Below is a list of the seven most popular verses in the Bible. How did I compile this list? I did it by using the amazing power of technology. (Insert “oohs” and “ahhs” here.)

Inspired by a recent post by Cornel Marais, I came up with the idea of downloading a Bible onto Kindle to learn which verses had been highlighted most often by readers. You may not know this, but whenever you highlight a piece of text on a Kindle book, the Internet tells someone in the Amazon what you did – or something like that. The upshot is that if you read a book on Kindle, you can find out what other people have highlighted in that same book with the click of a button.

To learn which verses are most often higlighted, I chose the English Standard Version provided by Crossway Bibles since it’s the only free Bible available on Kindle. If you have 95 cents, you can repeat my experiment using the King Jimmy version and if you have six bucks, you can do it with the NIV. With my free Bible installed on Kindle for PC (also free), I clicked on the Popular Highlights button and hey presto! Here are the seven most highlighted passages in the Bible:

(1)    John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (729 highlighters)

No surprises here. Not only is this the best news in the world it’s a perennial favorite with sports-fans. Back in the day you could not watch a game of anything without spotting someone in the crowd holding a sign that said “John 3:16.” Then Steve Austin came along and things got a little confusing for a while – any wrestling fans out there? But Tim Tebow has since put things right again.

(2)    Php 4:13 I can do all things do through him who strengthens me. (362)

This is another verse popular with athletes. I’ve seen Fijian rugby players wearing this one. This is surely one of the most practical scriptures in the Bible. At difficult times in my life I have put this verse in my pocket to remind me that I am not alone.

(3)    Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (271)

(4)    Mat 6:34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (264)

In 2000 years, no one has come up with a better remedy for anxiety and worry than this couplet from Jesus. To seek the kingdom is to seek the King and when you are resting in Jesus and His righteousness, the worries of life aren’t so… well, worrisome.

(5)    Jer 29:11 I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (236)

This is the number one verse in the Old Testament and from time to time it is rated the number one verse in the whole Bible. Last year, for instance, Jeremiah 29:11 was the top scripture accessed on Biblegateway.com. And why not – it’s a gem! It is God declaring His good intentions for us. In a world of bad news, this is the good news broadcast from heaven.

(6)    Rom 8:28 We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (199)

Romans 8 is an absolute stunner of a chapter. If I was sent to jail and permitted just one chapter from the Bible, this would be the one I would take.

(7)    Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (144)

This last one’s seems to be an odd choice for me. I can think of about 100 verses I like better but the ESV readers have spoken and for them, this is number 7.

What’s missing from this list?

After reviewing the top scriptures searched in Biblegateway.com (their list is similar to this one), Colin Hansen, the editorial director at the Gospel Coalition, wrote a piece entitled “What’s missing?” In his view, the popular verses have too little emphasis on sin and wrath. This matters, said Mr. Hansen, because unless you know about sin, you won’t understand why Jesus did what He did on the cross.

I take his point, but I am not convinced. In a recent post I outlined what I consider to be the top 12 scriptures describing the new covenant. None of them mentioned sin for the simple reason that sin is a feature of the old covenant. I don’t live under that covenant so I don’t see the need to go around highlighting sin. I would rather highlight Jesus.

But what do you think? What verse do you think should be added to this list of all-time favorites?
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Related posts:
- Son, servant, or friend of God?
- A new covenant picture of repentance
- How to walk after the flesh in 20 easy lessons

The gospel of grace is such a matchless message that any time we preach something different, we are giving less than our best. “But Paul,” you may say. “There are so many needs.” Then preach the gospel! Need healing? Then let me tell you the good news of Christ. Are you facing financial difficulties? Here’s the gospel. Are you worried, frustrated, confused and lost? Then I have good news for you!

Good news agents

Paul said he was shameless about the gospel because it was the only message empowered by God to save those who believe it. We need to have the same attitude as Paul. We need to realize that we are called to be good news agents and nothing less. So let’s clear the shelves of old covenant clutter – all that stuff that says we have to jump through hoops to be accepted/blessed/holy/etc. – and make room for the new and better message of grace: Jesus has done it all!

To help you proclaim the gospel, I want to highlight the top 12 new covenant claims made in the Bible. You can use these claims in your advertising. Two-thousand years of market research has proven that they work. How did I choose these particular scriptures? Well, to be honest, some of them are simply my personal favorites. Others are those that have drawn a positive response from readers over at GraceQuotes.com. I’m not claiming that this list of verses is in any way definitive so feel free to add to it in the comments underneath.

The Top New Covenant Scriptures (in reverse order)

(12) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. (Rom 1:16, NIV)

Salvation in the old covenant hinged on your perfect law-keeping performance; in the new, salvation is a work of God. This is why it’s called good news – it’s an announcement of a finished work. It is the declaration that God’s saving power is available to all who would receive it. And what power! It can literally turn a sinner into a saint, or a dead man into a living one…

(11) I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (Joh 5:24, NIV)

Prior to the cross we were subject to the law of sin and death but now there’s a new law in town! The law of the Spirit of life means we can live free from sin and all its fatal effects. Jesus didn’t merely save us from our sins; He gave us new life. How do we enjoy this new life? By trusting in the one called Mr. Grace…

(10) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (Joh 1:14, KJV)

If Jesus only brought truth, we would all be dead meat, but since He came full of “grace and truth” we have abounding life! Truth without grace (e.g., old covenant law) is a hammer; but truth with grace is good news for the poor and needy.

(9) I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! (Jer 31:3, MSG)

Most people are surprised to find this scripture in the Bible, but that’s what everlasting love is. It is love that never quits. As Paul said, “Love is patient, love endures.” That means God will never give up on you! He loved you into existence, He loved you when you were a sinner, and He will always love you. You cannot exaggerate the love of God. What does this have to do with the new covenant? Everything! The new covenant expresses the loving-kindness of our Father. Since God never changes, this explains why the new covenant is sometimes called “the eternal covenant” (Heb 13:20).

(8) “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Is 54:10, NIV)

See? I told you it was an eternal covenant. Unlike the old covenant which stands on the brittle promises of men, the new covenant is underwritten by the unshakeable oath of God. You can take His words to the bank! And that probably explains why Isaiah 54:10 is the most popular prophecy on GraceQuotes.com.

(7) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21, NIV)

You’ve got to love the math of the new covenant: How many sins did Jesus commit before He was made sin? None. And how many righteous acts did we do before we were made righteous? None. God did it all! We are merely the grateful beneficiaries of His mighty work.

(6) If God is for us, who can be against us? Certainly not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son—will he not also freely give us all things? Who will accuse God’s chosen people? God himself declares them not guilty! (Rom 8:31-33, GNB)

In the old covenant, the law stood against us but in the new, God is for us. God is for us! God is for us!

(5) How great is God’s love for all who worship him? Greater than the distance between heaven and earth! How far has the LORD taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west! (Psalm 103:11-12, CEV)

Preachers who are confused about what happened on the cross will look at this list and say, “You are not emphasizing sin enough!” That’s because it’s hard to talk about something that Jesus has done away with. Jesus is here; our sins are there. They have been removed as far as the east is from the west. This is what it means to be completely forgiven! In the old you examined yourself for sin, but in the new you examine the Lamb without blemish. You want to fix sin? Then preach grace. Grace is the cure for sin.

(4) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20, NIV)

That’s the key to Christian living right there. It’s not about sweating for Jesus or improving the flesh, but resting in His finished work. Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to Christ and live!

(3) Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer. (Eph 1:3, GWT)

I have listed the top 12 blessings of the new covenant elsewhere. Rather than repeat them here, I’ll just echo Paul who says that we have been blessed with everything! If God has already given us His Son, what will He withhold from us? Nothing! (I love answering rhetorical questions raised by the gospel.)

(2) Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me–watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (Mt 11:28-30, MSG)

I’d rather be married to Mr. Grace than that old perfectionist Mr. Law. Incidentally, this paraphrase of Jesus’ words is one of the most popular scriptures on GraceQuotes.com. Nice work Eugene Peterson!

(1) The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luk 4:18-19, NIV)

And that year of favor will prove to be the longest year in history! It’s 2000 years long and counting. It will never end!

What did I miss?

There are so many great scriptures that are not on this list. (If you’re wondering what happened to John 3:16, wait for my next post!) If you think there is a scripture that definitely should be included in the Top 12, let us know in the comments below.
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Related posts:
- 10 myths about the Holy Spirit
- The gospel in one word, two words…
- 12 famous examples of walking in the spirit in the Bible

But if you stay up really late with a bottle of Romulan ale and let your mind wander onto the bridge of the USS Enterprise, you might discover some amazing parallels between Starfleet’s ongoing mission of exploration and our ongoing mission of preaching the good news. You might find that we have more than a few things in common with Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Bones, Scotty, et al.

