Author: JT Hutts

blessed

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Your Blessed Life Now

  • “We are a blessed.”
  • “We live in a blessed nation.”
  • “Count your blessings.”
  • “God bless you.”

These are a few of the praises we hear as anthems in our personal arenas. I am so blessed that I don’t even know what being blessed means anymore. Blessed has become as shallow as the word love. As we enter the book of Ephesians we see blessing defined.

EPH 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Paul begins his letter by blessing God for pouring down on His people every spiritual blessing in Christ. The word blessed [Εὐλογητὸς, eulogy] simply means praise. “Blessed” in the NT always refers to God as Creator and Father [Rom. 1:25; 2 Cor. 1:3; 11:31]. Ephesians 1:3–14 is one long sentence, but in one breath Paul empties rich praises from the caverns of his soul praise for God’s grace. It should be noted that there are no commands in this passage telling us how to live only a praise song showing us how to lift up Christ.

Eulogy to Praise a Living God

This sentence is a eulogy for what God has done and giving Him the glory He is due. Normally a eulogy is for someone who is dead, but God is not dead. This eulogy is an enormous and extremely humbling list of all “spiritual blessings” God has blessed His followers “in Christ” [x11 in 1:3-14]. I am the beneficiary of a blessed inheritance now and later that is literally: out of this world.

One can also observe how the Trinity works together in our salvation, as seen in this chart:

Who gives the spiritual blesses? What is the spiritual blessing? How is this a spiritual blessing?
FATHER [vs.3-6] “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” [v.4] Before we were created God chose us to be His children. Blessed are those who respond to His grace.
“predestined us for adoption” [v.5] God invites us to become His sons and daughters. We become children of the King with all the benefits of the kingdom. God lovingly rules and reigns as our Abba Father. He willed it.
What is to be our response? “to the praise of His glorious grace” [v.6]
SON [vs.7-12] “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses” [v.7] Christ purchased our salvation through His blood—the perfect sacrifice for sin [cf. 1 Cor.6:20; Gal.3:13; 4:5].  My sin had a debt I could not pay and Christ paid the ransom with His life.
“makes known to us the mystery of His will” [vs.8-9] Through Christ we have the capacity to understand and know the will of God. Jesus made God’s plan visible to the entire world.
“we have obtained an inheritance” [vs.10-11] Through Christ I am an heir of all that God owns. What does God own? Everything. You cannot put a price on everlasting life—it’s priceless.
What is to be our response? “to the praise of His glory” [v.12]
HOLY SPIRIT [vs.13-14] “sealed” [v.13] At salvation the Holy Spirit declares that we are beneficiaries of all the above, right now. We do not have to wait for it. He has given us His stamp of approval as a guarantee.
“inheritance” [v.14] There are some things we cannot have just yet, but the Holy Spirit let us know we can bank on Him [cf. 1 Peter 2:9].
What is to be our response? “to the praise of His glory” [v.14]

Think about the lengthy list of blessings we have in Christ. It is infinitely better than Bill Gates and Warren Buffet dumping their wills in my lap. How do you respond to God’s grace? Are you amazed?Are you caught up in a chorus of praise with Paul? Does the Almighty God who has masterminded your salvation move you? This melodic eulogy that sounds a mountainous symphony of my salvation stuns me. God is blessed for revealing His gracious redemptive plan. Syntactically and structurally, the mystery God is revealed and summed up “in Christ.” Jesus gives meaning to the mystery because He is the mystery [cf. Colossians 1:20-22]. Therefore, the crescendo of this eulogy trumpets glory to God because He is:

EPH 1:9 making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Blessed Predestination

Paul reaches back before creation, before time began, and into eternity-past when only God Himself existed. Election is described with different facets of God’s gracious, saving purposes: “will” [1:5, 9, 11], “mystery” [1:9], “purpose” [1:9, 11], “appointment” [1:11], and “plan” [1:11].

What does it really mean that God has predestined and elected man? Does this mean man has no responsibility before God? What did He choose us to be? He chose “us” [i.e. saints, believers] to “be holy and blameless before Him,” [1:4] “predestined us for adoption as sons,” [1:5] and “be to the praise of His glory.”

Predestination is to a relationship with God the Father through his Son Christ. Election is always and only in Christ. God chose “us” in connection with Christ and our response to His work of redemption. God chose the believer for His glory and redemption is only accomplished though Christ. Being adopted into God’s family as sons [and daughters] is an incredible privilege, since we were at once “sons of disobedience” and “children of wrath” [cf. 2:2, 3].

Think of election and predestination like being given a special assignment at school or work. What does it feel like to be chosen for a special assignment? Election and predestination do not take away man’s responsibility in fact they enhance man’s responsibility. Election does bring privilege, but it also carries with it weighty responsibility. The divine purpose in our election was not simply to repair the damage done by sin but also to fulfill God’s original intention for humankind—to be conformed to the likeness of Christ [Rom. 8:29–30]. Therefore, I am responsible to respond to God’s gracious redemptive plan and praise Him for His glorious grace [1:13].

