church’s proclamation of the gospel. / We believe that this glorious display of God’s sovereign grace utterly excludes all boasting; that it is meant to promote humility, gratitude, love, dependence, zeal, trust, worship, and an active imitation of God’s free mercy and grace in our dealings with all our fellow man. / Finally, we believe that the mysteries of divine election, particular redemption, and effectual calling are consistent with, and positively encourage the use of, the means of grace in the highest degree; that election may indeed be ascertained through its spiritual fruit in all who truly believe; that it is therefore one of the great foundations of Christian assurance and joy; and that to ascertain it on regard to ourselves demands and deserves our utmost diligence. // The second paradigm is that of man’s freedom on probation. In accordance with this paradigm we also believe that through his self-revelation in nature, conscience, and the gospel, God purposes to test every man’s love of God, truth, and righteousness; that in his love, and through these revelations, he strives with all men, sincerely desiring that they should seek him, find him, and pass his test, though he is not far from any of us; that to this end he commands his Church to carry the gospel to every creature, and also commands all men everywhere to repent and place their trust in the Savior of the world; that everyone who is willing to do God’s will shall be given to see and know the truth of the gospel; that all who fear him and work righteousness are welcome to him; that whoever desires to take of the water of life may do so without cost; and that if anyone is condemned, it is because he loved darkness rather than the light, thereby judging himself unworthy of eternal life. // Finally, with the London Baptist Confession, we affirm that the doctrines of election and predestination are indeed high mysteries that should be handled with special prudence and care; and that in order to avoid the pitfalls they may present to finite and sinful minds, but instead attain the blessings they are meant to bestow, the Church must constantly endeavor to honor, balance, and lovingly proclaim from Scripture both the paradigm of God’s absolute sovereignty in salvation and the paradigm of man’s freedom on probation.

Deut. 29:29, Is. 40:28, Rom. 11:3, 1 Cor. 8:2, 13:8-10 // Is. 41:8-10, 43:1-7, John 15:16, Rom. 3:11, 9:6-26, 11:5-6, Eph. 1:3-14, 2:1f, 2 Thess. 2:13-14, 2 Tim. 1:8-9, 1 Pet. 1:1-2, Rev. 5:9; Is. 53:8, Mt. 20:28, John 10:15, 17:9, 19, Rom. 8:31ff, Eph. 5:25, John 10:16, Rom. 8:30, Acts 13:48, 15:14 / Luke 18:9-14, John 15:5, Rom. 3:27, 1 Cor. 1:26ff, Eph. 1:5-6, Col. 3:15, 2 Thess. 2:13f, Rev. 5:8f / Luke 18:7, Jn. 8:31, Phil. 3:12; Mt. 7:15f, Acts 11:23, 1 Cor. 15:10, 1 Thess. 1:2-10; Rom. 4:16, Eph. 1:6, Col. 3:12f, 1 Pet. 2:4-9; Col. 2:1-3, 2 Pet. 1:1-11, Heb. 6:1-12 // Gen. 2:16-17, Rom. 1:18f; Gen. 6:3, Acts 17:26f; Mt. 11:28f, 28:18f, Luke 24:46-47, Acts 17:23, Rom. 10:14f, Col. 1:23, 1 Tim. 2:5, Rev. 14:6; John 7:17; Acts 10:35; Rev. 21:6, 22:17; John 3:19, Acts 13:46 // LBC III:7, Acts 20:27, 2 Tim. 3:16-17

XV. Of the Harmony of Law and Gospel

We believe that the moral law of God—written on all human hearts, partially revealed in the Old Testament, and fully revealed in the New Testament—is the eternal and unchangeable rule of his moral government, and is spiritual, holy, righteous, and good; but also that, for this very reason, it stands as a deadly menace to fallen, sinful man, placing him under condemnation and in danger of eternal punishment due to his natural inability to fulfill it, his innate hostility to it, and his constant failure to live up to its high call; and that because of this, no flesh can or will be justified by the works of the law. / However, we also believe that by granting them spiritual birth, calling them to repentance and faith in Christ, forgiving their sins, imputing Christ’s perfect righteousness to them, and sealing them in Christ with/by the indwelling Holy Spirit, God has delivered his believing children from their life of bondage under the law, from the penalty due them for having broken it, and from their natural hostility to it; and that as a result of all this, the law is no longer a burden to them, but a blessing and a delight, since now, by being safely in Christ and animated by his Spirit, they are ever-increasingly willing and able to walk in holiness under his easy yoke, joyfully fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law in the freedom of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ex. 20:1-17; Josh. 24:19; Mt. 5:17, 22:34-40; Luke 16:17; Rom. 1:28ff, 2:12-16, 3:20, 4:15, 7:7-24, 8:7-8; Gal. 2:16, 3:19; Heb. 12:18-21 / Psalm 40:8, 119:97; Mt. 11:30; John 5:42; Rom. 7:1-6, 8:3-4; Gal. 3:13, 5:1, 13; Heb. 8:7-15; 1 Jn. 5:3

XVI. Of a Visible Church of Christ

We believe that a healthy visible church of Christ is a gathered family of born-again, water-baptized believers in Jesus, united in the faith and fellowship of the biblical gospel; that its essential purpose is the glad, grateful, and many-faceted worship of the triune God; that its rule of faith and practice is the word of Christ as expressed in the New Testament; that its most prominent identifying marks are the faithful proclamation, teaching, and prophesying of the biblical gospel and the New Testament traditions, the administration of the rites of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the administration of church discipline; that its members are, and should be, free to exercise the gifts, privileges, and responsibilities invested in them by the Word and Spirit of God; that its only two officers are elders (also referred to as overseers and pastors) and deacons, whose qualifications, prerogatives, and duties are set forth in the New Testament; and that such a church bears the responsibility, receives the privilege, and enjoys the blessings of being the pillar and support of the truth in the deepening spiritual darkness of the present evil age.

Mt. 5:14, 7:24ff, 16:17-19, 18:15-20, 28:16ff; John 10:16, 14:16; Acts 2:42, 14:23, 20:28; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 1:1-3, 4:17, 11:12, 23-25, 12:4ff, 14:12; Gal. 6:2; Eph. 2:11-18, 4:11-16; Phil. 1:1-7, 2:15; 1 Thess. 4:1-2, 2 Thess. 2:15, 3:6; 1 Tim. 3:1ff; Titus 1:1ff; Heb. 13:17; 1 Jn. 1:1-4; 2 John 6.