For instance, have you ever noticed that the basic premise of Star Trek comes straight out of the New Testament? Think about it. Each week a starship captain descends from the heavens bringing good news and blessings to an isolated planet. Doesn’t that remind you – just a teeny bit – of another Man who descended from heaven bringing good news to this orphaned planet? Yeah, I know, it’s a stretch. But bear with me. This could yet be fun.

If you have no interest in Star Trek, I suggest you go and read some Spurgeon quotes or check out the Grace Gallery. It’s quiet over there. But for all you Trekkies and Trekkers out there, here are 12 things Christians have in common with Star Trek:

1. We’re on a mission (Mt 28:19). Like the crew of the Enterprise, we’ve got a job to do. We might differ in what we define as good news, but we’re both called to go and tell. There’s no fluffing around on a starship. You won’t see the crew engaged in a lot of meetings. A sense of being on an exciting mission over-rides any desire to settle or be idle.

2. Our desire is for the lost and unreached. Yep, like Paul (Rm 15:20) and Captain Kirk, we’re boldly going where no one has gone before.

3. We’re on a quest for new life (Acts 5:20). Captain Kirk famously said he was seeking out new life. So are we. What does new life look like? Christ in you (Gal 4:18). In Him is life (Jn 1:4) and whoever has the Son has life (1 Jn 5:12). We’re like mothers in childbirth longing to see Christ formed in you (Gal 4:19).

4. We’re ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20). Like the crew of the Enterprise, we don’t come in our own name but as representatives of another. We have no agendas or ministries of our own. We have been entrusted with His ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18). Our aim is to represent Jesus well.

5. We come in peace. Just as you won’t see the Starship Enterprise firing wantonly on a new planet, you won’t find us marching into town like scary Old Testament prophets (see 1 Sam 16:4). Our feet our shod with the gospel of peace (Eph 5:16). Like the angels, we herald peace on earth and God’s favor to men (Lk 2:14).

6. We’re servant-hearted. The clever engineers and scientists on a starship can fix your well, feed and clothe you. Likewise, we minister to the whole person. The first words you might hear us say are, “What do you need?” We who were once servants of sin are now your servants for His sake (2 Cor 4:5).

7. We heal the sick (Mt 10:8). In the world of the Federation, Starfleet medical officers possess amazing healing powers. But I’ve never seen any of them resurrect the dead or drive out demons. We have superior capabilities! Healing the sick is an integral part of our operational routine (Mk 18:18).

8. We’re color-blind. On a starship bridge it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, yellow or Vulcan. Everyone’s in this together. Similarly, there is neither Jew nor Greek with us for we’re all one in Christ (Gal 3:28). Forty years ago Star Trek shocked the world with an inter-racial kiss. Big deal. Two thousand years ago righteousness and peace kissed at the cross and everything changed (Ps 85:10). The Righteous One embraced unrighteous humanity in the greatest act of love the world has ever seen (Rm 5:8).

9. We function best as a team (Rm 12:5). Contrary to his image as a maverick captain, James T. Kirk wouldn’t last five minutes in space by himself. If the Enterprise is ever to leave space dock he’s going to need Scotty, Spock, Bones and many others. It’s the same with us. We’re members of a body and each part is necessary (1 Cor 12:22). A lone Christian is about as useful as a starship captain on an empty bridge.

10. We work for free (2 Th 3:8). Here’s something you’ll never see at the end of a Star Trek episode: a Starfleet officer handing a bill for services to a local official. Yes, we have to eat too. But He who provides seed to the sower and bread for food takes care of us and will take care of you so that you too can be generous on every occasion (2 Cor 9:10).

11. We shine in impossible situations (Mt 17:20). Like Captain Kirk we are not intimidated by overwhelming odds. We laugh in the face of adversity. Unlike Kirk we don’t survive by our wits and resourcefulness but by aggressively trusting in a mighty God who raises the dead (2 Cor 5:9).

12. We’re not afraid of Klingons. We who have already died are not afraid of anything. The most repeated instruction in our operating manual is “fear not” (eg: Is 43:1).

And that’s my list. If there are any Star Trek fans out there who can think of other things we have in common with the crew of the Enterprise, let’s hear them.

Walking after the old ways of the flesh is abnormal for a believer. It’s like a butterfly who thinks and acts as though he was still a caterpillar. But what does it mean to walk after the spirit? Are there any examples of this in the Bible? There are plenty. Pick just about anything Jesus did and you will see a man filled with the Spirit who consistently walked according to the Spirit. Jesus is our best model of a life lived in step with the Spirit.

But Jesus was not the only one who walked in the spirit. I suspect this way of life was normal for many New Testament believers. However, in my list of 12 examples below, I have taken care to pick stories where the Bible clearly indicates that an individual was walking in the spirit. What do we take away from such a list? It gives us a picture of how life is meant to be for a Christian. It defines what is “normal” and thus exposes the utter poverty of a life lived according to the flesh. As you review this list, tell yourself:  “This is describing the abundant life that Jesus promised to me in John 10:10. This is a picture of the kind of life I wish to live.” Let’s see what that sort of life looks like:

1. Simeon has a date with destiny. For hundreds of years the prophets had been straining to see the promised Messiah. Then Simeon, “moved by the Holy Spirit,” goes to the temple courts and sees what all the others missed. Talk about all your Christmasses coming at once! Those who are led by the Spirit are always at the right place at the right time.

2. Jesus lives free. Like the wind, no one could tell where He came from or where He was going (Jn 3:8). He shunned labels, refused to be controlled, and ate with whomever He pleased. Friends and family tried to manage Him. Politicians and religious leaders tried to control Him. Even Satan tried to tempt Him. But Jesus had no needs that weren’t fully met in His Father. He was not distracted by success nor apparent failure. He could sleep through storms. Jesus was perfectly secure in His Sonship and completely free.

3. Jesus turns water into wine (Jn 2). Initially Jesus didn’t think His time had come but the Spirit had other ideas. The kingdom of heaven is a party (Mt 22:2) and those who are led by the Spirit are the life of the party wherever they go!

4. Jesus heals all the sick (Mt 12:15, 14:36). In his flesh Jesus could not heal a headache any more than you could. Walking in the spirit you can heal the sick, just as Jesus did.

5. Jesus delivers all who are oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). He drove out demons with a word (Mt 8:16). No spooky exorcisms, no prayer and fasting – just a word of irresistible authority backed up by the Most Powerful Being in the Universe: the Holy Spirit.

6. Jesus teaches with authority (Mt 7:29). In contrast with those who minister condemnation by teaching dead religion, those who are led by the spirit speak words of eternal life (Jn 6:68). In contrast with those who preach paralyzing homilies of uncertainty, those led by the spirit declare truth with unshakeable conviction, just like Jesus. Jesus didn’t try to grow His ministry and He didn’t run after crowds. Crowds ran after Him.

7. Peter and John declare the gospel boldly in the face of persecution (Acts 4:8). The Spirit emboldens “unschooled and ordinary” men.

8. Stephen refutes the legalistic arguments of religious trouble-makers (Acts 6:10). So did Jesus, Paul, Peter, James and John. So will you. Those who serve in the newness of the spirit will encounter opposition from those who persist in the oldness of the letter. There will be arguments and you could die (see Jesus, Paul, Peter, Stephen, et al.). But no weapon formed against you will prosper and you will refute every judgmental and critical tongue that rises in opposition to the message of Christ and His finished work.

9. Barnabas reaches out to Paul. None of the apostles trusted the man once known as Saul. They regarded him from a worldly point of view and were afraid of him. “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles” (Acts 9:27). Barnabas saw what no one else saw and through one act of encouragement helped change the course of history.

10. Paul writes down the doctrines of a new covenant. Jesus revealed the grace of God to an orphaned world and Paul wrote it all down so we wouldn’t forget it. With “words taught by the Spirit” Paul preached a message that went against everything he had learned in Pharisee school (1 Co 2:13). Paul had been trained in the old ways of the written code but began to serve in the new way of the spirit (Rm 7:6). In the natural he was unqualified – his own training he now counted as dung. But he said that those of us who minister in the new covenant of the spirit have a “competence that comes from God” (2 Co 3:6).

11. Paul goes to Macedonia instead of Bithynia (Acts 16:7). As a result, the Philippians got the gospel and we got the most joy-filled letter in the Bible. Led by the spirit Paul also went to Jerusalem in spite of the hardships that he knew awaited him (Acts 20:22-3). Those who live in the spirit walk fearlessly into the toughest, most hostile places on earth. No place is out of bounds. No place is given over to the devil. It’s all God’s Country and as His kids we own this world (Rm 4:13).