Marvelous Mystery Revealed

Think about the list of blessings we have in Christ. How do you respond? Are you amazed? Are you caught up in a chorus of praise with Paul? Does the Almighty God who has masterminded your salvation move you? This melodic eulogy that sounds a mountainous symphony of my salvation stuns me. God is blessed for revealing His gracious redemptive plan. Syntactically and structurally, the mystery God has revealed in Christ is the crescendo:

EPH 1:9 making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

The mystery of life, everything and the meaning of our existence are solved in Christ. Through Christ I can be a child of the King, live eternally with Him, and have the hope to live holy and blameless before Him. This plan of God revealed in Christ put into poetry makes me what to shout with Paul, “To the praise of God’s glorious grace. To the praise of God’s glorious grace. To the praise of God’s glorious grace.” [1:6, 12, 14]

getting the “goods” on the gospel

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Do you get the gospel? Do those in your church got a good grasp on the gospel? Getting the gospel right is a matter of life or death. There is no other way to be right with God than having a right understanding of the gospel. So what are the goods on the gospel?

The Gospel is a forethought. The death of Jesus was not a cosmic accident or a divine way to cover up for mankind’s mistakes. The gospel was planned by God before God created man and before the fall of man.

The Gospel is history. In 30AD, Christ died on a cross and rose from the grave three days later. This is the Gospel and it was documented as a historical moment. It was documented by main reliable scribes inside and outside the church [cf. 1 Corinthians 15]. The Gospel is not a theory hypothesized by gray-bearded men in hideout caves dreaming and scheming up the meaning of life, nor was it a philosophy of Christian thinkers, nor is it a feel good story drafted by a novelist. The Gospel is an actual and factual event in history.

The Gospel is of God. Through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ my sins have been forgiven. No longer does the wrath of God hang over those who repent of their sins and believe on the name of Jesus Christ. He wipes the record of my wickedness and removes the guilt os sin as if it had been deleted completely from the divine hard drive never to be recovered. This is the great and gracious mystery of the Gospel: God is the source, means and end of the gospel [Romans 11:33-36]. The gospel is for His glory.

The Gospel is free. The gospel is a free offer, but it came at a cost to the Son of Man–Jesus Christ [Romans 5:15ff]. The Gospel is yours through faith in Christ, not of works. Even the faith you have to believe in the Gospel is given to you from God. You cannot work enough to earn the Gospel, you cannot keep the 10 Commandments for it, you cannot inherit the Gospel from your family or friends, you cannot clock the timecard in at church for Gospel, you cannot get baptized or sit in the confessional booth for Gospel. The Gospel is absolutely positively free for all eternity.

The Gospel is good. Literally the Gospel is “Good News.” In order for it to be good there has to be something bad. The bad news is that our sin separates us from God. Without the Gospel man would not have an opportunity to be in right standing with God. The Gospel is Good News because Jesus’ righteous sacrifice paves a way for me to stand righteously before God–not on my behalf, but the on behalf of the blood of my Savior Jesus Christ. Bad News still hangs over those do not repent and believe, but it can be Good News if only they turn from their sin and embrace the Son of God.

These are the goods on the gospel. Without these goods we have a false Gospel.

be*

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Growing up I wanted to be an artist. My dad was great at painting and drawing, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I majored art throughout high school with colorful ambitions and continue to doodle unto this day. I am no Vincent Van Gogh, Michelangelo, or Matisse, but I could draw more than stick figures. What did you want to be when growing up? Did you ever want to be a branch? I suppose not. Although, Jesus says that we need to be branches.

“I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser…Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the Vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” [John 15:1-11]

In His last major sermon to His followers before his death, Jesus walks them through a common backdrop to make an important point. I could see Jesus walking with His disciples into a neighboring vineyard pointing to the vine and branches and picking off a bunch of luscious grapes. He then compares Himself to the Vine and His Father to the Gardener. He compares you and I to branches. From the context there are two different kinds of branches [15:2]. First, there are branches that do not bear fruit. God as the gardener takes these branches and cuts them off because they are useless.

Why doesn’t the first branch bear fruit? The unfruitful branch is not abiding in Christ—the Vine [cf. Those who do not let Jesus be King will not enter His kingdom]. This is a simple divine illustration of salvation. I cannot bear fruit unless I am abiding in Christ. If I do not abide in Christ I am useless and fruitless as a pile of dead kindling [15:6].

Second, there are branches that do bear fruit but He prunes so that they bear more fruit. This is common for gardeners because they desire to get the most out of their crops. If you abide in Christ you will bear fruit. We still have remnants of sucker branches that continue to need pruning to make room for bountiful fruit.

Jesus says He is the “True Vine.” He is no fake. He is not an impostor. He does not give less than He promises. He is the real deal. He is the life-giving Vine. Those who follow Christ look like Christ. Some look for other vines: drugs, alcohol, cutting, sex, porn, success, money, knowledge, friends or themselves. Whatever vine you seek is the fruit you will bear. Since all other vines are false vines these vines fail. Jesus is the only True Vine.

What does it mean to abide in Christ?

Abiding in Christ appears eleven times in this passage and it also appears throughout the Bible [cf. 1 John 2:6]. If a word appears like this as often as it does, it is probably important. The phrase abiding in Christ [μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί; 15:4] is an aorist active imperative. In other words, “You are to keep on being in Me.” Abiding is not something you get; it is something you are. I am an American: by birth, citizenship and passport. I didn’t just get to be an American I am one. As a follower of Christ we are already have a passport to the kingdom; adopted as citizens of heaven. Abiding is not only what you do it is what you become [BE*]. I abide in Christ because I know I will be with Him one day, and by abiding in Him I can be like Him today.

The better question to ask is: what does it mean to be in Christ? Remember Jesus refers to Himself as being the vine and you being the branches. Jesus then says that if His word abides in me then I am abiding in Him. Therefore, when I lovingly obeying Christ’s commands I am abiding in Christ as He obeyed His Father’s [the Gardener] commands and abides in His love [cf. 14:15, 23].