XVII. Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

We believe that the Lord of the Church has ordained two, and only two, public rites, to be administered regularly until his return and the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. / The first, Christian Baptism, is the immersion in water of a believer in Jesus into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that this act celebrates the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing us to life and faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior; and that it therefore shows forth—in a complex, solemn, and beautiful emblem—our (progressive) death to sin, our resurrection to newness of life, our (progressive) cleansing from sin(s), and our (perpetual) identification and union with Christ. / We also believe that water baptism celebrates our admission, by faith, into the eternal family of God, and is therefore prerequisite to the privileges and responsibilities of local church membership. / The second rite, the Lord’s Supper, is observed whenever the members of the church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, commemorate together the dying love of Christ for his people, and—by the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit—participate afresh in the redemptive fruits of his death, and so feast upon them. / Finally, we believe that the Lord’s Supper should always be preceded by careful instruction, honest self-examination, and appropriate repentance, so that, by God’s grace and our worthy participation therein, it may result in renewed understanding, gratitude, confidence, and joy.

Mt. 3:5-6, 13-17, 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, John 4:2, 9:8; Acts 2:37-42, 8:12, 10:47-48, 11:9, 16:32-34, 18:8, 22:16, Gal.3:26-28, Rom 6:4, Col. 2:12; Acts 2:38, 8:12, 9:17f, 10:47-48, 19:1-6, 22:16, I Cor. 1:13f, 6:11, 12:14; Eph. 5:26; Pet. 3:18f; Rev. 7:14. / Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20, (Jn. 6:41-58), I Cor. 10:14-22, 11:23-34, Jn. 15:11, 1 Jn. 1:4

XVIII. Of the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day

We believe that the Sabbath Day—which in the beginning God set apart as a day of rest and worship for all mankind, and which at the giving of the Mosaic Law he instituted as a day of rest and worship for his OT people—stood as a type or picture of the eternal rest he now offers to all men, and commands all men to enter, through simple faith in the divine person and all-sufficient work of Jesus Christ. / We believe that Christians do in fact enter this rest, first at the moment of saving faith, then more fully at the entrance of their spirits into heaven on the day of their death, and most fully at the bodily resurrection of the righteous at Christ’s return. / We believe that in order to underscore the perpetuity of the believer’s rest in Christ, the NT does not, by an ordinance, tie the worship of God to the Sabbath (i.e., Saturday) or any special day of the week. / But we also believe that through a holy tradition inaugurated by Christ himself on the day of his resurrection, and perpetuated in the practice of the early church, God’s people are invited and encouraged to designate the first day of the week (Sunday) as the Lord’s Day; that on that day they do well to assemble themselves together, and—through a reverent and joyful observance of the various ordinances of NT worship—contemplate, celebrate, and be refreshed in the spiritual rest God has given them in Christ; and that in so doing, God will be pleased, Christ exalted, his people blessed, and the world confronted afresh with the good news of the gospel: the Lord of the Sabbath has worked for us so that we may forever rest in him.

Gen. 2:3, Ex. 20:8, Mark 2:28, Col. 2:16-17 / Heb. 4:3-11, Rev. 14:13, 20:4-6 / Rom. 14:5, Col. 2:16 / Mt. 28:1, Mark 16:2, John 20:19, Acts 20:7, Rev. 1:10; Isa. 56:1-5, 58:13-14, 1 Cor. 16:2, Heb. 10:26; Isa. 56:1-5, 58:13-14, Mark 2:27-28, 1 Cor. 11:26

XIX. Of Civil Government

We believe that the institution of civil government is by divine appointment, and that its guiding principles are laid down in the Bible, the Word of God; that in these last days—when the one true faith has been revealed to the world, and when God the Father is pleased to exalt his Son, Jesus Christ, as high king of heaven and earth—civil governments exist, in part, for the protection and promotion of the Christian faith, yet always in a manner that safeguards the conscience and religious freedom of the citizenry, preserves the distinctive functions of Church and State, and protects both institutions from unbiblical encroachments, one upon the other; that its supreme objective is the promotion of human flourishing in the nations; that its appointed function is the administration of justice, consisting of the impartial application of God’s law, the commendation of those who do good, and the reproof and punishment of those who do evil; and that civil magistrates are to be prayed for, honored, and—so much as possible—conscientiously obeyed. / However, we also believe that, in the wise providence of God, good or tolerable governments will at times become bad; that in such cases it is the positive duty of God’s people to speak prophetically to rulers, calling them back to obedience to God, Christ, truth, and righteousness; that for conscience’ sake it may at times be necessary to disobey the edicts of human rulers out of obedience to God’s; that God’s people, together with other men of good will, may at times lawfully withdraw themselves from beneath a wicked government in order to create and/or place themselves beneath a good; and that at all times their supreme loyalty is to God through Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of their conscience, and the one true Ruler of the kings of the earth.

2 Sam. 23:3, Ps. 2; 94:8-11, Rom. 1:18f, 2:12-16, 13:1-7, 1 Pet. 2:13-14, 1 Tim. 2:1-4, Matt. 22:15-21, 28:16-20; Rom. 13:7, Titus 3:1; Rev. 1:5 / Ex. 1:8f, Dan. 11:29-35; Ex. 5:1f, 1 Ki. 1:17f, Dan. 5:1f, Mt. 14:1-5; Dan. 3:16-18, 6:7-10, Acts 4:18-20, 5:29; Ex. 2-15, Judges 3, 4, 6-8, 11-12, 15, 1 Kings 11:1-12:24, Dan. 9:29-35; Psalms 2, 72:11, Rev. 1:5, 17:4

XX. Of the Righteous and the Unrighteous

With a view to declaring our faith concerning the afterlife and the basis upon which God assigns to each person his final destiny, we affirm that there is a radical and essential distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous; that in these last days, when Christ and the gospel have entered in the world, only those who have repented of their sin(s) and placed all their trust in the divine person and all-sufficient work of Jesus Christ are righteous in God’s sight; that in earlier times—as also in these last days—the forgiveness of sins and the justification of men, whether Jew or Gentile, were never by the works of the law, but always by grace through faith in God and his gracious provision for their salvation, however this may have been revealed to them; that all who continued—and do continue—in impenitence and unbelief are unrighteous in God’s sight, seeing that they remain in the first Adam, in sin, under law, under condemnation, and under wrath; and that this distinction holds among men both for time and eternity.