12. Paul finishes the race in style (see 2 Tim 4:6-8). Paul said his fleshly life was “worth nothing” in comparison to finishing the race and completing his God-given task (Acts 20:24). His mind was so fixed on things above that he was torn between here and there. “To live is Christ, to die is gain” (Php 1:21). While serving time on death row, Paul knew that the end of his fleshly existence was near. We know what was going through his mind because he wrote one final letter. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul penned words that have since been etched on countless headstones:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day. (2 Tim 4:7-8a)

In the last line of his last letter, this spirit-conscious man reminds us of the secret of living well:

The Lord Jesus Christ is with thy spirit… Amen. (2 Tim 4:22, YLT)

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Since most of us have grown up with a works-based view of salvation, we tend to think of sin as doing bad things. If we avoid doing bad things then we’ll avoid sin. But the Bible has a completely different definition of sin. “Whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rm 14:23). According to this definition, walking after the flesh is sin because it takes no faith to do what is right in your own eyes. No doubt that this comes as a bit of a shock. After all, walking after the flesh comes naturally to all of us. But have you ever noticed that the consequences of walking after the flesh are exactly the same as the wages of sin (Rm 6:23, 8:13)?

Instead of judging everything in terms of good or bad works, it is more helpful to think in terms of flesh versus spirit. To illustrate this, I have made a list of 12 of the most infamous examples of walking after the flesh found in the Bible. This is a list of carnal choices that, in some cases, led to terrible suffering.

There are two surprising things about this list. First, it contains both wicked deeds and choices that we would define as harmless, even good. If you think you can please God by doing good works and avoiding bad ones, then this is really going to mess you’re your theology! You need to see that Sin is no respecter of works. Sin doesn’t really care what you do, as long as you do it in the power of your flesh.

Second, the fleshly works on this list were done by both godly and ungodly people and both groups suffered as a result of their choices. Whether you’re in Adam or in Christ, if you sow to the flesh you will reap corruption (Gal 6:8). I am not referring to eternal consequences – what is born of the spirit cannot be undone by the flesh. But the consequences of carnal choices affect everyone, saved and unsaved.

This, then, is a list of righteous and unrighteous people doing both good and bad things. So what’s the common thread? What’s the one thing all these choices have in common? As you read the list, see if you can identify it. I will give you the answer below.

12 Infamous works of the flesh

1. Adam eats the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:6). The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not a bad tree; God doesn’t do bad trees (Gen 1:31). Everything in the world was good so the serpent had to tempt Eve with something that was “good and pleasing” (Gen 3:6). Compared to the manifest works of the flesh in Galatians 5, eating a piece of fruit might not seem that big a deal. But I’d say the consequences of this were fairly substantial, wouldn’t you?

2. Abraham sleeps with the maid (Gen 16). He knew God had promised him a son but God was taking too long. Yet another work of the flesh that we’re still paying for.

3. Moses defends a Hebrew slave (Ex 2:12). Prince Moses, “mighty in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22), perhaps saw himself as a deliverer of Israel. 40 years growing old in obscurity killed off that idea.

4. The Israelites don’t want to enter the Promised Land, then want to (Num 14). It’s perfectly natural to be afraid of hostile giants – especially if you’ve got small children. But it meant missing an opportunity to see God do mighty exploits. It also meant dying in the wilderness.

5. Saul saves the best for God (1 Sam 15:15). God wanted the Amalekites dead, down to the last donkey. Saul had a better idea. Bye bye House of Saul.

6. David counts his soldiers (1 Chr 21). 70,000 men died as a result. So much for your army David.

7. Elijah runs like a chicken (1 Kgs 19). A scary lady said some nasty things, Elijah got spooked and not even God could lift him out of his funk. It cost Elijah his ministry.

8. James and John want to toast the Samaritans (Luk 9:54). “Well Elijah did it and he didn’t get in trouble.” That was Elijah fellas; Jesus has a different spirit.

9. Peter tries to save Jesus’ life (Mt 16:22). For this Peter receives the most famous rebuke in the Bible (Mt 16:23). And then he does it again (Jn 18:10)! Nice one Peter. You could’ve ruined everything.

10. Saul the Pharisee persecutes Christians. Saul was so zealous for God that he was instrumental in the jailing and killing of Christians (Acts 26:10). For this he later calls himself Chief of Sinners.

11. The Judaizers preach just a little bit of law (Acts 15:1). “All we’re asking for is a snip to the tip.” No wonder the men of Antioch were glad when James said “No” (Acts 15:31).

12. Peter draws back from the Gentiles so as not to offend (Ga 2:11). This time it’s not Jesus but Paul who gets in his face telling him he’s “clearly wrong” – not misguided, not confused, but “I’m putting this in the Bible so everyone knows about it,” wrong. Ouch.

What is the common thread running through these good and bad deeds done by godly and ungodly people? Well I gave you a pretty big hint at the top of this post: In each case the person involved did what seemed right to them at the time. This is the hallmark of flesh-based living. It is walking by sight.

The irony of this is that when you walk by sight you’re putting yourself back in the kingdom of darkness. You’re allowing yourself to be influenced by the natural realm which is the enemy’s realm (1 Jn 5:19). Again, I am not talking about your salvation. We’re not saved or unsaved on the basis of works – this is carnal thinking. But when you leave the Giver of Life out of your choices, how can you expect to reap anything other than death? This is why so many of our ventures resemble Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. We’ve tried to bring something to life and only the Spirit can do that (Jn 6:63).

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Pro 14:12)

Creation is still waiting for the mature sons of God to be revealed and we don’t reveal our true selves by acting in the old ways of the flesh. These stories are in the Bible for our edification, to teach us how not to live. Again, it’s not what we’re doing that’s particularly important, but how we’re doing it. Are we trusting in the dead hand of the flesh or are we relying on the life-giving might of the Spirit?
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Related posts:
- How to walk after the flesh in 20 easy lessons
- When doing good is bad for you
- 12 examples of walking in the spirit

Ask any Christian to list the works of the flesh and they will likely respond with the list found in Galatians 5:19-21: adultery, hatred, idolatry, murder, etc. Paul calls these the “manifest” or “obvious” works of the flesh. They are the biggies, the elephantine examples of what it means to live apart from God. But the Bible also provides dozens of lesser examples of fleshly living that you may not be so familiar with. I’ve listed some of these lesser works of the flesh below.

Walking after the flesh is when you attempt to get your needs met independently of God. It’s trusting in yourself (your abilities, your understanding) and living solely from the basis of your earthly experience (what you see, hear, touch, etc.). Now here’s the important bit: You can walk after the flesh in the pursuit of both good things and bad things. Paul’s manifest works of the flesh – the biggies – are all clearly associated with bad deeds, but some of the lesser works in the list below are not bad at all. This is a critical point. We are not comparing good deeds with bad but flesh with spirit. And as we saw in the last post, when you’re walking after the flesh even good things can be bad for you.

A classic example of something that is good yet bad for you is God’s law. It is not sin, it is good! But try to live by it and you will find yourself walking after the flesh. Paul said his ability to keep the righteous requirements of the law was ineffective because he tried to do so in the puny strength of his flesh (Rm 8:3). Living under self-imposed law is one of the primary ways we walk after the flesh – hence its position at the top of my list.

Just a reminder: The wrong way to read this list is the carnal way – identifying things you should or should not do. Christianity is a bit like marriage – it’s a love-relationship. You will kill it if you try to reduce it to a set of rules. We are less interested in the what than we are in the how. So how do we walk after the flesh? Here are 20 ways:

20 ways to walk after the flesh

1. Try to keep God’s law (Rm 7:9-25): Think that you have to do stuff to be blessed (Eph 1:3), that you have to perform to stay saved (Gal 2:21). The old covenant is the fleshly covenant; the new covenant is the spirit covenant.

2. Set your mind on earthly things (Php 3:19, Jn 3:12): Keep your eyes on the here and now. “What you see is all there is” (Col 3:2). Entangle yourself in the affairs of life (2 Ti 2:4).

3. Think about how to gratify the lusts of the flesh (Rm 13:14): If it feels good, do it (Rm 14:17).

4. Pursue your goal through self-denial (Col 2:21-3): Don’t look. Don’t drink. Don’t touch. Fast twice a week. Practice perfectionism (Gal 3:3, KJV).

5. Make sacrifices to impress God (Heb 10:1,8): Be conscious of your debt to Jesus and consider it your duty to serve. Put your ministry or business before your marriage.

6. Load others with heavy burdens (Lk 11:46): Expect your Christian staff to work harder for less pay. Send the message that the work is more important than their families or their health. Shackle them to your vision. Use emotional manipulation or, worse, scripture, to pressure people to support you.