Be* has been marked with an asterisk not because it is on steroids, but because the work to abide in Christ and bear fruit is Christ’s work. Christ does both the saving and sanctifying work. In other words, my faith to come to Christ comes from Christ, and the fruit of become more like Christ comes from Christ. That is a mystifying work of God’s unconditional love. This love is demonstrated in Jesus words, “The branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in Me…whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” [15:4-5]

Growing up my grandfather had a red delicious apple tree. Let’s say the apple tree didn’t produce much fruit. It just produced dry, wrinkled, brown and mushy apples. Let’s say he decided to fix the tree. So he grabs the tree trimmers, a staple gun, stepladder, and a box of granny smith apples he bought from the store. He cuts off the bad apples and puts on the new store bought ones. Did he fix the tree? Stapling apples will not help because those apples will rot too. Cosmetic changes never satisfy. Are you stapling? Are you faking the fruit? Is Christ your True Vine?

Stapling false fruit is exhausting and tedious. Fruit bearing is not do this and you will be this; rather it is be in Christ and you will live [do things] like Christ. Being in Christ is what I am because I am grafted into the Vine. I am to be a branch that is abiding in the life-giving, fruit bearing doing of Christ. Christ’s doing [sacrificial death] comes before my being [saving faith], and my being [saving faith] comes before doing [sacrificial living].

What does the fruit look like?

We look like Christ—the Vine [cf. Galatians 5:22-23]. When we bear fruit we are glorifying God who has done the fruit bearing work within us through His Son Christ [15:8; cf. Mt.5:16; Phil. 1:11].

In summary, here is how Christ says to bear much fruit: You have to stop being the Vine. You need to let Jesus be the Vine. You need to BE the branch and allow God to bear the fruit as you become like Him. Are you willing to be a branch? As I grow up I want to be a branch that bears much fruit.

entering Ephesus

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What is an Epistle?

The Title to Ephesians commonly says, “An Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians.” What exactly is an epistle? Well we know that Ephesians is not a term paper, newspaper article, fictional short story, or inspirational allegory. It is an epistle, in other words a letter. This is important to understand because 21 of 27 NT books are letters. Like most letters, even ones that people write today, the letter to the Ephesians has a opening greeting [1:1-2], personal words [6:21-22] and closing benediction [6:23-24]. Letters are like sandwiches—the opening and closing is like bread, while the message is like meat. The meat of Ephesians has two main parts: instruction in doctrine [1:3-3:21] and application on how living it out [4:1-6:20].

EPH 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who wrote the letter to Ephesus?

The author of the letter to Ephesus is clear from the very first word. The apostle Paul penned this letter [apostle = messenger of Jesus Christ]. Paul knew the people at Ephesus like family. The Bible records Paul visiting the Ephesians on a few occasions [Acts 18:18-21; 19:1-41; 20:17-38; 1 Timothy 1:3-11].

When did Paul write the letter to Ephesus?

Paul wrote this letter while in prison [3:1; 4:1; 6:20], probably in Rome about 60AD. He did not slack off while he was in prison. He deeply cared for these believers, therefore, while in chains he poured out his heart to these churches encouraging them to endure for the cause of Christ.

Who did Paul write the letter to in Ephesus?

According to verse 1, Paul wrote to the “saints in the churches around Ephesus” [cf. Acts 19]. The word “saint” brings different things to mind to different people. Some people define a saint as a particularly good or holy person [lit. ἁγίοις = holy one]. Others use the term to describe someone who is exceptionally kind and patient in dealing with difficult people or situations.

I grew up in a Catholic church and a saint was a dead person who did extraordinary things for God and His people [miracles, teachings, humble, etc.], but did not become a saint until long after their death. My Grandfather’s patron saint was Francis of Assisi. Francis was a man who loved nature and animals—commonly pictured with a bird in his hands. My great grandmother also had a medallion of Christopher in her car who is the patron saint of travelers. The Catholics have catalogued 1,400-10,000 saints.

Paul calls his readers as “saints” [cf. 1:1, 15, 18; 2:19; 3:8, 18; 4:12; 5:3; 6:18]. These saints were alive, not dead. The word saint is simply one of the many terms used in the New Testament to describe a person who has a living relationship with Jesus Christ. They are a saint not because of what they do, but whom they faithfully serve [God].

Why did Paul write the letter to Ephesus?

Paul purposes in his letter to demonstrate to the Ephesians the scope of God’s eternal plan for all humanity. There does not seem to be any one issue that Paul is addressing, however, the theme of walking in the grace of God in Christ’s glorious work seems to be a golden thread throughout the entire letter.

There is a distinct flavor between the first and second half of the letter. Chapters 1-3 focus on what Christians should believe, unfolding the glorious riches of God’s grace in Christ. Chapters 4-6 explain the implications of walking in God’s grace for the church, for believers, and for specific relationships. Therefore, this study on Ephesians will be called: Watch The Way You Walk. Not to be mistaken with the title of the popular song by RUN DMC summarizes the theme of Ephesians: Walk This Way.

who will be king?

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to call the shots over your boss? Or be the principal in your school? Or even the king of the whole world? I certainly have wasted more than one afternoon daydreaming about my royal plans.

We are constantly surrounded and bombarded with the message that I am in charge of my little world, I have the right to own it all, I am the master of my fate, and I am the king of my domain. The world wants you to believe, “You are god, don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.” MTV Cribs, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and celeb TV send us the message that you have not made it unless you have made yourself the ruler of your realm. Is this what life is all about? Work and play-play-play? Make mounds of money? Make a name for yourself?

