A Good Conscience is Priceless

“A Good Conscience is Priceless”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim. 1:18-20

THEME: Faithfully fulfill the ministry committed to your charge.

RELEVANCE: discouraging and difficult tasks should not be permitted to force us to abandon the ministry committed to us.  We must be steadfast and faithful to our charge to keep the faith by teaching sound doctrine, proclaiming the Gospel, and defending the Faith.

INTRODUCTION:

Paul gave a third responsibility for the local church to fulfill besides teaching sound doctrine and proclaiming the Gospel.

MESSAGE:

Defend the Faith (1 Tim. 1:18-20)

A.  ON THE BASIS OF DIVINE APPOINTMENT. (1Tim. 1:18)

B.  ON THE BASIS OF FAITH AND GOOD CONSCIENCE. (1Tim. 1:19-20)

Paul changed the illustration from army to navy (1 Tim 1:19). He warned Timothy that the only way to succeed was to hold fast to "faith and a good conscience."

1. Hold Firmly to the Christian Faith. (1Tim. 1:19)

A. The First “faith” Is Subjective And Means Continuing To Believe The Truth.

 

B. The Second Is “faith” Objective, Referring To The Content Of The Christian Gospel.

 

C. But, It Is Not Enough Just To Be Doctrinally Accurate As To The Christian Faith. One might be ever so orthodox, and yet not have a good conscience.

2. Hold on Tight to a Good Conscience. (1 Tim 1:19)

A. It Is Not Enough to Proclaim the Faith With Our Lips; We Must Practice the Faith In Our Daily Lives.

·       One man said of his hypocritical pastor, "He is such a good preacher, he should never get out of the pulpit; but he is such a poor Christian, he should never get into the pulpit!"

·       Hamilton Smith writes:

“Those who are gifted, and much before the public eye, have to beware, lest amid constant engagements, constant preaching, and public work before men, they neglect the secret life of godliness before God. Does not Scripture warn us that it is possible to preach with all the eloquence of men and angels, and yet be nothing? That which bears fruit for God, and will have its bright reward in the day to come, is the life of godliness from which all true service must flow.”  

B. A Good Conscience Is Important to a Good Warfare and a Good Ministry.

·       The magazine editor H. L. Mencken defined conscience as "the inner voice which warns us that somebody may be looking."

·       But a man with a good conscience will do the will of God in spite of who is watching or what people may say.

·       Like Martin Luther, he will say, "Here I stand; I can do no other, so help me God! "

C. One's Faith and One's Morals Cannot Be Separated.

·       To hold tightly to the Christian faith, and live by it, results in a good (peaceful) conscience.

·       Faith and good conscience are like armor for the Christian. They keep us from giving in to temptation and to debilitating spiritual and moral sidetracks.

·       How can you hold on to a good conscience?

1.    Treasure your faith in Christ more than anything else and do what you know is right. Each time you deliberately ignore your conscience, you are hardening your heart. Over a period of time your capacity to tell right from wrong will diminish.

2.    As you walk with God, he will speak to you through your conscience, letting you know the difference between right and wrong.

3.    Be sure to act on those inner tugs so that you do what is right -- then your conscience will remain clear.

4.    “Moral collapse follows upon spiritual collapse.” -- C. S. Lewis

3. Avoid Spiritual Shipwreck.  (1 Tim 1:20)

·       Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Rejecting the faith and refusing to listen to one's conscience will end in destroyed faith. This deliberate action reflects heresy, not just backsliding. 

·       Professed Christians who make “shipwreck" of their faith do so by sinning against their consciences. Bad doctrine usually starts with bad conduct, and usually with secret sin.

A. A Good Conscience Serves as the Rudder That Steers the Believer Through the Rocks And Reefs of Sin and Error.

·       The false teachers ignored their consciences and the truth, and as a result, suffered shipwreck of the Christian faith (the true doctrine of the gospel), which implies severe spiritual catastrophe.

·       This does not imply loss of salvation of a true believer (see Rom. 8:31–39), but likely indicates the tragic loss that comes to the apostate. They had been in the church, heard the gospel and rejected it in favor of the false doctrine defined in vv. 3–7. Apostasy is a turning away from the gospel, having once known it. See notes on Heb. 2:3,4; 3:12–15; 6:1–8; 10:26–31.

B.  Two Examples of Spiritual Shipwreck.

·       Hymenaeus and Alexander. Apparently these two men had been members of the church (because Paul had put them out of the church). We don't know who Alexander was -- he may have been an associate of Hymenaeus, or the coppersmith mentioned in 2 Tim 4:14 who hurt Paul. But he was not the Alexander mentioned in the riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:33). Hymenaeus's error is explained in 2 Tim 2:17-18. He weakened people's faith by teaching that the resurrection had already occurred.