7. Take pride in your independence (Jer 17:6): Respect no one (1 Pe 2:17). Scorn authority (2 Pet 2:10). Flaunt your freedom (1 Co 8:9). “Who needs fathers? I follow Christ” (1 Co 1:12).

8. Worry about your life (Mt 6:25, Lk 8:14, Php 4:6): “What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear?” Entertain fear and doubt. “I can’t do it” (Php 4:13).

9. Cultivate self-belief (2 Co 12:10): “I can do it!” Boast in your accomplishments (2 Co 11:30). Boast in your wisdom, strength and riches (Jer 9:23).

10. See yourself as a victim (Rm 8:37): “Woe is me. I’m not worthy. My sinful nature made me do it.” Blame God (Jas 1:13). Blame the devil (1 Jn 4:4). Blame your circumstances (Deu 28:13).

11. Be a man-pleaser (Gal 1:10): Wonder, what will my boss think? How will the board react? How will this affect the tithers? Say only what they want you to say.

12. Make plans in a worldly manner (2 Cor 5:7, Jer 17:5): Do a SWOT analysis; list the pros and cons; make decisions based on money. Manage the risks and stay in control.

13. Try to grow a ministry (Ps 127:1, 1 Co 3:6). Work hard to make things happen.

14. Define success by human standards (Jn 8:15, 1 Cor 1:26): It’s all about the numbers. “How many soldiers do we have? How many attend the prayer meeting? Are donations increasing? Are we doing better than last year? Am I doing better than my predecessor?”

15. Nurture your reputation (Php 3:8): Put on a good show and make a good impression (Lk 16:15; Gal 6:12). Be face conscious. Make a name for yourself (Gen 11:4) and blame the wife when things go wrong (Gen 3:12).

16. Pray long prayers, especially if others are listening (Mt 6:5-8).

17. Regard people from a worldly point of view (2 Cor 5:16): Engage in office politics. View new-comers as potential recruits or leaders for your programs. Cultivate task-based friendships. Choose the best-looking man for the job (1 Sam 16:7). Show favor to the one with money (Jas 2:3).

18. Sacrifice people on the altar of your principles (1 Cor 3:1-4): “I’m right, you’re wrong.” Judge the weak (Rm 15:1). Distance yourselves from those who aren’t as doctrinally pure as you (1 Cor 9:22).

19. Combat worldly problems with worldly weapons (2 Cor 10:4): Put your faith in politics. Start fights (Zec 4:6). Picket the abortion clinic. Protest the gay parade (Is 42:2).

20. Pretend to be Jesus (Mt 24:24): Draw people to your ministry and build toward yourself (1 The 3:8). Teach others to depend on you. Stand in the gap. Try to crucify yourself (Col 2:20).

This is a yukky list and frankly, I didn’t enjoy writing it. Just about everything on this list, I’ve done. God help me, some of the things on this list I’m still doing! Don’t let this list condemn you. A better response is to get mad because we’ve been conned! The prince of this world has deceived us into thinking that this is how things are done, that the fleshly way of life is normal. But this is not normal life for one born of the spirit. We act this way out of habit and ignorance. We walk after the flesh because when we were in the flesh this was how we lived:

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (Col 3:7)

I have to say this again: Some of the activities on this list are good! Please don’t think I am against the law or fruitful ministries or planning or praying without ceasing. I am not. But understand that the carnal mind longs to be told what to do when God is much more interested in how we are doing it. Are we trusting in the power of our might or are we resting confidently in His? Are we walking as “mere men” (1 Cor 3:3) or are we being revealed as mature sons and daughters of our Father? Flesh cannot give birth to spirit. Neither can walking after the flesh empower you to live the life God has called you to live.

I encourage you to review the list again and ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify those areas that He wants to deal with today. “But Paul, that’s pretty much everything on that list!” Don’t panic! Your heavenly Father knows you are a work-in-progress. Some of these issues can be dealt with now; others can wait. He loves you regardless, without any reference to your performance. He knows everything that you’ve done and everything that you’re ever going to do. It’s impossible to disappoint Him.

In this post I’ve given you 20 generic examples of walking after the flesh. In my next post I’m going to provide some classic examples of walking after the flesh found in the Bible. Then, in the post after that, I will give you a simple “flesh test” that you can take on your own. This test consists of two easy questions that will help you determine whether you are walking after the flesh or the spirit in any given situation. In other words, it will reveal those areas in your life where freedom and joy and peace are about to come bursting through!
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Related posts:
- Are you religious? Take the test
- Two religions: Works and blood
- Seven signs that you might be living under law

In Part 1, we looked at 10 myths surrounding the Person of the Holy Spirit. In this post we’re going to look at 10 myths regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit…

Myth 1: The Holy Spirit teaches me to keep the commandments
Truth 1: The Holy Spirit guides you into a relationship with Truth Himself (Jn 16:13-14)

What did Jeremiah (31:33) mean when he prophesied that the Spirit would write His laws in our hearts? Was he promoting a relationship with the rules? No. Jesus is the law-keeper who lives within. Think of the Holy Spirit as a match-maker wooing you to Jesus. As we rest in Jesus and let Him live His life through ours (Gal 2:20), we find ourselves keeping the commandments effortlessly. “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rms 8:3-4) More here.

Myth 2: The Holy Spirit is like a Divine Policeman enforcing law and order
Truth 2: The Holy Spirit strengthens, encourages and prospers the church (Acts 9:31)

Since many believers have been brought up on a diet of law and obligation, it is natural to think of the Holy Spirit as a Policeman enforcing God’s commands. But this is confusing covenants. How does the Holy Spirit strengthen and build up the church? Principally by revealing more and more of Jesus (Jn 16:14, Phm 1:6). The Holy Spirit is so good at what He does, that Jesus said that it was for our good that He leave so the Spirit could come (Jn 16:7). Think about that! We’re better off now with the Spirit than we were with Jesus in the flesh.

Myth 3: The Holy Spirit is unpredictable, sort of the solo agent of heaven
Truth 3: The Holy Spirit speaks the words of Jesus and the Father (Mt 10:20, Jn 14:26)

They really are all on the same team.

Myth 4: The Holy Spirit is mysterious and secretive – He’s hard to figure out
Truth 4: The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and revelation (Jn 16:14, Eph 1:17)

The Holy Spirit is in the business of making known to us the mystery of God’s will (Eph 1:9, Dan 2:19, Rom 11:25). Jesus said the Holy Spirit would guide us, not into some truth, but into all truth (Jn 16:13). He is not the author of confusion – that would be the devil. Rather, the Holy Spirit is the One who helps us make sense out of all Jesus said and did and everything that is about to happen (Jn 16:13, MSG). He really is the most wonderful Guide. Keep in step with the Spirit and you’ll never put a foot wrong.

Myth 5: The Holy Spirit scares me
Truth 5: The Holy Spirit releases rivers of peace and joy (Rm 14:17)

The Holy Spirit is the most powerful Being in the universe and He is for you (Rm 8:31). Some translations call Him “The Friend” for He truly is the great Friend of sinners (leading them to Jesus) and saints (encouraging and guiding us). He never leaves us for He is the Friend who sticks closer than a brother (Pro 18:24). Jesus said the Spirit would be in us like a river (Jn 7:38). Just as a river needs to flow, so too does the Holy Spirit desire to flow out of you to refresh and bring life to others. One emotion which is consistently linked with the Holy Spirit is joy (Lk 10:21, Acts 13:52, 1 Th 1:6). If there is no joy in your walk, lean on the Holy Spirit. Believe that He is with you and in you to strengthen you with the Lord’s joy. If you are timid in your witness, understand that God has not given you a spirit of intimidation (2 Tim 1:7). His kingdom is characterized by righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Myth 6: The Holy Spirit is in the background somewhere – I’m not sure what He’s up to
Truth 6: The Holy Spirit actively partners with us and empowers us to be bold witnesses (2 Cor 13:14, Acts 1:8)

In Greek the Holy Spirit is described as a paraclete (Jn 16:7). The image is of a soldier who partners with us side-by-side in combat like Jonathan’s armor-bearer (1 Sam 14:7). And what a Powerful Partner He is! He never loses, He bears no scars, and His enemies have already been defeated! If you are saved then you already are acquainted with His work, for you could never have confessed Jesus as Lord without His help (1 Cor 12:3). (Have you ever thanked Him for that?) Many Christians know what it is to walk in the authority of Jesus’ Name, but they do not fully operate in the power of the Spirit. They’re like a cop with a badge but no gun. Jesus gave us authority (Lk 10:19) but said the Spirit would give us power (Acts 1:8). When the Spirit came on Saul in the Old Testament, the Bible says he was turned into another man who was empowered to do “whatever the occasion demands” (1 Sam 10:6-7, NKJV). Similarly, in the new covenant the Spirit turns you into a new creation who is empowered to preach and demonstrate the gospel of the kingdom (1 Co 2:4). This includes healing the sick, driving out demons, and raising the dead, as the occasion demands (Mt 10:8). See Acts 3:11-16 for a picture of what this looks like.