In the Bible there are many examples of people who had more than most—Joseph [2nd in command of Egypt], Moses [leader of 2+ million], Solomon [richest & wisest], Esther, and many others. How did they deal with it? Did it go to their head? We see that at times their possessions, popularity, and power did affect their pride. It took the King-of-Everything to pop their big bubbleheads. As you read through the Bible it asks you a very important question: who will be your King? You or God?

Curious? Read more here…

Trinity File

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Over the past month I have been studying the Trinity. Here are all the resources in one place touching upon the theology and practicality of the Trinity:

what does the Trinity teach us about relationships?

Posted in family, God, leadership, marriage, parenting, questions, relationships, theology, TrinityTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Within the Trinity there is both unity and diversity: unity without uniformity, and diversity without division. This unity and diversity is at the core of the great mystery of the Trinity. Unity without uniformity is baffling to our finite minds, but there are demonstrations of this truth all around us; like a symphony, the human body, ecosystems, the church, the human race, a delicious meal, or a sporting event. Unity and diversity are woven into the fabric of the world by multiple images of the One who made it with unity and diversity.

Our human relationships uniquely and divinely reminisce the relationship between the Persons of the Trinity. This is no mistake, since man’s Maker stamped each man in His image. Most people never consider where this similarity has originated, but God has innately marked His creation with creative features that mimic Him—including our relationships. Today we will look at three distinct relationships that the Bible demonstrated both the unity and diversity of the Trinity:

Marriage is a relationship that demonstrates the Trinity’s unity and diversity [Ephesians 5:22-33]

Marriage is a wonderful picture that God uses to demonstrate His character as an unconditional, faithful, and sacrificial Lover. From the beginning of Creation God made man equal in His image [Genesis 1:26-27]. Though man and woman are quite diverse in appearance and God-given roles [Genesis 2; 1 Peter 3:1-7], they are both equally made in the image of God. If only man and woman within marriage would consider one another images of God, much of the conflict and chauvinism would dissipate.

The unifying love that Jesus has for His church is a beautiful demonstration of marriage [Ephesians 5:22ff]. Marriage is pictured in Christ sacrificing Himself for His church and the church submitted to Christ, which is paralleled by the husbands love his wife, the wife submitted to her husband, and both out of reverence towards Christ.

Church Body is a relationship that demonstrates the Trinity’s unity and diversity [Ephesians 4:1-16]

There is a glorious union between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Biblical Christianity stands or falls with the doctrine of the Trinity. Within the doctrine of the Trinity there are practical Implications. First, the Trinity makes God known in Christ [John 1:18; Exodus 33:20; 1 Timothy 6:16]. Second, the Trinity makes the salvation possible [Hebrew 9:14]. Third, the Trinity is fully dependent upon Himself [Acts 17:25]. Fourth, The Trinity provides the ultimate model for relationships within the body of Christ [1 Corinthians 11:3; 12:4–6; Ephesians 4:4–7].

When believers enter into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ they are adopted into God’s family—the church. The church body is made up of members who are all equal in the eyes of God. God in His divine purposes designed the church to function locally as a means for each member to grow spiritually through mutual relations and gift-oriented ministry with one another. Within His Body, God has given all a diverse role in order for the church to be unified in its display of God’s glory. God gave to the church offices: elders and deacons from the membership who are equal, but the elders are supposed to lead, the deacon’s serve, and the membership minister. When each one is doing their part the Body is a beautiful reflection of God’s unity and diversity.

Leadership (i.e. parenting & governing authority) is a relationship that demonstrates the Trinity’s unity and diversity [Ephesians 6:1-9]

The Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit—one God, three persons, all equal but submissive. God the Son submits to God the Father and recognizes Him as the leader. There is leadership within the Trinity. This is called relational subordination.

Jesus, though He is equal with God, willfully submits Himself to the Father. He submits to the Father out of love [John 4:34; 14:31; 15:9-10], reverence for His divine authority [1 Corinthians 11:3; 15:25-28; John 3:16-17; 10:36; 6:38], and reliance upon the Holy Spirit for power and direction [Luke 4:1-2, 16-21]. Likewise, it is marvelous how the Father shines His spotlight on the Son as He purposes all things to be subject to Jesus [Psalm 2:7-9; Ephesians 1:9-10; 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:27-28; Revelation 5:1-5, 8-9]. Likewise, the Holy Spirit pours forth the message of Jesus in the Word of God [2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, Luke 24:24-27, 44, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23, 2:2, Galatians 6:14].

Submission to leadership practically plays itself out in two ways: through parenting and governing authorities. In the government of a home: mom, dad, and the children are equal made in God’s image, but dad’s are supposed to lovingly, humbly, and sacrificially lead [Ephesians 6:1-4]. Also, God appoints government leaders and bosses, and our response is to joyfully submit as if we are laboring for God [Ephesians 6:5-9; Romans 13:1-7]. This can be difficult especially in a world that is filled with crooked politicians, unreasonable employers, and passive fathers, but we have an awesome example to follow in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In conclusion, the Trinity gives us a multifaceted look at relationships. Whether, in a marriage, church, home, business or nation God has demonstrated to us unity within diversity. Imagine if in each arena of your life you were to embrace the diversity rather than run from it, what unity could there be?

meet the taters

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The Tater’s family are a memorable family. I was introduced to the highly dysfunctional Tater family and their ongoing saga through Travis Huseby at Checkpoint Bible Camp. Here is a glimpse of the Tater Family:

Uncle Common Tater

He is no common Tater!? Common has the gift of gab. He makes a living in broadcasting and is good at communicating. He is certainly a chatter box outside the press box. He always has a story to share, and people are interested in hearing him ramble about random happenings.