Gen. 18:23, Is. 5:20, Pr. 10:25, 11:31, 14:32, Mal. 3:18; Acts 10:34f, John 3:36, Rom. 1:17, 6:17-18, 22-23, 7:6, 1 Cor. 1:30-32, 6:9-11, 1 Jn. 5:12; Gal. 3:10, Mt. 7:13-14, John 3:19, 36, 1 Jn. 5:19; Mt. 25:46, Luke 9:23-26, 16:19-31, Rom. 2:8f, Gen. 15:6, 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Thess. 1:3-10, 2:12; Rev. 22:11

XXI. Of the Intermediate State

We believe that immediately after death, but prior to the consummation of all things at Christ’s return, the spirits of the unrighteous descend into hades, where, in darkness and flame, they consciously experience themselves as debarred from the life-giving blessings of God and under his wrath; but that the spirits of the righteous, whose probation on earth has now ended in victory, ascend into heaven, where, in a state of spiritual perfection, they consciously enjoy unhindered and unbroken fellowship with God, Christ, the holy angels, and the spirits of righteous men made perfect, even as they await their full inheritance at the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and life eternal in the glorious world to come.

Psalm 73:15-20, Luke 8:31, 16:19-21, 2 Thess. 1:9, Jude 6-7; 2 Cor. 5:6-8, Phil. 1:19-26, Heb. 12:22-24, Rev. 6:9, 20:4-6

XXII. Of the Consummation and the World to Come

We believe that the end of this present fallen world is certain and soon to come, but also that a new, glorious, and eternal world, in which heaven and earth will be one, is predestined to follow in its train; that on the last day—in order to bring an end to the last battle between God and Satan, Christ and the antichrist, and the Church and world-system—the Lord Jesus Christ will descend from heaven in the glory of his Father, together with all the holy angels and the perfected spirits of the saints in heaven; that Christ himself, for his still greater glory, will raise the dead bodily, transform the living saints, send out the holy angels, and bring all men and all angels before his judgment seat in the skies above the earth; that at that time he will destroy the present earth and its works by fire, but immediately thereafter create new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells; that in that day a solemn separation will occur, based on principles of righteousness, such that the unrighteous, due to their lifelong unbelief and disobedience, are sentenced to eternal punishment in the fire prepared for the devil and his angels, but the righteous, due to their faith in Christ and subsequent acts prompted by love, are rewarded and welcomed to eternal life in the completed Kingdom of God; that in bringing his heavenly mediatorial reign to its triumphant conclusion, the Son will then deliver up, hand over, and present his glorified Bride and completed kingdom to the Father, so that in the world to come he (the Father) may be all in all to his eternal family; that in that world the saints will live in perfect union with their triune God, beholding, knowing, enjoying, serving, and worshiping him; and that in body, spirit, heart, word, and deed they will forever be to the praise of his glory, and to the praise of the glory of the amazing grace that, through their Lord Jesus Christ, brought them home again to him. Amen

1 Cor. 7:29-31, 1 Pet. 4:7, 1 Jn. 2:17-18, Rev. 22:20; Acts 3:21, Rom. 8:21, Phil. 3:20-21, 1 Pet. 2:13, Rev. 21:21; Mt. 24:29-31, 25:21, Acts 1:11, Heb. 9:28, 1 Jn. 2:28, Rev. 1:7; Is. 25:6-8, Dan. 12:2, Luke 20:27-38, Jn. 5:28-29, 6:40, 11:25-26, Acts 24:15, 1 Cor. 15:20-28, 51-53, 2 Cor. 5:1-5, 10, 1 Thess. 4:13ff; Mt. 24:35, 2 Pet. 3:7; Mt. 13:36-43, 47-50, 25:14ff, Acts 10:42, 17:31, Rom. 2:2-16, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, 1 Thess. 5:1f, 2 Thess. 1:3f, 1 Jn. 4:17, Rev. 20:11-15; Jn. 14:1-6; Rev. 21:1-7, 22:1-5; Eph. 1:6, 12, 14, 3:21

* Again, this confession is a substantially expanded version of the New Hampshire Confession of Faith, a popular Reformed Baptist confession written in 1833. To view the original, plus other Reformed and Baptist confessions, click here and here .

Published: 17 February 2026

Written by Dean Davis

2 Comments

Categories: Ecclesiology

As I approach my eightieth year of life and tenth year as a retired pastor, I find myself identifying with old salmon as they near the end. Having long swum upriver, wriggled through many a man-made chute, leaped up vertiginous falls, and finally reached the still waters surrounding the fountainhead, I am eager to deposit all the seeds of life so richly stored within me, fondly hoping to quicken a generation of preachers to come.

In pursuit of that goal, I have lately been depositing sermon outlines on my website: the literary remains of many years of pulpit ministry (here). While doing so, I happened upon some notes I had jotted down, not for the people in the pews, but for the man in the pulpit. In them I was trying to remind myself of the elements of a good sermon: a sermon that is given by God, shaped by God, and—if delivered in the power of his Spirit—edifying to the people of God.

With a few fresh modifications born of further homiletic experience—both bitter and sweet—I have reproduced these notes here, hoping that by adding precept to example I might strengthen young preachers in their way.

Have I always followed my own counsel? As you will see if you sample my sermons, I have not. But as it is written: the gifts and callings of God are without regret or change (Rom. 11:29). This comforting truth applies to preaching. God does not call his heralds to constant second guessing; as a rule, he calls them, trains them, and anchors them in a longstanding approach to sermon preparation that seems good to him and good to them.

What follows is mine. May it be a blessing to you as you seek yours.

I. What is an Expository Sermon?

What is an expository sermon? As the word itself declares, it is a sermon that intends to expose: to display, manifest, and illuminate the deep meaning and practical applications of a biblical text (Neh. 8:8).¹

Importantly, the character of an expository sermon will largely depend on the spiritual gifting of the man who gives it (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:7-11).

Is the preacher called to be an evangelist? The thrust of his sermon will be to expose the biblical gospel—and in particular, the divine Person and redemptive Work of Christ—with a view to the salvation of souls and the ingathering of the Church.

Is the preacher a teacher? The thrust of his sermon will be to expose the meaning and implications of a biblical text with a view to the enlargement of the saints’ understanding of God’s revelation, their enjoyment of the same, and the formation of a truly biblical worldview; in short, with a view to the upbuilding of the Church.

Is the preacher a prophet? Much like the teacher, he too will expose a biblical text for the instruction and spiritual formation of the church, but with this difference: In his words of edification, exhortation, and encouragement he will be aiming to address this particular people, at this particular time, in order to get (or keep) them walking closely with their Lord in this particular set of circumstances (1 Cor. 14:3; Jude 3-4; Rev. 2-3). Prophecy is a biblical “now” word from the Lord (Rev. 2-3).

Wise preachers understand these things. They know the spiritual gift the Lord has given them, and they devote themselves to it, purposing to stand strong in their charismatic sweet spot. However, they also understand that a good sermon will often involve all three homiletical thrusts. For example, the heart of the evangelist will pant to proclaim the gospel and see souls come to Christ; but, for the sake of the believers in attendance, he also will find the Lord enabling him to teach and prophesy. And the case is the same for teachers and prophets: While majoring in their major gift, they will watch for the Lord to minor them in the others as well.