Myth 7: The Holy Spirit leaves me speechless and anxious
Truth 7: The Holy Spirit gives you words to say so you need not worry (Mk 13:11, Lk 12:12)

Do you have an opportunity to speak but you’re stuck for words? Never fear for He is here! The gospel message is conveyed with words and wonders and the Holy Spirit provides them both. Trust Him – He’s really in you and with you! – and ask for His wisdom. He gives generously (Jas 1:5) and His wise words come pre-packaged with boldness (Acts 4:31).

Myth 8: The Holy Spirit is a euphemism for the warm fuzzies I experience in the mood music that follows the preaching
Truth 8: The Holy Spirit reinforces the preaching of the gospel with signs and wonders (Rms 15:19, 1 Th 1:5)

The modern church has diluted the role of the Holy Spirit to accommodate their limited experience of the supernatural. But Jesus promised that “signs will accompany those who believe” (Mk 16:17). What miracles were attributed to the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts? All of them! It’s the book of His acts. Every time the good news is preached, the Holy Spirit is looking to confirm the message with signs following. His ministry is revealed in a Show and Tell gospel. “With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose…” (Acts 4:8, MSG). Cool huh?

Myth 9: The Holy Spirit crushes me with impossible demands – He teaches me how to die daily
Truth 9: The Holy Spirit raises the dead, makes us new, gives life, warns us of dangers, and frees us from the burdens of religion (Rm 8:11, Tit 3:5, Acts 15:28, 20:23)

More covenant confusion! The ministry of the law brings death and condemnation, but the ministry of the Spirit brings life and righteousness (2 Cor 3:6-9). True, He’ll let us come to the end of ourselves so that we might learn to trust Him. But He loves you just the same whether you stay in the boat or dance on the water. He comforts, He doesn’t condemn. Jesus promised life in abundance (Jn 10:10). The Holy Spirit delivers on that promise by replacing fear with courage, weakness with strength, and death with resurrection life (Acts 4:8-13, 2 Co 1:9, 12:10).

Myth 10: The Holy Spirit gives different groups different revelation which is why we have different denominations
Truth 10: The Holy Spirit baptizes us into one body (1 Cor 12:13)

There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all (Eph 4:4-6). We see the distinctions and call them “flavors,” but God sees one body with many members (Rms 12:5). God gives diverse gifts for a common purpose – that we might mature and reach true unity in the faith. Unity will happen when we believe exactly what the Son of God believes and know accurately what He knows concerning us (Eph 4:13, MIRROR). The Holy Spirit produces unity in the body, not division.

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Related posts:
- 10 myths about the Holy Spirit
- Fear and trembling
- Are you “hot” enough for God? (Rev 3:15)

Here are 10 myths and 10 truths about the Person of Holy Spirit:

Myth 1: The Holy Spirit keeps a record of my sin.

Truth 1:  The Holy Spirit remembers your sin no more (He 10:17).

The Holy Spirit is not forgetful, but love keeps no record of wrongs. At the cross, justice was done and all your sins were forgiven (Col 2:13). To forgive literally means to send away. Your sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west (Ps 103:12). God has reconciled the world to Himself and is no longer counting men’s sins against them (2 Cor 5:19). If the old covenant was characterized by remembrance of sins (He 10:3), the new is characterized by forgetting them (He 8:12).

Myth 2: The Holy Spirit convicts me of my sin.

Truth 2: The Holy Spirit convicts you of your righteousness (Jn 16:10).

How could He convict you of something that He chooses not to remember? Jesus has done away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb 9:26). Your sins are not the problem. The real question is whether you trust in the grace of God. As an expression of His love and mercy, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of the sin of unbelief in Jesus. But the only thing He “convicts” or rather, convinces, Christians of is their righteousness (Jn 16:8-10).

Myth 3: The Holy Spirit leads me to confess my sin.

Truth 3: The Holy Spirit leads you to confess Jesus is Lord (1 Co 12:3)!

The Holy Spirit will never seek to distract you from Jesus. His ministry will always make you Jesus-conscious rather than self-conscious (Jn 16:14). Specifically, the Holy Spirit will lead you to recognize Jesus as Lord which means everything you have – including your problems and sins – belongs to Him. You don’t have the right to your sins. They are not yours for He bought them with His blood. Still thinking about your sins? Then reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rm 6:11).

Myth 4: The Holy Spirit is watching to see if I slip up and fail to finish.

Truth 4: The Holy Spirit personally guarantees your salvation and inheritance (Eph 1:13-14).

When you were saved you were marked as one of God’s own (2 Cor 1:22) and sealed with the Spirit for the day of redemption (Eph 4:30). The Holy Spirit is not a fault-finder, but a hope-giver (Rm 15:13). His hope is a firm and secure anchor for the soul (He 6:19). What’s your part in this? Trust Him!

Myth 5: The Holy Spirit reveals God’s judgment.

Truth 5: The Holy Spirit reveals God’s love (Rm 5:5).

“God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit…” (Rms 5:5, GNB). “So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment” (1 Jn 4:18). If you fear God’s punishment, please allow me to introduce you to the Holy Spirit.

Myth 6: The Holy Spirit inspires us to fear a holy and distant God.

Truth 6: The Holy Spirit helps you to know and draw near to God your Father (Eph 1:17, Gal 4:6).

“For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God’s children, and by the Spirit’s power we cry out to God, ‘Father! My Father!’” (Rm 8:15, GNB). Wow! How good is that?!

Myth 7: The Holy Spirit lives somewhere out there, probably behind Alpha Centauri.

Truth 7: The Holy Spirit lives in you (1 Co 6:19; 2 Ti 1:14, Rm 8:11).

Under the old covenant, God lived in the temple. In the new covenant, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Co 6:19). Where does He live? In you! As Ralph Harris says, you are “God’s sacred mobile home.”

Myth 8: The Holy Spirit comes and goes. We need to cry out for Him to come.

Truth 8: The Holy Spirit abides, dwells, stays with you and in you (Jn 14:17, 1 Jn 3:24, Rm 8:11).

In the old covenant the Holy Spirit rested on certain people for certain times. But in the new covenant He abides with us and “makes His home in us” (2 Ti 1:14 AMP). If you have received the Holy Spirit, be comforted, for He’s not going anywhere. He has promised to never leave nor forsake us (He 13:5).

Myth 9: The Holy Spirit plays hard to get.

Truth 9: The Holy Spirit is The Gift, sent by Jesus and freely given by the Father (Jn 16:7, Lk 11:13, Acts 10:45).

According to Galatians 3:14, Jesus redeemed us so that we might receive the blessings promised to Abraham, namely, the promise of the Holy Spirit. Do you believe that Jesus has redeemed you? Then you are eligible to receive the promised Holy Spirit. Who is not eligible to accept Him? The (unsaved) world, “because it neither sees Him or knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you” (Jn 14:17). Look at what Peter said to those who heard the gospel at Pentecost: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit does not limit Himself to a chosen few. Believe in Jesus and you will, you will, you will receive the promised Gift! Believe it!

Myth 10: To receive the Holy Spirit you must fast, pray, attend some classes, get straightened out, act holy…

Truth 10: The Holy Spirit is received by faith (Gal 3:14).

Did you fast and pray to receive Jesus? Didn’t think so. You just received by faith. It’s exactly the same with the Holy Spirit. How do we receive the promise of the Spirit? By faith (Gal 3:14)! “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Lk 11:13). Here Jesus is saying that the Holy Spirit is freely given to all who ask. Don’t let anyone tell you that you must do stuff to earn what God freely gives. Jesus already did it all. “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (Jn 16:24)

In this post we looked at 10 myths surrounding the Person of the Holy Spirit. In the next post we’ll look at 10 myths surrounding the work of the Holy Spirit. Stay tuned!

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Related posts:
- What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
- Confession, conviction, confusion!
- Are you religious? (Take the test!)

Recently I gave myself the challenge of presenting a comprehensive and jargon-free gospel in less than 400 words. That exercise got me thinking. What if we limited the gospel to just one word, or two words, or ten? Could it be done? Can you do it?

Throughout the Bible you will find short declarations of the Good News. Below I have listed short gospels from Paul, Peter, James, John and Jesus. I also have one each from Spurgeon and Calvin. But what I would really like to hear is yours. What is your short version of the gospel? Everyone should have one for those small windows of opportunity.