When you get to know Common you will quickly observe that he does a lot of talking, but not a lot of walking. His bark is louder than his bite. In fact, he is a Sweet Tater, never saying anything bad about anyone. He is certainly a people pleaser. Common could be a mighty spokemen for God’s glory, rather he is ashamed of the gospel of Christ [Romans 1:16-17; 10:14-17].

Speck Tater

Speck is the father of the family. He is intelligent, dedicated to his job, pays the bills, but is not particularly outgoing on the home front. He is the dad you see on the sidelines. Speck is not doing much to support his Tater’s, much like his father Hesi Tater. He is one dud of a spud.

Speck, as Pa-Tater, needs to get off the bench and into the game before time runs out and life has past him by. His family is his most important responsibility. His greatest impact as a father is to train up his children in the ways of God [Proverbs 22:6], and modeling Christ’s through his loving and committed marriage. This cannot be done by passive spectating [Ephesians 6:4], but by active husbandry and priority parenting.

Ima Tater

Ima is the decorated daughter of the family. She is no darling. She models and mimics the world. Her friends often sway her opinions. Roe Tater, her best friend, switches boyfriends weekly, complains about not having enough, and brags about spoiled habits. She is swoon by current fads, trends, and teen idols [aka: Idol Tater].

An idol is anything you worship, and what we worship we become. An idol can be a material possession, a feeling, a person of interest, a place of comfort, or anything that captivates your heart. The Bible says to imitate Christ [1 Corinthians 11:1], and to destroy all idols before they destroy you [Isaiah 40-49].

Agi Tater

Agi is the always angry son who must have inherited the spicy Irish Tater genes. He tends to mash, scalp, or fry any Tater that gets in the way of his plans. His parents blame his bad behavior on Iri Tator, a bullish friend at school.

Agi is self-centered, never wrong, and a big-headed boaster. When things are not going his way you will surely hear about it. Can Agi gain control of his anger? Anger itself is not sinful [Ephesians 4:22ff]. In fact, anger is a God-given emotion that can be used for glorious means in defeating sin and choosing righteousness. Followers of Christ can learn how to control their anger [Titus 2:11-15].

Regurgi Tater

We all call him, Reggie. He is the younger brother [aka: Tater Tot] who tends to tattle tail. He hurls up information quicker than a baby spews up their bottle. Reggie’s feed off of gossips and lies for his own satisfaction [1 Peter 2:1]. The tongue is like a wild fire. A little spark can do a lot of damage [James 3:1-12].

In the Scripture the word often referring to regurgitation is meditation. The Bible says as followers of Christ we must meditate on God’s Word by: reciting it [Psalm 119:11], reviewing it [2 Timothy 2:15], and renewing our minds by it [Romans 12:1-12]. When we think about God’s Word and chew on it we are reminded that other people are created in God’s image and defaming them offends God.

Gravi Tater

Gravi is the mama of the spud bunch. She is large and in charge. If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy. Big mama has control and stay out of her way. Everyone agrees that she takes after her father, Dick Tater. She can certainly be a Sweet Tater when she wants to be. Even as her family is falling apart, she finds a way to contribute by butting herself into everybody’s business. She could be using her magnetizing clout to bring everyone together in unity [Ephesians 4:1-16].

The Tater family does have serious issues. If we were honest we probably see some of the Tater family in our families. My suggestion is that the Tater’s go to Counsel Tater [aka: Pastor Ed U. Tater]. Their they will discover the root issue is sin. Sin is like a bruise or spoil that needs to be cut off or it will infect the the Tater if not the batch of Tater’s. Unfortunately our sin affects others around us, especially those in our immediate family or church [cf. Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12]. Deal with sin swiftly by lovingly confronting it and helping in the change process. Through God’s grace the Tater family can begin to learn from their Creator how to live in His image [Genesis 1:26-27].

portraits of the Trinity

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Let’s say I have a really beautiful snapshot of a rock. You might say, “Wow, that is a really interesting rock.” Yet you would not know where the snapshot was taken, why it was of a rock or for whom it was for. You come to find out that the snapshot of the rock is a part of a larger photo book cataloging pictures of similar rocks. When the snapshot is zoomed out to a panoramic you can see clearly that the rocks are placed in the panorama of the Grand Canyon.

In a similar fashion, God gave revelation to His people in snapshots [aka: progressive revelation]. Progressive revelation simply means that when Adam and Eve were in the Garden, God did not give them a completed Scripture. Likewise, Abraham did not know as much as Moses or David, Isaiah or Jeremiah, even Peter or Paul about redemption. He knew some components, but very few details.

Progressive revelation is closely related to the historical nature of Scripture and God revealing Himself, His purposes to His people. It can be very simply defined as God’s revealing His will in successive snapshots, each founded upon and making clearer the previous snapshots.

God’s redemptive acts were progressive, preparing the way for Christ who should come in the fullness of time [Gal.4:4]. Christ is the panoramic picture of the Bible. He is the rock and the Grand Canyon. God graciously unfolded the snapshots of His redemptive plan and His revelation in ways that fit His people’s ability to receive them.

When it comes to interpretation it is important to have the panorama in view. Each snapshot of revelation builds and defines the previous one. For example, Exodus builds on Genesis, Kings builds on Judges, and Hebrews builds on the OT. We must study in a way that builds on what was revealed by God in progressive snapshots to see the panorama more clearly. As we study the Trinity from Genesis to Revelation we must have the category of progressive revelation in mind.