·       Hymenaeus is mentioned in 2 Tim. 2:17 in connection with Philetus, another false teacher. Alexander may be the opponent of the faith referred to in 2 Tim. 4:14,15. Nothing else is known about these two men (see note on v. 3).

·       “Hymenaeus and Alexander deliberately rejected their good consciences in order to defend their ungodly lives. Paul did not tell us exactly what they did, except that their sin involved "blaspheming" in some way. Hymenaeus said that the resurrection was already past (2 Tim 2:16-18). Alexander was a popular name in that day, so we cannot be sure that the man named in Paul's next letter to Timothy (2 Tim 4:14) is the same man; but if he is, no doubt he withstood Paul by teaching false doctrine.”---W. W. Wiersbe

C.  What Does It Mean to Be Delivered Unto Satan?  (1Tim. 1:20)

·       "Delivered unto Satan" (1 Tim 1:20) implies an apostolic discipline (see 1 Cor 5:5) and disassociation from the local church.

·       To be delivered to Satan means that Paul removed these men from the fellowship of the church and back into the world -- Satan's domain.

·       Paul did this so that the rebuked would see their error and repent. The ultimate purpose of this punishment was correction. (See also 1 Cor 5:1-5; 2 Cor 2:5-8; 4:4; 2 Thess 3:14-15.)

·       The verb "learn" (1 Tim 1:20) means "to learn by discipline." When a Christian refuses to repent, the local fellowship should exercise discipline, excluding him from the protective fellowship of the saints, making him vulnerable to the attacks of Satan.

·       The fellowship of the local church, in obedience to the will of God, gives a believer spiritual protection. Satan must ask God for permission to attack a believer (see Job 1-2; Luke 22:31-34).

·       Paul put both men out of the church, thus ending their influence and removing them from the protection and insulation of God’s people. They were no longer in the environment of God’s blessing but under Satan’s control. In some instances, God has turned believers over to Satan for positive purposes, such as revealing the genuineness of saving faith, keeping them humble and dependent on Him, enabling them to strengthen others, or offering God praise (cf. Job. 1:1–22; Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 22:31–33; 2 Cor. 12:1–10; Rev. 7:9–15). God hands some people over to Satan for judgment, such as King Saul (1 Sam. 16:12–16; 28:4–20), Judas (John 13:27), and the sinning member in the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 5:1–5).

·       The churches today are often lax in disciplining Christians who deliberately sin. Deliberate disobedience should be responded to quickly and sternly to prevent the entire congregation from being affected. But discipline must be done in a way that tries to bring the offender back to Christ and into the loving embrace of the church. The definition of discipline includes these words: strengthening, purifying, training, correcting, and perfecting. Condemnation, suspicion, withholding of forgiveness, or permanent exile should not be a part of church discipline.

·       “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.”  -- C. T. Studd

·       “may learn not to blaspheme.” See v. 13. Paul learned not to blaspheme when confronted by the true understanding of the law and the gospel. That was what those men needed. God, the inspired text seems to indicate, would teach them and show them grace as he had Paul. But that evangelistic work could not go on at the expense of the purity of the church.

D. Each Local Church Is in a Constant Battle Against The Forces of Evil.

·       There are false prophets and false teachers, as well as false ‘Christs’. Satan is the originator of false doctrines, for he is a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). It is not enough for a local church to teach sound doctrine and to proclaim the Gospel. The church must also defend the faith by exposing lies and opposing the doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4:1).

·       It is important that our ministry be balanced. Some churches only preach the Gospel and seldom teach their converts the truths of the Christian life. Other churches are only opposing false doctrine; they have no positive ministry. We must be teachers of healthy doctrine ("sound doctrine," 1 Tim 1:10) or the believers will not grow. We must preach the Gospel and keep winning the lost to Christ. And we must defend the faith against those who would corrupt the church with false doctrine and godless living. It is a constant battle, but it must be carried on.

CONCLUSION:

Timothy must have been greatly helped and encouraged when he read this first section of Paul's letter.  God had called Timothy, equipped him, and put him into his place of ministry. Timothy's job was not to run all over Ephesus, being involved in a multitude of tasks. His job was to care for the church by winning the lost, ministering to the saved, and defending the faith. Any task that did not relate to these ministries would have to be abandoned. One reason some local churches are having problems is that the pastors and spiritual leaders are involved in too many extracurricular activities and are not doing the tasks God has called them to do. It might be a good idea for our churches to take a spiritual inventory!