This, by the way, is why a church is especially blessed if it has created a team of biblically qualified and charismatically diverse elders—a team that includes, quite intentionally, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and prophets (Acts 13:1-3).² If, then, you happen to be the lone under-shepherd of one of God’s little flocks, you must ask him to help you enter the pulpit wearing a charismatic coat of many colors.

In what follows I will be sharing principles of sermon preparation that should assist all preachers, whatever their gift(s) may be. But my main goal will be to highlight a single principle underlying them all. It is this:

God loves his people and desires to see Christ (more perfectly) formed in them for their joy and his glory. To this end, sermon by sermon, he will faithfully give his gospel heralds a powerful, life-transforming word—a single Big Idea, embedded in a single text—and then will enable him to deliver that idea in the power of his Holy Spirit, who in turn will bring it to life in the hearts of his children. Therefore, above all else, the preacher must prepare for this great transaction by standing in the counsel of the Lord: by prayerfully drawing near to the Lord, waiting upon the Lord, listening for the Lord, and receiving from the Lord the one text, and the one Big Idea embedded in the text, that the One Preacher would have him proclaim to his children so that they might be further conformed to Christ (Jer. 23:18; Ezek. 3:1-4; 33:33; 36:11; John 14:10; Acts 4:8; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Pet. 4:11; Rev. 10:10).

Yes, there is more to sermon preparation than this. But to my mind there is nothing more important than this. A preacher’s persona may seem to be eccentric, his attire distracting, his sermon construction flawed, his delivery clumsy, and his message too long or too short, etc. But if he has received and faithfully delivered the one Big Idea that God wanted him to impart to his people, the sheep will know it. And having heard the Good Shepherd’s voice, they will gladly overlook all the rest (John 10:27).

II. How to Prepare an Expository Sermon

Here, in words specially directed to you who preach, are five suggestions for sermon preparation that I hope will prove helpful.

1. Prayerfully seek and receive from the Lord the text you are to preach on. Happy are you if he has led you to preach through a book of the Bible; in that case, your text is largely before your eyes. But even so, you still will need his special guidance in deciding how much text to bite off, and where your emphasis will lie. // As a rule, it is more profitable to deeply probe a shorter text than to superficially exposit a longer one. On the other hand, it is indeed possible that the Lord will occasionally have you preach on a longer text—perhaps even a whole chapter—if, as you work your way through the text, you are constantly relating the main points (MPs) to the Big Idea you are trying to get across. If, in such a sermon, all the MPs are little planets revolving around a great big ideational sun, the flock will behold the system and all will be well.

2. Prayerfully seek and receive from the Lord the one Big Idea in the text, or entailed by the text, that you believe is on his heart for this people, in this sermon, for this occasion. This is what I call the “prophetic core” of your sermon: the idea around which you will seek to organize and integrate your message. It is the idea you believe the Lord wants his people to hear, understand, remember, and apply in their lives as they head out into the world to serve him in the week ahead. It is the idea you believe will further their formation in Christ, remind them of God’s redeeming love, and refresh them in the joy of their salvation (2 Cor. 1:24; Gal. 4:19; Phil. 1:25; Jude 1:24-25). // In order to determine the Big Idea of your sermon, you will need first to prayerfully study your text. Ask the Lord to help you see the theme in the text that he would have you to emphasize, the Big Idea around which he would have you organize your sermon. As a rule, the main theme of the biblical author will be your main theme as well. But not always; the Lord may have you acknowledge the author’s main theme, but choose and develop a related theme that you believe is your sermon’s proper subject for the day. // Next, ask the Lord to help you see how best to break down the Big Idea into component parts. Unless you are bringing a topical sermon, the MPs of your message will be found in your text. // There is a dynamic interplay between the Big Idea and the MPs of your text. With the Spirit’s help, the Big Idea will guide you as you choose and develop your MPs; the MPs will help you discern, distill, and state the Big Idea. The Big Idea is a single ray of bright light from the Lord; your sermon is the prism that diffracts that light into a spectrum of MPs. In this way, the Holy Spirit exposes the variegated beauty of the truth that is embedded in your text, and the people sense the unity of your talk. // How many parts and MPs should the body of your sermon contain? For the sake of simplicity and memorability, three are probably the ideal. But in this matter a hard and fast rule is impossible, since the text and the Spirit may require more. In my experience, a good sermon can handle a larger number of MPs if they are clearly related to, and organized around, the Big Idea. This preserves the unity of your sermon. If they are not so integrated, you will wind up preaching what I call a “porcupine sermon”: a sermon loaded with so many points that you leave your audience stuck and in pain, desperately searching for the main point of what you said.

3. Prayerfully determine how you would like to introduce your sermon. This will usually involve a cynosure, an opening “hook” or “whistle” designed to capture attention and awaken interest. It could be an anecdote (historical or contemporary), personal testimony, quotation, video clip, or question (which, in the body of the sermon, you will go on to answer). The crucial point here is that your whistle must lead you—logically and organically—to an initial statement of your Big Idea, and also, perhaps, of the MPs you will be using to illuminate your Big Idea (see the outline below). // Also, when you are preparing the conclusion of your sermon, prayerfully consider whether you might profitably circle back to your opening cynosure, fleshing it out and bringing it to full flower. This can contribute mightily to the unity and impact of your message.

4. Prayerfully create the body of your sermon. This will require an outline. The several parts of your text—and the MPs you intend to draw from them—will richly guide you as you construct it. // If you are working your way through a book of the Bible, you may want to begin this part of your sermon by reviewing ground previously covered. But beware: It is terribly easy to waste precious time with a lengthy review of material that most folks heard last week. A good sermon should be able to stand on its own, without the prop of a long review. // Suppose you have broken down your text into three parts; if so, the outline of the body of the sermon will have three parts. Consider giving each one a title that incorporates the MP you will draw from this text. Next, in a sequence that seems good to you and the Holy Spirit, plan to: 1) read the text, 2) make brief explanatory remarks about key terms, ideas, and biblical and historical references, 3) spotlight and develop the MP you desire to make, using biblical cross-references, relevant quotations, and interesting illustrations, and 4) climax your exposition with one or two practical applications that you feel the Lord would have you make. And in all of this, do all you can to keep your Big Idea squarely before your people. // Never forget: An expository sermon is not a running commentary on the text, and to preach it in this manner is to risk disaster. Yes, your text is loaded with fascinating details, and crying out to be linked with other texts and other ideas; and if you are a Bible teacher, your peculiar temptation will be to point out every one of them. But if you yield to the temptation, you will find that you have left your flock behind, lost in the weeds. All we like sheep are hard wired for sweet simplicity, and we hunger for it. A wise preacher understands this, and purposes: Never forget.