SNAPSHOT #1: The OT on the Trinity’s Plurality

We find hints of the Trinity in Genesis. However, a good question to ask is: did the Old Testament Jews believe in a triune God? Did they understand the complexity of the Trinity as we do today? Not completely. The OT Jews were not as clear about the nature of God in the way that we are clear with the incarnation and the teaching about the Holy Spirit that comes with Jesus. However, you be careful not to deny that they believed in the triune God because they believed in the God of the Messiah [Jesus Christ].

In Genesis 1:26-27 [cf. 3:22; 11:5-7], there is a hint from the beginning that the Jews believed in a God with plurality. There are many ways to look at the pronoun for God here, but one cannot escape the interesting tidbit—God is spoken of in the plural. There are many allusions to the God’s plurality [Ps.45:6-7; 110:1; Is. 6:8; 11:1-2; 44:6; 48:16; 61:1; Jer. 23:5-6; Dan. 7:13-14; Mal.3:1].

The OT is animate about the fact that the Spirit of God was real, and that the Messiah who was to come is no ordinary man. Therefore I tend to lean towards the fact that the OT Jews did believe in the triune God. However, they did not have a complete panorama that He was a triune God.

SNAPSHOT #2: The OT on the Trinity’s Oneness

Discovering references to the oneness to God in the OT is not as complicated as studying the Trinity’s plurality. Jews had grown up in Sabbath School learning to prayerfully memorize the Shema [Deuteronomy 6:4] declaring God Oneness I the midst of a world of polytheist pagans. God’s oneness in the OT is quite common. In fact God’s uniqueness is a repeated pattern seen through the OT: “Who is like God?” or “There is none like God” [Ex.8:10; Ps.35:10; 71:19; Is.43:10; 45:5; Jer.10:6-7; Micah 7:18; Zech. 14:9].

SNAPSHOT #3: Jesus on the Trinity

Jesus’ favorite song must have been Psalm 110:1. He quoted it a lot. The question I have is whose son is the Messiah? And whose Lord is the Messiah?  I just don’t think it was a catchy tune stuck in His head, rather it was meaningful in relating Himself to the God as more than a mere man. Jesus compares Himself to the Trinity’s oneness by quoting the Hebrew Shema [Mark 12:28-29] and plurality [Mt.3:16-17; 28:19; Lk.1:30-35; 11:13; Jn.6:27, 57; 10:30; 14:16-26; 15:26; 17:11, 21-23]. In overabundance Jesus Christ is affirming Himself as God and being One with God.

SNAPSHOT #4: The NT on the Trinity

The are numerous places in the NT following the Gospels of Christ that describe God’s Oneness [Rom.3:30; 10:12; 1 Cor. 8:4; 1 Tim. 1:17; 2:5; Js. 2:19] and Plurality [Acts 5:3-4; Rom.1:1-4; 9:5; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; Eph. 1:3-14; Gal. 4:6; 2 Thess.2:13-14; 1 Pt.1:2-3]. As the revelation of God unfolds through history we gain a clearer and more complete picture of God. God is complex, but He graciously and patiently reveals Himself to His people over a long period of time.

When you pull the snapshots of God together from OT to NT you have a true portrait of the Trinity as seen from the whole panorama of Scripture. Today we are blessed to have a completed Canon of Scripture that gives us a wonderful and beautiful picture of God’s character and His story of redemption. Let us behold Him in all His glory—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—three in One.

T – 3 months = baby

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Mama Hutts belly is growing and growing. Right now it looks like a seedless watermelon is growing in Sarah’s tummy. It is amazing to feel the headbutts and crazy kickboxing at random moments day or night [not so sure mama likes it so much though]. To think that in a matter of three months a little miracle will come screaming into the world astonishes our socks off.

I really look forward to being a daddy. Here are a few realities that excite me about being a father:

Disciplining my child into a faithful follower of Christ. Sharing the gospel story with my children brings me the most excitement. Sarah and I have been praying long before we found out that she was pregnant that our children will exceed us as parents in living faithfully for God. This is a huge parenting priority, but its a load we do not bear alone.

Taking my child fishing. Last week, I spent time with my dad and brother fishing in northern Wisconsin. I learned how to fish as a kid because of the patience training of my father. Even if my child does not like to fish, just being able to spend quality time with them will be a treasure.

my most favorite book

Reading and telling stories. We already have a stash accumulating of our favorite children’s books and stories for bedtime, car trips, camp fires, and more. Not to mention all the stories to share about baby Hutts’ journey, mom and dad’s histories, and memories of those who have come before baby Hutts. [Note: You can help towards our book and story collection at our Amazon baby registry or for other baby items Target. Also Sarah’s baby shower is September 11 at BGBC]

Growing deeper in love with my wife. My wife will be a wonderful mother. I know this because she is an amazing wife and has a tremendous love for little ones. There are certainly unforeseen challenges and curve balls that we will learn about one another as a child is brought into our family. Yet the newness of parenthood I foresee strengthening our love for one another.

There is so much more that excites me that soon will be a reality. It is good that God gives you 9 months to stew over parenting.

why does the Trinity matter?

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Is the trinity a concept for people who are really intelligent like philosophers and theologians? The Trinity to many people seems like an egg-headed doctrine that is distant from the everyday lives of people. How is the Trinity important for me today? Why does the Trinity matter?