If you want to send in your short gospel (use the comment form below), remember three things: (1) The gospel is news – it’s an announcement, not an appeal. (2) The gospel is good news. There’s no bad news in the good news. Hell and judgment are real, but they’re not good news. (3) For maximum appeal, a good gospel should be simple. One famous theologian once summarized the gospel as adoption through propitiation. It’s a good summary but it has limited appeal. It won’t make much sense to the man in the street.

As we will see in below, the best short gospels use simple language and are self-explanatory:

1 word: Jesus! You cannot improve upon perfection and there’s no other name by which we’re saved (Acts 4:12). Grace and truth are found in Jesus. Jesus saves sinners and keeps Christians. Whatever your need, the answer is Jesus. Are you struggling with sin? Jesus is your victory. Are you suffering with illness? Jesus is your healing. Are you bound up with depression? Jesus is your freedom.

2 words: Christ alone! If we must add one word to the name “Jesus” or His proper title “Christ,” let it be the qualifier “alone.” He alone saves us. He doesn’t need our help, just our trust.

3 words: None but Jesus! If this was good enough for Spurgeon…

4 words: “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” ~ James 2:13. And just so you have no doubt as to where mercy comes from, James tells us: “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (Jas 5:11).

5 words: “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” That’s all Paul needed to know (1 Cor 2:1-5).

6 words: Saved by Christ; kept by Christ. Many Christians believe only the first part of that statement. They believe that Jesus gave them a fresh start, but not a new life. Instead of confessing their sonship, they are still confessing their sins. Instead of resting in the gift of his righteousness, they are striving to make themselves righteous through their good works, their self-denial, or their observance of traditions, rules and regulations. The good news is better than they think!

7 words: “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” ~ John 1:17. Think of a firefighter smashing through a concrete wall to save trapped orphans. That’s what Jesus did for us. When all hope was lost, He came. Now that’s good news!

8 words: “Christ died, was buried, then rose. He reigns!” ~ Paul (1 Cor 15:3-4,25). Everyone quotes the first 3 bits of Paul’s gospel and misses the punch-line. Read the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 15. The good news is not just about what He’s done, but what He’s doing (He’s reigning!) and yet to do (until all His enemies have been put under His feet).

9 words: “I want to come in and be with you.” ~ Jesus (Rev 3:20). Religion offers carrots and sticks, but Jesus offers invitations.

10 words: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” ~ Jesus (Jn 14:6). As the song says, without the way there is no going, without the truth there is no knowing, and without the life, there is no living.

11 words: “When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train.” ~ David (Ps 68:19). Ever seen those movies where the good guy beats the bad guy but then foolishly forgets to check whether the villain’s really been neutralized? Jesus is not like that! He has enslaved slavery, bound bondage, and captured captivity. Where are Jesus’ foes? They’re in His train – shackled and disarmed!

12 words: “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” ~ Peter (Acts 2:36). The Messiah whom the Jews looked for, has been exalted, made supreme, so that our sins might be forgiven and the Holy Spirit given (see Acts 2:38)

20 words: “The Son of God became the Son of Man that the Sons of Men might become the Sons of God.” John Calvin may or may not have said this – I can’t verify the source – but it’s true and it’s good news.

And that’s it! What do you think? Can you convey the joy of the good news in just a few words? I would love to hear your short gospel.

I started blogging on 5 February 2010 for no other reason than I couldn’t help myself. I had words inside me that needed to get out. I didn’t know if anyone would want to read them, but to those of you who have, thanks! And to those of you who’ve taken the time to respond, either with comments or emails, double-thanks!

Why do I write? I don’t write to make Jesus look good; I write because Jesus is good! I write because the good news of God’s grace is the goodest news you ever heard. The good news is that God is good and He loves you more than you love yourself. There’s no badness in God and there’s no bad news in the good news. He’s good all the way through and the good news is good all the way through. If you’ve been told there is a catch – that the good news is too good to be true and that you must earn what God freely gives – you’ve been misinformed. Real love has no hook and there is no catch. God is good!

On this first anniversary of E2R, I thought it might be fun to highlight the best, the worst, and the most controversial posts of the past year. Thanks for sharing the journey with me.

Most popular post: With a couple of thousand page views, Does God Give and Take Away? (a.k.a. the Job post) is the most-read post. It is also one of the most controversial posts I’ve written. Who would’ve thought that I could upset so many brothers and sisters by saying that our heavenly Father is neither a killer nor a thief?

Most important post: Son, Servant or Friend of God? Are you a victim of identity theft?

Least important post: What Would Jesus Drive? I thought this post would stimulate some fun dialogue but I was wrong. Evidently I’m the only one who ponders these sorts of questions. But think about it; if Christian’s aren’t allowed to drive BMWs, as I heard a famous preacher once say, what would Jesus drive? I offer a number of viable suggestions.

Most unexpected post: Laodicea Part 1 – Are You Hot Enough for God? This post led to an entire series on the Laodicean church. I never planned to write anything on Laodicea – it just sort of happened. Earlier in the year I had circulated an email to my grace buddies asking if any of them had any insight into the lukewarm issue (Rev 3:16). None of them did or, if they did, they weren’t telling! So I asked the Holy Spirit for some insight and 8 posts later I had to stop because I was in danger of getting carried away. This was fun to write!

Fastest-selling post: Seven Signs that You Might Be Living Under Law. The traffic stats on this post went ballistic from the minute it was published. I guess people wanted to check that they weren’t.

Most ignored post: Building Ramps for the Mentally Ill was met with a deafening silence. I’ve lived in Hong Kong and New Zealand, two societies that are plagued with mental illness. Mental illness is the leprosy of our generation yet few in the church want to talk about it.  It seems we are still the tail and not the head in tackling this scourge. Or maybe I just haven’t found the right words yet.

My favorite post: How to Read Your Bible Without Getting Confused. Short version: read everything through the lens of the cross. If you don’t get the cross, you won’t get grace. If you don’t get the cross, your Bible won’t make sense. Jesus’ finished work on the cross is the single most significant event in human history and your history.

Truth be told, my favorite post is always the one I’m currently working on. Honestly, I’m really excited about what God has been showing me lately about Himself and His purposes. It seems the more I know Him, the bigger and better He gets. Stick around, this is just going to get better.

To Abraham and his descendants God promised greatness, fruitfulness, great reward, world-reaching blessing, and more (see Gen 12:2-3, 15:1, 17:4-8, 22:18).

To those who kept the law God promised long life, fruitfulness, abundant prosperity, protection, and more (Deut 5:33, 28:3-13).

In addition to these wonderful promises, there are at least 12 awesome blessings God promises to His people exclusively under His new covenant of grace. Here they are in no particular order:

1. God forgives all our sins (Matt 26:28, Acts 13:38). Our sins are not merely covered by the blood of bulls and goats, they are paid for and taken away by the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29). At the cross, justice was satisfied. His forgiveness is perfectly complete.

2. God remembers our sins no more (Heb 8:12, 10:17; Jer 31:34). In terms of justification it’s as if we never did them.

3. God promises never to be angry with us again (Is 54:7-10). Unlike the obsolete covenant of law, the new covenant is an everlasting covenant of love and peace (Is 54:10, 55:3). God will never stop doing good to us (Jer 32:40).

4. God qualifies us (Col 1:12). It’s no longer a case of what we do (under the law covenant) or who we’re related to (under the Abrahamic covenant). It’s who we trust.

5. Jesus takes hold of us and never lets go (Php 3:12, Ju 24). Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rms 8:39). Consequently we can speak of our hope as a “firm and secure” anchor for the soul (Heb 6:19).

6. God credits us with the perfect righteousness of Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). Righteousness is not earned, it is received (Rms 5:17). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice our status before God is “perfect forever” (Heb 10:14).

7. God gives us the Holy Spirit to teach us (Jn 14:26), empower us (Acts 1:8) and remind us of our righteousness (Jn 16:10). We no longer need priests to mediate for us, for now we can all know the Lord (Jer 31:34). We are His royal priests (1 Pet 2:9).

8. God is for us (Rms 8:31)! God justifies us and there is no more condemnation (Rms 8:1). When we sin, Jesus doesn’t judge us, He defends us (1 Jn 2:1). His grace enables us to overcome sin (Tit 2:12). He abundantly supplies all our needs (Ph 4:19) that we might enjoy life to the full (Jn 10:10). God’s favor is unearned and unmerited.

9. God is with us (Ez 37:27)! Because of Jesus the door to the throne room is always open (Heb 4:16). We can approach Him with freedom and confidence (Eph 3:12).

10. God empowers us to overcome the enemy (1 Jn 5:4). We have His delegated authority over demons and disease (Mk 16:17). We live under His divine protection (Lk 10:19). We are destined to “reign in life” (Rms 5:17).

11. God offers us His rest (Heb 4:10-11). Under the old covenant it was do, do, do. Under the new covenant it’s done, done, done (Jn 19:30). We are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph 2:6).