 

A Charge to Lead

 

 “A Charge to Lead”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 1:1-4

THEME: Faithfully fulfill the ministry committed to your charge.

RELEVANCE: discouraging and difficult tasks should not be permitted to force us to abandon the ministry committed to us.  We must be steadfast and faithful to our charge to keep the faith by teaching sound doctrine, proclaiming the Gospel, and defending the Faith.

INTRODUCTION:

Paul wrote the letter we call 1 Timothy to encourage Timothy, to explain how a local church should be managed, and to enforce his own authority as a servant of God. In 1 Tim 1 Paul explained the three responsibilities of a pastor and people in a local church.

MESSAGE:

I.  Teach Sound Doctrine (1 Tim. 1:1-11)

From the very greeting of the letter, Paul affirmed his authority as a servant of Jesus Christ.

A.  BY REMEMBERING DIVINE CREDENTIALS.  (1Tim. 1:1-3)

   5.  The Responsibility of Leadership. (1 Tim 1:3-4)

1. Appointed Responsibilities.  “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus”

1)     “It seems probable that after Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome, he visited Ephesus with Timothy. When Paul moved on to Macedonia, he instructed Timothy to stay in Ephesus for a while to teach the word of God and to warn the believers against false teachers. From Macedonia, Paul apparently traveled south to Corinth, and it was perhaps from that city that he wrote this first Letter to Timothy. In verse 3, the apostle is saying in effect: “Just as I previously instructed you to stay in Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, so I am repeating those instructions now.”   ---William MacDonald

·       This is a temporary mission of charging certain men in the assembly not to teach doctrines contrary to the Christian faith or supposed additions to it. The principal false doctrines in question were legalism and Gnosticism.

·       Just in case Timothy was tempted to run away from these problems, Paul is telling him to stay on the job. Note that Paul had to urge Timothy to stay at Ephesus.

2)     Endurance grows out of commitment to Jesus Christ. Paul knew that Timothy would be severely tested by those teaching other doctrines. Times of trial serve to sift true Christian motivations from false or selfish ones. When you are pressured to give up and turn your back on Christ, don't do it. Recommit yourself to standing firm, and continue to live for Christ.

3)     Persistence in doing God’s work is a rewarding strength. 

·       Matthew 7:7-8, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: [8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

·       Jesus tells us to be persistent in pursuing godly goals. People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude that God cannot or will not bless their efforts.

·       But persisting in God’s work takes faith, focus, and follow-through, and Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded. Don't give up in your efforts to seek God’s will in the ministry. Continue to ask him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. He will give them to you.

2. Necessary Responsibilities. “other doctrine”

1)     False teachers teach a different doctrine.  False teaching is so serious a matter that it has to be handled immediately when it raises its ugly head. Therefore, Timothy had to remain in Ephesus so that he could charge the church to stop the false teaching.

2)     One reason Christian workers must stay on the job is that false teachers are busy trying to capture Christians. There were teachers of false doctrines in Paul's day just as there are today, and we must take them seriously.

3)     These false teachers have no good news for lost sinners. They seek instead to lead Christians astray and capture them for their causes.

4)     The church was in trouble because false teaching had seeped in, and the church needed Timothy. Apparently, Timothy felt incapable and wanted to join Paul until Paul could return to Ephesus and handle the situation himself.

3. Leadership Responsibilities.  “that thou mightest charge some”

1)     Paul used military language to help Timothy and his people see the seriousness of the problem (1 Tim 1:3).

a)     “Charge” means "to give strict orders from a superior officer."

b)     Paul used this word (sometimes translated "commandment" and "command") eight times in His two letters to Timothy (1 Tim 1:3,5,18; 4:11; 5:7; 6:13,17; 2 Tim 4:1).

c)     “Charge” is a military word that means to pass commands down through the ranks. Timothy was to give orders and charge the false teachers to stop teaching false doctrine, and if this did not work, he was to order and charge the church to handle the false teachers.

2)     He was conveying this idea: "Timothy, you are not only a leader in the church in a difficult city. You are also a Christian soldier under orders from the King. Now pass these orders along to the soldiers in your church! "

3)     This says several things about the church at Ephesus.

·       The leaders had not heeded the word of Paul when he had met with them earlier (Acts 20-17-38).  He had warned them about false teachers.

·       "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears" (Acts 20:28-31).

·       The leaders had not insisted upon the purity of the gospel as Paul had done and taught. They had allowed the Word of God to become corrupted.

·       "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God. shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:24-27).

·       "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32).

·       "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ" (2 Cor.2:17).