Why the Trinity matters is like asking why does gravity matter? Or why is oxygen all that important? Or do we really need to know anything about anything? I remember sitting in Algebra as a high-school student and thinking to myself, “Is this at all practical?” Indeed, it is practical. For without mathematics the very school building I was sitting in would not have been architected, planes could not fly, time and space could not be measured.

Just because something does not matter to you does not mean it does not matter. In fact, many things we do not think about matter. Imagine you stepped onto an airplane and the stewardesses did not give a safety talk before the plane took off. You would not know what to do in an emergency. If there is information about God that is important shouldn’t we seek to know and understand Him? Why does the Trinity matter?

The Trinity strengthens our relationship with God.

Can you really love something you do not know much about? This is a good question to consider. Take something you love and test it [write a list of things you love]. I love cheese. I am not an expert coinsure on cheese, but I have grown up in Wisconsin, I’ve tasted many kinds of cheeses, I have friends who work in cheese factories that cut cheese for a living, therefore, I know cheese and can appropriately love it. As lame of an illustration as that is the things we love we often learn, study, consume, relate to, experience, and take time and energy to know and understand. This in turn strengths our love and affection for it. To love God is to know and grow daily in all His ways.

God desires us to know and understand Him [Jeremiah 9:23-24; John 16:7-15]. That’s why He was given us His Word. Knowing God might not be the priority of every human being, at least right now, but it we will all one day come to the realization that knowing God is what matters the most.

The Trinity is not about ME.

I cannot wrap my melon around the scope of the Trinity, but that does not mean the Trinity does not exist. Just because I cannot fully understand something does not nix it from being real or truth.

We live in a me-centered culture that thinks everything revolves around “me”. You can spend an entire day thinking about yourself, but oblivious to the realities surrounding you. Like people prior to Galileo concluded our world was flat, but in reality it is a globe. We must face the truth that human beings are part of a larger cosmos that God created, sustains and revolves solely around Him. He is the blazing center of our universe. Man is on earth a blip on the radar screen of history, but God remains eternally. God does not exist to meet our needs, nor did He create us because He was lonely and needed little friends to keep Him company. He did not save man by sending Christ so that we could be with Him forever. Eternity exists so that we can know God—the Trinity [John 17:3].

The Trinity shows the uniqueness of Christianity.

Christianity is not like other world religions. It’s not even kind of the same. Not all religions believe in the same God [that is a contradictory statement]. It is radically different than all world religions. What separates Christianity from other belief systems? According to Christianity God became man [Matthew 1:18-23]. This God-man became the sacrifice for man’s sin. At Christianity’s core the Trinity—God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—is unique to Christianity. Without the Trinity Christianity is dead. That truth alone helps me to understand that the Trinity matters.

3 amazing and mysterious truths about the Trinity

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I remember when I first started talking with my wife in the early days of our relationship. I wanted to know everything about her: what she loved, desired, disliked, favorite foods, most inspirational books, greatest memories, fears, and more. Our phone conversations would go on for hours, as we would learn new things about one another. I really got to know a lot about Sarah and loved it. Now that we have been together over 3 years and have know each other more than 10 years we are still learning new things about each other, but not quite at the pace we did in the early years. We are familiar with one another. Imagine one day I woke up and said to Sarah, “I don’t want to know more about you.” Something is very wrong when the learning about my loved one stops.

There is a difference between knowing about someone and really knowing them. Likewise you can know more than just know something about God. You can know Him. He speaks to you and you can speak to Him. You can actually have a growing relationship with God. Like a marriage or family this relationship is a lifelong endeavor, if not an eternal adventure. Forever you will be learning something new about God.

God is a mystery, but there are things you can know for certain about God. You will never be able to solve the mystery about God or know everything about Him. It is impossible to know all about God. People often think that the Trinity mystery is contradictory. A contradiction is when two truth statements exist that cannot logically coexist. For example: “God exists” and “God does not exist.” Both of these statements cannot be truth at the same time. One must be true and the other false. The Bible declares 3 amazing and mysterious truths about the Trinity of God [John 1:1-14]:

1. God is 3 Persons.

How does John 1:14 define what the “Word” is in 1:1? The Word is defined as God who “became flesh and dwelt among us.” We would know the Word as referring to Jesus Christ. What is the significance of calling Jesus “the Word”? To a Jewish person the Word of God was spoken, not necessarily seen. God spoke the universe into being, God spoke to Adam and Eve in the Garden, God spoke to Moses in the bush and Wilderness, and God spoke to the prophets. When God spoke, man listened. John says that Jesus is the Word—the Word in visible flesh. When people look at Jesus and hear from Him they see God with skin on. He is just as God as God the Father; in fact Jesus displays the “glory” of God the Father.

According to John 1:1 notice “the Word was with God.” Why is that statement important? It means that Jesus and the Father are distinct. God is distinct in persons. The Bible clearly shows that the persons of God—Father [1 Cor.8:6; Rom.15:6; Mt.11:27], Son [John 1:3; 5:27-30; 8:58], and Holy Spirit [Acts 5:3-4]—are indeed God, yet distinct from one another [Mt.3:13-17; 12:32]. In fact, the persons are subordinate to one another [John 14-16]; the Father planned salvation [John 3:16], the Son submits to the Father [1 Cor.11:3; 15:28], and the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son [John 16:14].

How is the distinctness and oneness of God reflected in our human relationships? Marriage relationships are considered one flesh, but with two persons [Hutts / Justin & Sarah]. A family is considered a unit with many members [Hutts / Justin Hutts]. A team is typified as one with 5 or 11 players [Colts / Peyton Manny]. So it is with God—He is 3 persons.