12. God gives us eternal life (Rms 6:23).

What must we do to inherit these promises? Trust in Jesus. Bet your life on Him. Take the crown off your head and lay it at His feet. Choose to believe what the Bible says about Him, that He died for the sins of the world – including yours – and rose victorious from the dead. Let others know that He is your Redeemer and King. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit that you might know Him more.

If you’ve not done any of that before, how about right now?

Related posts:

Think of Campolo and you might think “passionate preacher”, “champion of the poor”, “friend of homosexuals and prostitutes”. As a story-teller he’s up there with the best. Back in the day I heard him preach on about 10 occasions and I always came away inspired to take more risks for Jesus. I bought his books and listened to his tapes.

It’s now been at least 10 years since I’ve ready anything by Campolo. Frankly we’ve grown apart. He’s far more political than I and we have fundamentally different ideas about how to motivate young people. But in terms of the number of books he’s still the third most represented author on my bookshelf (after CS Lewis and Michael Eaton).

Today, 25 February, is his 74^th birthday. In honor of the occasion, and with a hint of nostalgia, I present my 7 favorite books by Tony Campolo:

7. It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming (1985). This book shares a title with one of Campolo’s best sermons (which was actually a sermon about another sermon). If you ever get the chance to hear the sermon, do so – it’s an awesome proclamation of the gospel message. You will remember the sermon longer than you’ll remember the book.

6. 20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid to Touch (1988). This was Campolo at his confrontational best. In this book Campolo challenged the idea that AIDS was God’s judgment for homosexuals. Remember, this was the mid-1980s when most self-respecting Christians weren’t even talking about AIDS. Campolo also comes down hard on the subject of money. Can rich people go to heaven? His answer is “maybe” leaning towards a flat out “no”. “It’s okay to make a million dollars but you’d better spend it like Jesus.” That makes me hope Jesus likes flat-screen TVs and Harleys because I’ve got one and one day I hope to get the other.

5. Carpe Diem (1994). This was Campolo’s contribution to the “live your life to the full” market. Dream dreams. Live simply. Make each day count. Seek first the kingdom. You have to imagine the author preaching with passion for these words to have impact, but I promise you, this book was, and probably still is, a great cure for dealing with the deadness of godless existence.

4. The Kingdom of God is a Party (1990). I was 24 and house-sitting for my pastor when I found this book on his shelf. I devoured it in one go and it left me grinning from ear to ear. This book was one of the sparks that ignited my heart for the kingdom of God. To this day whenever I think of the kingdom I envision a cosmic victory celebration that begins with God wiping away every tear and the Bridegroom rejoicing over His bride. I remember Campolo preaching on this from Revelations. “One day Babylon will fall and when that happens the angels will sing while the merchants weep. Tell me, on that day when the counterfeit kingdoms of this world pass away, will you be rejoicing with the angels or weeping with the merchants?” Man, I’ll be partying with the angels.

3. Who Switched the Price Tags (1986). The world gives us an upside-down value of things. God’s good gifts, like family and friends, are valued less than cars and club memberships. You see this all the time living in a place like Hong Kong. Singles sell themselves into slavery because they think their identity is found in a qualification or a position. Young couples decide not to have kids because they would only get in the way of careers. Working parents outsource the joy of raising their own children to strangers so they can make the mortgage payments on their second home. In this book Campolo tells us that we’ve all been conned and sets us up to discover the delight and sheer fun in living the way God intended.

2. Stand Up and Be Counted (1991). Now there’s a title designed to appeal to zealous young Christians. Looking back at my copy now I am amazed at how much I highlighted in this book. Here Campolo paints a picture of the “new breed” of Christian who is part charismatic (i.e., filled with the Spirit) and part Anabaptist (i.e., involved in communities and servant ministries). The aim, says Campolo, is to match right beliefs (Pauline doctrines) with right actions (Jesus’s deeds).

1. We Have Met the Enemy and They are Partly Right (1985). This is my one and only autographed Campolo book. Back in 1996 I had a chance to ask him which of his books was his favorite and he said Things We Wish We Had Said, which was the book he co-wrote with his son. I told him that my favorite was Partly Right and when I pulled out my copy it brought back fond memories for him. It was written while Campolo was still more of a scholar than a famous speaker and it has a heavy academic tone about it. In each chapter he addresses the criticisms made against “middle class Christianity” by a different thinker (e.g., Marx, Freud, Dostoyevsky). What makes this book unique is he doesn’t set out to refute these critics, but to show that in some cases they had a point and that middle class Christianity can be improved by being honest about, and overcoming, it’s shortcomings. It was probably this book that introduced me to the writings of Søren Kirkegaard and for that alone I am very grateful.

1. Righteousness. The gospel reveals a righteousness that comes from God and is received by faith from first to last (Rms 1:17). This kind of righteousness can be distinguished from self-righteousness which is based on the Satanic idea that “I can make myself godly.” Self-righteousness makes us conscious of our faults and shortcomings and leads to a false humility (Col 2:23). True humility comes from gazing at the cross and realizing “I don’t deserve what Jesus has done.” It’s true. You don’t. That’s why it’s called grace.

What do are we to do with His righteousness? We’re supposed to seek it (Mt 6:33), receive it (Rms 5:17), get clothed in it (Is 61:10), wear it like armour (Eph 6:14), walk on it (Ps 23:3), grow in it (Is 61:3), and preach it (2 Pet 2:5).

2. Repentance. The central challenge of the gospel is “repent and believe the good news” (Mk 1:15). What does the good news reveal? The righteousness that comes from God. Merely knowing about the way of righteousness is not enough. Jesus rebuked the chief priests and elders because “John showed you the way of righteousness but you did not repent and believe” (Matt 21:32).

What is repentance? It is agreeing with God. It is choosing to say “Jesus is Lord” and then living as if that were so. Romans 12 says we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. The faster we agree with God, the faster His reality becomes our reality.

I used to pray for healing because that’s what you’re supposed to do. Now I pray because I really believe Jesus wants to heal the sick and He wants to do it right now while I’m praying. Sometimes I begin by reminding myself, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I believe it!” And guess what, I’m seeing more healings than ever before.

3. Resurrection power. Philippians 1:11 says “be filled with fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” If the fruits of self righteousness are dead religious works, then the fruit of Christ’s righteousness is resurrection power. Resurrection power is frequently connected with righteousness and repentance in the New Testament:

• Php 3:9-10: “I want to be found with His righteousness. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.”
• 2 Peter 1: Righteousness comes from God (v.1); grace and peace be yours through knowing/agreeing with God (v.2); His divine power has given us all we need (v.3).
• Romans chapters 1-5 is a discourse on the gift of God’s righteousness; Romans 6-7 is about dying to sin and repenting. Romans 8 is concerned with life through the Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead.

This sick and dying world needs the sons of righteousness to rise up and start operating in Holy Spirit power. Resurrection power brings dead things to life. It turns sinners into saints. It opens blind eyes. It makes the lame leap for joy. It brings healing to broken marriages. It obliterates cancer and liberates the depressed.

If we want to see the power of God in our lives, we need to start agreeing with Him that we have indeed been made the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21). We need to throw off religious formalism that masks pride and unbelief. We need to curse our self righteousness and honour the gift of His righteousness. We need to stop calling Jesus a liar and start agreeing with Him saying “yes, I will do these things and greater things still.” We need to pray with conviction, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up.” (Acts 9:34).

2. Preach with humility and boldness. I can think of no other combination of preacher-traits that is so attractive to the Holy Spirit. In Ephesus Paul warned (boldly) day and night with tears (humility) (Acts 20:31).

3. Get the rhema. As you prepare ask “Lord, what is your word for the church for this week?” Then tell people what He says. Emphasize that. There’s no rhema without power and no power without the rhema (Lk 1:37, ASV). Prophetic preachers are postmen relaying the Lord’s intimate love-letters to His bride. Prophetic preachers are watchmen (Ez 33). What do you see?

4. Create opportunities for a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. As you prepare actively pray about this. What we can do: have communion, lay hands on people, ask for words of wisdom and knowledge.

5. Take a risk! It sometimes seems we have more faith for obstacles than for miracles! But God can use the preacher’s faith to break open a meeting.
What can happen when the Spirit reveals Himself in our meetings?

People in the Bible responded in many different ways when they encountered the manifest presence of God. They…

- got convicted (Is 6:5)
- fell down under God’s power (Ez 3:23, Jn 18:6, Acts 9:3)
- got healed (Acts)
- prophesied and had visions (Acts 10:10)
- spoke in foreign languages (Acts 2:8)
- they got instantly relocated to other places (Rev 4:2)
- got commissioned (Is 6:8)
- fell into a deep sleep or trance (Gen 15:12, Dan 10:9)
- trembled or shook uncontrollably (Dan 10:10)
- appeared drunk (Acts 2)

Ask yourself, “If we are a Biblical church, shouldn’t more of these sorts of things happen in our meetings?”