 

Questioning God’s Love

 

Questioning God’s Love 

Malachi 1:1-2

SUBJECT: CHOSEN BY GOD

THEME: Be thankful for the blessings of love, privilege, and hope from God upon our personal lives, our homes, our churches, and our county.

RELEVANCE:  the Sovereign Choices of God (in the past) Concerning Israel’s General Conditions and Quality of Life Should be Viewed as an Act of His Love. 

INTRODUCTION: 

1. “Count Your Blessings” repeats the phrase, “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done.” Thankfulness requires reflection on our lives as we consider or count what God has given us.

2.  Malachi ministered to the restored Jewish nation about 400 years before Christ.  

3.  Malachi directs his messages to the priests, and then he turns to the people collectively—“Like people, like priest.” As the prophet delivers God’s Word, the people respond by arguing. Note the repeated “Wherein?” (1:2, 6–7; 2:17; 3:7–8, 13). It is a dangerous thing when people argue with God and try to defend their sinful ways.

From this passage the following truths may be seen.

MESSAGE:

I. We Enjoy Great Love from God, but Some People Ignore It (Mal. 1:1-2).

A.  GOD DECLARES HIS LOVE.   (Mal. 1:1-2a)

It is true that some people seem to be more favored by God than others, and yet they are often unaware or even doubtful of it.

   1.  This is the Burden of Malachi.  (Mal. 1:1) “The burden of the word of the LORD . . .by Malachi”

A “burden” is a judgment, a judgment from God, and it will be a very strong and rigorous rebuke that God will give to them.^[a]

Thus the Divine message which Malachi had to deliver to Israel: “I have loved you, saith the LORD.”  

Nothing should thrill our hearts like the knowledge that God loves us. 

       A.  It is God’s Nature to Love.

Deut. 7:7, The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

1 John 4:8,  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

       B.  It is God’s Desire to Love.

Jeremiah 31:3, The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

1 John 4:7, Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

       C.  It is God’s Glory to Love.

God love those who are unlovable, and do not know how to love in return.

Hosea 11:1, When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Romans 5:8, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Love is a great and glorious act of God’s Person and Purpose.  It is a wonderful matter when God love us.

   2.  This is the Blessing of Israel.  (Mal. 1:1) “the word of the Lord to Israel”

Israel here stands for all the tribes, all the descendants of Jacob.

       A.  Consider God’s Blessings on Israel.

The nation of Israel was more favored than any nation on the face of the earth.

            1.  Notice Their Privileges.

In relation to their privileges Paul says, 

Romans 9:4-5, Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; [5] Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

            2.  Notice Our Privileges.

1 Cor. 10:11, Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Romans 15:4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Just as the Lord love Israel because of Who he is, He likewise loves us.  It not our performance that wins his love. 

       B.  Consider God’s Blessings on an Individual.

As Jacob was more favored than Esau, so some people in all generations are more blessed than others. 

            1.  As Individuals, Some People Have More Blessings than Others.

                — Blessed with more vigorous and stronger bodies,

                — Some have more intellectual resources,

                — Other have more emotional wealth or greater ability to enjoy life. 

                — There is great variety in the degree of natural ability give to each of us.

                — Read the parable of the talents.

            2.  As Individuals, All People Are Not Privileged with the Same Type Blessings.

                — Some are born of healthier parents than others,

                — Some live in better circumstances than others,

                — Others are endowed with greater strengths than others,

                — Others are raised in a more wholesome family environment.

                — Some are afforded higher educational opportunities than others.  

            3.  The Existence of These Distinctions Is Too Obvious to Require Either Argument or Illustration.

       C.  Consider God’s Blessings on our Nation.

But it is the nation that is in view in our text.  “I have loved you” that is, “I have regarded you more than other nations.”

            1.  Is Not Our America More Favored than Most of the Other Nations of the Earth? She is recognized as the leading superpower in the world.  She is, in some respects, as far exalted above all existing countries, as Israel of old was above all the heathen nations that surrounded it.

            2.  But While this Is Such an Obvious Fact, the Blessed Ones Are Too Often Unaware of the Distinction. “Wherein hast thou loved us?”

                  — Israel did not realize its gigantic privileges. How often is this the case with us!

                  — The people most privileged of God are often most unconscious of His blessings, and they say, “Wherein hast thou loved us?”

                  — As a rule, perhaps the most privileged people of God are the greatest complainers.

                  — What ignorance of God’s love we find here! 

                  — God’s love counted for nothing!

B. THEY DOUBTED GOD’S LOVE (Mal 1:2b).

“I have loved you,” God says to His people. “Oh?” they respond. “Wherein hast thou loved us? Prove it.”