5. Finally, prayerfully prepare your conclusion. Having outlined your sermon, it is time now to decide how you want to end it. As a rule, this will involve a final repetition of the Big Idea and the MPs you made to illumine it; it may well involve highlighting a single application that is much upon your heart, especially if you have the prophetic gift; and ideally it will involve a strong closing illustration, anecdote, quotation, poem, hymn, video, etc. Such a conclusion could well ensure that your people will never forget the Big Idea the Lord has laid upon your heart to deposit in theirs.

Before passing on to a suggested sermon outline, I want to conclude this section with two final thoughts.

First, in all that I have said so far, my Big Idea should be clear: Your sermon must contain a Big Idea from God, and your people must not miss it. After the service, no one should be overheard asking his neighbor, “In a few words, can you tell me what that sermon was all about?”

In the guidelines offered above, I have sought to preclude such a calamity, and here is one very practical way to do so: Keep your sermon short, say between 20 and 40 minutes. After failing in this department for decades, I have concluded that brevity and focus are actually your friends: they are two strong sentinels, faithfully standing guard over your sermon, ensuring that you yourself will stick to point, and that your people will get it!³

Secondly, despite all I have said so far, I most heartily confess that I find in Scripture no set method or formula for sermon construction. What I do find—in both precept and example—is this fundamental rule: The word of the preacher must be a word from the Lord, and it must be delivered in the power of his Spirit.

God is a jealous God. He will not let his preachers fall into idolatry, even into the idolatry of a rules-based method of sermon construction. Yes, over the years I have found the above principles helpful for sermon preparation. I believe the Lord has been in them (or something close to them) all along the way. But more than once, in the face of abject spiritual poverty, I have had to take a fresh approach to constructing my sermon. And more than once, when I actually entered the pulpit, I have had to abandon my sermon outline and let the Spirit rescue me from utter humiliation simply by opening the door, letting him in, and letting him have his way.

He is—and insists upon being—the Lord of all (Acts 10:36).

III. A Sample Outline of an Expository Sermon

I. WELCOME/INTRODUCTION

Welcome: Open with a warm personal word that connects the preacher with the people.
Reading of the Text: In liturgical churches, the text will likely have been read earlier in the service. // If not, you may read the text, or (with the help of a bulletin or overhead projector) you may read it together with congregation.
Opening Prayer: This is a prayer for God’s blessing on our time together in his Word. The prayer can come here, or at end of your introduction, just before you plunge into the body of your sermon.
Opening Hook/Whistle: This could be a personal testimony, anecdote, quotation, video clip, or thought-provoking question, etc.
Statement of the Big Idea: The whistle should lead naturally into a brief statement of the Big Idea that is on your heart to share with God’s people.
Overview/Outline: Here you also may want to preview the MPs you will be making in order to illuminate the Big Idea; or you can simply plunge into your sermon, introducing the MPs as you go along. // If you decide to preview the MPs, consider using a Power Point slide to display a simple outline of your sermon.
Caveat: Always keep in mind this staple of handbooks for writers: “Tell them what you’re going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them.” Here is wisdom for speakers as well.

II. THE BODY OF SERMON

A. Review: If your sermon is part of a series, a brief review of ground previously covered may be in order. But again, beware of lengthy reviews that rob you of the precious time needed to develop your Big Idea.

B. Part #1

- - Each part of your text should have a title; ideally, the title will incorporate the MP you plan to make. You may wish to begin by reading the title; or you can draw out the MP as you read and comment on the text.
  - Read through this part of your text, briefly commenting on the terms, concepts, and historical details your people need to know in order to grasp the MP and its relation to the Big Idea.
  - Now isolate and discuss at greater length this MP, incorporating biblical cross-references, interesting quotes, anecdotes, and real-world illustrations designed to illuminate it. Be sure to show how this MP is related to the Big Idea of your sermon. At this juncture (and in the points ahead), you are standing in the furnace with One like a Son of Man. Pray that the fire will fall!
  - As led, conclude your discussion by drawing out one or two practical applications of this MP. I believe such application is the proper goal and climax of good preaching: that your people will see the Big Idea and the MPs that open it up, and then be moved to take one or more actions entailed by them. You may be led to press home a particular application; if not, you can trust that the faithful Lord will.
  - Note: When making applications, be sure to connect the text not only to the personal spiritual life of your people, but also to current events and the real-world issues of the day. As John Stott well said, the preacher stands between two worlds: the world above the church, and the world outside the walls of the church. A good sermon will shed light from the world above onto the world outside. This will interest and engage your hearers, and will help them apply and share biblical truth in the week(s) ahead.

C. Part #2: Repeat the above

D. Part #3: Repeat the above

Caveat: If you are thinking about making a fourth or fifth MP, think twice and pray. Make sure those extra points really are from the Lord, and not the result of your teaching gift running amok!

III. CONCLUSION

A. Brief Review: You have exposed the Big Idea embedded in your text, and you have explored the MP’s related to it. Now, in a few sentences, “tell them what you told them.” Repetition is required for learning that lasts! // Also, if your sermon opened with a Big Question, now is the time to sum up and state the Big Answer.

B. Final Application: As the Spirit may lead, briefly focus on one or two of the main practical applications of the text. For preachers who are prophets, this kind of thrust is pure delight.

C. Conclusion: Now, put a big bow on the gift of your sermon by cycling back to your opening remarks and fleshing them out; or, by sharing a fresh anecdote, quotation, picture, poem, hymn, chorus, or short video. Choose something with heart that will beautifully reinforce the Big Idea that you found in your text and brought to your people.

D. Closing Prayer: In a closing prayer for your flock, let the Lord bring to mind the truths and applications that you sense he specially wants to seal in their hearts, so that they may head home with fresh understanding, strengthened resolve, and deepened joy.

Note: For the close of the worship service, choose a hymn or chorus that reinforces the Big Idea of today’s sermon one final time.

IV. Theological Postscript:
Wherein Lies the Goodness of a Good Expository Sermon?

I trust that no one reading this essay has concluded that the goodness of an expository sermon lies in its structure. It does not. Its structure (which can vary) is like the skin on a piece of fruit (whose size and shape also can vary). It contains and preserves the sweetness, and may justly be said to contribute to its beauty. But the true sweetness and the true beauty lie within.

So again, I ask: At the deepest level, wherein lies the goodness—the sweetness and beauty—of a good expository sermon?

My theological reply is a Big Idea consisting of three MPs: The goodness in a good expository sermon lies in the One who gives it, the One around whom it is centered, and the Christlikeness of the one who receives and delivers it.

Let’s take a moment to unpack each of these three points.

First, the goodness in a good sermon lies in the One who gives it.