2. All 3 Persons are Fully God.

According to John 1:1 Jesus was with God in the beginning. Jesus took part in the creation of all things. Do you notice that John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1 have a lot of similarities? “In the beginning God created the heavens and earth.” Jesus is equal with God at creation. Jesus is fully God. John 1:14 tells us that He became flesh, which means that He was once not flesh. Jesus is God who became a man. [Note: The whole Trinity is involved in Jesus’ incarnation—God send Him and the Holy Spirit caused the womb to be; John 3:16; Luke 1:35]

The 3 persons of the Godhood are distinct in person, but one in essence. The 3 Persons have eternally existed as One God. Jesus is not merely with God, not merely like God, He is God.

3. All 3 Persons are 1 God.

All Jews from the time they little children learn about God—One God. Even the disciples believe in One God [monotheist] and believed that Jesus was God too [not one of many god, polytheist]. Hebrew children much like children today attended “Saturday” School at the synagogue and learned important lessons from the Old Testament. By heart a Hebrew would know the Shema: “Hear, O Israel the LORD our God, the LORD is One.” [Deut.6:4] The three-ness and oneness of God do not exist in the same respect—God has one essence and plurality of persons.

How has your view of God been too limited? How have you been reminded in your life of your limitations? When I think about the Trinity I come to a realization of my own limitations. We are the creation and God is the Creator [Isaiah 55:8-9]. Thinking about God puts Him in His place and me in mine. He is God and I am not. I am not, but I know I AM!

In my relationship with Sarah there are things I will learn about her the rest of our marriage. She is a woman—she thinks differently and is wired differently by God. She is so complex. So it is with God. He is infinitely more complex and there is an endless vat to know about our beautiful God and Savior. What a joy it is to search the mysteries of our God and get a glimpse of Him in His Word and in the world.

hiking up a mountain with a pregnant wife

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Sarah and I just got back from our wonderful vacation filled with family, friends, and new memories of glorious mountains. We were able to spend a few days hiking and exploring the back country of Rocky Mountain National Park. We climbed up to the base of Mummy Peak and tented at the treeline basin nestled below Fairchild and Hagues Mountains. We did not encounter any bears at 11000 feet, but we did have plenty of encounters with chipmunks. They don’t warn you at the park office about those pesky varmints!?

When standing within the virgin forests gazing up at the sharp rocks jetting into blue skies one cannot help but think, “God is powerful and mighty to have created this natural art.” The picturesque mountains are certainly contagious. I miss the sounds of mountain birds singing and wind whirling in the tall evergreens, the smell of the crisp snow capped air mixed with ointment of perfuming flowers. God is so creative in the way He attracts our senses to His beauty and majesty within creation.

Much of this vacation was imagined and planned by my wife Sarah. Even though she is 5 months pregnant she did not complain much about the elements. Sarah is perched for adventure. Next week she departs for over a week with a group from our church to Haiti. There she will again hike a mile up a mountain to serve faithfully in a forgotten village 6 months after the devastating earthquake. Some say Sarah is crazy for going overseas this far into her pregnancy, while others have offered her money to stay home, but she presses on with the support of her husband.

I have confidence that Sarah will do be just fine in Haiti, especially after climbing the 6.2 mile trail up and down Lawn Lake. Our baby is going to be a little climber and adventurer just like mama. Our God is a protector and provider. He is the God who has given us our child and He is the God who will also hedge my wife and child as they go to unknown places spreading the fame of His name.

spiritual vitality, cross and tongue, peace of mind

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spiritual vitality

When people lose their global vision, they begin to lose their spiritual vitality. And of course all this affects their values. – Tom Julien, Antioch Revisited, 23.

cross and tongue

When the message of the Cross captures our hearts and captivates our imaginations, our tongues, stammering, halting, insulting, awkward, sarcastic, imperfect as they may be, won’t be far behind. As Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” [Matthew 12:34] – Mark Dever, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, 144.

what’s to come

Christianity is not finally about anesthetizing us to life’s pain, or even about waking us up to it and teaching us to live with it. it is about teaching us to live with a transforming longing, with a growing faith, with a sure and certain hope of what’s to come. – Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, 35.

The gospel, you see, is not simply an additive that comes to make our already good lives better. No! The gospel is a message of wonderful good news that comes to those who realize their just desperation before God. – Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, 40.

peace of mind

baby Hutts’ first glamour shot

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Nothing glamorous about the photo other than the glamorous price tag! Ultra sounds today are really neat with 3D effects. Sarah and I got to see every part of baby Hutts inside mama’s belly.

Is baby Hutts a boy or girl? That is a good question. One dad cannot answer here for you. You see, mama Hutts does not know yet. When the ultrasound tech was searching around the significant parts mom looked away and only dad got to see the money shot. Fun-loving mama Hutts wants to play a little game: how many people can Justin tell before Sarah finds out? So far it is working in Justin’s favor. If you want to find out you will have to contact me. Shh…please keep it a secret from Sarah.

Definite observations about baby Hutts [after 5 months]:

  • definitely has a Polish nose like dad.
  • definitely going to a dancer or runner with big kickin’ clod hoppers!
  • definitely a ham like mama
  • definitely cutest baby ever [of course].

football vs. soccer

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Two things I really like: John Cleese and Word Cup soccer. Now I completely understand the differences between football and soccer! Why didn’t we have this dialogue earlier!? No wonder American’s don’t understand soccer.