When God tells people that He loves them and they respond, “Yeah, right!”, there is a serious spiritual problem at work. That is exactly what we find here.  How can we recognize it in our own experience?

   1.  It is Marked by Doubt.

       A.  Ignoring and doubting God’s love is the beginning of unbelief and disobedience.

       B.  Eve doubted God’s love and ate of the forbidden tree; she thought God was holding out on her.

       C.  Satan wants us to feel neglected by God. “Look at your difficult circumstances,” he said to the Jewish remnant. “Where are the crops? Why doesn’t God take care of you?”

   2.  It is Marked by Mediocrity.

      A.  They Did Not Possess the Commitment that Comes from Love.

Not surprisingly, the Jews who had returned to Judah and Jerusalem and lost a sense of God's love for them were unable to muster much love for Him in return. This showed in the way they kept up a superficial form of religion that actually insulted God.

      B.  They Did Not Experience the Victories that are Rooted in Love.

             — When the Jews from Babylon returned to Jerusalem and Judah after seventy years of captivity, they experienced a great deal of frustration and defeat.

             — Oh, sure, they responded to the divine cheerleading of Haggai and Zechariah to rebuild the temple—on a small scale.

             — Yes, they had finally raised walls around the holy city under the none-too-gentle prodding of Nehemiah.

      C.  They Did Not Know the Perseverance That is Motivated by Love.

On the whole, the Jews in the days of the prophet Malachi were ready to join the “quitters’ club” where you simply go through the motions, but your heart is really not in it at all.  

             — They were beaten down and ready to settle for the path of least resistance.

             — They embraced mediocrity as a goal worth easing toward.

   3.  It is Marked by Ingratitude.

As usual when people question God’s love, it generates a great deal of bitterness, complaining and general ingratitude.  So God here proves His love to His people in two ways:

       A.  He Graciously Chose Jacob.  

            1.  That is their national father, and rejected Esau, who in many ways was a much better man. 

            2.  Bare in mind, this has nothing to do with salvation, but the privilege of participation in God’s plan to bring the Messiah into the world.  Salvation is not in view, but a position in God’s great plan of the ages.

       B.  He Judged the Edomites.

These are Esau’s descendants who were without the blessings of the Lord, but God gave to Israel the best of the lands.

            1.  Too often we have to be reminded of another’s tragedies before we can see our own blessings.

            2.  He promised Israel a land flowing with milk and honey, but, alas, their sins polluted the land. Even then, he graciously restored them to their land and delivered them from captivity.

            3.  With all these blessings, you would expect God’s people to be thankful instead of complaining.

Application: To take someone for granted means not to appreciate him, especially because you are too familiar with the person. Such actions also assume that the relationship is 'fine' even without any acts of gratitude or appreciation (Luke 17:17-18). Sometimes we take God for granted! We can go ahead and sin and sin and sin, thinking that it's okay because we can be forgiven the moment we ask for forgiveness. We do this because we think salvation is ours, and that excuses us from trying harder to live a holy life. We seem to think the ideas of the grace of God suggests that we will be exempted from the consequences of our wrong actions, but this is a deception and exceedingly harmful; it gives Satan the advantage. (Rom. 6:1-2)

Application: When a person is in love with God, they are overflowing with joy, faith and excitement. A person is drawn and repents when they are convicted by the gospel, surrenders their will, and becomes spiritually born-again. They are redeemed through the blood covenant atonement and become a new creation that is governed by Christ our Lord who fills and controls their life.

We agree the infinite life of God within these individuals illuminates and empowers the presence of His mercy, compassion, and love. So, could it be possible for an individual who has yielded everything they have and all that they are unto God, to never say a word about knowing Him? Could someone who has taken up their cross feel embarrassed or ashamed to talk about the Bible, pray for someone in need, or share about what Christ accomplished on Calvary? (Living on Purpose: Ignoring God does not lessen our need for Him

Rev. Billy Holland)

Application: Sometimes it is unbelief that has prevented us from receiving God's love. You may have hardened your heart against His love at some point, and while you still believe in God and believe other truths about Him, you cannot bring yourself to believe in His love.

CONCLUSION.

Aren’t we as individuals, homes, churches, and Americans among the peoples whom God has specially blessed and smiled upon? Are not these words specially applicable to us, “I have loved you, saith the Lord”?

But what is our practical response? Does not our daily life speak out the ingratitude, neglect, and unbelief of Israel, “Wherein hast thou loved us?” We do not see it; we do not feel it; “Wherein?” What ought we to think of our country, civilization, our freedoms, our fruitful lands, our prospering hopes?

Above all, what about our Lord Jesus Christ? 1 John 4:10, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

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^[a] J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 3 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 992.