Ultimately, this is God the Father, but always through the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. He is goodness itself. When Moses asked God to show him his glory, he replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you,” (Ex. 33:19). Being goodness itself, wherever goodness is found, he himself is found, in one way or another. God is good, and [all] he does is good (Psalm 119:69). Accordingly, all he gives is good: good in itself, good for the well-being of his creatures, good for the ingathering and upbuilding of his people, and good for their joy and his glory.

Very importantly, in whatever form it may take, the goodness of God always comes down. It is pure gift, pure grace. As James reminds all who are suffering temptation, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to turning” (Jas. 1:17). The apostle Paul also understood this, inviting the saints in Corinth to think long and hard: “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7). Providentially, God comes down to his whole creation, that it might receive from him life, breath, and all things (Acts 17:25). Redemptively, he comes down to his people, that they might receive from him forgiveness of sins, imputed and imparted righteousness, and eternal life in and with the triune God. He does all this so that, in manifold ways, his people might come up to him.

Beholding these great principles, and recalling from Scripture the innumerable times and ways in which God came down to visit men and nations—the greatest (so far) being the first advent of his uniquely begotten Son—the preacher well understands: If there is to be a good sermon, the Father himself, through his Son, by his Spirit, must come down and give it to me. As we shall see in a moment, the preacher acts accordingly.

Secondly, the goodness in the preacher’s sermon lies in the One around whom it is centered.

Ultimately, this principle is rooted in the divine nature itself, and also in the eternal purposes of God for universal history. In both cases, the Son of God lies at the center; for which reason he also lies at the center of the Book that discloses them; for which reason he also must lie at the center of the preacher’s sermon.

Since these points are so important, let’s pause for a moment to illustrate them from Scripture.⁴

To a degree, and in a manner that passes my full comprehension, I reckon that the Holy Trinity is centered around the Son. This is because the decree of God concerning the course universal history did not occur in a moment of time, but is co-eternal with the being of God himself. Therefore, just as the Father eternally begets, knows, and loves the Son, so too does he eternally “beget” the plan of salvation that is centered around him. Similarly, just as Father and Son eternally breathe out the Spirit who proceeds from them both, so too do they breathe out the manifold work of the Spirit, which, above all else, is to manifest and reveal, in universal history, the Person and Work of the Son, so that all will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father (John 5:23; 16:5-15; 1 Cor. 2:6-13; Eph. 1:7-14; 1 Pet. 1:12; Rev. 5:6).

Again, the purpose of God is centered around the Son, since God’s purpose in all things is that men (and angels) should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father; that in the end, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father; so that, to all eternity, through the knowledge of the Central One, the saints and angels may be to the praise of the glory of the Ultimate One, and to the praise of the glory of his grace (John 5:23; Rom. 11:33-25; 1 Cor. 3:21-23; Eph. 1:3-14; Phil. 2:5-11; Rev. 5:11-14)

The many-faceted plan of God, observed in the unfolding of universal history, is also centered around the Son, and the Christ in whom he would become incarnate (Rom. 1:1-4).

Thus, the Son was at the center of the creation, for all things were created through him and for him; moreover, ever since the creation, all things are held together by him, and ruled by him, even as he himself, under the Father, directs all things to their appointed destiny, and to the consummation of all things at the end of the present evil age (John 1:1-2; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 1:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:7-9; 4:7; Rev. 5:7; 6:1)

Mystically, he was at the center of the probation in Eden, for at the Tree of Life (which stood in the center of the Garden) God offered the family of man the knowledge of his Son, through whom alone the family might have come to know the good God, and all of his good gifts (Gen. 2:15-17; Rom. 5:12-14).

In a way, then, he also was at the center of the fall, for when Adam fell, he and his family man fell away from the Son, and therefore from God and all of the good gifts he held in store for them. And though it is true that in the first Adam the family of man fell into bondage to a great host of deadly enemies, both spiritual and physical, it is still more true that from that time on all of fallen mankind’s hopes for mercy, grace, and eternal life would lie in God’s promise of a last Adam—his incarnate Son—who would do all that the first Adam failed to do, and undo all that he had done (Rom. 5:12-20; 1 Cor. 15:20-18). So again, the Son was at the center of the fall, and also of mankind’s hopes for rescue from the fall, and for final restoration to God.

The Son was at the center of the promise of redemption, since, above all else, the Old Testament—in type, shadow, and predictive prophecy—was a promise of Christ: of the last and triumphant Adam; of the supreme Prophet, Priest, and King; and of the eternal Redeemer of his believing people (Gen. 3:15; John 3:10-21; 5:39-40; 6:29; Rom. 3:21; 5:12-20; 16:25-27; Col. 2:16-17).

He was at the center of the accomplishment of redemption, since he himself, under the Father and by the Spirit, accomplished redemption through his righteous life, atoning death, and vindicating resurrection (John 19:28-30; Rom. 3:21-26; 5:12-21; Col. 1:13-15; Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10; Rev. 5:4-5, 8-10).

Today he is at the center of the application of redemption, since he himself, under the Father and by the Spirit, is applying the redemption that he accomplished on earth, and so gathering in, building up, guiding, gifting, empowering, preserving, sanctifying, and otherwise shepherding his Church on her spiritual journey to the world to come (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:33; Eph. 4:7-16; 5:25-33).

And in the end, he will be at the center of the consummation of redemption, since he alone, under the Father and by the Spirit, will come again in glory, with all the holy angels, to raise the dead, judge the world in righteousness, and create new heavens and a new earth, the eternal home of the saints, the angels, and the triune God (Matt. 24:29-31; 25:31-46; 1 Cor. 15:20-28, 50-57; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:1-3; Rev. 19:11-21).

Understanding all this, the wise preacher also understands that the One whom the Father has lovingly placed at the center of his eternal purpose and plan, must surely be placed at the center of his sermon. Therefore, as he prayerfully settles upon his Big Idea and the MPs that will open it up, he remembers and takes to heart the words of Spurgeon: “I have never yet found a text that has not in it a road to Christ.”⁵

Finally, the goodness of a good sermon lies in the Christ-likeness of the one who receives and delivers it.

It is God’s purpose that all of his children should be conformed to the image of his Son; that they should display Christ-likeness (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 11:1). But this is especially true of his gospel heralds, who, to be consistently effective in their ministry, must be richly conformed to the call, the character, and the conduct of Christ. Let us briefly consider all three.

As with Christ, so with his herald: no man takes this honor to himself. Rather, he is called by God (Heb. 5:4). And like his Lord, the preacher must not only receive the call, but also separate himself to it, and remain faithful in it.