5 ways we can quench the Spirit with our preaching…

1. Don’t preach the word (2 Tim 4:2). While Newsweek, movies, and my exciting life stories are all good illustrative fodder, the logos is unique, Spirit-breathed dynamite. You want to see change? You want to move mountains and dislodge stones of opposition? Use Godly dynamite. You want to build strong people and help the weak? Preach sound doctrine, solid instruction (2 Tim 3:16, 4:3).

2. Preach the law. The law is called the ministry of death (2 Cor 3:7). How do we preach the law? Whenever we threaten God’s people, preach conditional statements (“if you really want to see God’s favour, do this”), or lay guilt trips on the saints (“Jesus went to the cross so you owe Him”). Manipulation is the worst kind of preaching and says more about our own insecurities than God’s character. Whenever we say “you’ve got to do this thing and that thing to get right with God” we’re preaching law and nullifying the finished work of the cross. The law is good when used properly (eg: to silence the self-righteous). But as Paul said, “some want to be teachers of the law, but they don’t know what they’re talking about” (1 Tim 1:7). God is not after behaviour modification (the result of legalism); He wants our hearts (the result of responding to His Divine overtures of gracious love).

3. Be over-organized. We expect church to be dignified and orderly, but sometimes we have the order of the graveyard. When we’re as dignified as the Pharisees we can expect to see nothing of the power of God. Our greatest enemy in Hong Kong is not Tin Hau, Wong Tai Sin or Mammon. It is religious formalism which opposes the spontaneity (and sovereignty!) of the Spirit. God resists the face-conscious! (Being face-conscious leads to a curse – think Michal in 2 Sam 6:23). We preachers don’t help the situation when we’re determined to get through our notes. Long notes reflect long preparation, but they can become handcuffs. I have found it easier to pick up what the Spirit wants to do when preaching “off the cuff” and straying from the script. We need to be more concerned with getting God’s presence into people’s lives and less concerned with getting our message into their notebooks.

4. Try to be clever. People are impressed by clever preaching; God is impressed by faith and obedience. For me this means beware the acronyms, don’t get too absorbed with history lessons (which I love!), and use maps, movies and Powerpoints very judiciously. There’s nothing more tempting than going to the Internet on Friday and downloading Pastor Dave’s Top Ten jokes on “water baptism.”

5. Prepare without “waiting” – this is a surefire method for getting an intellectual message that stimulates the mind and releases nothing of the Spirit. You’ll be preaching alone.

The first R stands for is Reading. If we’re not reading, we’re not learning.

Whenever I visit a man’s home the first thing I look for is his bookshelf. I’m not interested in the size of his TV or the style of his furniture – I want to know what he is reading. Good books are good teachers. I find it strange that many adults want their kids to read, but they themselves see little value in reading. As the great Dr Seuss once said, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

I have a questioning mind so I am a voracious reader. I usually have 5-10 half-finished books next to my bed, some more in the bathroom, and another that I’ll be reading on the way to and from work. I’m with Abe Lincoln who said, “my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.” When the apostle Paul was in a Roman prison he longed for friendship and books: “Bring my scrolls and especially my parchments.” I suspect that every question ever asked – practical and theological – has been answered in a book.

What should preachers read?

The most important book is undoubtedly the Bible. But reading the Bible is like eating an elephant – it takes time to digest. Some say they’ve read it but actually they’ve only nibbled here and there. When I started leading ICC 10 years ago, I asked God for instructions. He said “read the Bible – get to know My Word.” There is no better reading recommendation for a preacher than that. Supplementing the Bible, preachers should have some favoured commentaries. For me, I mostly rely on Michael Eaton (clear and simple) and Matthew Henry (old school). It helps too if preachers read books by preachers (for me these days it’s likely to be books by John Piper and Derek Prince) as well as books about preachers (I’ve recently read autobiographies of David Pawson and Mark Driscoll). Pick good teachers and read what they wrote.

The second R stands for is ‘Riting. Writing is synonymous with thinking. I don’t know what I think until I see it written down in front of me. Writing is making sense of life. Writing is organizing your thoughts. If you’re a poor writer you’re probably a poor communicator. You will need five sentences to say what could be said in just one. But if you write well, you can probably think and speak well. Some of the greatest preachers were great writers (e.g, Paul and Peter).

BTW, You don’t have to write much to organize your thoughts. Check out this one page sample of Spurgeon’s preaching notes here.

Most people find writing sheer hard work. The kind of writing that is easy to do (e.g., stream of consciousness) is usually the least interesting to read. But like any skill, writing well can be learned. (I recommend books like On Writing Well and On Writing.) If you write for your job the last thing you probably want to do when you get home is practice writing. But practice is essential. I write academic articles and book chapters for a living. This kind of writing is about as far from clear communication as you can get! But I also write for myself – on average 700 words per day in my diary, spiritual journal and what have you. I’ve been doing that since I was 16 (but back then I had less to say!). As Malcolm Gladwell says, you’ll master anything that you practice for 10,000 hours.

The third R is the most important one – Revelation. Without it we have nothing to preach. By revelation I mean what the Bible calls the rhema, God’s revealed word for the hour. Anyone can talk about the logos or written word. But there is no power unless the preacher is declaring God’s revealed word. “No rhema from God shall be void of power” (Luke 1:37 ASV). The Bible also tells us that faith comes by hearing the rhema-word of God (Rms 10:17).

I’m tired of preaching and hearing powerless messages that fill the mind with Bible knowledge but leave the spirit unmoved. We have not come to church to hear men talk but to hear God speaking to us through men. Preachers may bring two kinds of revelation; (1) a revelation of who God is, or (2) a revelation of where He wants to take us.

How do we get the rhema? 2 Tim 2:7 gives us the key. Spiritual insight comes from the Lord and is given to those who reflect on His word. We need to read the word of God reflectively. This means we chew it over. As we do, the Holy Spirit gives us His insight. But note the distinction: our thinking does not bring revelation; neither will reading commentaries (or blogs!) give us fresh revelation. Revelation comes from the Lord – but we won’t get it if we’re intellectually lazy – we need to reflect.

Preaching is like building an altar and making a sacrificial offering to the Lord. Reading is like gathering the stones and wood. But reading alone is not enough – we’ll just end up with a heap of stones and wood representing our jumbled thoughts and impressions. Writing is needed to shape the heap into an altar. Writing is the distillation of our own ideas – the heap may be assembled from others’ ideas, but in writing it becomes our altar. But writing alone is not enough. We need that spiritual spark that only God can provide. Like Elijah we need to get our “answers” from God (1 Kings 18:37). Answers that come from our head or borrowed from books will have no power to set people free. But revelation that comes from the Holy Spirit will be like fire that falls from heaven consuming both the sacrifice and the altar.

1.    It does not stir up a holy affection for the things of God. If change does not flow from a desire to please the Father, it’s dead religion and legalism. If the preacher has not gazed on the awesomeness of God during the week, how can He reveal the Father to others?

2.    It doesn’t set the heart on fire; it doesn’t enlighten the mind. We need both heat (passion) and light (revelation) in our preaching. God’s word should illuminate our way (Ps 119:5). Zeal and knowledge go together. Zeal without knowledge leads to legalism (Prov 19:2, Rms 10:2). Knowledge without zeal leads to passivity.

3.    Lack of power – there’s no power without rhema and no rhema without power (Lk 1:37, ASV). Faith comes from hearing the rhema, the quickened, revealed word of God (Rms 10:17). If the word of God is not burning within the preacher himself, it is unlikely his preaching will set the church on fire. To try and “make it happen” without that spark is manipulation.

4.    Lack of brokenness – good preachers have first been convicted by what they preach. “There is in the Spirit-filled preacher a tender affection that sweetens every promise and softens with tears every warning and rebuke” (John Piper). This affection comes from having been in that place where we would seek to lead others. Before we wield the knife, we’d better be sure that our hearts have been circumcised.

5.    Lack of intensity – conveys the impression that little is at stake and that the preacher does not really believe what he’s talking about. God’s truth is weighty. We have been given a holy commission to handle His truth (Jas 3:1)

6.    Lack of a challenge. Only the Holy Spirit convicts (Jn 16:8), but God needs a man who will challenge complacency, apathy, license and sin.

7.    No expectation of change. While preaching may appear to be foolishness, it is the means God uses for changing the world (consider the effectiveness of Jesus’ preaching, or Jonah’s or Peter’s). The preacher must have a conviction that God’s words + his obedience will change the world. God no more anoints passive preaching that he does a silent witness. Expect change!