Examples abound. The Lord called Peter, saying, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15, 17). Peter received the call and was faithful to it, later on explaining to the burgeoning church in Jerusalem, “It is not right for us to neglect the Word and serve at tables . . . We [apostles] must devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word” The same was true for Paul, who so keenly felt the weight of the call laid upon him by Christ himself, that he cried, “Woe to me if I don’t preach the gospel!” Which he did, faithfully, right up to the end . . . all the while exhorting his fellow heralds to do the same. As he wrote to his son Timothy, “I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching (Acts 6:1-4; 20:16-18; Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 9:15-18; 2 Tim. 4:1-3, 7; Rom. 12:7; 2 Pet. 1:12-15; Rev. 11:1-14).

An effective preacher must also be conformed to the character of Christ. Indeed, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, the very Person and Life of Christ himself must richly take shape within him and pour forth from him (Gal. 4:19).

And in this matter, there are no shortcuts. It takes time: time in the Word, time under the ripe ministry of older brothers; time in faithfulness to small things (Zech. 4:10); time in trial, bitter error, and sweet restoration; time in the rough and tumble of church life; and time upon the long, rough road of sanctification. Over such times, the preacher will become mature in Christ, increasingly conformed to the understanding, affections, integrity, purpose, and methods of his master. The Lord said, “The mouth speaks from that which fills the heart” (Matt. 12:34). A mature preacher—a man whose heart is filled with Christ—will therefore be found speaking the words of Christ to the people of Christ. And they will know it (1 Cor. 2:6; 14:20; James 1:2; 3:1-2; Heb. 5:14; 6:1).⁵

Finally, Christ-likeness means conformity to the conduct of Christ, by which I mean, above all, the manner in which Christ walked: in absolute dependency upon his Father. The older we become, the more clearly we see it: The Lord Jesus did not take his cues from men, or angels, or even from his own divine nature. Rather, having emptied himself of his divine prerogatives, he walked as a healthy human being was always meant to walk: taking his cues from Father God, consecrated to his will, attentive to his voice, and tender to the promptings of his Spirit. “On my own,” said the Lord, “I can do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, since I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 5:30; 8:28).

God our Father has predestined all his children—and especially his preachers—to walk as Christ walked. There is, however, this crucial difference, introduced by the New Covenant: Whereas Christ walked in dependence upon the Spirit of the Father, we Christians are called to walk in dependence upon the Spirit of Christ, through whom alone we also may come to know the Person, presence, heart, mind, will, and Spirit of God the Father (Matt. 10:20; 11:25-30; John 15:26). As the Lord urged upon (all) his true disciples:

“Abide in me and I in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit from itself unless it abides in the vine, so too you cannot bear fruit unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him—he will bear much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing . . . By this my Father is glorified: that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.” –John 15:4-5, 8

Every true preacher understands: This is the only possible foundation for an effective ministry of the Word. Such a realization induces a glorious mixture of spiritual poverty, fear, trembling, wisdom, expectation, excitement, and hope. He can indeed preach a good expository sermon, if indeed the Lord gives him a message, and if indeed he is faithful to deliver it in his Spirit, nothing more and nothing less.

Alas, this is no easy task! For, to cite the lament of an old Puritan preacher, we mere mortals, unlike Christ, are “exceedingly clogged with sin.” And that is why, as a general rule, the goodness of preacher’s sermon will correspond to the depth of his maturity. Such a man knows all too well that he is still exceedingly clogged with sin—though now, perhaps, a bit less so, since, by the Holy Spirit, he has been bravely mortifying his sin for many years. Like the apostle, he knows that in him—that is, in his flesh—there dwells no good thing (Rom. 7:18); that the flesh profits nothing; that the Spirit alone gives light and life; and that the words he is called to speak must always be spirit and life (John 6:63; 1 Cor. 2:13; 1 Pet. 4:11).

It is said of Spurgeon that as he mounted the steps to the sacred desk, with each footfall he would confess, “I believe in the Holy Ghost; I believe in the Holy Ghost.” The prince of preachers would surely have loved a hymn sung by many of his admirers today: “Learning to lean, learning to lean, learning to lean on Jesus; finding more power than I’d ever dreamed, learning to lean on Jesus.”

Lean he did; and the rest is history.

Conclusion

Summing up, I would say that a good expository sermon is a good gift, coming down from a good God, centered upon on the good Person and the good Work of his Son; a gift humbly received by a good preacher who keenly feels his native spiritual poverty, and so his utter dependency upon the Lord for all things homiletical: for discerning the Big Idea of his sermon, the MPs that will open it up, the parallel biblical texts that will illuminate it, the illustrations, anecdotes, testimonies, hymns, poems, and pictures that will give it heart and cover it with flesh, and the practical applications that will give it strong legs to walk fruitfully in the world outside the church.

And if ever you should happen to peek into the study of such a preacher, you may well spot this beloved New Testament text, placarded on the wall just above his desk:

“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven . . . He who has the Bride is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom, who stands beside him and listens to him, overflows with joy at the sound of the Bridegroom’s voice. So then: This, my joy, is now complete. He must increase, and I must decrease.” — John 3:25-30

Notes

1. To my mind, all good sermons will be expository. If a pastor is preaching through a book of the Bible, he will need to choose a text and expound upon it. And the same is true if he is led to give a topical sermon. In both cases, for his sermon to have integrity and impact, he will need to discern a Big Idea embedded in his text, decide on the MP’s by which he means to open it up, and create an outline accordingly.

2. By prophets I certainly do not mean foundational prophets with authority and gifting to write Scripture, since the canon is now closed and such men have passed from the historical scene (Eph. 3:5; Rev. 22:18-19). Nor do I mean those persons who are gifted with powers of prediction, since, with the closure of the canon, it seems likely that these too have passed from the scene (see Jas. 4:13-16). What I do mean is men or women whose spiritual gift is to bring—from Scripture and scripturally sound ideas—strong words of edification, exhortation, and encouragement to this particular people, at this particular time, in these particular circumstances (1 Cor. 14:3).

3. My bias towards somewhat shorter sermons is based on my philosophy of ministry and worship. I now think that theological training—and hence the full-bore exercise of the teaching gift—is best reserved for gatherings other than the Lord’s Day worship service. The former, which normally include Q and A and group discussion, could occur before or after the Sunday worship service, or in a mid-week meeting. // I also have come to believe that the proper climax of the Lord’s Day worship service is not the sermon, but instead a reverent celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42; 19:8-10; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:17-33). Relative to current American church practice, this would imply that the Sunday morning “sermon” should be less in the nature of a teaching, and more in the nature of a prophecy: a “now word” that will indeed include a measure of instruction, but whose primary purpose is encouragement, exhortation, and spiritual renewal (Acts 3:19). Teaching can and should go longer; prophecy, not so much. For more on this subject, see my thoughts on the worship of the Lord’s Day, posted here.

4. For more on this important subject, see my essay on the Christ-centeredness of biblical revelation, posted here.

5. As a Reformed Baptist with charismatic leanings, I believe that a theologically mature preacher will be firmly grounded in the five Solas of the Reformation, the five Doctrines of Grace, a glad understanding of the glorious distinctives of the New Covenant and New Covenant worship, a soundly amillennial eschatology, and a humble openness to, and longing for, fresh moves of the Holy Spirit. // Regarding the Doctrines of Grace, I believe that when they are preached in a biblical manner, so that the paradigm of God’s sovereignty over all things is properly balanced with the paradigm of man’s freedom on probation, they will contribute mightily to the saints’ spiritual formation, and will prepare them for, and steady them in, their difficult walk with Christ through the wilderness of this present evil age, past the Consummation, and on into the eternal age to come. // Accordingly, I also believe that men who are well anchored in all these great truths will typically preach good expository sermons, and that the saints, sensing the preacher’s theological depth, will be drawn to them. // However, I also acknowledge that many Christians who do not affirm (all) these doctrines do indeed belong to the Lord; that the true center of the unity of the invisible Church is spiritual union with Christ through personal, God-given faith in his divine Person and redemptive Work (Eph. 4:1-4); and that many good sermons can be, and have been, preached by brothers serving the Lord outside the Reformed Baptist tradition. For more on this subject, see Dean Davis, In Search of the Golden Strand: Living Together Well with the Doctrines of Grace (Redemption Press, 2021).

Select Bibliography

Courtesy of ChatGPT, here is select bibliography of popular books on preaching, all written by evangelical Christians, and most by authors sympathetic to Reformed Theology.

1. Beeke, Joel R. Reformed Preaching: Proclaiming God’s Word from the Heart of the Preacher to the Heart of His People. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018.

2. Bridges, Charles. The Christian Ministry: With an Inquiry into the Causes of Its Inefficiency. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1959. Originally published 1830.

3. Chapell, Bryan. Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018.

4. Charles, H. B. Jr. On Preaching: Personal and Pastoral Insights for the Preparation and Practice of Preaching. Nashville, TN: B&H Books.

5. Clowney, Edmund P. Preaching Christ in All of Scripture. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed.

6. Gordon, T. David. Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

7. Greidanus, Sidney. Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.

8. Helm, David R. Expositional Preaching: How We Speak God’s Word Today. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014.

9. Keller, Timothy J. Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism. New York, NY: Viking/Penguin.

1o. Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn. Preaching and Preachers. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971.

11. Martin, Albert N. Preaching in the Holy Spirit. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1980.

12. Millar, J. Gary. Saving Eutychus: How to Preach God’s Word and Keep People Awake. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

13. Perkins, William. The Art of Prophesying. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1996. Originally published 1592.

14. Piper, John. Expository Exultation: Christian Preaching as Worship. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018.

15. Piper, John. The Supremacy of God in Preaching. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004.

16. Robinson, Haddon W. Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2014 (3rd ed.).

17. Stott, John R. W. Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Published: 4 December 2025

Written by Dean Davis

1 Comment

Categories: Devotional

“Inasmuch, then, as the children all share in flesh and blood,
he himself partook of flesh and blood just as they did,
so that through death he might break the power of him who held the power of death
—that is, the devil—
and release those who, through the fear of death,
were subject to bondage all throughout their lives.”
Hebrews 2:14-15

Unless the Lord Jesus returns beforehand (and in my case very beforehand), we who are Christians will die. When that happens, who will be in charge? Who will determine the day and manner of our death? Who will bring death to us and take us through it. Will it be God, or—as the text cited above might tempt us to think—will it be the devil?

The answer is: It will certainly be God, and the Christ who, by his righteous life and atoning death, purchased our redemption, brought us to faith, delivered us from condemnation, and released us from the fear death, which had previously held us in its dark and destructive grip.

On this matter of physical death, the Scripture is clear: It is altogether in the hands of God (1 Sam. 2:6). It is the judgment he himself imposed upon the family of man due to the sin of the first Adam (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12). It is part of the curse that he himself wisely laid upon the whole creation (Is. 25:7; Rom. 8:20). It is part of the flow of events that we call history, a history decreed by God and altogether under the control of him who upholds all things by his powerful word, and who guides them to their appointed ends (Psalm 139:15; Is. 46:8-11; Rom. 8:28-29; Eph. 1:11; Heb. 1:3). And as we see clearly both in the resuscitations performed by Christ and in his own resurrection from the dead, he, and he alone, holds the keys to death and hades, having both authority and power to release his beloved people from their grip once and for all (Matt. 28:1-10; John 11; 1 Cor. 15; Rev. 1:18).

In sum, God, in Christ, is lord over every man’s death, whether saint or sinner.

What, then, does the writer to the Hebrews mean when he says that the devil holds the power of death, and that he has the ability to torment human hearts with the fear of death (Matt. 4:16; Heb. 2:14-15)?

The answer is found in Revelation 12, where the devil is revealed as the accuser of the brotherhood, the hateful archangel who accuses them day and night before the throne of God, appealing to his holiness, sovereignty, and justice, inciting him to throw the book at them, desperately hoping that he will judge and punish them for their sins (Job 1-2; Luke 22:31; Rev. 12:10).

But in the case of the saints, it is a labor in vain. As it is written, “They overcame him through the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11). Which is to say, they simply rest all of their faith and hope upon the righteous life and sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross (Phil. 3:7-11); they simply trust that henceforth they have a loving Friend and Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1); they simply rejoice that their great High Priest is continually making intercession for them, effectively securing their eternal pardon based on the infinite merit of his shed blood (Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; Heb. 7:25). Viewed from above, such faith elicits the approving smile of their heavenly Father, who promptly throws the devil out of court. The children are doing just as he would wish: In all simplicity, they are depending upon the Person and Work of his Son, who, on the day of his own death, cried, “It is finished!”

The result is victory. For whether before the throne of God above, or in the hearts of the saints on earth, Satan’s power to condemn God’s elect and put them to spiritual death is shattered. Henceforth, the Spirit of God steels his justified children’s conscience, strengthens their assurance of salvation, and forever breaks the chains of the fear of death (Rom 8:31-39; 1 Cor. 15:50-57).

Brothers and sisters, it is our Lord Jesus Christ who REALLY holds the power of death. And he would have us all to know that in his infinite love he is already waiting for us up ahead, at the day of our own death; and also that he will faithfully bring us through it for his glory, our eternal happiness, and the spiritual edification of all who behold our God-given courage, confidence, hope, and joy.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even if he dies.
And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25

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